An American Family History

Samuel Fuller and Jane Lothrop married on April 8, 1635 in Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. They were married by Captain Miles Standish at the James Cudworth house.

On November 7, 1636 Samuel joined the church in Scituate. In that year he built the fifteenth house in Scituate on Greenfield Street. He had twenty acres there on the east of Bellhouse Neck. Jane's father called the houses built by the early settlers “small plaine pallizadse Houses." The walls were made of poles that were filled with stones and clay. They had thatched roofs. The lower part of chimneys were made of stone and above that they were built of logs. Windows were made of oiled paper and the floors of hand sawed planks.

Samuel and Jane's first four children were born in Scituate.  Hannah Fuller Bonham was born in 1636/1638. Samuel Fuller was baptized on February 11, 1637/38. Elizabeth Fuller Taylor was born in 1640. The child named Sarah Fuller was born in Scituate and baptized on August 1, 1641 in Barnstable. She died young.

They relocated to Barnstable. Samuel and his cousin, Matthew Fuller, bought the part Scorton or Sandy Neck that was in the town of Barnstable from the local indigenous people. The Fullers used the arable land and the rest became the town commons.

Mary Fuller Williams was baptized on June 16, 1644 by her grandfather, the Reverend Lothrop. The family lived in Barnstable at that time, but the baptism could have taken place in either Scituate or Barnstable. Thomas Fuller was born on March 18, 1650. Thomas died young. The second child named Sarah, Sarah Fuller Crowell, was born on December 14, 1654. John Fuller was born in 1656 in Barnstable. On February 8, 1658, a child was born who only lived fifteen days

Samuel Fuller Jr. died on February 23, 1658 and Samuel, Sr. died on October 31, 1683 in Barnstable.

Genealogical and Family History of Western New York, Volume 2 edited by William Richard Cutter

In 1636 [Samuel] he built for himself the fifteenth house in Scituate, on Greenfield street, "a small plaine pallizadse House;'' the walls were made of poles filled between with stones and clay, the roof thatched, the chimney to the mantel of rough stones and above of cob-work, the windows of oiled paper, and the floors of hand sawed planks. The kind of house has been described as "meane,'' but all the houses in the village were alike.

He had about twenty acres of land, probably a grant from the town. In 1639 the Rev. Mr. Lathrop and many of the members of his church removed and founded the town of Barnstable, probably at the time the most easterly settlement on Cape Cod.

If Samuel Fuller and his young wife did not at once follow him thither, they did so in a few years. Captain Matthew Fuller, Samuel's cousin, appears to have removed from Plymouth at about the same time, and together they bought of Secunke, an Indian, that portion of Scorton or Sandy Neck which lies within the town of Barnstable. Samuel also bought other lands, and lived in the northwest angle of the town in a secluded spot, where few had occasion to pass. . .

Their children were:
1. Hannah, born in Scituate; married, January 1, 1658-59, Nicholas Bonham, of Barnstable.
2. Samuel, baptized February 11, 1637, at Scituate.
3. Elizabeth, married Joseph ( ?) Taylor.
4. Sarah, baptized August 1, 1641, by Rev. John Lathrop; died about 1651-54.
5. Mary, baptized June 16, 1644, by Rev. John Lathrop; married, in 1674, Joseph Williams, son of John Williams, of Haverhill, Massachusetts.
6. Thomas, born May 18, 1651, died young.
7. Sarah, born December 10, 1654; married Crowe (probably John Crowell Sr., of Yarmouth).
8. John, see further mention.
9. Infant, born February 8, 1658, died fifteen days after.

Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, by George Thomas Little, Henry Sweetser Burrage, Albert Roscoe Stubbs, published by Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1909

Samuel, son of Edward Fuller, came in the Mayflower to New England with his parents, who died and left him an orphan. He went to live with his uncle, Dr. Samuel Fuller, who was the first physician in the country.

He had three shares in the division of land in 1624, out of respect to his father and mother. He was the executor of his uncle's will in 1633. He was admitted a freeman in 1634. He removed from Plymouth to Scituate, where he married, April 8, 1635, Jane Lothrop, daughter of Rev. John Lothrop.

He joined the church at Scituate by letter from Plymouth, November 7, 1636, and built in the same year the fifteenth house in Scituate, on Greenfield street, the first lot abutting on Kent Street. He owned twenty acres in the east part of Bell House Neck.

He was a resident of Barnstable as early as 1641, according to the church records. He was certainly an inhabitant there January 1, 1644, and his cousin Matthew came later. The town of Barnstable bought of the Secunke Indians land called Scorton or Sandy Neck, set off the arable land, and reserved the rest for common land, and afterward divided it. The Fuller cousins lived on this land. Samuel Fuller also bought a meadow of his cousin Matthew, which had previously been owned by Major John Freeman, and meadowland of Samuel House.

He resided in the northwest angle of Barnstable, in a secluded spot, where travellers seldom passed. He was seldom in public life. He was constable of Scituate in 1641, and sometimes juror. He was sometimes appointed to settle difficulties with the Indians. Unlike his cousin, he was retired and very pious. Matthew was a Puritan, but ambitious and energetic. Samuel Fuller died in Barnstable, October 31, 1683, and was the only settler of that town who came over in the Mayflower. In 1679 he was one of twelve survivors of that famous voyage. His will was dated October 29, 1683.

He married, April 8, 1635, Jane Lothrop. The ceremony took place at Mr. Cudworth's and was performed by Captain Miles Standish. Children, born at Scituate:
1. Hannah, married, January 1, 1658-59, Nicholas Bonham.
2. Samuel, baptized February 11, 1637-38
3. Elizabeth, married Taylor.
4. Sarah, baptized at Barnstable, August 1, 1641, died young.
5. Mary, baptized June 16, 1644, married, November 18, 1674, Joseph Williams, son of John Williams, of Haverhill.
6. Thomas, born May 18, 1650, probably died young.
7. Sarah, born December 14, 1654, married Crow.
8. John, "Little" John to his son Matthew.
9. Child, born February 8, 1658, died aged fifteen days.

Any man entering a colony or becoming a a member the church, was not free. He was not forced to work, but his movements were carefully observed to see if they followed the Puritanical ideal. After this probationary period, he became a "freeman." Men then took the Oath of a Freeman where they vowed to defend the Commonwealth and not to overthrow the government.