Samuel Scripture, of Groton

SAMUEL1 SCRIPTURE of Groton, Massachusetts, was born about 1649, perhaps in England or the West Indies, and died between 1720 and 1728, probably at Groton.

• from http://rjohara.net/gen/scripture/

He married at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on 11 September 1674 Elizabeth KNAPP [Torrey 1985: 658], daughter of James Knopp/Knapp of Watertown, Massachusetts; 10 children (Samuel, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah, Hannah, Abigail, John, Deborah, Ruth, Lydia). He married Sarah 2nd; 2 children (Jacob, Eunice).

Samuel first appears in the Groton records in 1671; there is no prior record of him or anyone with his surname in New England. "His position at Groton was modest from the start."

When he first came to Groton Samuel Scripture was indeed a servant, to Samuel Davis of Groton and Charlestown, Massachusetts ... one of the original proprietors of Groton. Samuel Scripture appears to have gained his freedom in Groton in 1671, for “At a town meeting held the 23:6m:1671 It was agreed and by vote declared that Samuell Scriptur shal be an inhabitant amongst us and for his Incoridgment these men have given him some small grants of upland as followeth” [Georgi 1995: 3, quoting Green’s Early Records of Groton]. The land Samuel received comprised 10 acres.

When he was about 27 years old Samuel served in King Philip’s War under Capt. Joseph Sill, and on 24 August 1676 he was credited with wages of 2£ 4s. 6d. for service under Sill and also with wages of 1£ 15s. 6d. from Charlestown, Massachusetts, suggesting that he was a resident of that town at the time [Bodge 1906: 374].

During King William’s War (1689–1698), the first of the European wars to spill over onto the North American continent, British settlements in New England and New York were frequently raided by French forces and their Kanawake and Abenaki allies from Canada. The inhabitants of Groton established eight garrison houses during this time in which several families lived together for protection. Green [1883: 59–61] transcribes a document dated 17 March 1691/2 which reports that Samuel Scripture and his family occupied one of these garrison houses along with the families of Lt. Jonas Prescott, Nathaniel Lawrence, James Knop, Elias Barnes, Ephraim Filbrook, Daniel Peirce, Jno. Barnes, Stephen Holding, Jno. Perrum, Samuel Davis, and widow Sawtle.

Notes

• from http://rjohara.net/gen/scripture/

Samuel Scripture’s English origins have not been established, but some possible clues are offered below. One Internet source says that Samuel Scripture’s parents were a John and Mary Scripture and that Samuel was the fifth of their seven children (Elizabeth, Giles, Richard, John, Samuel, Mary, and William), but no documentation for this claim is provided.

• from http://bigelowsociety.com/elizabeth_knapp.html

"On page 7 and 8, is Elizabeth Knapp, b. 23 Jul 1657, m., 11 Sep 1674, Samuel Scripture, of Cambridge.  She is listed as the fourth of four children, and third daughter, of William Knapp and Margaret ___________."

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Listed on "Family Tree Maker - Descendants of John Lawrence"

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/o/o/Stephen-W-Moore-AZ...

15. ELEAZAR3 LAWRENCE (PELEG2, JOHN1) was born February 28, 1673/74 in Groton, MA, and died March 09, 1754. He married MARY SCRIPTURE 1698, daughter of SAMUEL SCRIPTURE and ELIZABETH KNAPP. She was born February 07, 1680/81 in Groton, MA, and died June 29, 1761.

Links

• http://newenglandgenealogy.pcplayground.com/f_4b6.htm#62
• http://www.treetreetree.org.uk/Scripture.htm