Rev. Samuel Stowe

Arrived on the Elizabeth Bonaventure.

SAMUEL6 STOWE (JOHN5, JOHN4, JOHN3, THOMAS2, THOMAS1) was born Abt. February 1623/24 in Biddenden, Kent, England, and died May 8, 1704 in Middletown, Connecticut. He married HOPE FLETCHER Abt. 1649 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, daughter of WILLIAM FLETCHER. She was born 1630 in England, and died February 4, 1655/56 in Middleton, Connecticut.

Notes for SAMUEL STOWE: Stowe Ancestry, J. Ronald Stowe

Samuel graduated from Harvard College in 1645, and assisted his father as a teacher in the Roxbury Grammar School, while preparing for the Ministry under the tutelage of the Rev. Maverick. He preached first at Chelmsford, later at Charlestown, Wethersford, Middletown, and Simsbury, later returned to Middletown, Conn., where he died. He had several children but the name Stowe became extinct in his line with the death of his only grandson, who died unmarried in his twenty-second year. Though the above statement is true, the name Stowe was again introduced in his line by the marriage of Harriet Elizabeth Beecher, one of his descendants, to Prof. Calvin Ellis Stowe, from another branch of the family.

More About SAMUEL STOWE:

• February 8, 1623/24, Baptized at Biddenden, County of Kent, England
• 1634, Emigrated with his parents to New England

sources: Pedigrees of Descendents of Colonial Clergy. 1976

Children of SAMUEL STOWE and HOPE FLETCHER are:

1. Hope, b. Middletown, Connecticut; d. November 17, 1678, Middletown, 5 days aft. childbirth; m. ABRAHAM SMITH, Middletown, Connecticut.
2. Rachel, b. Middletown, Connecticut.
3. Margaret, b. Middletown, Connecticut.
4. John, b. June 16, 1650, Charlestowne, Massachusetts; d. June 30, 1732, Middletown, Connecticut.
5. Ichabod, b. February 20, 1652/53, Middleton, Connecticut; d. January 24, 1694/95, Middleton, Connecticut.
6. Dorothy, b. August 1, 1659, Middletown, Connecticut; d. July 14, 1698, Middletown, Connecticut.
7. Elizabeth, b. August 1, 1662, Middletown, Connecticut; m. MAYBE BARNS, November 19, 1691, Middletown, Connecticut; b. June 25, 1663, Middletown, Connecticut.
8. Thankful, b. May 5, 1664, Middletown, Connecticut.

http://www.dmarlin.com/hawley/downloads/docs/stowfamilyindepth.pdf

Below from a Hawley family website

Below text from History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men J. B. BEERS & CO.,

Rev. Samuel Stow came to Mattabesett in 1651. He was the youngest of the four sons of John and Elizabeth Stow, who " arrived at New England the 17th of the 3d month ano 1634," and was then twelve years of age. He graduated in the first class of Harvard College, 1645, studied for the ministry, was employed in Massachusetts for a time, and on his removal here became the founder and pastor of the "First Ecclesiastical Society" in this city, and was recognized by the General Court as "their engaged minister," as recorded in volumes of the Colonial Records,

In March 1669 he made an appeal to the General Court (still extant) to settle differences that had arisen between him and his people, which resulted thus:

"That the people of Middletown are free from Mr. Stow as their engaged minister. 2dly . That the people of Middletown shall give to Mr. Stow L'rs Testimonial as drawn up by the worshipfull Governor in ye Courte. And Mr. Stow is not infringed of his liberty to preach in Middletown to such as will attend him, until there be a settled minister there. It is ordered by this Court, that ye people Middletown shall pay unto Mr . Stow for his labour in ye ministry the year past £40, which is to be paid unto by the 10th of April next." *

• Trumbull's Colonial Records, Vol. 1, pp. 3B1, 363.

He continued his work in various places, and founded churches. In 1680, twenty persons from Simsbury petitioned the Legislature thus: the petitioners" having knowledge and try all of Mr. Samuell Stow in ye labours of ye Word, & doctrine of ye Gospell, manifest their desire, for his continuance, to be a Pastor and Watchman over our Souls and ye Souls of ours, and ask ye countenance of the General Court to their settlement and order; "which petition was granted and the order given.*

He married Hope Fletcher, the daughter of William Fletcher, of Chelmsford, Mass. With the exception of John, his oldest son, born at Charlestown, Mass., June 16th 1650, his children were all born here. After his retirement from the work of the ministry, he wrote several books for the press, one of which was probably the earliest history of New England, and is not now known to be extant, another on the conversion of the Jews, all of which appear in the inventory of his estate. He held during his life, 1374 acres of land, some of which he deeded to his children, of some he gave instructions in his will that it be sold, and the proceeds be used to present a Bible to each of the numerous young men among his kindred bearing his name. He also bequeathed a large tract in Newfield and Westfield to the town , and thus laid the foundation of the first free schools here, an example which was followed by Nathaniel White and Jasper Clements. These bequests combined are the source of the present town school fund.

As his two sons died without male heirs, the name of Stow is extinct in his line, but the standing of his descendants at this day shows the fulfillment of the promise of "the jealous God" who " sheweth mercy unto thou sands of them that love him and keep his commandments."

He died at Middletown, May 8th 1704, aged 82. The table monument in the Riverside Burying Ground, supposed to be his, is devoid of any inscription, time and the elements combined having left the surface smooth.