Kenelm was a younger brother of Gov. Edward Winslow of the Plymouth Colony, America. Their father, Edward, was born in England, 17 October 1560, and was probably a descendant of the Winslow family which existed in Kempsey, Worcestershire, England, before 1500. To support this assumption, we find that the Winslow estate in Kempsey, England, was called "Kerswell" and the Winslow estate in Plymouth, MA, was called "Careswell".

Kenelm Winslow came to America with his brother, Josias, in the ship White Angell which arrived in what is now Saco, ME, July of 1631. Other brothers had come earlier, John who came in the Fortune in 1621, and Edward and Gilbert who came in the Mayflower in 1620.

At the time of his marriage to Ellen, Kenelm put up security to pay James Adams, son of his new wife and her deceased husband, John Adams, 5 pounds when he became of age. Plymouth County records show that this sum was paid on 26 December 1651.

Kenelm became a "freeman" in Plymouth on 1 January 1632-33. In 1633, Kenelm and his brother, Josias, bought a dwelling from Francis Eaton with the records showing that Josias sold his half in 1634. After their marriage in June, 1634, Kenelm and Ellen lived in Marshfield and he received various land grants, including one in Yarmouth in 1640 where he participated in the settlement of that town. In 1642, and often later, he was a representative from Marshfield. On 1 June 1647, he was chosen constable in Marshfield and from 1649 onward was frequently a deputy in Marshfield.

Kenelm was a carpenter and a cabinet maker and the official coffin maker of the colony. According to my notes, source unknown to me and not verified by a personal visit or inquiry to any museums, he was the designer and maker of fine furniture, many pieces of which have been preserved in the Metropolitan and other museums.

According to Plymouth Colony, Its History and Peoples by Stratton, p 376 and 377, Kenelm was involved in several disputes which were settled by the courts:

"On Dec. 1, 1640, he was fined for neglecting his duty as an elected highway surveyor ( PCR 2 :4 )."

"On June 4, 1645, a committee consisting of Myles Standish and six other men reported that a complaint of injustice about a court case made by Kenelm was untrue and the committee found the Bench and jury were without fault. The court ordered Kenelm imprisoned and fined 10 pounds. On his petition the same day in which he acknowledged his offence and sorrow for same, he was released from imprisonment and his fine suspended for one year to be remitted at the end of that time if he showed good behavior (PCR 2:85)."

"On May 5, 1646, Kenelm was sued by Roger Chandler for keeping his daughter's clothes on the pretense that she owed Kenelm further service. The court ordered Kenelm to return the clothes (PCR 2:98)."

"On the same day, May 5, 1646, the court ordered Kenelm to find 'sureties' for his good behavior for uttering 'opprobrious' words against the Marshfield Church. Kenelm evidently claimed that several members were 'lyers' etc. Kenelm refused to do so and he was sentenced to prison, where he remained until the next court (PCR 2:98)."

"On March 7, 1653-54, Kenelm made a complaint against John Soule for speaking falsely against Kenelm's daughter and 'scandalizing' her in carrying false reports between her and Josias Standish (PCR 3:46)."

Kenelm Winslow's will, dated 8 August 1672, proved 5 June 1673, named his wife, his four children, his grandchild Kenelm Baker, and asked his wife to give Mary Adams (child of James Adams, I assume) an equal share of his personal property with the rest of his grandchildren.

Kenelm and his wife Ellen (-----) Newton Adams Winslow had four children:

• Kenelm, b. 1635; m. Mercy -----.
• Ellen, b. 1637; m. Samuel Baker.
• Nathaniel, b. 1639; m. Faith Miller.
• Job, b. 1641.