Holbrook line: Samuel Allen 1597-1669 Immigrant

Some of the sources I'm using for this blog post is very old.  Some is likely wrong.  I'm indebted to "Private User", who posted some of what seems to be the most reliable information to Geni just last month.  DNA evidence has revealed that Samuel's parents were not whom they have previously believed to have been, and his parentage is now unknown.  Also this researcher believes quite strongly that both of his wives have been misidentified.

Samuel is believed to have been born at Bridgwater, Somerset, England in 1597, although I haven't found record of that.  The Geni writer thinks that he was in Duxbury as early as 1630, which would mean he would have known Comfort Starr and William Brewster, our Allen ancestors, as well as Myles Standish.  Other research says he was first at Braintree in1629 and then went to Sandwich before returning to Braintree  The two stories are not mutually exclusive but more research needs to be done.

Samuel probably married in England.  His first wife's name was Ann, but there is much controversy about her last name.  The researcher I am following most closely here is quite adamant that she was not Ann Whitmore, as has been reported for generations.  Ann, whomever she was, came to New England either with Samuel, or soon after he arrived.  The couple had at least 5 children together before Ann died in 1641.  Samuel apparently waited a few years to marry again, and once again, her first name only is known.  She was Margaret, the widow of Andrew Lamb, but has not yet been further identified.  There were two children born to this couple, beginning in 1650.  One wonders how Samuel managed between the two wives, since he was left with 5 children from an infant to a 9 year old, when Ann died in 1641.  Was there possibly another wife,or did he farm the childrenout to relatives?

Samuel and Ann settled in Braintree by 1635, because Samuel was made a freeman there on May 6,1635. He was a saw mill operator and also served as town clerk, selectman, surveyor of highways, constable, and as deputy to the general court.  Here I do find anerror in the geni material.  He is listed as having fought in King Philip's War but that is not possible because that war was 1675-1676 and Samuel died in 1669.  It is possible, however, that he had fought in other battles against the native Americans, for instance, in the Pequot War, which would not necessarily be something to be proud of.

His will was probated September 16, 1669 and mentions his three sons, a daughter and two sons in law.  His estate was valued at a little over 228 pounds, which is not bad for a saw mill operator.  Interestingly, there is another family connection here as one of the witnesses to the will was Thomas Holbrook, who is yet another of our ancestors.  These connections are getting more and more fascinating.

This line of descent is:

Samuel Allen-Ann
Sarah Allen-Josiah Standish
Josiah Standish-Sarah Doty
Hannah Standish-Nathan Foster
Nathan Foster-Elizabeth Lansford
Jude Foster-Lydia M
Betsy Foster-Josiah Whittemore
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants