An American Family History

Samuel Lothrop was born in England between 1620 and 1624 in England. His parents were John Lothrop and Hannah Howse.

He came to America on the ship Griffin with his family.

He married Elizabeth Scudder on November 28, 1644. Elizabeth was born May 12, 1622 in Suffolk, England. Her parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Scudder.

They had nine children including John Lothrop (1645), Mary Lothrop Moss, Elizabeth Lothrop Royce, Samuel Lothrop (1652), Israel Lothrop (1659), Joseph Lothrop (1661), and Ann Lothrop Heugh.

In 1648 the family moved to New London, Connecticut, then called Pequot or Nameag. He held various positions of honor and responsibility, including judge. He farmed and was a carpenter. He built the second church in New London. 

His second wife was Abigail Doane who was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts on January 29, 1631/32. Her father was John Doane.

In 1668 they moved to Norwich, where Samuel was a Constable and Townsman.

Samuel died in February 9, 1700 in Norwich, Connecticut. Abigail died in 1734. when she was 102. She was buried in the old Town Burial Ground near the Congregational church in Norwich

Samuel Lothrop was married, first, by his father, at Barnstable Nov. 28, 1644, to Miss Elizabeth Scudder, of whose death there is no record. He was a house carpenter by trade, combining with it extensive farming operations. In 1648 he went to New London, then called Pequot, where he built the "Second Church" and held positions of responsibility and honor. In 1649 the General Court organized a local court at Pequot and Samuel Lothrop was one of the judges. In 1668 he removed to Norwich, where he is recorded as "Constable" and "Townsman," and where he died Feb. 29,1700, leaving the widow Abigail who survived him many years.

On the one hundredth anniversary of her birth, an audience of her neighbors and church people assembled in her rooms at Norwich, where a sermon was preached by her pastor, the Rev. Benjamin Lord. At this time, it is claimed, she retained to a remarkable degree the intelligence and vivacity of her earlier years.

She was buried in the old Town Burial Ground near the Congregational church in Norwich, a stone with the following inscription marking her grave :

Here Lyes Interred ye Remains of Mrs. Abigail Lothrop
ye Relict of Mr. Samuel Lothrop Of Norwich
Born At Plymouth Ano 1631 & Lived in Norwich
43 Years And Dyed January 23D AnoD 1734-5 In
ye 104Th Year Of Her Age.

Caulkins' History of New London gives the following notice of her death, copied from the New England Weekly Journal :

Mrs. Abigail Lothrop died at Norwich, Jan. 23, 1735, in her 104th year. Her father John Doane and his wife came to Plymouth in 1630, and there she was born the next year. She lived single till she was sixty years old and then married Mr. John (Samuel) Lothrop of Norwich, who lived ten years and then died.

In the New England Weekly Journal for Monday, April 14, 1735
"Norwich (in Connecticut) March 3."

On the 23d of January last, died here old Mrs. Abigail Lothrop, in the 104 [th] Year of her Age, and was decently interred the next day, numbers attending her Funeral, agreeable to what might be expected on so extraordinary an occasion.

Her Father Mr. John Done with his wife in 1630 came from England to Plymouth, where in the following Year this Daughter was Born, who continued in a single state of Life till the both Year of her Age, when Mr. John Lothrop of Norwich Married her, who lived very happily with her about ten Years, and then died, leaving her under the care of his Children; who have always discovered a very filial Respect and Duty to her, till the Day of her Death.

Her natural Accomplishments were rarely equalledd by any of her Sex; She was a person of quick Understanding, great Penetration, solid Judgment, strong Memory, and easy Elocution. And as it is rare to see these all meet in one Person, with such Eminence; so more especially to observe them continue unto, and through' old Age, and such an eminent old Age, as they did in Her; for she retained the most of them in such a degree, that at an 100 she did not discover those Decays, which are common at 60 or 70. The firmness of her Constitution and the vigor of her mind, made her the wonder of all observers, especially as they rendered her capable of very entertaining Conversation, particularly on divine & religious Subjects, almost to the end of her days.

The Family which she Married into, are one of the more considerable in the Town both for Numbers and Weight whose remarkable Prosperity may have been not a little in Answer of her Prayers for them. They are a very numerous Family which sprang from Mr. Lothrop, and the surviving at the day of her Death, taking in his Children's Children unto the fourth Generation, were reckoned 365, and 'tis supposed, that in all, who are scattered abroad, they are many more.

"When she was an 100 Years old, she desired that a Lecture might be attended at her House, and a Sermon preached on that Occasion, and accordingly was gratified with one, from Psalms 71 :18, 19. O God thou has taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now, also, when I am old, and gray-headed O God forsake me not

"And when she had begun a new Century, she still applied herself to her great work, with that vigor and diligence, as if she had a new race to run and all her time couldn't be too much to improve in order to finish well. The nearer she came to it, the stronger did the Attraction appear to be, and the greater her confidence and her pleasure in looking into Eternity; and when she came very nigh, being apprehensive of it, desired she might have an easy passage, which she was gratified in, and gave up the Ghost without a struggle or a groan.

On the Sabbath following, was preache'd her funeral Sermon from Gen. 25 :8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost & died in a good old age; an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people."