Experience Mitchell, Anne or Little James, 1623
Experience Mitchell was born about 1603 (based on his estimated date of marriage). He died in Bridgewater by May 14, 1689, the date his inventory was taken.
He came to America aboard the Anne or Little James in1623 from Holland. Experience is believed to be the son of Thomas Mitchell who lived first in Amsterdam as a member of Francis Johnson’s congregation, and then moved to Leiden. He married Maria Tromdin and after her death, Margaret (Williams) Stocking, widow of Christopher Stochin/Stocking after April 15, 1606, in Amsterdam. Experience had a nephew, Thomas, who lived in Amsterdam, with whom he corresponded in later life.
Experience came to Plymouth as a single man. He was on the 1633 list of Plymouth freemen. He served on a number of juries and in 1658 was Duxbury’s surveyor of highways. He moved to Duxbury by 1639 and to Bridgewater between 1684 and 1689.
Experience married (1) Jane Cooke after May 22, 1627.She died sometime before 1641 and he married (2) Mary _____.
Elizabeth Mitchell, daughter of Experience and Jane Cooke Mitchell, was born 27 August 1627 in what is now Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts to Experience Mitchell (1603-1689) and Jane Cooke (c1609-c1641) and died 5 December 1684 in what is now Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Massachusetts of unspecified causes. She married John Washburn (1620-1686) 6 December 1645 in what is now Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Elizabeth and her husband, John Washburn, were among the original settlers of what is referred to today as “Old Bridgewater”. They settled in the area that is today the central portion of the town of Bridgewater. “Old Bridgewater” was officially incorporated in 1656.