SPORTS • CALENDAR • CLASSIFIEDS Section B • Wednesday, June 29, 2011 Duxbury’s early settlers: Pilgrim Henry Samson he land grant that Browne’s grants. Although Henry Samson and the Plymouth Second Division his family got in was recorded in 1627, it took the T 1627 Plymouth Second several years for the lots to be Division most of us know as “set off” (surveyed). the area on Washington Street Henry served on many where the Battelle Laboratory grand juries, as an arbiter, as and the Winsor House are, but a surveyor and on a coroner’s the Samson family sold most jury on the body of John Pay- of it off over 200 years ago body, most likely to determine and settled in the cause of death. He also other parts of served the Town of Duxbury town where as a constable and as the tax they fl our- collector. ished. Perhaps because of his civic H e n r y duties and his burgeoning fam- This is the seventh S a m s o n , installment of a series ily, Henry was granted land in of articles about BY LAMONT “MONTY ” aged 16, the Duxbury Commons at the Duxbury’s early set- HEALY arrived in head (west end) of his grant; cally, the Samson/Sampson tlers, using land P l y m o u t h land in Cokesett (Dartmouth); name has fl ourished not only records and other his- aboard the Mayfl ower in 1620. land on the westerly side of locally but all over the coun- torical documents. He was in the company of his the Namasskett River (Mid- try. The Samson Kindred cousin Ann and her husband dleborough or Lakeville); and is an active organization Edward Tilley. Henry married 50 acres with some meadow at that publishes a newsletter daughters were married and Anne Plummer in 1635/6; they the North River. The Namass- three times a year and meets received some money and no eventually had nine children, kett River property may have in Plymouth every third year. land, as was the custom at the fi ve daughters and four sons. been in Lakeville because the I estimate that there might be time. Although the birth dates of intersection of routes 105 and more than two million people In 1713 Stephen Samson their children are not known, 18 is called Samson Corner. sharing the blood line (and deeded to “my two sons” Ben- what is known is that by 1650 One nifty little phrase relating that’s using two to three chil- jamin and John “all that farm they had seven children. In to the land in Dartmouth was dren for each adult child when where I now dwell … given to January of 1637/8 they had found in a 1684 deed in which there could be more). me by my honored father Hen- one son, Stephen, and proba- Henry Samson sold to Joseph At the time of Henry’s ry Samson.” In 1728 Benjamin bly one or two other children. Russell “all that my fi fty acres death in 1684/5 the “homestead deeded to John “one half of ye The Plymouth Colony re- of upland, with four acres of farm” in Duxbury, comprising whole” of the property. cords show “the overplus on meadow adjoining, with one- about 150 acres including the John Samson deeded the the south side of the lands be- eighth part of one whole share original grant, the Commons “homestead farm” to his son sides Henry Howland’s three of undivided land excepting grant, and 33 acres purchased Elijah in 1757, and Elijah shares is graunted unto Henry 25 acres and one-thirtieth part from Peter Browne’s daughter, deeded it to his son Stephen in Sampson, to belong to his lott.” of undivided land sold out of was left to Henry’s eldest son, 1804. So, with Stephen’s own- The fact that this grant was the said eighth part of undi- Stephen. In his will Henry left ership the “homestead farm,” termed “overplus” leads me to vided lands.” What? This is the rest of the Dartmouth land although not containing its believe that the Colony lead- what makes surveyors earn to his three eldest sons, Ste- original acreage, was kept in ers did not know how many their keep! phen, John and James. Hen- the family name for more than acres were in it. This “over- Edward and Ann (Henry’s ry’s youngest son, Caleb, was 160 years. plus” seems to have amounted cousin) Tilley died in their given one shilling, although he In 1781 the Elijah men- to about 100 acres, because fi rst year at Plymouth (1621). may have been provided with tioned above deeded “all my that is the acreage between Though the Tilley name has some land during his father’s real estate lying in Duxbury” Henry Howland’s and Peter substantially disappeared lo- lifetime. Henry’s fi ve continued on page 4 A Duxbury Fourth BY BRUCE BARRETT , CLIPPER COLUMNIST towels anyway. BRUCE @DUXBURYCLIPPER .COM Here are some tips for the newbies uxbury’s Independence in the teen parental pick-up scene: Day festivities start Expect the unexpected. Your kids early this year, so don’t are likely to attract others – odd- missD out. Check the details online at WHAT’S GOING looking ducks that you’ll be dropping duxbury4thofjuly.com. The Duxbury ON HERE? off elsewhere in town. One or more Beach Party runs from 4 to 10 p.m. on will be named “Jamie.” Saturday, July 2 down at the beach, is a fabulous drop-off and pick-up date Bring towels. There’s no swimming across the Powder Point Bridge. Don’t for the teens in your family. There’s a after dark. Yeah, right. worry about parking. Unless you get police presence for safety’s sake, loads Keep your cell phone on. Your there by Friday, there won’t be any. But of food and music, and no alcohol. teen may succeed in keeping his or seriously, in my experience this event There’s no swimming after dark either, her phone dry and charged through the but you might just bring some beach continued on page 4

Find help fast in the Service Directory … page 12 4 Duxbury Clipper Wednesday, June 29, 2011 A Duxbury Fourth continued from page one Pilgrim Henry Samson continued from page one to provide an affidavit stating whole event, and will call you about changes in the pick-up that she was “the only heir- time. Yeah, right. to his nephew, Cornelius Sam- son. Then in 1785 Cornelius at-law of Benjamin O. Cum- Be prepared to circle the field. If you find a good spot for deeded the northeast portion mings … I have lived on the waiting, it will certainly be a spot where your teen will never (30 acres) of the farm to Sam- premises, described in said look. uel Winsor and Lot Stetson. deed, for the past 75 years and Be patient. Understand that in the glare of headlights, all Cornelius had also deeded since the death of my father.” teens look weird. You won’t think it possible, but you will property to Jonathan Delano For the most part, the Sam- recognize your own offspring when the time comes. He or she on the southeasterly side of sons were no longer living on will be looking past your car, and will be assuming that you are the grant. Then on the same Henry’s original grant, but not really there. date he deeded the rest of the they did live in other parts of Bring a large container of rice, uncooked. It’s for the wet property back to Elijah. Elijah town and adjacent towns. For cell phones, and it really works. Stick them right in there, even then deeded the same property this reason I’d like to relate Levi Sampson, builder and if you hear “I didn’t get it wet.” to Gamaliel Bradford, who some Samson family or Sam- owner of the brig “Sampson” A Saturday night in July should be balmy and warm. Yeah, then deeded it back to Elijah. son house stories. (1812). The ship was cap- right. Expect to turn your car’s heater up to high. You may be I can only assume that these Almost 100 years after tained by his relative Briggs Sampson. hot, but your teens will be fighting off hypothermia. were mortgages. I think that the sales to the Winsors and The rest of the weekend should run smoothly. There’s mortgages were not as clear Delanos (1876), Captain El- “it was very sad … they were isha Sampson, Jr. (not to be a breakfast at the Cornerstone Lodge down on Washington as they are today; my guess is eating supper and he always confused with Henry’s grand- Street, Sunday morning, 8 a.m. On Monday morning, you that Cornelius and Gamaliel did like rice, but he just got lent Elijah money, and when son Elijah) who lived next up, went in the other room and can run in the Duxbury Education Foundation’s Road Race. he paid it back they deeded the door to his father on Tremont shooted hisself.” Mr. Boom- Click on the Parade Committee’s link to register on line for property back to him. Street east of Mill Brook, was er was the father of Charles $20 instead of $30. If you register ahead of time, you are Stephen Samson who shot and killed at his break- Boomer, Duxbury’s only WWI guaranteed a t-shirt! Later on, this will convince everyone at owned a small portion of the fast table by his son Simeon, casualty, for whom Boomer the parade that you actually ran in the race. The DEF uses the “homestead” in 1804 sold the “a lad of nineteen … who is Square opposite the town hall entry fees to support Duxbury’s schools, so everyone comes northeast part of it to Brad- subject to fits of insanity” as is named. out a winner. ford Samson in 1808, and that reported by the Boston Globe. See part two of this story Finally, the parade itself. As always, the route runs from property passed to Bradford Another tragedy occurred next in next weeks edition. Check Hall’s Corner, down Washington Street to the Bluefish River, Samson, Jr. and then to his door in Elisha Sampson, Sr.’s out Monty’s blog at dux- and up to the high school. The reviewing stand is always a heirs, and eventually to Flora house when in 1809 Charles buryspilgrimsandtheirland. good place to hear bands play, usually near the Town Green on L. Taylor. Flora, at age 88, had W. Boomer, whose wife said, com. Washington Street. Bands like to play for crowds of people, not hedges and lawns, so bunch up. It may not seem like it to those of us who live here, but Duxbury’s parade is a long one, and usually hot. Parade people love those little half-pint water bottles, or Dixie cups with ice cold water. They even like a hose set to “mist,” as long as it’s not a surprise (they worry about their instruments). The parade steps off at 2 p.m., so if you want a good spot, come way early. The Foodie’s parking lot gets filled with parade participants. My family learned to make it another drop- off and pick-up event once the kids got older. Count on doling out some money for ice cream and silly balloons. After all, no one said liberty was cheap. Friends of Bay Farm formed A new group, Friends of Bay Farm, has been formed by people concerned about recent proposals to allow private ag- ricultural use of the Bay Farm recreation and conservation area. Bay Farm is owned in part by Duxbury, in part by Kings- ton and in part by the State. It is a popular site for hiking, dog walking, bird watching, photography and fishing. The area is currently managed under an agreement among the two towns and the State for conservation and passive recreation. The The Duxbury Girls U14 Team won the 2011 Town Cup defeating Greater Scituate 2-1 at The Bog on new group is dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of June 9. Pictured are: Back row: Asst Coach Dave Rakauskas, Logan Snelling, Caroline Crowley, the area and opposes a change to agricultural use. The group’s Heidi Stauss, Nikki Rakauskas and Head Coach Chris Donato. Middle row: KC Williams, Payton Web site is bayfarmfriends.org. Those interested can contact Donato, Jane Dudley, Charlotte Wahle, and Marissa Fichter. Bottom row: Nicole Quinlan, Eliza the group at [email protected]. Hartford, Brianna Fadden, Seton Swiderski, Caroline Hocking, Elizabeth Connolly, and Catherine Jordan. Wednesday, July 6, 2011 Duxbury Clipper 5 Duxbury’s early settlers: Pilgrim Henry Samson This is the second part of Daniel’s grandson Daniel in- mall-Reynolds farm. last week’s story on the Samp- herited it and opened it as an There are at least 10 date- son grant. – Ed inn in 1932. Daniel and Marie boarded houses on the Henry nother Samson Winsor operated the Winsor Sampson grant, most of them Family story in- House Inn successfully for 30 being Winsor houses. Four volves Capt. years and in 1962 sold it to Lu- of Samuel Winsor’s six sons BriggsA Sampson, ironically cien and Gilberte Vivas. David built houses on Winsor Street, master of the brig Sampson. Wells acquired the property in though only Samuel’s and Captain Sampson met another 1969, and he in turn sold it to Spencer’s are date-boarded. vessel at sea. When the master Richard, David and Katherine The houses on Washington of the other vessel hailed his Connor in 1971. David and Street that are in this grant go ship with “What brig is that?” Patricia O’Connell bought the from numbers 342 (Stetson “Brig Sampson” was the reply. inn in 1976 and have operated Place) to 405. They include the “What is her captain’s name?” it continuously since then. houses built by: Jesse Howard “ B r i g g s Long before the Samsons (1796); Lot Stetson (1787); Sampson,” This is the seventh installment of a series sold the northeast part of the Charles Winsor (1805); Calvin came the an- of articles about farm to Winsor/Stetson they Gardner (1830); Otis Winsor swer. This Duxbury’s early set- sold the southerly part to John (1810); John Howland (Nan- answer seem- split the property up. It ap- tlers, using land Delano and then Jonathan Del- cy Winsor; 1803, the Winsor ing identical pears that Samuel Winsor records and other his- ano, who passed the property House Inn); and the house to the fi rst, chose the northerly half and torical documents. to his son Ebenezer Delano in built by Nathaniel Winsor 405 the question then eventually purchased 1763, property which eventu- (1800, now Battelle Laborato- BY LAMONT “MONTY ” HEALY was repeat- most of the southerly half, ally became part of the Wor- ries). ed over and including both sides of what which became world famous over. The vessels separated is now Winsor Street. The for its investigations of marine with the other captain dis- Winsors allowed their chil- borers and marine destruction. pleased that a civil answer was dren, both sons and daughters, When Mr. Clapp died in 1951, not returned to a civil question, to build houses on their land Albert P. Richards became and Captain Briggs Sampson and then later gave or sold president of the organization resolved to avoid such a mis- them the land. and continued the laboratory understanding in the future by This grant line runs right studies. After Mr. Richard’s prefi xing “Henry” to his name. between the Methodist Epis- death in 1963 the William F. I have found a Briggs Samp- copal Church built in 1823 Clapp Laboratories became son legally changing his name (now St. John the Evangelist part of Battelle’s Columbus to Henry B. Sampson in 1818 Episcopal Church) and the Laboratories. in Massachusetts and record Wesleyan Methodist Church Nathaniel Winsor built a of his being a master mariner built in 1844 (now the Pil- house for his daughter Nancy for 30 to 35 years, and now grim Church) properties. Seth when she married Capt. John have found the brig Sampson Sprague, who was a successor Howland in 1803. This was (all this courtesy of Patrick to the Henry Howland Grant about the time when Wash- Browne and Carolyn Raven- (north of the line), provided ington Street was built, and scroft of the Duxbury Rural the land and funds for the St. this is now the Winsor House. and Historical Society). John Church. He then, when he John Howland sold the house The brig Samson was built became disenchanted with that to Seth Sprague, Jr. as trustee and owned by Levi Samson, a church, bought the land and for Nancy Howland in 1837. master carpenter and a relative had the Pilgrim Church built Seth Sprague, Jr. and the heirs (probably from the Abraham in St. John’s “front yard.” of Nancy Howland sold the side of the Samsons) of Capt. Nathaniel Winsor (born property to Capt. Daniel L. Henry B. Sampson. Capt. H.B. 1747) built the house in 1800 Winsor in 1842. The property followed his brother William that sits across Washington stayed in the Winsor fam- with several members of his Street from the two churches. ily from that time until Capt. William F. “Bill” Clapp, founder of Clapp Laboratories. family, to Como, Ill. in 1836 He and his wife Olive (Soule) after the shipping business in had nine children. In 1826 he Duxbury started its decline. sold the house to his youngest Como, given in a family his- son Martin and in later years tory as being in Illinois, now the property was known as the “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...” seems to be in Wisconsin, a Martin Winsor Homestead. In few miles from the Illinois the same year son Martin sold -Henry David Thoreau border. I know of no change in it back to the father Nathaniel, the northern border of Illinois who was about 80 at the time. Nurture Your Spirit. after it was initially pushed 60 It seems Nathaniel did this miles to the north, but there with several of his children; was a dispute involving the somehow this was to keep the Help Heal Our World Winnebago Indian lands. property in the family. Maybe Around the time when these were, again, some kind FIND US AND YE SHALL SEEK. Cornelius Sampson trans- of mortgage. ferred land to Lot Stetson In Nathaniel’s 1830 will If you’re searching for a spiritual home and Samuel Winsor (1785), (he died in 1840 at 93) he left where questions are as welcome as Nathaniel Winsor, Samuel’s fi ve dwellings to the children answers, find us. We are a loving open- brother, already owned the occupying them at the time. As minded religious community that en- property to the north and had for the Martin Winsor Home- courages you to seek your own path, a thriving wharf business with stead, Martin got the easterly wherever it leads. To nurture your spirit another brother Joshua. In all half, in trust for his son Albert, and find your own truth and meaning. there were fi ve Winsor broth- and his youngest sister Nancy Welcome to Unitarian Universalism. ers involved in the wharf busi- Howland got the westerly half, ness, William and John being in trust for her son Lucien. the other two. Their father was From 1840 to 1890 the prop- First Parish Church Samuel Winsor, who came to erty was bought and sold by Unitarian Universalist various members of the Win- Duxbury from Boston and fi rst Sunday Services 10:30 / Childcare & Sunday School settled on Clark’s Island and sor family. then moved to Captain’s Hill. Finally Sanford C. Winsor He married Rhoda Delano in sold the bulk of the property TREMONT AT DEPOT STREET • DUXBURY • 781-934-6532 1746 and they had 10 children to Capt. George Cushman, in all. who sold it to Nellie A. Clapp A liberal religious church serving Duxbury, Marshfield, Samuel paid $50 for the in 1905. In 1933 William F. Pembroke & surrounding communities. right to choose which part of Clapp, Nellie’s husband, a the Stetson-Winsor property professor at M.I.T., convert- he wanted when he and Stetson ed the barn into a laboratory,