Holbrook line: Samuel Winsor 1644-1705

Samuel Winsor was the son of Joshua and Mary (maiden name unknown) Winsor.  He was born at Providence Plantation on November 18, 1644, very early in the life of that colony.  His father, Joshua was a free thinker, perhaps having similar thoughts to those of Roger Williams.  He was encouraged to come to Providence by Roger Williams, and the Winsors would have known the Williams family well for many years. 

We don't know a lot about Samuel, and some of what is on the internet is not accurate, as far as I can tell.  This Samuel Winsor was not a pastor or a "Reverend", unless I have missed some documentation, although his son and grandson were Baptist pastors.  Our Samuel may or may not have worshiped as a Baptist, but since the Baptist church was the first one in Providence it is likely that he did attend services there.  It's also likely that he was a seeker, always looking for God in his life.

His occupation was that of a farmer, but I haven't seen whether he was considered a yeoman or a husbandman.  Perhaps in Rhode Island they didn't pay much attention to titles.

He was one of those who stayed in Providence during King Philip's war.  Since only two homes were not burned by the natives during that struggle, it is probable that if he had his own home by that time, it was destroyed.   Roger Williams was captain of the militia during this time, and there were 30 men left in his unit.  All the others had fled.  I would like to say that Samuel, being about 32 years old at this time, would have stayed to guard and if necessary, fight to protect the small village. 

Samuel married on January 2, 1677 to the youngest daughter of Roger and Mary Barnard Williams, Mercy.  She was the widow of Resolved Waterman.  The Winsors had four children together, which, with the five children she had with Resolved, would have made for quite a large family. 

We don't have Samuel's will or administration papers, although the administration papers apparently exist.  But we do have his statement of taxable items the all residents were required to provide during the rule of Edmund Andros, in 1686-1687.  At that time, he reported two oxen, three cows, one three year old "hifer", Four two year old cattle, three yearlings, one horse, one mare, one two year old horse, five small siwne, eighteen sheep a year old, one house lott, one house lott more, eighty seven acres of land in the wilderness, a share beyond the seven mile line unlaid out, a swamp called Joshua's swamp, five or six acres, half a share of meadow called Shepherd's meadow about thirty acres, at my house three (acres) plowed, about 5 or six rough pasture of the said thirty.  This is the best account that I can give.  He made an addendum to report one horse more belonging to Resolved Waterman "who is with me upon wages" more eleven acres of land in the neck that was forgot that was Shepard's (spelling and punctuation mostly cleaned up by this writer).  This was dated September 1, 1687.

So in ten years after the destruction of his home, Samuel had largely recovered what he lost and perhaps was even prospering.  This is the only information I've found that give us an indication of his economic standing.  We don't know his religion for sure, we don't know that he served in the militia for sure, but we do know that he must have been a hardworking man, and we can honor him for that work ethic.  We can also honor him for the children he raised, his and his wife's, and for the service he gave to his country.  On line records show that Samuel and Mercy died on the same day, September 19, 1705, but I can only verify Samuel's death date.  Mercy may well have died about the same time.  If they did die on the same date, it would be interesting to know their cause(s) of death.  Was there a contagious disease, or was it pure coincidence, or was it love?

The line of descent is

Samuel Winsor-Mercy Williams
Samuel Winsor-Mercy Harding
Joseph Winsor-Deborah Mathewson
Lillis Winsor-Nathan Paine
Deborah Paine-Enos Eddy
Joseph Eddy-Susan Hamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants