“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists."
― Franklin D. Roosevelt
A Puritan was a member of the religious group in the 16th and 17th centuries that advocated "purity" of worship and doctrine who believed in personal and group piety. Puritans were persecuted in England and came to America so they would be free to practice their religion.
Samuel Fuller was born in 1612 in England. His father was Edward Fuller.
Samuel came to America on the Mayflower with his parents. His parents both died in 1621 in the first winter in America. Governor Bradford recorded
Edward Fuller and his wife died soon after they came on shore.
After they died, he was raised by his uncle, Dr. Samuel Fuller.
He received three shares in the division of land in 1624 which were probably his share and those of his parents. The land assigned to him was on the south side of the town brook and included what is now Watson’s Hill. He became a freeman of the colony in 1634.
He married Jane Lothrop in 1635 in Scituate. Their children and life together are described in detail in the section on Samuel and Jane Fuller.
He was constable of Scituate in 1641, and sometimes a juror. He was sometimes appointed to settle difficulties with the indigenous people.
He died on October 31, 1683 in Barnstable. He was buried either on his own estate or in the burial place at Lathrop's Hill in Barnstable, near the site of the first meeting house. No gravestone now exists.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
Any man entering a colony or becoming a a member the church, was not free. He was not forced to work, but his movements were carefully observed to see if they followed the Puritanical ideal. After this probationary period, he became a "freeman." Men then took the Oath of a Freeman where they vowed to defend the Commonwealth and not to overthrow the government.
The indigenous population in the United States before the arrival of Europeans included many distinct tribes and languages
Barnstable, Massachusetts was settled in 1639 when Parson Joseph Hull came to Cape Cod with and his congregation from Weymouth. A little later in the year, the Reverend John Lothrop brought his Congregationalists. They incorporated as the Town of Barnstable.
Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume 2 edited by William Richard Cutter
(Edward Fuller, immigrant ancestor of this line of the family in America, was the son of Robert Fuller, butcher, and was baptized September 4, 15/5, in the parish of Redenhall, county of Norfolk, England. As no trace of him has been found to indicate that he was with the other Pilgrims in Holland, it would seem that he joined the others at Southampton, as stated above, coming over in the Mayflower in 1620, and landing at Cape Cod in November. As stated by Governor Bradford, "Edward Fuller and his wife died soon after they came on shore." Edward died at Plymouth, between January 11 and April 10, 1621; his wife, whose name is sometimes given as Ann, but is really wholly unknown, died early in 1621, after January 11th. Their only child was Samuel, who came over with them in the Mayflower.
(II) Samuel, son of Edward Fuller, was born about 1612, at some place in England not yet determined, no record of his birth or baptism having been discovered. He grew up under the care of his uncle, Dr. Samuel Fuller, at Plymouth.
He had three acres at the division of lands in 1623, receiving, it is thought, those of his father and mother, and one for himself; this is not quite certain, however, as it would seem to indicate that he must have been at least sixteen years of age at that time, and his birth therefore some years previous to the date which has been assumed.
The land assigned to him was on the south side of the town brook, "to the woodward," and included what is now Watson's Hill. His neighbors were John Howland, Stephen Hopkins, Edward Winslow, Gilbert Winslow, and the Indian Hobomok. At the death of his uncle, of whose house he was an inmate, he was left certain cattle, swine, and personal effects, and having reached man's estate, being from twenty-one to twenty-five years of age, started out to seek a home.
He became a freeman of the colony in 1634, and settled in the nearby town of Scituate, where on April 8-18, 1635, he married Jane, daughter of Rev. John Lathrop, the pastor of the Scituate Church. He joined this church, receiving a letter of dismissal from the church at Plymouth. . .
He had been a constable at Scituate in 1641, and his name appears a few times as juryman, or on committees to settle difficulties with the Indians. He was the only one of the passengers of the Mayflower who settled permanently at Barnstable, and one of the late survivors of that company. He died October 31 (November 10), 1683, at Barnstable, Massachusetts; and was buried, if not on his own estate, in the ancient burial place at Lathrop's Hill in Barnstable, near the site of the first meeting house. No gravestone now exists.
