Henry Sampson

  General Notes:

Henry Samson came as a young sixteen year old boy on the Mayflower, under the care of his aunt and uncle Edward and Ann (Cooper) Tilley. Henry Samson volunteered and fought in the Pequot War of 1637, and during his life took on several civil positions including constable of Duxbury, property surveyor, and tax collector. Henry Samson married Ann Plummer, whose ancestry is unknown. However, Ann had a sister Mary Plummer, who married John Barnes in Plymouth on 12 September 1633.
Edward Tilley and wife Agnes (called Ann by Bradford) came on the Mayflower. They died the first winter, and had no known children. Edward's brother John Tilley also came on the Mayflower with his wife Joan (Hurst). Edward Tilley had been in Holland since at least 1616 . He and his wife brought with them on the Mayflower Humility Cooper, their recently orphaned niece, who had been born in Holland in 1619.
Humility Cooper was a very young girl, about one year old, and came with Edward Tilley and his wife on the Mayflower. She was called their "cousin". Cousin in those days was a synonym for nephew or neice. This has helped identify her family. Her father had died, and her mother was unable to support her; so she was sent with her aunt and uncle on the Mayflower.
Governor William Bradford in Of Plymouth Plantation, states, "Edward Tilley and his wife both died soon after their arrival, and the girl Humility, their cousin was sent for into England and died there."

The Ship Mayflower
The Mayflower is first recorded in 1609, at which time it was a merchant ship traveling to Baltic ports, most notably Norway. It was at that time owned by Christopher Nichols, Richard Child, Thomas Short and Christopher Jones. The ship was about 180 tons, and rested in Harwich. In its early years it was employed in the transportation of tar, lumber, and fish; and possibly did some Greenland whaling. Later on in its life, it became employed in Mediterranean wine and spice trading.
In 1620, Thomas Weston assisted by John Carver and Robert Cushman hired the Mayflower and the Speedwell to undertake the voyage to plant a colony in Northern Virginia. The Speedwell turned out to be a leaky ship, and so was unable to make the famous voyage with the Mayflower.
Christopher Jones was the Captain of the Mayflower when it took the Pilgrims to New England in 1620. They anchored off the tip of Cape Cod on November 11, 1620. The Mayflower stayed in America that winter, and its crew suffered the effects of the first winter just as the Pilgrims did, with almost half dying.
The Mayflower set sail for home on April 5, 1621, arriving back May 6th. The ship made a few more trading runs to Spain, Ireland, and France. However, Captain Christopher Jones died shortly thereafter, and was buried March 1621/2 in Rotherhithe, Surrey, England. The ship lay dormant for about two years, at which point it was appraised for probate, and its value was determined to be £128, an extremely low value (had it been in sailing condition, £700 could be expected).
This probate inventory is the last record of the Mayflower. The ship was not in very good condition, being called "in ruins" in a 1624 High Court of Admiralty record written in Latin. Ships in that condition were more valuable as wood, so the Mayflower was most likely broken apart and sold as scrap.




"Henry Sampson was one of the company of Pilgrims who came in the world-renowned "Mayflower" to Plymouth in 1620. He was a member of the family of his Uncle Edward Tilley, and was too young to sign the Immortal Compact of Nov. 11th, in the cabin of that vessel, and while at anchor in the harbor of Provincetown. He was, however, enumerated in the assignment of land 1623, and in the division of cattle 1627, and was admitted a freeman of Plymouth Colony in 1637."

  Research Notes:

[MD 2:142] Henry Samson died at Duxbury, 3 January, 1685, new style, or 24 December, 1684, old style, according to the Duxbury town records. His will and inventory were recorded in the Plymouth Colony Wills and Inventories, Volume IV, Part II, pages 94 and 95.
[p. 94] Duxburrow this 24th of the: 20th 1684
The Last Will and Testament of henery Sampson of Duxburrow;
In the Name of God Amen
Know all prsons whom it may Concerne that I henery Sampson being in my right understanding Doe thuse will and bequeth my estate to be Disposed of, after my Death
1 I Doe Comitt and Comend my soule to God that gave it mee whom I trust hath redemed it; and my body to the earth for a season; Desiering that I may be Decently buried;
2 It is my will that all prsonall Debts be payed out of my prsonall estate; and that my funerall Charges before any legacyes
3 I Doe Give and bequeath unto my son Stephen one third prte of my whole puchase of Land lying and being in the Township of Dartmouth;
4 I Doe Give unto my son John one thirds of my whole purchase of Lands lying and being within the Township of Dartmouth;
5 I Give and bequeath unto my son James the remaining prte of the other third of my Land lying within the Towneship of Dartmouth; That is thuse Joseph Russell is to have the Land which was my son Jameses sold to him the said Russell; and I signed it taken out of the Last third; and the remainder is that which I Doe bequeath to my son James for hee had the Mony for the Land that was sold to the abovsaid Russell;
6 I Doe further give and bequeath unto my son James one shilling;
7 I Doe give and bequeath unto my son Caleb one shilling;
8 I Doe Give unto my Daughter Elizabeth now the wife of Roberd Sprout one shilling;
9 I Doe Give and bequeath unto my Daughter hannah now the wife of Josias holmes one shillinge;
10 It: I Doe give and bequeath unto my Daughter Now the wife of John hanmore ten shillings;
11 I Doe Give and bequeath unto Mary my Daughter Now the wife of John Summers; one shillinge
12 I Doe give unto my Daughter Dorcas now the wife of Thomas Bony one shillinge
13 I Doe Constitute ordaine and appoint; my son Stephen to be executor of this my Last Will and Testament to pay all my Debts and Legacyes and to receive all Dues;
14 It is my Desire that my trusty and honored frind mr Wiswall would be the overseer of this my last will and Testament; Thus Desireing to waite untill my Change shalbe; and that those that come after may be att Peace; I shall subscribe with my hand and seale the Day & yeer above expressed; signed and sealed in the prsence
of the witnesses:
Thomas Delano Henery Sampson } seale
Joseph Channdeler his H marke }
Thomas Delano & Joseph Chandeler made oath in Court the 5th of March 1684/85 that they see henery Sampson signe seale and Declare this to be his Last will and Testament; and that to the best of theire Judgment hee was of a Disposeing mind when hee soe Did;

  Noted events in his life were:

• Arrived in America on Mayflower, 11 Dec 1620, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Henry Samson Came As A Young Sixteen Year Old Boy On The Mayflower

Henry married Ann Plummer, daughter of Matthew Plummer and Elizabeth Metcalf, on 6 Feb 1636 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. (Ann Plummer was born in 1612 in Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA and died in 1684 in Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA.)