My great grandmother, Helen A. Mayhew, was a direct descendent of four Mayflower ancestors. The Mayhew family governed Martha’s Vineyard (MV) first through Thomas Mayhew in 1641. My great great grandfather, James Albion Mayhew, was born and raised in Chilmark and was a MV fisherman.
ANCESTORS AND DESCENDANTS OF HELEN ALBION MAYHEW, 1887 – 1966
By: Vernon R. Nickerson, B.S.
Member of the New England Genealogical Society, 101 Newbury Street, Boston Massachusetts
“A copy of this book was sent to the National Library of Congress at Washington, D.C., and two copies were sent to the New England Historic Genealogical Society, 101 Newbury, St., Boston, Mass.”
PART II: ANCESTORS OF HELEN ALBION MAYHEW
Helen Albion (Mayhew) Anderson is directly descended from four Mayflower ancestors who arrived at Plymouth, 1621. They were William Brewster, Thomas Rogers, Richard Warren, and Henry Samson.
Check out Google images, for more information regarding Whaling Bark Sarah
“A short sketch of my voyage to California in the Bark Sarah, September 3, 1849” ~ Joseph B. Nickerson
James married Nellie Howes Nickerson from West Tisbury in 1886. She was the daughter of Joseph B. Nickerson who in 1849 boarded the Bark Sarah for California and the Gold Rush. Upon return he married Carolyn W. Hillman in 1853. They had three children: Hepsi, Nellie and Frank. My great grandmother, daughter of Nellie Nickerson, was an only child. She lived in West Tisbury, but spent the summers in a little cottage in Lobsterville where they had an idyllic summer and where her father James had his fishing and lobster business.
Menemsha Cottage, 1918 with Nellie Nickerson Mayhew and my grandmother with her brother.
Aunt Rae & Alexandra (my daughter)
Jack & Alexandra in a hammock at Eric and Marguerite Cottle’s home in Menemsha.
In 1917, a larger cottage was purchased from James’ sister in Menemsha as well as a fishing shack in Menemsha Basin. (The fishing shack was destroyed in the hurricane of 1938.) This is the cottage where I spent my summer vacations. All but memories remain as this generation of relations and contacts have passed away; Marguerite Cottle, the last of my contacts, passed away on Monday, October 7, 2013.
I will forever cherish the time I spent with them and wish to pass on the memories and history of the Island People.
Tullyvale Post 
Helen Mayhew Anderson is my great grandmother, her son Alfred married my grandmother Thelma, both deceased. i live in lakeville, ma and visit the island often..Helen once lived in Berkley, Ma till her passing…I would love to know more about our family
Hi Ruth, My grandmother is Ruth Anderson Crawford, Alfred’s sister. I will have my mother email you more information. P.S. My middle name is Ruth. 🙂