Samuel Scripture (abt1649–abt1725) of Groton

Genealogical Notes, With Two Generations of His Descendants

Robert J. O’Hara (rjohara@post.harvard.edu)

Samuel Scripture of Groton, Massachusetts, was the progenitor of all families of that name in early New England, and perhaps all in the United States today. This document is a working outline of the descendants of Samuel Scripture through two generations. It builds on the foundation laid by Valerie Giorgi in her paper on the descendants of Samuel Scripture [Georgi 1995], and adds a considerable amount of material on lines she did not follow. The information gathered here comes from many different sources of varying quality, including ephemeral and unreferenced Internet sources. Like all such compilations it should be evaluated critically. I have no additional information on Samuel Scripture and his discendants beyond what is included here. Please direct any queries to the Scripture Family GenForum Board rather than to me personally, so that all interested parties may benefit.

Samuel Scripture’s English origins have not been established, but some possible clues are offered below. One Internet source says that Samuel Scripture’s parents were a John and Mary Scripture and that Samuel was the fifth of their seven children (Elizabeth, Giles, Richard, John, Samuel, Mary, and William), but no documentation for this claim is provided. Jean Holcombe of Los Angeles has long been interested in the Scripture family, and she reported these details to me by email in May 2000:

[Samuel Scripture] made a deposition in 1668 that he was 19 yrs old and an indentured servant of Samuel Davis. He served John Swinerton in Nevis 4 yrs. Have not been able to discover how he got to Mass and finished indenture with Sam’l Davis. He married Elizabeth Knapp whose family lived next door to Davis. On completion of indenture 8/23/1671 he was made freeman and land donated to him by 2 1/2 ac Richard Blood; 2 ac Serg Parker; 1 ac Ellis Barron; 4 1/2 ac by 5 other people. (“Westerwald to America” Burger & Jones 929.343 Salt Lake Library). He served in King Phillip’s war under Capt Jos. Syll. So did his son Samuel. [But that last cannot be correct; see below. —RJO]

I have corresponded with people in Shropshire and they believe he is the son of John=Ann [and this] is probably why his 1st son was named John. [But that does not appear to be correct; see below. —RJO]

I have corresponded with people all over the US and England and any Scripture/Scripters I have found are all descended from above Samuel. William Walter wrote a book which I have copied bits and pieces from. When he died he left his genealogy to our guru, Frank Scripter, 9701 East Round Lake Road, Laingburg, Mich 48848-7404 who has collected data on disk for all male Scripture men up to the middle 1800s.…

I also have corresponded with Ellis B. Scripture (WWII aviator) whose family hired a professional genealogist and he loaned me that material much of which I have copied … very accurate and well done.

When he first came to Groton Samuel Scripture was indeed a servant, to Samuel Davis of Groton and Charlestown, Massachusetts, who was baptised 26 June 1629 at Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England, the son of Barnabas Davis and Patience (James) Davis [Anderson 2001: 288]. Samuel Davis was one of the original proprietors of Groton, and his career and family are well known [Davis 1973]. Samuel Scripture appears to have gained his freedom in Groton in 1671, for “At a town meeting held the 23:6m:1671 It was agreed and by vote declared that Samuell Scriptur shal be an inhabitant amongst us and for his Incoridgment these men have given him some small grants of upland as followeth” [Georgi 1995: 3, quoting Green’s Early Records of Groton]. The land Samuel received comprised 10 acres. He appears in the records of the Massachusetts towns of Groton in 1671, Cambridge in 1674, Charlestown in 1676, Concord in 1677, and Groton again in 1680. Barnabas Davis is also recorded as a resident of Charlestown in 1665[/6?] and 1678 [Anderson 2001: 286–287]. Some of Samuel Scripture’s movement was likely associated with the attacks on Groton made during King Philip’s War. He held a variety of minor town offices in Groton over the years.

The origin of Barnabas and Samuel Davis in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, may be an important clue to the origin of Samuel Scripture. The International Genealogical Index lists several persons named Scripture born in Tetbury in the later 1600s; all are probably born too late to be parents or even siblings of Samuel, however. The name Scripture is also common in Somerset and Shropshire at this time. The IGI also shows a John Swinerton baptised at Tetbury on 5 October 1638, son of Antipas Swinerton. See Elizabeth Janson’s Tetbury pages and Graham Thomas’s Gloucestershire names pages for additional clues on Tetbury, Swinerton, Davis, and Scripture, and the GENUKI pages on Gloucestershire and Tetbury for general information about these localities.

Samuel Scripture’s wife was Elizabeth Knapp, daughter of James Knopp/Knapp and Elizabeth (Warren) Knopp, early settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts. The Knopp/Knapp family emmigrated in 1630 from Bures St. Mary on the Essex/Suffolk border, and has been well studied by genealogists [Anderson 1995: 1143–1146; Rodgers 1999: 338–346]. James Knopp was an outspoken carpenter who had a few brushes with the magistrates, and who moved to the new settlement of Groton soon after it was established. When daughter Elizabeth was a girl of sixteen living in the home of Rev. Samuel Willard of Groton she had the misfortune of being possessed by a demon, something that was apparently not a bar to her marriage to Samuel Scripture three years later when she was 19 and he about 24.

During King William’s War (1689–1698), the first of the European wars to spill over onto the North American continent, British settlements in New England and New York were frequently raided by French forces and their Kanawake and Abenaki allies from Canada. The inhabitants of Groton established eight garrison houses during this time in which several families lived together for protection. Green [1883: 59–61] transcribes a document dated 17 March 1691/2 which reports that Samuel Scripture and his family occupied one of these garrison houses along with the families of Lt. Jonas Prescott, Nathaniel Lawrence, James Knop, Elias Barnes, Ephraim Filbrook, Daniel Peirce, Jno. Barnes, Stephen Holding, Jno. Perrum, Samuel Davis, and widow Sawtle.

First Generation

1. SAMUEL¹ SCRIPTURE of Groton, Massachusetts, was born about 1649, perhaps in England or the West Indies, and died between 1720 and 1728, probably at Groton. He married at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on 11 September 1674 Elizabeth KNAPP [Torrey 1985: 658], daughter of James Knopp/Knapp and Elizabeth (Warren) Knopp/Knapp of Watertown, Massachusetts. [To be checked: She died probably at Groton between 1720 and 1728. Is this a duplication of his data?] When he was about 27 years old Samuel served in King Philip’s War under Capt. Joseph Sill, and on 24 August 1676 he was credited with wages of 2£ 4s. 6d. for service under Sill and also with wages of 1£ 15s. 6d. from Charlestown, Massachusetts, suggesting that he was a resident of that town at the time [Bodge 1906: 374].

Children of Samuel¹ Scripture and Elizabeth (Knapp) Scripture:

2.	i.	Samuel² Scripture, b. Cambridge 4 Oct. 1675; d. 1755; m. first, Concord 8 Feb. 1699/1700, Mary (PIERCE) GREEN, d. 25 Sept. 1723; m. second, Elizabeth (LUND) SPAULDING, b. Dunstable 29 Sept. 1684, d. 15 April 1781 [Giorgi 1995: 4–5].
	ii.	Elizabeth Scripture, b. Concord 15 Aug. 1677 [Giorgi 1995: 4]. A GENDEX source says she married a Jonathan EDWARDS in 1687; this seems unlikely as she would have been 10 years old at the time. She may have married, or she may have died young.
3.	iii.	Mary Scripture, b. Groton 7 Feb. 1680/1; d. Pepperell 21 or 29 June 1761; m. Eleazer LAWRENCE, d. 9 March 1754 [Giorgi 1995: 4].
	iv.	Sarah Scripture, b. Groton 8 Feb. 1682 [Giorgi 1995: 4]. Giorgi says that this Sarah Scripture married a James Shattuck, but gives no further details. The early Shattuck generations are fairly well known [Shattuck 1855], and I can find no James who could be a likely husband of this Sarah Scripture. This information may be erroneous.
4.	v.	Anna (or Hannah) Scripture, b. Groton 10 Jan. 1685; d. 3 Sept. 1758; m. Nathaniel LAWRENCE [Giorgi 1995: 4–5].
5.	vi.	Abigail Scripture, b. Groton 28 Jan. 1686/7; d. 4 Feb. 1720; m. first, Zachariah LAWRENCE; m. second, Phineas PARKER [Giorgi 1995: 6].
6.	vii.	John Scripture, b. about 1688 at Groton; d. Coventry, Conn., 24 July 1779; m. first, Abigail UTLEY; m. second, Mary (EATON) SLAFTER/SLATER [Giorgi 1995: 6]. May have had a child out of wedlock by Jane SHAMBERRY before his first marriage.
7.	viii.	Deborah Scripture, b. about 1690; d. Groton 17 Jan. 1711; m. 4 Sept. 1710 [Groton VR II: 152] as his second or third wife, Jonathan WHITCOMB [Giorgi 1995: 4]. Rebecca Waters, the sister of Samuel Davis’s wife Mary Waters, appears to have married a Josiah Whitcomb, so perhaps there is a Davis-Scripture-Whitcomb connection here [Anderson 2001: 288]. See under Mary² Scripture (#3) for an additional Whitcomb link.
8.	ix.	Ruth Scripture, b. Groton 2 Feb. 1696/7; m. John FROST [Giorgi 1995: 4].
	x.	Lydia Scripture, b. Groton 28 June 1700 [Savage 4: 41; Giorgi (1995: 4) misprints this as July?; check Georgi 1995]. Some GENDEX sources say she married a Seth Phillips. I have not found any documentation for this marriage.

Second Generation

2. SAMUEL² SCRIPTURE (Samuel¹) was born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on 4 October 1675, and died between 14 October and 6 November 1755, probably at Nelson, New Hampshire, or Groton, Massachusetts. He married first at Concord, Massachusetts, on 8 February 1699/1700 Mary (PIERCE) GREEN [Groton VR II: 152], widow of John Green of Groton, and daughter of Daniel Pierce and Elizabeth (_____) Pierce of Watertown, Massachusetts. She died 25 September 1723 [Groton VR II: 265]. Samuel married second at Chelmsford, Massachusetts, on 6 February 1723/4 Elizabeth (LUND) SPAULDING, widow of Henry Spaulding and daughter of Thomas Lund and Eleanor (___) Lund of Dunstable, Massachusetts. Elizabeth was born at Dunstable on 29 September 1684; she died 15 April 1781.

Samuel’s first wife and three of their children all died in late September 1723. There was apparently a widespread smallpox epidemic in the American colonies beginning in 1723 [Duffy 1956]; could that have been the common cause of their deaths?

During Queen Anne’s War (1702–1713) Groton was threatened by French and Indian raids from the north, and in early February 1706/7 Samuel was one of a troop of soldiers sent to patrol the Monadnock region. On 16 February he testified before a court martial that was investigating the “mutinous disorderly manner” in which some of the soldiers on this expedition allegedly abandoned their camp and returned home. Green [1883: 98–101] transcribes an account of this court martial sent to Joseph Dudley, governor of the colony, on 17 February 1706/7. Samuel Scripture’s testimony within the account is as follows:

The Examination of Samuel Scripture Conduct of the Scout on the left wing who saith That on the sixth of february upon our incamping I was sent upon discovery about Sun an hour high at night to march on the left wing, and having march’d about a mile and a quarter, wee met with a Track which Jonathan Butterfield who was w^th me thought to have bin a bitch wolfe and her Whelps, but I thought to be Indian Doggs, and followed their track about a quarter of a mile, and after a small Stop wee saw Tarbols scout who call’d us away and told us they believ’d there was a thousand Indians upon which wee hastened away but Tarbols scout ran so fast that I could not come up with them to und^rstand what their discovery was till I came to the Camp; where Tarbol related what he had seen, all our men Crowded to hear news; Lieu^t Wyman Ordrd his men to stand farther off and give room that he might discourse his officers, upon which many of them ran away, and the Cap^t Sent Serj^t Parham to stop them; Lieu^t Wayman seing his men desert him, and Tarbols men representing y^e Enemy as so very numerous thought it adviseable to draw off and accordingly wee made the best of our way home.

The Exam. of Jonathan Butterfield being of the scout on the Left wing Confirmes Sam^l Scriptures information, and tells us Lieu^t Wayman talk’d of marching immediately to the Place of discovery but many of our men moved off disorderly which the Cap^t sent the Serj^ts to Stopp, but could not do it and so were forced to return home.

In Dummer’s War (1723–1726) the New England frontier was again threatened, and the remoter towns were ordered to form scouting parties to range through the woods and watch for possible invaders. Samuel Scripture’s name appears on a list of seventeen men from Groton, Dunstable, and Lancaster, Massachusetts, dated 2 December 1723, performing this duty under the command of Lieut. Jabez Fairbanks of Lancaster. Samuel’s name appears again on a roll of soldiers belonging to Lieut. Fairbank’s company, dated 18 June 1724, where he is credited £15 10s. for service from 25 November 1723 to 13 June 1724. These troops were employed “to range above the Towns to see what Discovery they could make” [Green 1883: 125–129].

Samuel had an African servant named Margaret who married on 28 December 1741 Priamus Lew, a servant to Capt. Jonathan Boyden. They lived north of the road to Townsend, Massachusetts. Priamus (or Primus) Lew and his descendants are well known [Mayo 1993].

Children of Samuel² Scripture and Mary (Pierce-Green) Scripture:

	i.	Sarah³ Scripture, b. 16 Dec. 1700 [Butler 1848: 434]; d. 6 April 1755 [GENDEX]
	ii.	Jemima Scripture, b. 19 April 1702; d. 30 Sept. 1723 [Butler 1848: 434], perhaps in a smallpox epidemic?
	iii.	Samuel Scripture, b. 25 April 1705; d. 28 Sept. 1723 [Butler 1848: 434], perhaps in a smallpox epidemic?
	iv.	James Scripture, b. 1712 at Groton [GENDEX]; d. 28 Sept. 1723 [Butler 1848: 434], perhaps in a smallpox epidemic?

Child of Samuel² Scripture and Elizabeth (Lund-Spaulding) Scripture:

Samuel Scripture (again), b. 27 April 1727; d. about 1817 at Nelson, N.H.; m. Groton 9 Oct. 1746 Mary GREEN [Groton VR II: 152], b. Feb. 1721/2, d. 24 Oct. 1821 [Giorgi 1995: 7]. ¶ Children of Samuel³ Scripture and Mary (Green) Scripture: 1. Mary Scripture, b. 5 May 1747 [Butler 1848: 434], d. 11 May 1797, m. 23 April 1772 John Prentice [Gozzaldi 1930]. 2. James Scripture, b. 11 Jan. 1749 [Butler 1848: 434]. 3. Oliver Scripture, b. 19 Dec. 1750 [Butler 1848: 434].

3. MARY² SCRIPTURE (Samuel¹) was born at Groton, Massachusetts, on 7 February 1680/1, and died at Pepperell, Massachusetts, on 21 or 29 June 1761. She married Eleazer LAWRENCE, son of Peleg Lawrence and Elizabeth (Morse) Lawrence. According to Bond [1860: 823–824], “Major ELEAZER LAWRENCE, first of Groton, where his chil. were b.; afterwards of Littleton, and in the settlement of his estate, Dec. 19, 1754, said to be of Pepperill. He m. MARY _____. He d. March 9, 1754, aged 80, and his wid. d. June 29, 1761, aged 82. His Will, dated Dec. 29, 1749, mentions wife Mary; sons, Peleg, Jonathan, David, Eleazer, and Samuel; heirs of dr. Elizabeth But-[p. 824]trick; drs. Mary Fletcher, Sarah Cummings, Experience Keep, and Prudence Parker. Among his heirs were Benjamin and Sarah Davis, Isaac and Mary Russell, probably heirs of dr. Elizabeth. May 24, 1721, he gave bond as guardian of Ephraim Whitcomb.”

The identification of Eleazer Lawrence’s wife Mary as Mary Scripture is based on GENDEX sources and is not otherwise documented.

Children of Eleazer Lawrence and Mary² (Scripture) Lawrence:

	i.	Elizabeth³ Lawrence, b. 28 Feb. 1699 [Bond 1860: 824]; d. 8 Dec. 1734 [GENDEX]; m. 1720 Joseph BUTTRICK [GENDEX]. ¶ Child of Joseph Buttrick and Elizabeth³ (Lawrence) Buttrick: 1. Abigail Buttrick [DeLand Gen].
	ii.	(Deacon) Peleg Lawrence, b. 1 June 1701; d. 27 July 1757; m. Ruth _____, d. 4 Sept. 1757. Peleg Lawrence was “first of Groton, where his children were born, afterwards of Pepperill.… He was dismissed from Groton (first) Church, to the West Parish (Pepperill), Jan. 29, 1746–7, where he was chosen deacon, Aug. 23, 1754” [Bond 1860: 829]. Bond reports his epitaph as: “A man of Wisdom, Prudence, Honesty, \| Public Spiritedness, and Piety, \| The Poor Man’s Friend. \| Blessed are the Dead, who die in the Lord.” ¶ Children of Peleg³ Lawrence and Ruth (_____) Lawrence: 1. Oliver Lawrence, b. 18 March 1728; m. 1751 or 1752, Mary _____. 2. Ruth Lawrence, b. 28 Jan. 1730. 3. Mary Lawrence, b. 23 March 1733; m. Groton 19 March 1754 Isaac Lakin, Jr. 4. Ephraim Lawrence, b. 31 March 1735; m. first, 3 March 1768 Anan Fiske; m. second, Ruth _____. 5. (Capt.) Asa Lawrence, b. 14 June 1737; m. 27 July 1758 Abigail King. 6. Sarah Lawrence, b. 24 July 1739 [Bond 1860: 824, 829–830].
	iii.	(Deacon) Jonathan Lawrence, b. 4 Oct. 1703; d. 8 Dec. 1789; m. first, about 1726, Tryphena POWERS, b. about 1710, d. 25 Aug. 1752; m. second, 10 Oct. 1754, Lydia FLETCHER of Groton, b. about 1713, d. Hollis, N.H., 21 March 1803. Jonathan’s will, “dated Feb. 16, 1784, proved Ap. 20, 1790, mentions wife Lydia; Isaac Lawrence and Martha Stone, heirs of son Jonathan; dr. Tryphena, wife of Jonas Lawrence; sons Abel, Peter, and Timothy; dr. Olive, wife of (?) Ebenezer Fletcher; Lucy, wife of Samuel Clark; Elizabeth, formerly wife of William Stearns (?Stevens); and Abigail, wife of Jasper Dole” [Bond 1860: 830]. ¶ Children of Jonathan³ Lawrence and Tryphena (Powers) Lawrence: 1. Jonathan Lawrence of Ashby, b. 28 Aug. 1728; m. 31 Oct. 1751 Martha Leighton. 2. Isaac Lawrence, b. 19 May 1731. 3. Abel Lawrence of Penobscot, Maine, b. 16 June 1733. 4. Tryphena Lawrence, b. 26 Sept. 1735; m. 3 Sept. 1754 Jonas Lawrence of Canaan, Conn. 5. Betty (Elizabeth) Lawrence, b. 24 Feb. 1737; m. 1754 William (?) Stearns of Littleton. 6. Olive Lawrence, b. 19 May 1740; m. Oliver Fletcher of Groton. 7. Peter Lawrence of Townsend and Ashby, b. 17 Oct. 1742; m. Persis _____. 8. Abigail Lawrence, b. 26 July 1745; m. (?) 15 Sept. 1761 Parker (?Jasper) Dole. 9. Timothy Lawrence, b. 31 March 1748; m. first, 30 Nov. 1769, Sarah Reed of Littleton; m. second, 16 Dec. 1793, Molly Boyden of Groton. 10. Lucy Lawrence, b. 15 May 1750; m. Samuel Clarke of Lincoln. 11. Benjamin Lawrence, b. 2 Aug. 1752 [Bond 1860: 824, 830–832].
	iv.	David Lawrence, b. 26 Dec. 1705; d. 28 Sept. 1790 [Bond 1860: 824]; m. Hannah SAWTELL [GENDEX].
	v.	Eleazer Lawrence, b. Groton 1697; d. Littleton 1789 [GENDEX]; m. Groton 25 June 1731 Lucy TUTTLE, bp. Ipswich 13 April 1712, d. after 1746, dau. of Simon Tuttle and Mary (Rogers) Tuttle. ¶ Children of Eleazer³ Lawrence and Lucy (Tuttle) Lawrence: 1. Lucy Lawrence, b. 29 Feb. 1731/2; m. 20 Feb. 1755 Thomas Cummings. 2. Peter Lawrence, b. 20 Feb. 1732/3; d. young. 3. Eleazer Lawrence (twin), b. 11 Aug. 1735. 4. Josiah Lawrence (twin), b. 11 Aug. 1735; d. young. 5. Mary Lawrence, b. 27 July 1737; m. 21 Jan. 1762 Jonathan Fletcher. 6. Simon Lawrence, b. 11 Jan. 1739; m. first, 1769, Sybil Robbins; m. second, Lucy _____. 7. Susanna Lawrence, b. 3 Nov. 1740; m. 15 Oct. 1761 Isaac Spaulding. 8. David Lawrence, b. 26 Jan. 1742; m. Hannah _____. 9. Sarah Lawrence, b. 4 Jan. 1745; d. young. 10. _____ Lawrence (male twin), b. 1 Jan. 1747; d. the same day. 11. _____ Lawrence (male twin), b. 1 Jan. 1747; d. the same day [Bond 1860: 824, 832; additional details from GENDEX].
	vi.	Mary Lawrence, m. _____ FLETCHER [Bond 1860: 824].
	vii.	Sarah Lawrence, m. Groton 28 Jan. 1735/6 John CUMMINGS of Groton; 7 children [Bond 1860: 824, citing Butler 1848: 393].
	viii.	Samuel Lawrence of Littleton and Ashby, b. 2 May 1714; d. early 1789 at Ashby; m. 6 May 1737 Mary HILDRETH of Westford, b. about 1718, d. 17 March 1788 at Littleton, after which Samuel removed to Ashby. Samuel’s estate inventory, presented 26 June 1789 by his son Samuel, totalled £188 13s. 6d. [Bond 1860: 824, 832]. ¶ Children of Samuel³ Lawrence and Mary (Hildreth) Lawrence: 1. Samuel Lawrence, b. 24 Jan. 1738; m. first, Rebecca _____; m. second, Susanna _____. 2. Joseph Lawrence, b. 6 Sept. 1739. 3. Charles Lawrence, b. 20 Jan. 1741; m. about 1762 Naomi _____. 4. Mary Lawrence, unmarried; went to Ashby in 1788 with her father.
	ix.	Experience Lawrence, b. 22 June 1719; m. Jabez KEEP [Bond 1860: 824].
	x.	Prudence Lawrence, b. 7 April 1722; m. 4 March 1742 Peter PARKER, b. 6 Aug. 1719, s. of James and Abigail (Prescott) Parker of Groton. ¶ Children of Peter Parker and Prudence³ (Lawrence) Parker: 1. Eleazer Parker, b. 4 April 1743; m. 22 Jan. 1767 Abigail Lawrence. 2. Sybil Parker, b. 6 Nov. 1745; m. 21 Nov. 1769 Benjamin Lawrence. 3. Peter Parker, b. 15 Jan. 1747; m. Mary ____. 4. James Parker, b. 23 Aug. 1751; m. Sarah ____ [Bond 1860: 824].

4. ANNA² SCRIPTURE (Samuel¹) was born at Groton, Massachusetts, on 10 January 1685; she died 3 September 1758. Anna married about 1701 Nathaniel LAWRENCE, born at Watertown, Massachusetts, on 21 February 1678, son of Enoch Lawrence and Ruth (Shattuck-Whitney) Lawrence. Nathaniel Lawrence died at Groton on 12 September 1765. Green [1878: 31] reproduces Anna (Scripture) Lawrence’s gravestone as follows:

Memento mori
[Skull and Cross-Bones.]
Here lyeth the Body
of M^rs Anna Lawrance
the wife of M^r
Nathaniel Lawrance,
who Departed this
Life Sep^t 3^d A.D. 1758
Aged 73 Years 8 month^s
and 21 Days.

Children of Nathaniel Lawrence and Anna² (Scripture) Lawrence:

	i.	Nathaniel³ Lawrence, b. Groton 3 May 1702 [Bond 1860: 824; does Giorgi 1995: 5 say 13 May? check this]; d. about Sept. 1775; m. 4 Feb. 1728/9 Dorothy CHAMBERLAIN. Nathaniel’s will, dated 30 Aug. 1775 and proved 4 Oct. 1775, “mentions wife Dorothy, dr. Dorothy Hudson; sons Thomas and Isaac; drs. Abigail Gilson, Eunice, and Martha” [Bond 1860: 824]. ¶ Children of Nathaniel³ Lawrence and Dorothy (Chamberlain) Lawrence: 1. Dorothy Lawrence, b. 8 Feb. 1729/30; m. Benaiah Hudson of Pepperell. 2. Nathaniel Lawrence, b. 24 May 1732; probably d. young. 3. Thomas Lawrence, b. 18 Aug. 1734; m. Sarah _____. 4. Isaac Lawrence, b. 8 Jan. 1736/7; m. Mary _____. 5. Abigail Lawrence, b. 21 June 1739; m. Nehemiah Gilson. 6. John Lawrence, b. 13 Nov. 1741. 7. Eunice Lawrence. 8. Martha Lawrence.
	ii.	(Capt.) James Lawrence, b. Groton 26 Aug. 1705 [Giorgi 1995: 5]; d. Pepperell 23 Jan. 1800; bur. Walton Cemetery, Park Street, Pepperell [Pepperell VR 284]; m. Groton 20 Feb. 1732/3 Mary MARTIN; 4 children [GENDEX].
	iii.	Anna Lawrence, b. Groton 8 July 1708 [Giorgi 1995: 5]; m. Groton 28 Jan. 1732/3 Samuel WRIGHT; 1 child [GENDEX].
	iv.	Enoch/Enosh Lawrence, b. Groton 15 Nov. 1710; d. 28 Sept. 1778; m. Sarah STEVENS; 9 children [Giorgi 1995: 5].
	v.	Sarah Lawrence, b. 15 March 1713 [Giorgi 1995: 5]; d. 24 July 1797; m. Groton 15 Dec. 1734 Zechariah LAWRENCE; 3 children [GENDEX].
	vi.	Martha Lawrence, b. Groton 7 Dec. 1715; m. William BLOOD, b. 1715; one child, Martha [Giorgi 1995: 5].
	vii.	Joseph Lawrence, b. Groton 10 April 1717/8 [Giorgi 1995: 5; double date is an error in Giorgi]; d. 10 Oct. 1757; m. Groton 1738 Elizabeth MARTIN; 2 children [GENDEX].
	viii.	Benjamin Lawrence, b. Groton 6 Nov. 1720 [Giorgi 1995: 5]; d. 5 July 1807; m. Groton 20 June 1744 Ruth DODGE; 10 children [GENDEX].
	ix.	Rebecca Lawrence, b. Groton 17 April 1724 [Giorgi 1995: 5].
	x.	Lois Lawrence, b. Groton 6 (26?) Sept. 1726; m. 17 Dec. 1751 Bezalee SAWYER [GENDEX], b. Lancaster 1726 [Giorgi 1995: 5].
	xi.	Eunice Lawrence, b. Groton 25 July 1728; d. 15 Nov. 1747 [Giorgi 1995: 5]. Groton VR II [152] reports the marriage of a Eunice Scripture to John Goodridge of Lunenburg on 21 June 1733. That cannot be this Eunice Scripture, but I have not yet found another of the name.

5. ABIGAIL² SCRIPTURE (Samuel¹) was born at Groton, Massachusetts, on 28 January 1686/7, and died on 4 February 1720. She married first, Zachariah LAWRENCE, born 1683; she married second, Phineas PARKER, born 1684, son of James Parker, Jr., and Mary (Parker) Parker. Phineas died at Groton on 13 August 1744 [Giorgi 1995: 6].

Giorgi presents two different sets of children for this family and acknowledges that they do not agree. Further work is needed here; both sets of children can be found in GENDEX.

6. JOHN² SCRIPTURE (Samuel¹) was born at Groton, Massachusetts, about 1688, and died at Coventry, Connecticut, on 24 July 1779. He married first at Coventry on 15 May 1712, Abigail UTLEY, daughter of Samuel Utley and Sarah (Ashby) Utley; he married second at Coventry on 30 December 1728, Mary (EATON) SLAFTER/SLATER, born about 1693, widow of Anthony Slafter and daughter of William Eaton and Mary (Burnet) Eaton of Lynn, Massachusetts. Mary died at Coventry on 20 July 1780. “John resided in Coventry and Windham, Connecticut. John and Abigail were among the 52 dismissed from the church in Windham to form the church at Hampton in 1723” [Giorgi 1995: 6].

According to GENDEX sources, John² Scripture had a daughter Deborah, born at Concord, Massachusetts, on 10 October 1711, by a Jane SHAMBERRY, whose subsequent history is not known. Where does this information come from? Could this be the reason that John migrated to Connecticut? If that daughter Deborah died young, it could perhaps be the source of the confusion over the death date of Deborah² Scripture (#7), but this last point is conjecture. The surname “Shamberry” does not appear in Savage under any reasonable variant beginning with Sh- or Ch-. Shattuck [1835: 43] names a “James Shambery” as a witness to a deed in Concord on 13 August 1684, but the surname does not otherwise appear in his index. Could “Shamberry” be a variant of “Champney” which is a common surname in the vicinity at the time?

Child of John² Scripture and Jane Shamberry:

Deborah³ _____, b. Concord 10 Oct. 1711 [GENDEX].

Children of John² Scripture and Abigail (Utley) Scripture:

	ii.	Elizabeth Scripture, b. Coventry, Conn., April 1714; d. 19 Feb. 1773; m. Isaac HEATH [Giorgi 1995: 8].
	iii.	John Scripture, b. 1767; d. 1800; m. first, Hannah WELLS; m. second, Esther LEE [Giorgi 1995: 9].
	iv.	Simeon Scripture, b. Windham, Conn., 11 Dec. 1717; m. 19 Sept. 1738 Ann SLATER [Giorgi 1995: 10].
	v.	Sarah Scripture, b. Groton 3 Dec. 1719; d. young [Butler 1848: 434].
	vi.	Patience Scripture, b. Coventry, Conn., 30 Dec. 1720; m. James ALLEN [Giorgi 1995: 7].
	vii.	Abigail Scripture, b. Coventry, Conn., 1 May 1722; d. 6 March 1750; m. James ROYCE [Giorgi 1995: 7].
	viii.	Jemima Scripture, b. Coventry, Conn., 10 March 1724; d. 13 May 1743; m. Moses SLAFTER [Giorgi 1995: 7].
	ix.	Sarah Scripture, b. Coventry, Conn., 1 Dec. 1726; m. Joseph HEATH [Georgi 1995: 10].
	x.	Mary Scripture, b. Coventry, Conn., 15 July 1728; d. Coventry, Conn., 30 July 1728 [Georgi 1995: 7].

Children of John² Scripture and Mary (Eaton-Slafter) Scripture:

	xi.	Mary Scripture, b. Coventry, Conn., 2 Sept. 1730; d. 1808; m. James JACKSON [Giorgi 1995: 7].
	xii.	Amy Scripture, b. Coventry, Conn., 26 June 1732; d. 29 March 1758; m. Benjamin HEATH [Giorgi 1995: 11].
	xiii.	Daniel Scripture, b. Coventry, Conn., 27 Feb. 1736 (1734?); d. 14 March 1736 [Georgi 1995: 7].

7. DEBORAH² SCRIPTURE (Samuel¹) was born about 1690, and died at Groton, Massachusetts, on 17 January 1711[/2?] (or 10 April 1715). She married at Concord, Massachusetts, on 4 September 1710, as his third wife, Jonathan WHITCOMB, born at Lancaster, Massachusetts, on 26 February 1669/70, son of Jonathan Whitcomb and Hannah (White) Whitcomb. He died at Littleton, Massachusetts, on 10 April 1715. Jonathan Whitcomb had earlier married, first, Mary BLOOD, and second, Mary BLOOD [is that correct?]. There seem to be a number of connections between the Whitcomb, Scripture, and Davis families that merit investigation. [All data from GENDEX sources.]

Children of Jonathan Whitcomb and Deborah² (Scripture) Whitcomb:

	i.	Benjamin³ Whitcomb, b. Groton 11 Dec. 1711; d. Stow 11 Sept. 1791; m. Dorcas HEALD, b. Stow 15 Dec. 1718, d. about 1809 at Henniker, N.H.; 6 children [GENDEX].
	ii.	Lydia? Whitcomb, perhaps a second child, b. about 1714. She is named in some GENDEX sources, but could only be a child of this couple if the 1711/2 death date of Deborah (Scripture) Whitcomb is incorrect. Jonathan Whitcomb appears to have had two children by his first wife Mary Joslin, and six by his second wife Mary Blood, one of the latter named Lydia (b. about 1706); it is likely that this possible Lydia born about 1714 is an error.

8. RUTH² SCRIPTURE (Samuel¹) was born at Groton, Massachusetts, on 2 February 1696/7. She married at Groton in 1713, John FROST, born at Sudbury, Massachusetts, on 14 September 1684, son of Thomas Frost and Mary (Gibbs) Frost. Names of their children (some of which are born very close together) are taken from GENDEX sources and not otherwise verified.

Children of John Frost and Ruth² (Scripture) Frost:

	i.	Jemima³ Frost, b. Groton 16 Jan. 1715 [GENDEX]; m. Groton 22 Feb. 1738 James HARTWELL; 8 children [FamilySearch].
	ii.	Lydia Frost, b. Groton 7 July 1716 [GENDEX]; m. Groton 5 June 1744 Ezra HALE; 4 children [FamilySearch].
	iii.	Sarah Frost, b. Groton 5 Jan. 1718 [GENDEX]; d. 13 April 1756; m. 1741 Oliver HEALD; 8 children [FamilySearch].
	iv.	Zerviah Frost, b. Groton 20 March 1719; d. Lancaster 8 April 1807; m. 12 Nov. 1741 Nathan RUGG, b. Lancaster 14 Dec. 1718, d. Lancaster 15 Sept. 1786, s. of Daniel Rugg and Elizabeth (Priest) Rugg; 11 children [GENDEX, FamilySearch]. ¶ Children of Nathan Rugg and Zerviah³ (Frost) Rugg: 1. Zerviah Rugg, abt1746–1806.
	v.	Deborah Frost, b. Groton 1 June 1722 [GENDEX].
	vi.	Abigail Frost, b. Groton 23 May 1723 [GENDEX]; m. Groton 2 Dec. 1742 Samuel PHILLIPS; 4 children [FamilySearch].
	vii.	John Frost, b. Groton 26 Aug. 1725; d. Groton 1790 [GENDEX]; m. Harvard 16 Sept. 1750 Mindwell BIGELOW; 12 children [FamilySearch].
	viii.	Scripture Frost, b. Groton 28 March 1727 [GENDEX].
	ix.	Abijah Frost, b. Groton 14 Feb. 1729; d. Shirley May 1790 [GENDEX]; m. Harvard 2 Feb. 1758 Sarah LAWTON; 6 children [FamilySearch].
	x.	Triphena Frost, b. Groton 6 May 1731 [GENDEX].
	xi.	Patience Frost, b. Groton 23 May 1734 [GENDEX]; m. Leominster 3 Dec. 1761 Jonathan KENDALL; 1 child [FamilySearch].
	xii.	Submit Frost, b. Groton 23 Oct. 1737; d. Lancaster 19 Jan. 1772; m. Lancaster 17 Nov. 1757 Moses WILDER [GENDEX]; 14 children.

Literature Cited

Anderson 1995: Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620–1633 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995), 3 vols.
Anderson 2001: Robert Charles Anderson, George F. Sanborn, Jr., & Melinda Lutz Sanborn, The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England 1634–1635, Volume II, C–F (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001).
Bodge 1906: George Madison Bodge, Soldiers in King Philip’s War (Boston, 1906; reprinted Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997).
Bond 1860: Henry Bond, Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, 2nd ed. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1860).
Butler 1848: Caleb Butler, History of the Town Groton, Including Pepperell and Shirley, from the First Grant of Groton Plantation in 1655 (Boston: T.R. Marvin, 1848).
Coldham 1988: Peter Wilson Coldham, The Bristol Register of Servants Sent to Foreign Plantations, 1654–1686. [Not seen; accessible online at VirtualJamestown.org.]
Davis 1973: Sumner A. Davis, Barnabas Davis and His Descendants (Talladega, Alabama: privately printed, 1973). [Not seen.]
Duffy 1953: John Duffy, Epidemics in Colonial America (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1953). [Not seen.]
GENDEX: Gene Stark, GENDEX WWW Genealogical Index (www.gendex.com, 1999– 2004). [The web pages indexed by GENDEX are often ephemeral and only occasionally make reference to printed sources; they are included here simply as starting points for further research. Where traditional printed documentation is known it is referred to directly. Note: This pioneering Internet genealogy service has sadly gone out of service as of April 2004.]
Giorgi 1995: Valerie Georgi, “Descendants of Samuel Scripture,” Berkshire Genealogist 16(1995): 3–15.
Gozzaldi 1930: Lucius R. Paige, History of Cambridge, Massachusetts: Supplement and Index Comprising a Biographical and Genealogical Record of the Early Settlers … by Mrs. Mary Isabella Gozzaldi (Cambridge: Cambridge Historical Society, 1930).
Green 1878: Samuel A. Green, Epitaphs from the Old Burying Ground in Groton, Massachusetts (Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1878; reprinted Groton: Town of Groton Bicentennial Committee, 1975).
Green 1883: Samuel A. Green, Groton During the Indian Wars (Groton: privately printed, 1883).
Groton VR II: Vital Records of Groton Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, Volume II—Marriages and Deaths (Salem: The Essex Institute, 1927).
IGI: International Genealogical Index (by way of FamilySearch.com).
Mayo 1993: Martha Mayo, Profiles in Courage: African-Americans in Lowell (Lowell: Center for Lowell History, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, 1993).
Pepperell VR: George A. Rice (ed.), Vital Records of Pepperell Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1985).
Rodgers 1999: Robert H. Rodgers, Middlesex County in the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New England: Records of Probate and Administration, October 1649–December 1660 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1999).
Savage: James Savage, A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (Boston, 1860–1862; reprinted Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1998), 4 vols.
Shattuck 1835: Lemuel Shattuck, A History of the Town of Concord (Boston: Russel, Odiome & Company, 1835).
Shattuck 1855: Lemuel Shattuck, Memorials of the Descendants of William Shattuck (Boston: Dutton & Wentworth, 1855).
Torrey 1985: Clarence Almon Torrey, New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985).

RJOHARA.NET

The Collegiate Way

Website Utilities

Samuel Scripture (abt1649–abt1725) of Groton

Genealogical Notes, With Two Generations of His Descendants

First Generation

Second Generation

Literature Cited