William White (birthplace and date unknown; died in the winter of 1620–1621) was a passenger on the Mayflower who helped establish the early English settlement at Plymouth Colony. He was among those who added their names to the Mayflower Compact after the ship arrived in New England. Contemporary records indicate he was born in England and died during the colony’s first harsh winter.

Voyage and settlement

White traveled to New England aboard the Mayflower in 1620. Like other settlers, he became one of the initial group to form a civil body politic and signed the Mayflower Compact, an early document establishing rules for self-governance in the new colony.

Family

On the voyage White was accompanied by his wife and at least one child. His family continued in the colony after his death; a son born during or shortly after the crossing is traditionally associated with the family’s arrival. Members of White’s household are listed among the early passengers who remained in Plymouth after the settlement was established.

Death and immediate legacy

William White did not survive the first winter in Plymouth. He died in early 1621, one of many settlers who perished from illness and the effects of the severe season. His widow later remarried, and his children grew up in the colony; their descendants became part of the early Plymouth community.

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