Ancestral Trails 2016 » Henry SAMPSON (1604-1684)

Personal data Henry SAMPSON 

• He was born in the year 1604 in Henlow, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.
• He was baptized on January 15, 1603/04 in Henlow, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.Source 1
• Emigrated in the year 1620, Passenger on the Mayflower.
• Profession: in Constable, Planter and Freeman.
• He died on December 24, 1684 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA, he was 80 years old.
• He is buried on January 3, 1684/85 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA.
• A child of James SAMPSON and Martha COOPER

Household of Henry SAMPSON

He is married to Ann PLUMMER.

They got married on February 6, 1635/36 at Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA, he was 31 years old.

Child(ren):

1. Mary SAMPSON  1650-< 1686
2. James SAMPSON  1644-1718 
3. Stephen SAMPSON  1638-???? 
4. Caleb SAMPSON  1654-1750 
5. Sarah SAMPSON  1643-????
6. Daughter SAMPSON  1648-????
7. Dorcas SAMPSON  1652-< 1695 
8. John SAMPSON  1640-> 1702
9. Elizabeth SAMPSON  1642-> 1711 
10. Hannah SAMPSON  1646-???? 

Notes about Henry SAMPSON

Henry Samson (c. 1603 - 1685) In 1620 Henry Samson traveled as a member of the Edward Tilley family on the historic voyage of the Pilgrim ship Mayflower. The Tilleys died in the first winter but Henry Samson survived to live a long, fulfilling life in Plymouth Colony.

Life in England
Henry Samson was baptized in Henlow, Bedford, England on January 15, 1603/04. He was a son of James Samson and his wife Martha (Cooper), a sister of Ann, wife of Edward Tilley. Henry was noted in his father's 1638 will and was bequeathed five pounds.

Life in Leiden
Shortly after their marriage Edward Tilley and his wife went to live in Leiden, Holland. They appear in a 1616 Leiden record where he was reported to be a weaver as with a number of other Leiden Separatists, and future Mayflower passengers. There is an indication that Edward's brother John Tilley was also in Leiden along with Edward's ward Henry Samson.

Voyage on the Mayflower
Henry Samson, age about sixteen, boarded the ship Mayflower as a nephew of the Edward Tilley family, along with his cousin, one year old Humility Cooper. Why Henry was in the custody of the Tilleys is unknown - it is possible he may have been apprenticed out to his uncle Edward Tilley. The reason that Humility and Henry were given over to the care of the Tilleys, apparently in Leiden, has never been fully explained. Henry's parents and siblings remained in Henlow, Bedfordshire.

Per William Bradford's later recollection of this family: "Edward Tillie, and Ann, his wife; and *2* children that were their cossens, Henery Samson and Humility Coper."

The small, 100-foot ship had 102 passengers and a crew of about 30−40 in extremely cramped conditions. By the second month out, the ship was being buffeted by strong westerly gales, causing the ship's timbers to be badly shaken with caulking failing to keep out sea water, and with passengers, even in their berths, lying wet and ill. This, combined with a lack of proper rations and unsanitary conditions for several months, attributed to what would be fatal for many, especially the majority of women and children. On the way there were two deaths, a crew member and a passenger, but the worst was yet to come after arriving at their destination when, in the space of several months, almost half the passengers perished in cold, harsh, unfamiliar New England winter.

On November 9/19, 1620, after about 3 months at sea, including a month of delays in England, they spotted land, which was the Cape Cod Hook, now called Provincetown Harbor. After several days of trying to get south to their planned destination of the Colony of Virginia, strong winter seas forced them to return to the harbor at Cape Cod hook, where they anchored on November 11/21. The Mayflower Compact was signed that day.

Life in Plymouth Colony
At the death of the Edward Tilleys in the winter of 1620/1621, Henry Samson and Humility Cooper were given over to the care of others - it being uncertain what family that was. Records do show Henry's name with that of the Edward Winslow family in the 1623 Division of Land, adjoining land of Humility Cooper, and with the William Brewster family in the 1627 Division of Cattle.

In 1626 Henry Samson was a member of the Purchasers, which were a Plymouth Colony investment group in company with former members of the "Merchant Adventurers" London organization. In that agreement, he was listed as "Henry Sampson."

Over the years, Henry Samson received generous land grants becoming a Freeman before March 7, 1636/7.

Henry was a volunteer in the Pequot War of 1637, but the war ended before the Colony could get its troops organized.

On January 1, 1637/38, Henry and Ann were granted land in Duxbury next to Henry Howland.

In April 1640, Henry was granted additional land that had formerly been a common. Starting in the 1640s, Samson began many years of public-service duties. He served on six juries between 1641 and 1663 and twelve petty juries between 1644 and 1670.

In 1648 he was an arbiter, a surveyor in 1649 and in 1661, a constable for Duxbury. Johnson 204 Between 1638 and 1654 Samson and his wife had nine children and in 1665 and 1667 he was allowed by the Plymouth Court to seek out land for his children.

Sometime after 1668, Henry and his wife sold some of their land in Nemasket and would also sell of some of his Dartmouth properties in 1682 and 1684.

In 1669 he served on a coroner's jury assembled by John Alden.

Family
Henry Samson married Anne Plummer in February 6, 1635/6 in Plymouth and between about 1638 and about 1654 he and his wife had nine children.

Children of Henry and Anne Samson:

Stephen was born about 1638 and died before January 31, 1714/5 in Duxbury. He married Elizabeth Sprague by 1686 and had eight children.
John was born about 1640 and died unmarried between 1702 and 1712.
Elizabeth was born about 1642 and died after November 23, 1711. She married Robert Sprout by 1662 and had eight children.
James was born about 1644 and died between January 10, 1715/6 and July 7, 1718. He married Hannah (_____) Wait by 1679 and had seven children.
Hannah was born about 1646 and was still living on January 23, 1681. She married Josiah Holmes on March 20, 1665/6 in Duxbury and had six children.
______ (daughter) was born about 1648. She married John Hanmore by 1682 and had two sons. Her name has never been discovered.
Mary was born about 1650 and died before 1686. She married John Summers by 1684 but had no recorded children.
Dorcas was born about 1652 and died before July 29, 1695. She married Thomas Bonney by 1684 and had three children.
Caleb was born about 1654 and died after July 9, 1744. He was buried at Myles Standish Burial Ground in Duxbury, Mass.
He married:
1. Mercy Standish by 1686 and had nine children. She died between May 17, 1722 and January 30, 1728/9. She was a grand-daughter of Mayflower passengers Myles Standish and John Alden.
2. Rebecca (Bartlett) (Bradford) Stanford on January 30, 1728/9 in Duxbury. She died in 1741

Will of Henry Samson [see below for full will transcript
Henry Samson made his will December 24, 1684, which was sworn March 5, 1684/85. In the will he named his sons Stephen, John, James and Caleb, dividing his remaining Dartmouth land holdings between Stephen, John and James. Small sums were given to son Caleb and daughter Elizabeth, wife of Robert Sprout; Hannah, wife of Josias Holmes; (unknown) the wife of John Hanmore; Mary, wife of John Summers; and Dorcas, wife of Thomas Bonney. The name of the daughter who was married to John Hanmore has not been found in any record.

Death and burial of Henry Samson and his wife
Henry Samson died on December 24, 1684 in Duxbury. His wife Ann had predeceased him, dying between December 24, 1668 and December 24, 1684. Both were buried in Cole's Hill Burial Ground in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony
SOURCE: Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Samson

While Henry Samson's lines do not connect to any known royalty, there are many Lords, Sheriffs, Governors, and Barons in his ancestry. Henry Samson came as a young sixteen year old boy on the Mayflower, under the care of his aunt and uncle Edward and Ann (Cooper) Tilley. Henry Samson volunteered and fought in the Pequot War of 1637, and during his life took on several civil positions including constable of Duxbury, property surveyor, and tax collector. Henry Samson married Ann Plummer, whose ancestry is unknown. However, Ann had a sister Mary Plummer, who married John Barnes in Plymouth on 12 September 1633. SOURCE: Robert Leigh Ward, "English Ancestry of Seven Mayflower Passengers: Tilley, Sampson, and Cooper," The American Genealogist 52:198-208.

LAST WILL & TESTAMENT OF HENRY SAMSON Duxburrow this 24th of the: 10th 1684 The Last Will and Testament of henery Sampson of Duxburrow; In the Name of God Amen Know all prsons whom it may Concerne that I henery Sampson being in my right understanding Doe thuse will and bequeth my estate to be Disposed of, after my Death
1 I Doe Comitt and Comend my soule to God that gave it mee whom I trust hath redemed it; and my body to the earth for a season; Desiering that I may be Decently buried;
2 It is my will that all prsonall Debts be payed out of my prsonal estate; and that my funerall Charges before any legacyes
3 I Doe Give and bequeath unto my son Stephen one third prte of my whole puchase of Land lying and being in the Township of Dartmouth;
4 I Doe Give unto my son John one thirds of my whole purchase of Lands lying and being within the Township of Dartmouth;
5 I Give and bequeath unto my son James the remaining prte of the other third of my Land lying within the Towneship of Dartmouth; That is thuse Joseph Russell is to have the Land which was my son Jameses sold to him the said Russell; and I signed it taken out of the Last third; and the remainder is that which I Doe bequeath to my son James for hee had the Mony for the Land that was sold to the abovsaid Russell;
6 I Doe further give and bequeath unto my son James one shilling;
7 I Doe give and bequeath unto my son Caleb one shilling;
8 I Doe Give unto my Daughter Elizabeth now the wife of Roberd Sprout one shilling;
9 I Doe Give and bequeath unto my Daughter hannah now the wife of Josias holmes one shillinge;
10 It: I Doe give and bequeath unto my Daughter Now the wife of John hanmore ten shillings;
11 I Doe Give and bequeath unto Mary my Daughter Now the wife of John Summers; one shillinge
12 I Doe give unto my Daughter Dorcas now the wife of Thomas Bony one shillinge
13 I Doe Constitute ordaine and appoint ; my son Stephen to be executor of this my Last Will and Testament to pay all my Debts and Legacyes and to receive all Dues;
14 It is my Desire that my trusty and honored frind mr Wiswall would be the overseer of this my last will and Testament; Thus Desireing to waite untill my Change shalbe; and that those that come after may be att Peace; I shall subscribe with my hand and seale the Day and yeer above expressed; signed and sealed in the prsence of the witnesses: Thomas Delano Henery Sampson Joseph Chandler his marke ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- SOURCE: Mayflower Web Pages. Caleb Johnson © 1998

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Timeline Henry SAMPSON

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