Pearson, Samuel
Samuel PEARSON (1648 - 1721) and Dorcas JOHNSON (1650 - aft. 1688)
my 7g-grandparents
Samuel PEARSON/PEIRSON was born 29 Jul 1648 in Rowley, MA, the son of John PEARSON and Dorcas PICKARD. He married (1) on 6 Dec 1670, in Newbury, MA, to Mary POORE, who died giving birth to their child, on 27 Oct 1671. The child was named Mercy or Mary PEARSON.
Samuel married (2) Dorcas JOHNSON in Haverhill, MA on 16 Apr 1672. They had 9 more children, in Haverhill. Dorcas JOHNSON was born about 1650 in Hampton, New Hampshire, the daughter of Edmund and Mary JOHNSON. [WMT, pp. 10-11]
Two sisters named Mary
In a letter just received from Alfred Poore, the genealogist of the John Poore family, he says that: "Savage and others were mistaken about Mary Poore,2 who married Samuel Pearson,2 having been the daughter of John Poore.1 * We find in the Newbury records that Samuel Poore,1 a brother of John1 and two others, who came from England to America, by wife Rebecca, had ten children, the second of whom was Mary,2 born Mar. 1, 1650; the tenth was also Mary, and we suppose, married John Stickney. In the Probate office we find in a settlement of his estate, an agreement of the heirs, April 15, 1684, which shows that his widow, Rebecca Poore, and ten others had shares. * A grandchild, Mary Pearson, had six shillings. We find that a Mary Poore married Samuel Pearson, Dec. 6, 1670, and they had a daughter Mary; I suppose her mother died at the time of her birth, and hence they (Samuel and Rebecca,) named their last daughter Mary, who married John Stickney as above." [WMT, p. 12]
Samuel PEARSON Jr Possibly Lost at Sea
"This may certify whome it may concerne, yt Whereas my son Samuel Pearson some time of Newbury, hath been long gon to sea & not certainly heard of, and owing divers small debts to persons in Newbury at y e time of his departure which wr never since satisfied, and there being some estate of my son Samuel Pearson’s left sufficient to respond sd debts. It is therefore my desire yt (considering yt I live a great way distant), my Brother Jeremiah Pearson and Lieut. Stephen Jaques both of Newbury would take administration on his sd estate and faithfully pay all my sd sons honest debts; and share ye rest.
This is my desire as witness my hand
Dat: in Newbury Anno Dom. 1708
Witness Samuell Pearson”
Henry Jaques
Richrd Brown junr (Essex Probate Files, 21029.)
[GBB p. 274]
1833 map showing the northeast corner of MA in green.
The Merrimac River empties into the Atlantic Ocean between Newburyport and Salisbury.
Haverhill, from the 1871 Atlas of Massachusetts. [TAM]
Samuel and his family "lived in Haverhill until his home was burned by the Indians sometime between 1674 and 1677, when he removed to Newbury." [NCP, p. 4]
The Last will and Testament of Samuel Pearson of Lyme
I Being by the providence of God Brought very low by sickness yet in perfect understanding and believing my departure out of this world to be near at hand I ha??ing a mind to Set My house in order. In the first place I Resine my Soul to God that gave it and my body to a decent buriall according to the discretion of my Executor.
Item: I give to my well beloved wife (Rebaca) one Cow.
Item: I give to my two Sons Samuel Pearson and Stephen Pearson besides what I have already given them five Shilling apeace
Item: I give to my two daughters Elizabeth Huntly and Sarah Watorus Besides what I have already given them all my fourth ?iuition Land at four mill River and all my fourth diuition Land that lieth near Mr Noyes Land to be equally divided Between ye above ? Elizabeth Huntly and Sarah Watorus
Item: I give to my Son Peter Pearson besides what I have already given him all my moveable Estat : Excepting the Cow Hu? I gave to my wife : my just debts first being paid and I doe hereby oblige him my above ? Son Peter his heirs Executors and administrators : to take care and maintain my Son John Pearson So Long as he doth Live with Suitable maintenance as a christian ought to be maintained who by the providence of God is not capable to take ye care of him self - - - an I doe herby make my Son Peter Pearson Soule Executor to This my Last will and Testiment. In Tos??mony here of I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal : Lyme ??? 3 day 1700\21
In pesence of Samuel Pearson
Samuell Marvin
Jonathan Mack
Timothy Mather
[Transcribed by William Haloupek, 4 Nov 2017]
Samuel PEARSON's will (or my attempt at a transcription of it) appears above. There are a few things I don't understand - maybe someone can explain them to me. I don't know what "fourth diuition Land" means. And I don't know why the date is written 1700 with 21 above the 00. At any rate, the accompanying papers have the will dated 1 Jan 1721/2.
If this is the same Samuel PEARSON who lived most of his life in Rowley, then it seems that Samuel Jr was not lost at sea after all. It seems that Samuel's sons: Stephen, Samuel, Peter and John, and daughters: Elizabeth HUNTLY and Sarah WATORUS, were still living in Jan 1721/2.
This must be the same Samuel PEARSON as described earlier, because the names of the children match up. At any rate, the Samuel PEARSON of interest to me is the father of Elizabeth PEARSON who married John HUNTLEY and lived in Lyme, CT. See the John 4 HUNTLEY page.
Samuel must have married a 3rd time, since mentions his wife, Rebaca. Or perhaps Dorcas is also known as Rebaca. Samuel had moved to Lyme at some point, since he is "Samuel Pearson of Lyme", and he owned land on Four Mile River, where the HUNTLEYs also owned land. It looks like Samuel moved to Lyme, possibly to live with his daughter Elizabeth, and her husband, John HUNTLEY.
According to [NCP, p. 29] the house on the cover of [SS] "is located on Bill Hill Road in Lyme, and was probably built by Samuel or Peter Pearson about 1710."
Descendants
1. Mary or Mercy PEARSON was born 27 Oct 1671 in Haverhill. She was the only child of Mary (POORE) PEARSON, who died giving birth to her. She was baptized on 10 Dec 1671 in Rowley.
Mercy PEARSON married James THURSTON on 24 Jan 1693/4 in Rowley. James was born on 24 Sep 1670 in Newbury, the son of Daniel THURSTON and Ann PELL. They had 7 children in Newbury, and at some point they removed to Exeter, NH.
Children:
i. Hannah THURSTON, b. 15 Nov 1694 in Newbury, bapt. 18 Nov 1694 in Rowley, d. 8 Nov 1701 in Newbury, age almost 7
ii. Dorcus THURSTON, b. 20 Oct 1696 in Newbury, bapt. 27 Dec 1698 in Rowley, m. 11 Nov 1736 in Newbury to Henry HILLS.
iii. Abner THURSTON, b. Feb 1698/9 in Newbury, bapt. 30 Apr 1699 in Rowley, m. bef. 1721, prob. in Exeter, NH, to Shuah GILMAN.
iv. Phebe THURSTON, b. 20 Jun 1702 in Newbury, m. 11 Nov 1729 in Newbury to Thomas KENNE.
v. Daniel THURSTON, bapt. 4 Nov 1716 in Newbury.
vi. James THURSTON, bapt. 4 Nov 1716 in Newbury, m. 24 Feb 1736/7 in Newbury to Marcy BARTON.
vii. Samuel THURSTON, bapt. 4 Nov 1716 in Newbury, m. Elizabeth.
2. Samuel PEARSON was born 22 Jan, 1672/3 in Haverhill. He was thought to be lost at sea, but later he was mentioned in his father's will, so he was still living in Jan 1721/2.
3. Salathiel PEARSON was born 17 Aug 1674, and died 26 Aug 1674.
4. Elizabeth PEARSON was born 25 Apr 1677 in Rowley. She married John HUNTLEY on 2 Feb 1699 in Lyme, CT. John and Elizabeth had 11 children, all born in Lyme, from 1699 to 1721. They were my 6g-grandparents. See the John 4 HUNTLEY page for more information.
5. Peter PEARSON was born 13 Mar 1678/9 in Haverhill, and died 15 May 1679, at age 2 mos. or 14 mos.
6. John PEARSON was born 1 Mar 1679/80, and was still living when his father's will was written, in Jan 1721/2.
7. James PEARSON was born 28 Jan 1681, and died 30 Jan 1681.
8. Stephen PEARSON was born 21 Apr 1683, and was still living when his father's will was written, in Jan 1721/2.
9. Peter PEARSON was born 17 Jun 1686 in Haverhill. He married (1) Lydia MACK about 1709, probably in Lyme. Lydia was born 28 May 1689 in Concord, MA, daughter of John MACK and Sarah BAGLEY. Lydia died in Feb 1716 in Lyme, at age 26, leaving 3 children.
Peter married (2) Mary LORD on 20 Sep 1716 in Lyme. Mary was born 20 Mar 1692 in Lyme, daughter of Thomas LORD and Mary LEE. Mary died on 25 Apr 1733 in Lyme, at age 41, leaving 7 children.
Peter married (3) Martha (NETTLETON-BARBER) PECK on 6 Jan 1735/6 in Lyme. Martha was born 1 Dec 1672 in Killingworth, CT, daughter of John NETTLETON and Sarah WOODMANSEE. There were no children from this marriage.
Peter PEARSON died on 3 Oct 1750 in Lyme, at age 64.
Children of Peter PEARSON and Lydia MACK, born in Lyme:
i. Phebe PEARSON, b. 2 Mar 1709/10, m. Benjamin ROBERTSON.
ii. Samuel PEARSON, b. 1 Nov 1712, m. Mehitable DUDLEY.
iii. Lydia PEARSON, b. 26 Mar 1714, m. Joseph GRISWOLD.
Children of Peter PEARSON and Mary LORD, born in Lyme:
iv. Richard PEARSON, b. 9 Dec 1717, m. Mary Ann ELY.
v. Hepsibah PEARSON, b. 1 May 1719, m. Elijah PECK.
vi. Tabitha PEARSON, b. 6 May 1721, m. Jedidiah PECK.
vii. Peter PEARSON, b. 29 Mar 1724, d. bef. Nov 1751.
viii. Mary PEARSON, b. 22 Aug 1726, m. (1) Richard ELY, and (2) Abraham PERKINS.
ix. Abijah PEARSON, b. abt. 1728, d. aft. 3 Oct 1750.
x. Irene PEARSON, b. 24 Aug 1732, m. Benjamin MATHER.
10. Sarah PEARSON was born 26 Dec 1688 in Haverhill. She married Isaac WATROUS/WATERS/WATERHOUSE, who was born 29 Jan 1680 in Lyme, son of Isaac WATROUS and Sarah PRATT. Isaac died in 1751.
Children, born in Lyme:
i. Samuel WATROUS, b. 13 Mar 1712.
ii. Gershom WATROUS, b. Jul 1716.
iii. Abner WATROUS, b. 19 Aug 1727.
Sources
[C&A] Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts, (1910), by William Richard Cutter and William Frederick Adams, Vol I Part 1 Vol I Part 2 Vol II Vol III Vol IV
[EJ] Edmund Johnson in The Great Migration
[GBB] Early Settlers of Rowley, Massachusetts revised, edited and published in 1933 by Amos Everett Jewett, based on original work by George Brainard Blodgette, 1882-7.
[HMW] 1872 Map of Rowley and Glen Mills at Historic Map Works
[MD] John Pearson, on Miner Descent
[MMM] John and Dorcas Pearson, on Mikesell, Meixel, and Mixsell Genealogy
[SP] Samuel Pearson's Will (requires Ancestry.com license)
[SS] The Cape Cod House (1982), by Stanley Schuler
[SW] Deacon John Pearson, on Spicerweb
[TAM] Official topographical atlas of Massachusetts (1871)
[WMT] The ancestry of Walter M. Thurston : giving some account of the families of Carroll, De Beaufort, Merrill, Moore, Mosbaugh, Pearson, Pine, Poore, Reynolds, Van Kruyne, and Von Bauer (1894) by John H. Thurston and Walter M. Thurston
Last updated 29 Jul 2021 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.