by Patsy Hendrickson
Samuel Smith was the fourth son of Henry and Elizabeth Smith, though one of his older brothers died at the age of two soon after Samuel was born. Samuel was born 13 October 1641in Dedham, Massachusetts.1 His family moved to the newly established Medfield in 1651/52, where his father, Henry, received a houselot on South Street.2
Samuel married Elizabeth Turner 22 December 1669 in Medfield.2 At the time of their marriage, Samuel was 28 and Elizabeth was 22. Elizabeth was born 27 September 1647 in Roxbury, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of John Turner and his wife, Elizabeth (Marsh?), who died a few days after the birth of her daughter, Elizabeth. In February of 1647/48, Elizabeth’s father married Deborah Williams, and they had eight more children. John Turner was among the first thirteen founders of Medfield, Massachusetts, and Elizabeth would have grown up in the new community.
Samuel and Elizabeth had three children, all born in Medfield. A daughter, Elizabeth, was born 15 September 1670. She died a year later, on 1 October 1671. A second daughter, also named Elizabeth was born 29 February 1671/72. She is Johnson ancestor. The third child, a son Samuel, was born May 26, 1674.
On 21 February 1675/76, Elizabeth Turner Smith was killed in an Indian attack on the town of Medfield during King Phillip’s War. Quoting from History of the John Turner family of Roxbury & Medfield Massachusetts:
"In this raid 32 houses were burned (about half of those in the town) and 15 persons killed, among them Elizabeth (Turner) Smith. It is said she was on her way to the fort or blockhouse with her youngest child in her arms when the warriors overtook her and killed her by a blow on the head. This child was thrown to the ground and left for dead. He regained consciousness and when found had crept to the body of his dead mother. When this son, Samuel Smith Jr. grew to manhood and joined the church, his "confession" [a statement of beliefs and religious experiences] ... was written in the old parish records. It was found in its original form among the papers of the Rev. Bazter, pastor of the Medfield Church 1797-1845. In it he relates the incident of his mother's death as follows: "When I was young, God did wonderfully preserve me when my mother was knoct in the head by Indians. I was in her arms. I had not hurt by them. I desire to give God alone the praise of it. I was brought up in the nurture and feare of the Lord. I was often put in mind what a miserable state and condition I was in by nature and that I must for ever perish without an interest in Jesus Christ. As I grew up my grandfather would be putting me in mind what God had done for me and told me it was not for nothing that God had thus preserved me and would have me consider it and endeavor to love God and serve Him --"
In his confession, Samuel Jr. also said, "I hope God hath begun a good work in my soul."
After Elizabeth’s death, on 22 February 1676/77 in Medfield, Samuel Sr. married Sarah Clarke Bowers, the widow of John Bowers. John had died during the same Indian attacks in Medford as Elizabeth. John and Sarah had one son, John, born 22 January 1675/76. He became an Ensign in the military as an adult.
Samuel and his second wife Sarah had seven more children. Sarah was born 8 January 1678/79; Henry was next, born 16 December 1680; then came Daniell born 26 December 1682; followed by Nathaniel born 31 October 1684. Abigail was born 18 December 1686; next was Mary born 22 November 1688; and last came Prudence born 19 July 1691.
Samuel inherited his father's house, lot, and property in Medfield after his father’s estate was probated in 1687.
Four years later, on 25 October 1691, when their youngest daughter, Prudence, was only three months old, Samuel died in Medfield at the age of 50. Sarah lived another 12 years. She died in Medfield on 20 May 1704, at the age of 53. At the time of Sarah’s death, Prudence was still only 12 years old, but the older children, Elizabeth Smith, Samuel Smith, John Bowers Jr., Sarah Smith, and Henry Smith were already married. Her son Daniell died within a week of his mother’s death, on 26 May 1704 at the age of 21.
Samuel and his wives began a large posterity: After the parents died, the children continued to marry and form their own families:
Elizabeth: Married Eleazar Partridge 25 April 1692.
Samuel: Married Elizabeth Adams 14 Aug 1695. He became a Deacon of the Medfield Church and was the Medfield Deputy to the General Court in 1714. His biographical sketch in Legislators of the Massachusetts General Court, 1691-1780 says, 1714; deacon 1721-42; selectman 1714-34 [21 years]; town clerk 1726-34; treasurer; M Elizabeth Adams (1672-1753) in 1695, 8 ch; farmer. In 1714 he was undoubtedly sent to the HR to help set the boundary of Medfield and Medway, which were divided in 1713 when Medway became a town. Their tax burdens were likewise decided.
John Bowers III: married Hannah Partridge (no marriage date found)
Sarah: Married 1st Mathias Evans Jr, 14 November 1701; md. 2nd Henry Harding 1726
Henry: Married 1st Deborah Pratt 20 Feb 1702/3; md. 2nd Mary Adams; Md. 3rd Ruth Barber 1730
Nathaniel: Married 1st Mary Clark 24 May 1705; md 2nd Lydia Partridge 24 Jun 1717
Abigail: Married John Fisher (no marriage date found).
Mary: Married Henry Plimpton 25 November 1706; md. 2nd Jabez Pond 1732; md. 3rd Joseph Wright 1750.
Prudence: Married 1st Capt. Joseph White III; md. 2nd Benoni Benson 11 Aug 1
The Early Records of the Town of Dedham, Massachusetts 1636 – 1659, Author: Don Gleason Hill
Call Number: F74.D3E175x 1892 vol.3
Medfield Historical Record
Massachusetts Vital Records, 1620-1850 - Medfield
Massachusetts, Town and Vital Collections, 1620-1988 - Roxbury Index to Births, 1642-1844 - T
History of the John Turner family of Roxbury & Medfield Massachusetts by Jessie L. Turner Cordiner and Musa Margaret Turner Brown
Legislators of the Massachusetts General Court, 1691-1780