Samuel Holten
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Samuel Holten (1738 - 1816)

Samuel Holten aka Holton
Born in Danvers, Massachusetts Baymap
Ancestors ancestors
Brother of [half]
Husband of — married 4 Mar 1758 in Danvers, Essex County, Massachusettsmap
Descendants descendants
Died at age 77 in Danvers, Massachusetts, United Statesmap
Profile last modified | Created 25 Jul 2014
This page has been accessed 1,604 times.
1776
Samuel Holten participated in the American Revolution.
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Biography

1776 Project
Samuel Holten served with American Founding Fathers during the American Revolution.
Daughters of the American Revolution
Samuel Holten is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A057441.

Early Life

Samuel Holten, Jr. was born 09 June 1738 in that part of Danvers known as "Salem Village." He was the son of Samuel and Hannah (Gardner) Holten.

Samuel, Jr. grew up with his older sister, Lydia, and his half-sister, Anna, in a house built by his grandfather, Henry Holten (1662 - c.1747). Known as "Holten's Hotel," the house was located near what is now Prince Street in Danvers.

In 1752, Samuel, Sr. purchased the dwelling that still stands at 171 Holten Street from Holten cousins who were descendants of his uncle, Benjamin Holten. Benjamin had built the house about 1670. The house is known today as the "Judge Samuel Holten House."

Samuel Jr.'s pre-teen years were plagued by poor health, which not only prevented him from completing the desired pre-collegiate studies planned for him, but also caused him to have a serious hearing problem (he was almost totally deaf) throughout his entire life.

In spite of his infirmities, Samuel successfully completed his schooling locally under the guidance of Peter Clark and then went on to study medicine with Dr. Jonathan Prince, Sr., and his son, Jonathan Prince, Jr., who married Samuel's sister, Lydia, in 1754.

Dr. Samuel Holten, Physician

At the age of eighteen, Samuel had so excelled in his studies that Dr. Prince concluded that he had mastered a proficiency in both physic and surgery, and encouraged him to set up a medical practice of his own.

He practiced for several years in Gloucester, Massachusetts where he met and married Mary Warner in 1758. Shortly after their marriage, they returned to Danvers where Samuel was a well-respected physician for many years.

Before the time of the onset of the American Revolution, Samuel was appointed to the Massachusetts General Court in 1768, a position he held until 1815. A zealous patriot and member of the "Sons of Liberty," Samuel became more and more engrossed in politics. He decided to give up his medical practice by 1775 to thoroughly devote himself to the Revolution and a life of public service.

Samuel Holten, Statesman

Samuel Holten's gravestone, located in Danvers an the Holten Street Cemetery (land gifted, in part, by Samuel Holten to the community) reads:

"ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF THE HON. SAMUEL HOLTEN, WHO DIED JAN 2, 1816;

AGED 78 YEARS. He sustained various offices of trust, under the State Government and that

of the Union, with ability and integrity; to the almost unanimous acceptance of his constituents.

Peace to the memory of a man of worth."

One of the most remarkable Americans of his time, the plaque placed in front of his house at 171 Holten Street by the Danvers Historical Commission in 1974 mentions some of his outstanding accomplishments:

  • Physician, Statesman, and Judge
  • Member of the Provincial Congress of 1774 - 1775
  • Member of the Committee of Safety
  • Member of the Continental Congress from 1778 - 80, 1782 -87, and its temporary

President in 1785

  • Signer of the Articles of Confederation
  • Judge for over 30 years
  • Member of the early U.S. Congress
  • Holder of numerous other town, state, and federal positions
  • Holten emulated the ideal of the 18th Century Enlightened Man

Samuel Holten's Family

Samuel Holten's great-grandfather was Joseph Holten, who emigrated from England to America and became one of the earliest settlers of Danvers. He married Sarah Ingersoll in 1651 at Newbury, Massachusetts. Their children were born in Salem Village, now Danvers.

Samuel Holten's grandfather was Henry Holten. He married Abigail Flint 04 March 1688/89 at Salem, Massachusetts.

Samuel Holten, Sr. was born in 1703. He first married Anna Edwards of Wenham; she died shortly after giving birth to their only child, Anna, in 1729. He next married Hannah Gardner of Salem. They had four children, but only two survived infancy: Lydia and Samuel.

Samuel and his wife, Mary Warner Holten, had no sons, but were the parents of three daughters: Lydia, Mary, and Sarah. All three girls grew to adulthood and married: Lydia, to John Kettle of Danvers; Mary, to Jethro Putnam of Danvers; Sarah, to Luke Webster (he died in 1800) of Newburyport, and then to Eleazer Putnam of Danvers.

Both Samuel and Mary Warner Holten survived two of their daughters (Lydia Holten Kettle died in 1789 and Sarah Holten Webster Putnam died in 1808) and most of their grandchildren, who had died in childhood.

Mary Warner Holten died 29 August 1813; Samuel Holten, 02 January 1816. At the time of his death, Samuel Holten was survived only by his daughter (Mary Holten Putnam), three grandsons, one granddaughter, and two great-granddaughters.

(This article contributed by Scotti Genealogy Services to the General Israel Putnam Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The historic house was acquired by the chapter in 1921; it is open to the public for tours by appointment.)

Find-a-Grave

Sources

familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/a/r/John-E-Barry/GENE3-0002.html - 27k Samuel Holten : A Very Brief Summary of the Life of the Most Illustrious Citizen of Danvers, Massachusetts





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