This timeline follows national events, Buckinghamshire events, Kendall als. Mills family events, and some from the lives of John Bunyan and John Gibbs, as examples of what other dissenters experienced during our period of interest. There is no doubt the Kendall als. Mills family lived in turbulent times, which could have impacted the decision of Francis and Thomas to immigrate and certainly affected the lives of family members who stayed in England.
Conclusions that can be drawn from the events in the timeline:
- The Kendall als Mills family lived in a place of significant dissent in England and of religious strife that led up to the Civil Wars.
- Francis and Thomas Kendall left for Massachusetts in 1640, but family who remained in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire and Enfield, Middlesex would likely have seen general unrest and persecution of dissenters.
- The Civil Wars (1642-51) came to Newport Pagnell through control by Royalist and then Parliamentary Armies and a Parliamentary garrison stationed in Newport Pagnell. Frederick Bull’s History of Newport Pagnell stated the garrison was commanded by Sir Samuel Luke, who had an unusual surname which turned up again with Rodney Luke, who witnessed Ralph Kendall als Mills will written in Middlesex in 1657.
- The Restoration of the Monarchy (1660) brought some political stability, reverse immigration, and the return of pre-1642 political and religious policies, including those against dissenters.
To see the timeline itself, click here.
