Editing John Winthrop (section)

===Decision to begin voyage and settlement in the  American colonies===
In the mid- to late-1620s, the religious atmosphere in England began to look bleak for Puritans and other groups whose adherents believed that the [[English Reformation]] was in danger. [[Charles I of England|King Charles I]] had ascended the throne in 1625, and he had married a Roman Catholic. Charles was opposed to all manner of [[recusant]]s and supported the [[Church of England]] in its efforts against religious groups such as the Puritans that did not adhere fully to its teachings and practices.<ref name=M64/> This atmosphere of intolerance led Puritan religious and business leaders to consider emigration to the [[New World]] as a viable means to escape persecution.<ref>Bremer (2003), p. 138</ref>

[[Image:JohnEndecottPortrait.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[John Endecott]] preceded Winthrop as governor in Massachusetts]]
The first successful religious colonization of the New World occurred in 1620 with the establishment of the [[Plymouth Colony]] on the shores of [[Cape Cod Bay]].<ref>Morison, p. 12</ref> Pastor [[John White (colonist priest)|John White]] led a short-lived effort to establish a colony at [[Cape Ann]] in 1624, also on the Massachusetts coast.<ref>Morison, pp. 28–29</ref> In 1628, some of the investors in that effort joined with new investors to acquire a land grant for the territory roughly between the [[Charles River|Charles]] and [[Merrimack River]]s. It was first styled the New England Company, then renamed the [[Massachusetts Bay Company]] in 1629 after it acquired a royal charter granting it permission to govern the territory.<ref>Morison, pp. 31–34</ref>  Shortly after acquiring the land grant in 1628, it sent a small group of settlers led by [[John Endecott]] to prepare the way for further migration.<ref>Morison, p. 35</ref> John Winthrop was apparently not involved in any of these early activities, which primarily involved individuals from [[Lincolnshire]]; however, he was probably aware of the company's activities and plans by early 1629. The exact connection is uncertain by which he became involved with the company because there were many indirect connections between him and individuals associated with the company.<ref>Bremer (2003), pp. 153–155</ref> Winthrop was also aware of attempts to colonize other places; his son [[Henry Winthrop|Henry]] became involved in efforts to settle [[Barbados]] in 1626, which Winthrop financially supported for a time.<ref>Manegold, pp. 8–12</ref>

In March 1629, King Charles dissolved Parliament, beginning [[Personal Rule|eleven years of rule]] without Parliament.<ref name=M64>Morison, p. 64</ref> This action apparently raised new concerns among the company's principals; in their July meeting, Governor [[Matthew Cradock]] proposed that the company reorganize itself and transport its charter and governance to the colony.<ref>Bremer (2003), p. 156</ref> It also worried Winthrop, who lost his position in the Court of Wards and Liveries in the crackdown on Puritans that followed the dissolution of Parliament. He wrote, "If the Lord seeth it wilbe<!--sic--> good for us, he will provide a shelter & a hidinge place for us and others".<ref name=M64/> During the following months, he became more involved with the company, meeting with others in Lincolnshire. By early August, he had emerged as a significant proponent of emigration, and he circulated a paper on August 12 providing eight separate reasons in favor of emigration.<ref>Bremer (2003), pp. 157–158</ref> His name appears in formal connection with the company on the [[Cambridge Agreement]] signed August 26; this document provided means for emigrating shareholders to buy out non-emigrating shareholders of the company.<ref>Morison, p. 69</ref>

The company shareholders met on October 20 to enact the changes agreed to in August. Governor Cradock was not emigrating and a new governor needed to be chosen. Winthrop was seen as the most dedicated of the three candidates proposed to replace Cradock, and he won the election. The other two were [[Richard Saltonstall]] and John Humphrey; they had many other interests, and their dedication to settling in Massachusetts was viewed as uncertain.<ref>Bremer (2003), p. 161</ref> Humphrey was chosen as deputy governor, a post that he relinquished the following year when he decided to delay his emigration.<ref>Moore, p. 277</ref> Winthrop and other company officials then began the process of arranging a transport fleet and supplies for the migration. He also worked to recruit individuals with special skills that the new colony would require, including pastors to see to the colony's spiritual needs.<ref>Bremer (2003), p. 164</ref>

It was unclear to Winthrop when his wife would come over; she was due to give birth in April 1630, near the fleet's departure time. They consequently decided that she would not come over until a later time, and it was not until 1631 that the couple were reunited in the New World.<ref>Bremer (2003), pp. 162, 203</ref> To maintain some connection with his wife during their separation, the couple agreed to think of each other between the hours of 5 and 6 in the evening each Monday and Friday.<ref>Bremer (2003), p. 169</ref> Winthrop also worked to convince his grown children to join the migration; John Jr. and Henry both decided to do so, but only Henry sailed in the 1630 fleet.<ref>Bremer (2003), p. 162</ref> By April 1630, Winthrop had put most of his affairs in order, although Groton Manor had not yet been sold because of a long-running title dispute. The legal dispute was only resolved after his departure, and the property's sale was finalized by Margaret before she and John Jr. left for the colony.<ref>Bremer (2003), p. 168</ref>