Samuel Holly of Cambridge

Not the son of Dr. Luther Holly, {possibly fictional}

Samuel Holly is considered one of the first settlers of Cambridge in 1639 and had 18 acres.

Samuel died in 1643 and his will is dated October 1643. He gave everything to his wife except 10 acres which went to his son. The will stipulated that all the land goes to his son after his wife died. His estate was appraised at only 15 pounds.

Family

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-545972

Elizabeth _______ was the wife of Samuel Holly and John Kendall. The first record of her by name is the sale of the property of Samuel Holly by son John Holly in which she is named as Elizabeth Kendall former wife of Samuel Holly in Cambridge.

Their only child was John Holly (Abt 1618 - 1681) who married Mary Waitstill.

Disputed Origins

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Holly-107

The location of his birth in England and the names of his parents have yet to be determined. Several histories claim that he was related to the "famous English philosopher" Dr Luther Holly, b. 29 October 1556 St Leonards. Shoreditch, London, England[1][2] or Edmond Halley b. 29 October 1556 St Leonards. Shoreditch, London, England[3] in discussions of son John. Edmond is also mentioned in a biographical sketch of 3d gr-grandson Luther Holly. [4] This appears to be a rearrangement of names and dates in an attempt to link this family to the famous astronomer Sir Edmond Halley who was born 100 years later 29 October 1656 in Shoreditch.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Holly-215 Explains it:

Doubtful Origins and Name

Luther Holley is purported to be the father or grandfather of Samuel Holley/Holly, early immigrant to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

His name, birth date and origin in England are much in question. The only record of ancestors in England for this line of Holly/Holleys is in various histories that do not provide sources.

The first reference of an ancestor is in Cadwell (1828) where it is stated that Luther Holley was descended in a direct line from Edmund Halley, a celebrated English philosopher, born the 29th October, 1556, St Leonard's Parish, Shoreditch, London. [1]

No such famous person appears in the historical record. There is the very famous Sir Edmond Halley, Royal Astronomer, of Halley's Comet fame who was born 29 October 1656 in Haggerston, MIddlesex, England. His father was Edmond Halley, Sr of Derbyshire. [2]

The Litchfield history of 1851 uses the same wording as Cadwell. [3]

The first mention of Luther as an ancestor appears in Huntington's History of Stamford in 1868. Here he is not mentioned as a direct ancestor but only an ancestor, "The family number among their ancestry in England, Dr. Luther Halley who was born Oct. 29, 1556, in St. Leonard's parish, Shordith [sic] London." [4]

A similar phrasing was used in 1897 by Whitmore in Heroes of the American Revolution "John Holly, of Stamford... came of a distinguished family in England, one of whom, Dr Luther Holly, was born in St. Leonard's parish, Shordith, London, Oct. 29, 1556." [5]

So from 1828 to 1897 the narrative has changed from direct descent from Edmond Halley whom Cadwell presumably believed was the famed astronomer to a distinguished family that contained a Dr Luther Halley who just coincidentally has the same birthdate as the astronomer but 100 years earlier and about whom nothing can be discovered.

Unfortunately the St Leonard's Parish records do not begin until 1560 but there are no Holly/Holley baptisms during the next 20 years meaning the presumed parents of Edmond/Luther born 1556 did not have any more children after him or, more likely, no one of the Holly/Holley name was present there at that time.

Sources

1. A discourse on the genius and character of the Rev. Horace Holley, LL. D. Late president of Transylvania University by Charles Caldwell 1828 [Page 110]
2. Wikipedia contributors, "Edmond Halley," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edmond_Halley&oldid=1005... (accessed February 12, 2021) citing references 1, 2 & 8
3. A Biographical History of the County of Litchfield, Connecticut Comprising Biographical Sketches of Distinguished Natives and Residents of the County; Together with Complete Lists of the Judges of the County Court, Justices of the Quorum, County Commissioners, Judges of Probate, Sheriffs, Senators, &c. from the Organization of the County to the Present Time By Payne Kenyon Kilbourne · 1851 [Litchfield History]
4. History of Stamford, Connecticut, From Its Settlement in 1641, to the Present Time, Including Darien, which was One of Its Parishes Until 1820 – Elijah Baldwin Huntington 1868 Google books
5. The Heroes of the American Revolution and Their Descendants: Battle of Long Island, Whittemore, Henry, Heroes of the Revolution Publishing Company, 1897 - Long Island, Battle of, New York, N.Y., 1776, page 145 full text on FamilySearch

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