Samuel Fuller

Dr. John Kemp of the Plimoth Plantation portraying Samuel Fuller

Samuel Fuller (c. 1580/81 – between August 9 and September 26, 1633, in Plymouth) was a passenger on the historic 1620 voyage of the Pilgrim ship Mayflower and became a respected church deacon and the physician for Plymouth Colony.

English origin Fuller was baptized on January 20, 1580, at Redenhall, county of Norfolk, England.

Life in Holland Fuller's first mention in records of the time was of his move to Leiden by 1610, where he was a witness to his sister Ann's betrothal. And in 1611, he witnessed the betrothal of future Mayflower passenger Degory Priest to Sarah Allerton, sister of Mayflower passenger Isaac Allerton. Additionally, the Society states that there is no proof that the Mayflower White family was ever in Leiden and, in fact, joined the company in England as non-religious members.

Records note that Samuel was living in the Groene Poort (Green Alley) neighborhood of Leiden "over against the clock tower" in 1615.

The small, 100-foot ship had carried 102 passengers and a crew of about 30 to 40 in extremely cramped conditions. By the second month out, the ship was being buffeted by strong westerly gales, causing the timbers to be badly shaken, with caulking failing to keep out sea water, and with passengers lying wet and ill. This and a lack of proper rations and unsanitary conditions for several months contributed to sickness that proved fatal for many, especially the majority of women and children. Two people died on the crossing, but the worst came after arriving in America. Almost half the passengers perished during that first cold, harsh, unfamiliar New England winter.

Life in Plymouth Colony

In the winter of 1620-21, almost half of the Pilgrims died. Fuller lost his brother, Edward, and sister-in-law, and he became the guardian of his nephew, Samuel. In 1623, Fuller's wife, Bridget, arrived on the ship Anne. Fuller received two acres of land in 1623 as part of the allocation of private plots, and his wife received her share "in with a corner by the pond."

In 1629, a group of settlers led by John Endicott, the founder of Salem, arrived in need of medical care and advice on church organization. Plymouth sent Fuller to assist, and Endicott later warmly expressed his appreciation in a letter to William Bradford dated May 11, 1629.

In the summer of 1633, Fuller fell ill with an "infectious fever" that had spread through Plymouth by autumn. Nathaniel Morton wrote about Fuller's death in his 1669 New England's Memorial: "Mr. Samuel Fuller then died, after he had much helped others, and was a comfort to them; he was their surgeon and physician, and did much good in his place, being not only useful in his faculty, but otherwise, as he was a godly man, and served Christ in his office of a deacon in the church for many years, and forward to do good in his place, and was much missed after God removed him out of this world."

Family Samuel Fuller married three times:

His first wife was Alice Glasscock, he possibly married her in England, she died by 1613. Then, he wed Agnes Carpenter, when she was around about 24 years old, they married in Leiden April 23, 1613. Banks states they were married March 15, 1613. She was one of five daughters of Alexander and Priscilla Carpenter of Wrington, co. Somerset, near Bristol and all were later residents of Leiden by about 1600. Witnesses at her wedding were her father Alexander, sister Alice and Edward Southworth, who would become Alice's husband a month after Agnes' wedding. In 1615, Agnes gave birth to an unnamed child who died at birth and was buried in Leiden on June 29. Agnes herself died soon after, possibly from complications, the exact date of her death being unknown. She was buried at St. Pieterskerk (St. Peter's Church) in Leiden on July 3, 1615. His third marriage was with Bridget Lee in Leiden on May 27, 1617. She died May 2, 1667. Banks states she was the daughter of Joyce Lee and sister of Samuel Lee and that she married Samuel Fuller on May 12, 1617.

Children of Samuel Fuller and wife Bridget: Mercy born after May 22, 1627. She was still living as of Bradford's list of passengers made in 1651, but there is no further record. Samuel born about 1629. Samuel died on August 17, 1695.

Samuel Fuller (Jr) married:

1. Susanna

2. Elizabeth (Nicholas) Bowen between April 11, 1663, and May 2, 1667, and had seven children.

Servant traveling in company with Samuel Fuller on the Mayflower William Butten sailed on the Mayflower as an indentured servant to Samuel Fuller, and was listed as "a youth." According to popular belief, his father had died when he was young and his mother could not financially support him. Author Caleb Johnson provides his research that the Butten family had an early association with the Leiden Separatists, and that William, son of John, was baptized on March 13, 1605, at Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Some Leiden church members were known in Worksop, as early Separatist churches were developed there. Worksop is located near William Bradford's birthplace in Austerfield, Yorkshire.

Butten was sick for most of the two-month Mayflower voyage and died on November 6, 1620 – just three days before the sighting of Cape Cod. William Bradford wrote "in all this voyage there died but one of the passengers, which was William Butten, a youth, servant to Samuel Fuller, when they drew near the coast."

Provincetown on Cape Cod has several present-day memorials to William Butten and several others who were the earliest Mayflower passengers to die.