Abraham Sampson/Samson 1614 to ca 1701, Bedfordshire, England to Duxbury, Massachusetts

Abraham Sampson (sometimes Abram Samson), was baptized 14 August 1614 at Campton, Bedfordshire, England, the son of Laurence Sampson and Mary Shabery. He is my 11^th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis’ side of the family.

 

Abraham’s emigration date is estimated to be 1629/30. His kinsman Henry Samson was a Mayflower passenger. There is a lack of records for Abraham in the new world, partly because a fire destroyed early Duxbury records, but it’s possible to patch some things together because of records referencing other people. This is very much a work in progress, so appreciate hearing from people with corrections/additions.

We know Abraham married a daughter of Lt. Samuel Nash, first name unknown, because the Samuel’s 2 June 1681 will mentions bequests to Samuel and Ichabod Samson, sons of deceased grandson Samuel Samson.

We know who Abraham’s children were by deduction— Henry Samson left a will naming his own children, therefore the other Samsons of the time period in Duxbury would belong to Abraham. Clarence Torrey and Robert Wakefield both make a case that Abraham married a second time, to a woman whose name is unknown. These unknown wives are something I find so sad when doing family history research. The role of women of this era was so incredibly important, yet they are so often now anonymous.

Abraham’s children, presumably with the former Miss Nash:

Samuel who m. Esther (probably Delano)

Elizabeth who m. Philip Delano

Abraham’s children with his second wife whose name is unknown:

Mary who m. Samuel Howland

George who m.  Elizabeth (Sprague?)

Abraham who m. Sarah or Lora Standish

Isaac who m. Lydia Standish

I descend from Samuel Sampson and wrote about him here.  Most of Abraham’s children married into important Duxbury families, many with Mayflower/Pilgrim connections.

Abraham was on the 1643 list of men able to bear arms in the Colony’s Duxbury section. He was one of the 54 original grantees of Bridgewater in 1645, all of whom resided in Duxbury, but he did not remove there. In Duxbury, he served as surveyor of highways in 1648, constable in 1653 and was admitted a freeman in 1654.

He wasn’t a stellar citizen at all times, however. On 4 December 1638, Abraham was presented at the meeting house for striking John Washburn, Jr. I’d dearly like to know what precipitated that assault! This was the first appearance of Abraham Sampson in Plymouth Colony records. Additionally he was fined for drunkenness in 1646/47 and 1662/63.

Abraham presumably died at Duxbury, likely just before 1701 at about age 87. No death record, burial location or probate found for Abraham. I have also not found death dates for either Mrs. Sampson.  

 Sources:

The Pilgrim Henry Samson Kindred has an extensive genealogy report of Abraham’s descendants created by Stacy Wood on its website: http://pilgrimhenrysamsonkindred.org/

Lamont “Monty” Healy, George Soule and Powder Point, 2 part series, Duxbury Clipper, March, 2013

Henry A. Fish, Duxbury Ancient & Modern, 2012, Duxbury 375th Anniversary Revised Edition, based on 1925 edition

Mrs. John E. Barclay, The American Genealogist, vol 28 (1952), The Early Sampsons, section “The Abraham Sampson Family”

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 1995

William Richard Cutter, Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, Volume 3

Abraham’s Baptism recorded Campton, Shefford, Bedford, England, FHL Film no. 908373

John Howland b. about 1592; died Kingston, MA 1672

I took a quick visit to the location of John Howland's homestead in Kingston, Mass., last week. Does anyone else get a quickening of their pulse when they walk where our ancestors walked? Gets me every time!

John Howland, my 10th great grandfather and a Mayflower passenger, was born about 1592. He settled first at Plymouth in 1620 and then at nearby Duxbury and finally at Kingston. John and his wife Elizabeth Tilley had 10 children, including daughter Ruth from whom I descend. I wrote a sketch about John and Elizabeth here. His son Joseph lived across the street.

How fortunate are descendants that the Pilgrim John Howland Society owns John Howland's Kingston land, called Rocky Nook, and has conducted archaeological digs on the property. It is located on Howland Lane.

There is a display board with information of interest.

William Lumpkin born ca 1604, England and Yarmouth/Dennis, Mass.

William Lumpkin was born about 1604 in England. I have found a good deal of conflicting information on William, so please consider this sketch a work in progress!

I have not found William’s hometown or parents. It seems he emigrated in 1637 from London on the Rose at age 33 with his wife Elizabeth, whose maiden name is unknown, their daughter Ann, and their servant Thomas Howe(s) (whom I also descend from).  His name is Ludken on passenger list, so some difference of opinion on whether this is actually William Lumpkin. At any rate, he is my 10^th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side of the family.

William was one of the first comers to Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, one of ten men allowed by the 7 Jan 1639 court to “take up freedom at Yarmouth.” He settled in an area that became the town of Dennis. He lived on a brook later called Eldred’s Brook, northwest of Whig and Beach Streets (CCGS “Dennis First Comers” map). He was a locksmith in England and prospered in Yarmouth as a weaver. William was on the 1643 list of Yarmouth men able to bear arms. He served his community as constable, grand juryman, surveyor of highways, and deputy to the Colony Court. In 1667 he was foreman of a coroner’s jury to investigate the death of Nicholas Nickerson’s son who choked on a piece of pumpkin shell (Nicholas is also an ancestor of mine).

from CCGS Bulletin

As with most mere mortals living in Plymouth Colony, William did see a bit of trouble. In 1667, he and Peter Worden (another ancestor of mine) were talking quietly during meeting and were both fined 10 shillings for disturbance of public worship.

William owned a boat with Hugh Tilley and Gabriel Whelden (Gabriel is my ancestor) that they used for fishing. William and Hugh were ordered by the court to pay 15 shillings to Gabriel for his third part of the boat they owned in partnership.

In the 1648 division of land at Yarmouth, William received fourscore acres of upland and 20 acres of meadow.

After the death of his wife Elizabeth, William married Tamisin/Tamesin, maiden name unknown. Some people give her the maiden name Constable but I haven’t seen a source for that. No marriage record is found, but William names Tamasin in his will.

William and Elizabeth had a daughter Ann who married William Eldred/Eldredge. I descend from this couple and wrote about them here..

William and Tamisin had two daughters:

Tamsin who married Samuel Mayo and John Sunderland

Hannah who married John Gray

I’ve also seen a daughter Mary attributed to William, but I’m not sure about this.

William wrote a will dated Yarmouth, 20 July 1668. He mentions being weak but of perfect sense and memory.  He names his “now wife” Tamasin Lumpkin” as sole executrix. She was to have his house, land, cattle and goods during her lifetime. After her decease, half of the estate, both land, cattle, housing and goods to go to daughter Tamasin the wife of John Sunderling, with the caveat that she should pay his grandchild Bethyah Eldred  five pounds when she reaches age 20. The other half of his estate was to go to grandchild William Gray.  William Gray expected to pay five pounds to grandchild Elisha Eldred when he turns 21. Grandchild Elisha Eldred was also to receive his loom and all other equipment for the weaving trade. He appoints beloved friends Mr. Edmond Hawes and John Thacher as “Friends in trust” to see his wishes are carried out.

An inventory of William Lumpkin’s estate was taken 29 January 1670, amounting to over 93 pounds, not including real estate. It included a gold ring, a drinking cup edged with silver, brass candlesticks, 3 Bibles and another book, weaving supplies, a beer barrel, farming supplies, sheep wool, saddle and bridle, a musket, a sword, 3 oxen, six cows, two calves, one horse.

I have read that he died 29 Oct 1671 at Yarmouth, but this is after his inventory was taken.

Sources:`

Charles Swift, History of Old Yarmouth, 1884

Nancy Thacher Reid, Dennis, Cape Cod: From Firstcomers to Newcomers, 1639-1993, 1996

Eugene Stratton, Plymouth Colony, Its History and People, 1986

Cape Cod Genealogical Society Bulletin, Spring 2001, page 8-10