Holbrook line: Samual Perrin 1670-1743

 There are several people named Samuel Perrin who lived in various locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut in overlapping time periods, so I hope I have this figured out correctly.  Samuel Perrin was born March 10, 1670/71, in Rehoboth, Massachusetts.  He was the son of John and Mary Polley Perrin, and was the grandson of immigrant John Perrin (Peryn, Perrine and more variations).  

Rehoboth is located in the southern part of Massachusetts that is quite near to the eastern border of Rhode Island, and this may have been where Samuel grew up.  However, John and Mary both died in Roxbury, Massachusetts, so it is possible that the family had moved there, perhaps during King Philip's War, and therefore Samuel would have grown up mostly in Roxbury.  Samuel had at least nine siblings, so wherever they lived, it was a large family. with Samuel being the second oldest.  He was 17 years old when his youngest sister was born, and was possibly living with another family by then, if he wasn't needed in his father's trade.

It was in Roxbury that Samuel married Mehitable Child, daughter of Benjamin and Mary Bowen Child.  (Mary's ancestry goes back to royalty, and Benjamin was important enough that he was referred to as "Mr."  Samuel must have looked like an up and coming young man, for the Childs to approve him as a son-in-law.  I've not found precise marriage records, but it appears that the two were married in late 1694 or early 1695, as their first child was born in September of 1695.  

By that date, Samuel and presumably Mehitable had gone to what is now Woodstock, Connecticut although at the time it was located on land claimed by Massachusetts.  Several families from Roxbury, including other Child and Bowen families, went together to form a new settlement.  Samuel is one of those recognized as an early resident, arriving probably in 1694.  

There are several references to Samuel Perrin in "History of Windham County, Connecticut" by Ellen D Larned.  Our Samuel had a son Samuel born in 1698, and it is possible that some of the references may be to this son, but the earlier ones would definitely be our Samuel.  He purchased 300 acres of land "at a very early date" from the Wabbequasset proprietors.  This was in the southern part of Woodstock, and references to Samuel Perrin of Pomfret, which bordered Woodstock, may or may not be to our Samuel.  It was our Samuel who was one of three men who purchased 300 acres in 1699, valuable land because of numerous pine trees that produced turpentine.  Samuel is one of those referred to as "businessmen" of Woodstock.

In 1710, Samuel (ours) was on a committee to build, or perhaps to oversee the building of, two new schoolhouses in south Woodstock.  By then, he and Mehitable had nearly completed their family of eight children, and getting their children educated (according to the standards of the day) would have been very important to them.  A new meeting house/church was built in 1721, and Samuel was assigned a pew indicating that he had the fourth highest standing in the town.  (Mehitable would have been assigned a similar spot.)  

I cannot tell whether it is our Samuel or his son Samuel who pledged to donate fifteen pounds, a substantial sum, to the United Society or Company for Propagating Christian and Useful Knowledge" in 1739.  This appears to have been a library of some sort.  Even if it was the younger Samuel who made this donation, it indicates that in the Perrin family, education was a priority, as was religion.  

Samuel died March 11, 1743/44 in Woodstock.  In his will, he describes himself as "of Woodstock, Worcester County, Massachusetts", because Woodstock didn't become part of Connecticut until 1749.  He wrote his will May 7, 1734 and it was probated May 8, 1744.  (I wonder if the 1734 date is correct but that is what the record says.)  He described himself as a yeoman, but had significant assets to distribute.  To his wife, he left 15 pounds per annum plus the use of the west end of the house, garden and necessary yard room, during her widowhood.  If she remarried, she was to be sent on her way with forty pounds.  To his three sons Samuel, Abraham and John, he left 15 shillings each "having formerly advanced very considerable sums to each of them for their comfortable settlement in this world."  To daughters Mary Peak and Mehitabel Peak he left 100 pounds each, have already advanced money to thgem.  Son Nathaniel was to receive 5 acres of land at Planting, where Nathaniel had already started an orchard.  The remaining land, livestock, and utensils of husbandry were to be divided between Nathaniel and Peter.  Sadly, I've not found an inventory but this at least gives us a feel that Samuel was not a poor man. 

Mehetable (spelling as in Hale Collection), wife (widow) of Samuel, died September 7, 1752, presumably having received her 15 pounds each of the intervening years.  

There's quite a bit we still don't know about Samuel, but we know enough to recognize his importance to his family, to his community, and to his posterity.  

The line of descent is:

Samuel Perrin-Mehitable Child

John Perrin-Abigail Morris

Benjamin Perrin-Mary or Marcy

Mary Perrin-David Fay

Luceba Fay-Libbeus Stanard

Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy

Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick

Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook

Their descendants