Allen line: Samuel Davis 1637-1692

This is a poor excuse for a post.  I admit it, and I write it because of a hope that someone who reads this will have at least one more little tidbit to add to what little I think I know about Samuel.  I also write it because no one in our family should be ignored.

Samuel is traditionally given as the son of Foulk or Fulke Davis and Mary Haynes Dayton, although that may not be correct.  Fulke was the sort of character who had a girl in every port (on Long Island) and I've not found a marriage record for this couple, but Samuel was born possibly about 1637 in Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York.

He married Mary, possibly Mary Mather, about 1671, at Southampton, Suffolk Co, New York (Long Island).  He died in 1692 at Jamaica, Queens County, NY.

That is what I know about Samuel.  I can make a few other guesses.  My guess is as good as yours, unless you've found more information than I have.  Since his father was something of a ne'er do well, we can guess that Samuel had a hard life.  He may have been employed at sea, or he may have worked menial jobs such as his father had.  Perhaps he was lucky and was put out to learn a trade of some sort.

There is a deed from a Samuel Davis to his son Samuel Davis, dated January 14, 1729.  It mentions that the older Samuel Davis was a blacksmith.  If this is the son of our Samuel, then at least he was able to give his oldest son a trade, also.  And if this Samuel is the son of our Samuel, then there were also sons Obadiah, Joseph, and Daniel; those names are mentioned in the deed and the first two were specified to be brothers. But that's a big, unproven if.

Samuel is believed to also have had at least one daughter, Hester, and that is where we connect.

I have no will, no inventory, no hint of anything further at this point. His death is generally given as 1692, which is the same year his father died.  I don't know whether there is any record of Samuel's death, or whether this is an "after 1692" date.   It would probably take a trip to the appropriate towns and courthouses to even have a chance of learning anything new, but new records are coming on line all the time and perhaps next week something new will show up.  Then maybe we'll be able to write more of his story, and find out whether he was able to improve his situation in life or not.

The line of descent is:

Samuel Davis-Mary possibly Mather
Hester Davis- John Finch
John Finch-Sarah
Nathaniel Finch-Hannah Scofield
Jesse Finch-Hannah
Hannah Finch-John Bell
Harriet Bell-Thomas Knott
John Wilson Knott-Harriet Starr
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants