Born in  Devon c. 1580, a shipbuilder by training.

In 1602  he was retained by the East India Company to attempt to find the North West Passage around the top of North America. He was unsuccessful.

In 1605, he made his second voyage to North America:

March 5, 1605, sailed from the Thames to Dartmouth, Devon. End of March sailed  the southern route past the Azores to make landfall off Nantucket on May 13.

Sailed North to Monhegan, arriving May 17 which they called St George’s Island. Island, woody with fir, birch, oak and beech – berries, wild pease and roses. Fresh water springs. Many fowl on the shore and rocks. Many fish – cod and haddock.

The observed the mainland from west-south-west to east-north-east and noted very high mountains (Camden Hills).

Approached the mainland sailing towards the high mountains, threading through numerous islands (St George’s Islands) and came to a large sheltered harbour they called Pentecost harbour. This is St George’s harbour at the mouth of St George’s river.

They explored, refitted their ship, The Archangel, and took in provisions. The crew liked it all so much they wanted to settle there.

They assembled their shallop – set up a cross on one of the islands. (There is the remains of a cross on Manana Island, very close to Monhegan, could this be the one. Historians say the cross was planted on one of the St George’s islands.

They sailed 40 miles up St George’s river. They described it as a wonderful river, coves that would harbour many ships, good holding ground (heavy clay), fertile land, woods, fruit, fish, hogs and deer.

Traded with the indians – treating them with great kindness. They felt that they had found the place they wanted to settle in and wanted to make a very good impression.  They bartered knives, glasses, combs etc for beaver, sable, otter and other skins. They also obtained tobacco.

The indian bow is made of witch hazel or beech, string of leather – arrows made of same wood or ash, big and long with three feathers tied on, headed with a long shank  bone of a deer, made very sharp with two fangs like a harping iron (harpoon). They also had darts, with a similar head, very strong which they used, very cunningly, to kill fish, fowl and beasts.

Captured five indians, two canoes and their bows and arrows.

St Georges river 1 mile – ¾ mile wide with ½ mile at its narrowest. Depth never less than 4/5 fathoms close to the shore. Along the shore line excellent places for docks and to careen boats. Few places in England or Christendom, for that matter, were the river’s equal.

Left for England June 16 (Sunday)  by way of the Grand Banks catching huge and numerous cod – arriving at the Scillies July 16 and Dartmouth July 18

Many historians write that Tisquantum (Squanto) was captured by Waymouth  and taken back to England. They based this on Sir Ferdinando Gorges’ Brief Narration of Our Plantations in America 1624. However, Sir Ferdinando has proven to have been “forgetful” with respect to other events.

According to Weymouth’s own account of his voyage, the following are the Indians he captured and took back to England.

Tahanedo – sagamore

Amoret

Skicowares

Maneddo

Assacomet – a servant

Sir Ferdinando Gorges was a sponsor of this expedition. Weymouth returned to Gorges with his captive indians and a glowing account.

Little more is known of him. He is believed to have died in 1612.