Caleb Johnson was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1998 with two bachelor’s degrees, History and English, and two minors, Computer Science and Archaeology. He later earned his MBA with emphasis in IT Management. He works as Senior Manager of Software Development at Kyocera International, overseeing a software development team based primarily in Cebu, Philippines. A member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, he descends from at least thirteen Mayflower passengers: John Alden, William/Alice/Priscilla Mullins, Myles Standish, Richard Warren, Edward Doty, George Soule, John Howland, John/Joan/Elizabeth Tilley, and Henry Samson. He was editor of the Mayflower Descendant from 2011 to 2014. His research focus has been on identifying the English origins of the Mayflower passengers and tracing their records and social connections within English records. Some of his more significant origin discoveries to date include Stephen Hopkins’ children at Hursley, Hampshire (and proving he was the same man that went to Virginia on the Sea Venture and wrecked in Bermuda); Peter Browne of Dorking, Surrey (including connections to Stockdale Coddington, Christopher Hussey, William Mullins); and in collaboration with Sue Allan and Simon Neal, the discoveries of the origins and parentage of William White and Dorothy May of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire; Susanna (Jackson) of Spalding, Lincolnshire and Scrooby, Nottinghamshire; Isaac Allerton at East Bergholt, Suffolk; Elizabeth Barker at East Bergholt and Chattisham; and John Carver and the Minters at Great Bealings, Suffolk. He has also discovered the origins of a number of Mayflower passengers that do not have known descendants living today, including John Hooke, Thomas Williams, Solomon Prower, William Latham, and others. He has also edited one of the more popular editions of William Bradford’s classic history Of Plymouth Plantation. In 2019, he edited the Brewster Book Manuscript, which included a never-before-published Pilgrim letter written from Plymouth in December 1621, and many unpublished historical descriptions, letters, and provision lists written by Edward Winslow, as well as alchemy notes from Jonathan2 Brewster.
Books Authored:
The Mayflower and Her Passengers (Xlibris, 2006)
Here Shall I Die Ashore: Stephen Hopkins—Bermuda Castaway, Jamestown Survivor, and Mayflower Pilgrim (Xlibris, 2007).
Books Edited:
The Complete Works of the Mayflower Pilgrims (Vancouver, WA, 2003).
William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation (Xlibris, 2006).
The Brewster Book Manuscript (Lulu, 2019).
Articles:
“The True Origin of Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower: With Evidence of His Earlier Presence in Virginia,” The American Genealogist 73(1998):161-171.
“The Probable English Origin of Mayflower Passenger Peter Browne, and His Association with Mayflower Passenger William Mullins: With New Information on William Mullins, and His Association with Later New England Immigrants Stockdale Coddington and Christopher Hussey,” The American Genealogist 79(2004):161-178.
“New Light on William Bradford’s Passenger List of the Mayflower,” The American Genealogist 80(2005):94-98.
“A Note on the English Origins of Mayflower Passengers John Crackstone and John Hooke,” The American Genealogist 80(2005):100
“Hanged for Adultery: The Untold Story of Mayflower Passenger William Latham’s Wife Mary,” Mayflower Quarterly 75(2009):49-53.
“The Hunt for the English Origins of George Soule,” Mayflower Quarterly, 75(2009):245-261.
“The Probable English Origin of Mayflower Passenger Thomas Williams,” Mayflower Quarterly 75(2009):290-291.
“A New Record Relating to James Chilton,” Mayflower Quarterly 75(2009):139-140.
“The Manorial Records of Henlow Grey: New Information on the Tilleys, Coopers, and Hursts,” Mayflower Quarterly 76(2010):125-134.
“Solomon Prower: New Information on a Little-Known Mayflower Passenger,” Mayflower Quarterly 76(2010):242-243.
“Christopher Martin: A New Mayflower Signature Discovered,” Mayflower Quarterly 76(2010):209.
“The Marriage and Children of Elizabeth2 Winslow,” Mayflower Descendant 60(2011):27-30.
“The Brewster Book: A Pilgrim Letter from December 1621,” Mayflower Descendant 60(2011):116-121.
“Unpublished Deposition of John2 Soule,” Mayflower Descendant 60(2011):134-135.
“Further Traces of the Mullins Family in Dorking,” Mayflower Descendant 61(2012):17-27.
“15th and 16th Century Ancestors of Henry Samson in the Manorial Records of Arlesey,” Mayflower Descendant 61(2012):70-75.
“Christopher Jones’ Mayflower in the London Port Books: Imports 1610-1621,” Mayflower Descendant 61(2012):128-133; 62(2013):37-38.
“Nicholas Snow: Not from St. Leonard Shoreditch,” Mayflower Descendant 62(2013):39-41.
“Possible English Origins of Fortune Passenger William Palmer,” Mayflower Descendant 62(2013):66-68.
“Sufferings at Plymouth, 1676-1680,” Mayflower Descendant 62(2013):167-185. [With Simon Neal].
“Research into the Origin of Mary Buckett,” Mayflower Quarterly 79(2013):313-323.
“The Marriage and Children of Anna6 Hills: Descendant of John Howland,” Mayflower Descendant 63(2014):21-26.
“Giles Heale: The Mayflower’s Surgeon in English Records,” Mayflower Descendant 63(2014):117-137.
“The Long-Lost Portrait of Myles Standish,” Mayflower Descendant 63(2014):138-149.
“John2 Soule Deed from 1693,” Mayflower Descendant 63(2014):173-175.
“John Howland Indenture, 1623,” Mayflower Descendant 63(2014):225-231.
“Mayflower-related Documents in the Records of the Court of King’s Bench,” Mayflower Descendant 64(2015):37-42.
“The English Origin and Kinship of Mayflower Passengers William White and Dorothy (May) Bradford of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire,” The American Genealogist 89(2017):81-94,168-188. [With Sue Allan and Simon Neal].
“The Origin of Mayflower Passenger Susanna (Jackson)(White) Winslow,” The American Genealogist 89(2017):241-264. [With Sue Allan and Simon Neal].
“The English Origin and Separatist Background of Mayflower Passenger Elizabeth (Barker) Winslow,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 173(2019):5-17. [With Sue Allan and Simon Neal].
“The Origin and Parentage of Mayflower Passenger Isaac Allerton in East Bergholt, Suffolk,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 173(2019):197-205. [With Sue Allan and Simon Neal].
“The Probable Origin of Mayflower Passenger John Carver and the Minter family of Suffolk,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 174(2020):5-20. [With Sue Allan and Simon Neal].
“The Excommunication of Mayflower Passenger William White and His Half Siblings Henry and Jacomine May, at Wisbech, Cambridgeshire,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 175:101-103. [With Sue Allan and Simon Neal].
“Degory Priest, ‘Obstinate Brownist’ of London: A Clue to the Origins of the Mayflower Passenger,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 175:293-297. [With Sue Allan and Simon Neal].