Samuel Stebbins (1659-1732)

Samuel Stebbins was born 21 Jan 1659 in Northampton, MA, son of John Stebbins and his second wife Abigail Bartlett. His father had come to the Colonies in 1634 as an eight-year old boy on the ‘Francis’ with his parents and siblings. They settled first in Springfield, and later in Northampton. He is my son-in-law’s 8th great-grandfather.

Samuel was not exactly a law-abiding citizen. His first wife Mary French petitioned the Massachusetts Court of Assistance in Boston in Apr 1691 for a “Bill of Divorce,” complaining that her husband had fathered several bastards, and had abandoned her several years ago. When Mary’s father John French died on 01 Feb 1696/97, there was an agreement about the estate between his children that noted that Mary died childless, and that her husband Samuel Stebbins had left her.

In 1690 he was sued by Thomas Lyman, because his stepdaughter Ruth Baker had given birth to a baby boy and named Samuel as the father. He had to pay support to her, as well as to Elisabeth Caitlin, with whom he also had a baby.

He was accused of other crimes as well. On 29 Sep 1685 he had to appear in Northampton for selling strong drink contrary to law. By 30 Sep 1690 he had skipped town: Samuel Partridge appeared in court, stating that there was a judgement against Samuel Stebbins, but that he had left the jurisdiction. He apparently went to Rhode Island, where he meets Sarah Williams, and has two children with her.

I find it always interesting when ancestors turn out to be human. Frequently we have the tendency to see them in a glowing light, courageous, law-abiding, perfect people. But they were people, human and fallible, who were subject to the same faults and foibles as we are now. Imperfect ancestors make for a much more interesting narrative than saints, and they are part of us, whether we want to or not.

Source: Joan A. Hunter, “Samuel Stebbins of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island,” The American Genealogist 80 #4 (2005) : 256-277