APuritan 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.
John Fuller was born on December 10, 1656 in Barnstable, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. He was the son of of Samuel Fuller and Jane Lothrop. He was called “Little John" to distinguish him from his cousin, Dr. John Fuller.
He married Mehitable Rowley the daughter of Moses Rowley, Sr. about 1678. Mehitable was born in Barnstable on January 11, 1660/61.
Their children included:
Thomas Fuller (1679),
Samuel Fuller (1682),
Shubael Fuller (1684),
Thankful Fuller Crippen (1688),
Deborah Fuller Rowley (1689),
Edward Fuller (1691),
Elizabeth Fuller Rowley (1693),
John Fuller (1697),
Joseph Fuller (1700),
Benjamin Fuller (1701),
Anne Fuller Rowley (1704), and
Mehitable Fuller Kneeland (1706).
In 1683 he inherited from his father. The estate included marshland and upland, his father's house, orchard and outbuildings, a 3 year old horse, "the Indian Jaell" a share of the oxen and Cart, gears and tools, one fat Cow, a bald faced horse, and a Great Bible. Neat Cattle, sheep the remainder of the estate were divided with his brother.
He remained in Scorton Neck until 1694 when he moved to East Haddam.
He died in 1726 in East Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut and Mehitable died in 1732.
Some Puritans gave their children hortatory names (from the Latin for “encourage”) like Thankful, hoping that the children would live up to them. The names were used for several generations.
In 1688, during theGlorious Revolution, the Protestant king and queen,William and Mary, took the English throne from Catholic King James II. The bloodless revolution profoundly impacted the American colonies.
