Beeks line: Samuel Fitzrandolph 1668-1754

 I'm a little surprised that not more is known of Samuel Fitzrandolph, since he is in former President Barack Obama's ancestry.  Samuel's father, Nathaniel Fitzrandolph, is well documented, but like so many ancestors, Samuel seems to have stayed well hidden.  We know he was part of the Society of Friends, and we know he had "two old slaves" at his death, but other than that, we know very little about his life.  So this will be a short post, but I want to acknowledge this man, and his wife, as two of the almost anonymous ancestors who have contributed to this country and the Beeks family.  

Samuel was born in Barnstable, Barnstable County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in about 1668.  His parents were Nathaniel and Mary Holley or Holloway Fitzrandolph.  Samuel was probably too young to understand that his parents, or at least his father, were not a welcome part of the Barnstable community.  The family was Quaker, and Nathaniel refused to attend the Puritan church meetings, which of course were required.  So he was dismissed from the church when Samuel was about four years old, and it appears that it was about this time that the Fitzrandolphs left Barnstable and went to Woodbridge, New Jersey.  This was a long trip, probably made by ship, from the arm of Massachusetts to just west of New York City.  It would have been quite an adventure for four year old Samuel, for his siblings, and for his mother, who had several young children to care for.  (There was one child born in 1672, so do we hope that she may the trip while pregnant, or do we hope she had the baby and had somewhat recovered before the family set out?)

When the Fitarandolphs arrived at Woodbridge, it was basically unsettled, although there were a few families already in the area.  Nathaniel did well for himself and probably was able to build at least a decent, if not substantial, home for his family.  Samuel may have been considered old enough to help with chores as a five year old, and would have probably been interested to see building progress.  He may even have helped with clean up work as the home went up.  At least some of the first Quaker meetings were held in his father's home, so Samuel would have observed the meetings as a child, and absorbed their teachings.

Samuel married Mary Jones, daughter of Jeffrey Jones and (probably) Safronia Walter, on June 8, 1693 in Elizabethtown, Union County, New Jersey.  They had nine children together, but only Samuel, Prudence and Jacob are known to have outlived their father.  What a sorrow that must have been for Samuel and Mary!  

And that's it.  Other than death records, and a presumed burial at the Friends Meeting House Burial Ground in Shrewsbury, I've not been able to find anything about the man or the life he lived.  His wife inherited land from her father and that may have helped support him, and Samuel probably also received land (I haven't seen his father's will, just an abstract).   At his death, Samuel's estate was valued at 82.19.10, apparently not including land.  He had three large and eight tea silver sponos, a large Bible, and a clock, plus he held the "two old negroes" mentioned above. (The abstract says these items were included, but does not give a list of everything in the inventory.)

We can wonder why a Quaker held slaves in 1754.  Benjamin Lay had been preaching against slavery for many years, and there is every chance that Samuel actually heard him preach.  Did he hold more slaves earlier in his life, and were these two "old" slaves kept on in order to care for them, or did he truly not see the wrong he was committing?  This is at the heart of what I'd like to know about Samuel.  

Of course, I'd also like to have his occupation (planter?) confirmed, and I'd like to know whether he was a pacifist, or whether he participated in any military activities.  Whether I ever learn these answers or not, Samuel is a part of the Beeks family, and his life is important.

The line of descent is:

Samuel Fitzrandolph-Mary Jones

Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith

Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham

Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble

Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight

Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese

Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge

Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks

Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger

Their descendants