Samuel Howland (1711 - bef. 1797)

Born 21 Jan 1711 in Marshfield, Plymouth, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Son of Thomas Howland and Mary (Unknown) Howland

Husband of Freelove (Seamans) Howland — married 17 Apr 1740 in Swansea, Bristol County, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died before 4 Sep 1797 before age 86 in Scituate, Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Anonymous Howland [send private message]

A prospective male descendant of this line is welcomed to take Y-DNA 111 STR markers and SNP markers (Big Y-700) tests at Howland DNA project from Family TreeDNA.

Biography

This profile is part of the Howland Name Study.

Parentage

DISPROVEN:

• Samuel Howland was never the son of John³ (Samuel², Henry¹) and Rebecca Howland.

• Samuel Howland was never the son of John⁴ (Thomas³, Arthur², Arthur¹) and Freelove (Wood) Howland.

• Samuel Howland was never the son of Josiah³ (Jabez², Pilgrim John¹) and Yetmercy (Shove) Howland.

• Samuel Howland was never the son of Josiah³ (Jabez², Pilgrim John¹) and Mary (Shove) Howland.

• Samuel Howland was not identical to Samuel Howland, the son of Isaac and Elizabeth Howland of Portsmouth.

DNA CONFIRMATION:

• Samuel Howland was the son of Thomas³, (Arthur², Arthur¹) and Mary Howland.

• Samuel Howland was genetically descended from Arthur¹ Howland.

See more information below in the section of Research Notes and DNA.

Birth

”Samuell the son of Thomas Ho[wland] and Mary his Wife was borne Ja[nuary] the 21 1710/11” in Marshfield, Plymouth County, Massachusetts Bay.^[1]

Identity of Samuel Howland

Unfortunately, in 1885, the work of Franklyn Howland did not develop any further on the identity of Samuel Howland on page 43.^[2] It was noted that Samuel Howland's birth date was recorded as January 1, 1710, using the Old Style dating system, despite his assertion that New Style dating was consistently used in his work. The original birth record showed that Samuel Howland was born on 21 January 1710/11 in Marshfield, Plymouth County, Massachusetts Bay.

However, the work of Franklyn Howland had the biographical sketch of Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, on pages 100 through 101, but his biographical sketch was misplaced on Henry Howland, Jr.’s line.

Sometime in the 1990s, a genealogist, Rhoda English Ladd, discussed the research of Francis G. Jenkins, who discussed three theories involving all three of the Howland brothers, John, Arthur, and Henry, as the progenitor of John Howland who married Freelove Wood in question in the article "The John Howland Who Married Freelove Wood" in the journal Mayflower Descendants, Vol. 39, No. 1 in 1986, and she thought it might imply that Samuel who married Freelove Seamans could have been a brother of this John (Thomas³, Arthur², Arthur¹) Howland of former Swansea and of later Scituate.

Indeed, John Howland, the husband of Freelove Wood, had a brother named Samuel Howland, born on January 21, 1710/11, in Marshfield, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. This scenario rests entirely on the circumstantial similarity of each family member’s name and the whereabouts of John Howland based on the names of the children of Samuel Howland and his residences in Swansea, Massachusetts, and Scituate, Rhode Island.

Arthur Howland and some of his descendants were known to be Quakers. Given that the parents of John and Samuel Howland were Quakers residing in Marshfield and Pembroke, the association with the Quaker Howlands of Tiverton or Howland’s Ferry, as mentioned in Franklyn Howland's book, supports the possibility of either John Howland, who married Freelove Wood, or Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans in Swansea, being linked to this Quaker lineage.^[3] Tiverton was almost 13 miles south of Swansea, and they were separated by the Taunton River.

The age difference between Samuel Howland, who was born on 21 January 1710/11, and Freelove Seamans, who was born on 17 April 1724 was almost fourteen years apart. It seemed unlikely that Samuel Howland was the husband of Freelove Seamans because he was nearly twice the age of Freelove Seamans. However, if he was, this would require to have Judge Peres Bradford to approve their marriage since she was a minor.^[4]

The age difference between Samuel Howland, who was born on 21 January 1710/11, and Freelove Seamans, who was born on 17 April 1724, was almost fourteen years. The significant age gap between Samuel Howland and Freelove Seamans made it improbable for them to be married. If they were indeed married, it would necessitate the approval of Judge Peres Bradford due to her being a minor.^[4]

Since 2006, the General Society of Mayflower Descendants has maintained that Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, is still believed to be a descendant of Arthur¹ Howland because it is based on recent research by Francis G. Jenkins.

Their research has consistently concluded that the identity of Samuel Howland remains unresolved. To establish the credibility of Samuel Howland's identity, it is ideal to seek an earlier source predating Franklyn Howland's 1885 work. However, to date, no such source has been discovered to confirm the identity of Samuel Howland.

Marriage

Samuel Howland and Freelove Seamans were married by Judge Peres Bradford on April 24, 1740, in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts Bay. He married her when she was at least three months shy of 16 years old. That's why Judge Peres Bradford was required to solemnize their marriage because she was a minor. The marriage record did not contain their consent or the names of their parents. Moreover, the record did not specify whether Samuel Howland or Freelove Seamans were minors or adults. In 1692, the marriage law in the Province of Massachusetts Bay allowed individuals to marry if they were within the age of consent, which was defined as fourteen for men and twelve for women.^[4]

The reason their intention of marriage was not recorded in the public records of Swansea or its adjacent towns is that the law of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1692-1693 outlined the process individuals had to follow to enter into marriage. Justices of the peace in the county where they live can conduct marriages for eligible individuals. Individuals entering marriage must obtain consent from their guardians or caretakers. To announce the marriage, consent must be sought at three public meetings in each town or by displaying names and intentions in public places in each town for fourteen days. It is necessary to have a document that confirms the marriage announcement was made by the town clerk or constable. The fee for the marriage is three shillings, while the fees for publication and certificates are each one shilling.^[5] In 1695-1696, justices and ministers were not allowed to marry individuals outside their county or town without a certificate from the town clerk, which had to include the parties' names, intentions, and parental consent. Breaking this rule resulted in a fine of fifty pounds.^[6]

Respecting those laws, this marriage record suggests that Samuel Howland and Freelove Seamans were the inhabitants of Swansea for some time before they were married in 1740, so their intention of marriage was not required to be recorded if they were not the inhabitants of a different town or county. Freelove Seamans was a resident of Swansea when she was a minor under the care of her father, James Seamans, who was also a resident of Swansea.

Samuel Howland's birth record was not found in any public records of Swansea or neighboring towns in the Province of Massachusetts Bay or its colonies, which left his age status uncertain as either a minor or an adult. Whether Samuel Howland was an adult or a minor, Judge Peres Bradford needed to officiate their marriage because Freelove Seamans was a minor within the age of consent, specifically twelve years old.^[4]

Was Samuel Howland married to her from some other location? It remains unclear from the marriage record whether he married her at his birthplace or place of residence. However, under the law of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, the marriage record suggests that Samuel Howland might have been the inhabitant of Swansea for some time before 1740 because their intention of marriage was not recorded in any public record of any town in the Province of Massachusetts Bay.

If Samuel Howland was from Marshfield, it might explain why he would want to live with his older brother, John Howland, who married Freelove Wood in Swansea in 1725. Under the Province of Massachusetts Bay law, he had to obtain the certificate from the town selectmen of Marshfield to give to the town selectmen of Swansea before he migrated south to Swansea, so it must be recorded on the town records first in order to allow him to be a resident of the town of Swansea. It is unclear when he became a resident of Swansea before 1740, so his certificate should have been recorded at that time, but the town records of Swansea are currently very fragmented. This is why he eventually married Freelove Seamans, indicating that recording the intention of marriage was unnecessary if they were residents of Swansea.

It was the same way he did later in 1744 when he obtained the certificate from the town selectmen of Swansea before he and his family migrated west to Scituate, Rhode Island, and he gave the certificate to the town selectmen of Scituate to allow them to live in the township of Scituate.^[7]

Children

Samuel Howland and Freelove Seamans had 8 children together:

1. John Howland (1741 ‒ ?) married Morabah Franklin (1739 ‒ ?) on 15 Sep 1776 in Glocester, Providence County, Rhode Island.
2. Thomas Howland (1742 ‒ 1816) married Mary Kimball (1743 ‒ ?). [Proven] [Confirmed from Howland DNA project at Family TreeDNA.] His yDNA haplogroup is R-A9703 → R-FT62874.
3. Mary Howland (1745 ‒ ?) married Samuel Luther; then married John Kimball. Request for a volunteer to take a mitochondrial DNA test for an unbroken female line to her.
4. Tabitha Howland (1746 ‒ ?) married Laban Hopkins (1758 ‒ ?) Request for a volunteer to take a mitochondrial DNA test for an unbroken female line to her.
5. Samuel Howland (1748 ‒ ?) married Hannah Franklin (1758 ‒ ?) on 3 Dec 1779 in Glocester, Providence County, Rhode Island.
6. Asahel Howland (abt. 1752 ‒ bef. 1797) married Ann Barton (abt. 1755 ‒ ?) on 12 Feb 1786 in Foster, Providence County, Rhode Island.
7. Caleb Howland (1758 ‒ 1833) married Mary Seamans (abt. 1759 ‒ abt. 1830) on 23 May 1779 in Clarendon, Rutland County, Vermont. [Proven] [Confirmed from Howland DNA project at Family TreeDNA.] His yDNA haplogroup is R-A9703 → R-FT62874.
8. Freelove Howland (1772 ‒ aft. 1850) [Tentative] [Possible speculative daughter of Samuel Howland, Jr. and Hannah Franklin.] Request for a volunteer to take a mitochondrial DNA test for an unbroken female line to her. Her mtDNA haplogroup is T1a6.

Religion

1737 • Pembroke, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay

Samuel Howland associated with the Quakers when he witnessed his sister Hanna Howland and Robert Barker’s wedding on 24 August 1737 in Pembroke, Plymouth County, Massachusetts Bay, and he subscribed his name as a witness to his sister’s wedding on the record. His uncle, Prince Howland, was the first to subscribe his name to the record, as it was customary for him to support his niece, Hanna Howland, in marrying Robert Barker on their wedding day. Also, his siblings, Ebenezer Howland and Mercy Howland, were there to sign their names as witnesses on the record.^[8]  

Residence

1744 • Scituate, Providence, Rhode Island

The town council records of Scituate recorded:

“At a Town Council held in Scituate in the County of Providence by virtue of a Warrant from under me hand and seal of Jedediah Storries... on the Seventh Day of July A.D. 1744: Present... A.D. 1744: Whereas as there there is one Samuel Howland and his family Lately Removed into this town with out intent herein to Dwell and hath Promised a Certificate from the Selectmen of the Town of Swanzey from whence he Removed hither in the followings words— To the Gentlemen of the Town Council in the Town of Scituate in the Government of Rhodeisland and Providence Plantation in New England these Lines May Certifie to you that if Samuel Howland Late of Swanzey Should be Likely to become a Town Charge in your Government the Town of Scituate will Receive him again into our Town: Swanzey. June ye 14th: 1744. Hezekiah Luther, Esek Brown, Edward Slade} Selectmen of Swanzey Whereupon it is voted that the said Samuel Howland be admitted to Dwell in this Town untill further order.”^[7]

The law of the Province of Massachusetts Bay required Samuel Howland to procure the certificate from the selectmen of Swansea with intent to dwell at Scituate, Rhode Island;^[9] the town council received the certificate from him and allowed him and his family to dwell in Scituate on 7 July 1744.

The family of Samuel Howland included himself, his wife, Freelove Howland, and his two little boys, John Howland and Thomas Howland, who moved from Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts Bay to Scituate, Providence County, Rhode Island.

1744 • Scituate, Providence, Rhode Island

On 3 December 1744, the town council of Scituate voted that Samuel Howland had a license to keep a public tavern, ale house, and victualing house in the house where he lived in Scituate for the space of one whole year, and the town clerk was ordered and empowered to grant him a license under the seal of the town council upon his giving a bond according to the law with John Halett as the surety for the true performance.^[10]

1769 • Scituate, Providence, Rhode Island

The record of land sale showed that Samuel resided in Scituate, Rhode Island, in 1769, when his son, John Howland, sold two parcels of land to his father, Samuel Howland.^[11]  

1776 • Glocester, Providence, Rhode Island, United States

The marriage record showed that Samuel Howland resided in Glocester, Rhode Island, in 1776, when his son, John Howland, married Merrobe Franklin in Glocester, Rhode Island.^[12]

1779 • Glocester, Providence, Rhode Island, United States

The marriage record showed that Samuel Howland resided in Glocester, Rhode Island, in 1779, when his son, Samuel Howland, Jr., of Scituate, married Hannah Franklin of Scituate in Glocester, Rhode Island.^[12]

Census

1774 • Glocester, Providence, Rhode Island

Samuel Howland and his family were recorded in the 1774 Census of Rhode Island as follows:^[13]

The age/sex distribution and inferred attributions are:

• 2 white males over 16: householder Samuel Howland, son Samuel Howland
• 2 white males under 16: sons, Asahel Howland, and Caleb Howland
• 1 white female over 16: his wife Freelove Howland
• 4 white females under 16: daughter, Freelove Howland, and 3 unknown females.

1777 • Scituate, Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Samuel Howland was enumerated for the military census of Rhode Island. He had a certificate from the Friends Meeting excusing him from military service.^[14]

Land Records

John Howland of Glocester to Ambrus Cole, April 29, 1769. Acknowledged and recorded April 29, 1769, Providence County, Rhode Island. (Glocester, Rhode Island Land Records, Volume 8, page 296).

John Howland, ye son of Samuel Howland of Scituate, County of Providence, Colony of Rhode Island, laborer, bought of Ambrus Cole of Scituate, yeoman for 24 pounds lawful money paid by John Howland of Scituate— 19 acres of land in Glocester in two parcels— fourteen acres in one piece and 5 acres in the other.

Signed by on 29 April 1769 by Ambrus & Besiah Cole.

Acknowledged same day and place by Ambrus Cole before Zebee Hopkins, Jr. Justice of Peace.^[15]

John Howland to Samuel Howland of Scituate, August 29, 1769. Acknowledged and recorded August 29, 1769. (Glocester, Rhode Island Land Records, Volume 8, page 217).

Summary: On 29 August 1769, John Howland sold to his father, Samuel Howland of Scituate, the same two parcels of land (purchased on 29 April 1769, from Ambrus Cole) in Glocester, totaling 19 acres, for 24 pounds of lawful money. John Howland signed with an 'x' (his mark).^[11]

To all People to whom these Presents shall come John Howland ye son of Samuel of Scitaute In the County of Providence & Colony of Rhode Island Labourer send Greeting Know ye that I the said John Howland for & in Consideration of the Sum of Twenty four pounds Lawfull money to me in hand before the ensealing hereof well & truly paid by Samuel Howland of Scituate, in the County & Colony abovesaid, the Receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge & myself there with fully satisfy Contented & paid & there of & for every part & parcel there of do Exonerate acquit & discharge him the said Samuel Howland his Heirs Executors & administrators for ever by these presents have Given Granted Bargained Sole aliened Enfeoffed Conveyed & Confirmed, & by these presents do freely fully and absolutely give grant bargain sell alien Enfeoff Convey & Confirm unto him the said Samuel Howland & to his Heirs & assigns for ever nineteen acres of Land Situate in the Town of Glocester & lieth in two pieces fourteen acres is in one piece, & five in the other piece & is butted & bounded as followeth begining at a Stake & Stones for the first bound of the fourteen acres & from thence East 46: Rods & one third of a Rod to a Stake & Stones one of the bounds Gideon Mowrys Farm & from thence bounding on said Mowrys Line South 7° : E : 46 : poles to a Stake & Stones one of said Mowrys bounds also, then South 43° : E 14 : poles on Mowrys Line, to a black oak pole marked, thence west 36 : Rods to a Stake & Stones, & from thence a Straight Line to the first mentioned bound the other five acres is bounded as followeth, the South Corner is a heap of Stones a bound of Capt William Hawkins Land thence : N : 43° : W : 44 : pole to a Long Stone set up in the Ground, then N 43° : E : 38 pole to a black oak pole marked another of said Hawking bounds & from thence a straight Line to the first mentioned bound. To Have and To hold the Said Granted & bargained premises with all the appurtances priviledges & Commodities to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining To him the said Samuel Howland his heirs & assigns for ever To his & their only proper use benefit & behoof for ever, & I the said John Howland for myself my Heirs Executors & administrators do Covenant premise & grant to & with sd Samuel Howland his Heirs & assigns, that at & before the Ensealing here of I am the True Sole and Lawfull owner of the above bargained premises & am Lawfully possesses of the same in my own proper Right as a Good perfect & absolute Estate of Inheritance in fee simple and have in [blank] Good Right full power & Lawfull authority To grant bargain Sell Convey & Confirm the said Bargained premises in manner as aforesaid, & that the said Samuel Howland his heirs & assigns shall & may from Time to Time & at all Times for ever here after by force & virtue of these presents Lawfully peaceably & quiettly have hold use occupy possess & enjoy the said Demised and bargained Premises with appurtenances free & Clear & freely and Clearly acquitted Exonerated and discharged of & from all & all manner of former or other Gifts Grants Bargains Sales Leases mortgages wills Entails Jojntures dowres Judgments Executions or Incumbrances of what name or nature so ever that might in any measure or degree obstruct or make void this present dead. Further more I the said John Howland the Son of Samuel for my self my Heirs Executors & administrators do Covenant & Engage the above demised Premises to him the said Samuel Howland and to his heirs & assigns against the Lawfull Claims or demands of any person or persons what so ever, for ever to warrant serve & defend by these presents In witness where of I the said John Howland have here unto set my hand & seal this Twenty nineth day of August in the nineth year of his said majesties Reign George the third King of Great Britain &c anno 1769
John his + mark son Saml {seal}
Signed Sealed & delivered
In the presence of us
Nathaniel Streben
Zebee Hopkins qur

Providence ss: in Glocester the day & year above written John Howland the signor to this deed appeared in person & acknowledged the above & before written to be his own free act & deed Before me Zebee Hopkins Jr- Justice Peace

Received the 29th of August 1769: & Recorded by R : Steere Town Cler

Samuel Howland of Glocester to Stephen Olney of Glocester, September 7, 1779. Acknowledged September 7, 1779. Recorded February 13, 1780, Glocester, Providence County, Rhode Island. (Glocester, Rhode Island Land Records, Volume 9, page 251).

Samuel Howland of Glocester, yeoman, received 690 pounds of lawful money from Stephen Olney of Glocester, gentleman, for the 14 acres of land whereon the grantor now lived.

Signed 7 September 1779 by Samuel and Freelove Howland and acknowledged same place and day before Zebee Hopkins, Jr. Justice of Peace.

Witnessed by Mary Luther and Zebee Hopkins, Jr.^[16]

Notes on Land Record of 1779
The increase in value from 24 pounds to 690 pounds in a ten-year period of ownership suggests that Samuel Howland had built a house and probably other buildings on this property for 10 years.

John Howland of Scituate, Rhode Island, Thomas Howland of Douglas, Massachusetts, Caleb Howland of Clarendon, Vermont, Samuel Howland of Scituate, Rhode Island, Rhobe Place and Samuel Luther, Stephen Kimball of Glocester, Rhode Island, Susanna Yates and Martha Aldrich both of Douglas, Massachusetts to William Hawkins, Jr. of Glocester, Rhode Island, September 4, 1797. Acknowledged and recorded September 23, 1797, Glocester, Providence County, Rhode Island. (Glocester, Rhode Island Land Records, Book 16, page 16).

We, John Howland of Scituate, County of Providence, State of Rhode Island, Thomas Howland of Douglas, County of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, Caleb Howland of Clarendon, Rutland County, Vermont, Samuel Howland of sd Scituate, Rhobe Place and Samuel Luther, children of Samuel Luther late of Scituate deceased; Stephen Kimball, son of John Kimball of Glocester in sd County of Providence; Susanna Yates and Martha Aldrich both of sd Douglas, and being children and heirs at law to Samuel Howland late of sd Scituate deceased for and in consideration of twelve silver dollars to us in hand &c paid by William Hawkins, Jr. of Glocester, aforesaid, gentleman, the receipt whereof &c forever quitclaim &c unto him the sd William Hawkins one certain small tract or lot of land in Glocester aforesaid, being all that same land which our ancestor, the sd Samuel Howland died seized of.^[17]

Signed September 4, 1797 and acknowledged at Glocester September 23, 1797 by John Howland alone before Zebee Hopkins, Justice of Peace.^[17]

Witnesses: John Westcott, Josiah Westcott, Marcy Yates, Stephen Howland, Wiliam Whitman, and Zebee & Mary Hawkins

Signatures: John Howland, x his mark, Thomas Howland, Susanna Yates, x her mark, Samuel Howland, x his mark, Samuel Luther, Martha Aldrich, x her mark

Notes on Land Record of 1797
The bounds showed that it was the 5-acre parcel, which was a second part of the 19 acres John Howland sold to his father, Samuel Howland, on 2 August 1769. What became of the 14-acre parcel was already sold to Stephen Olney of Glocester, Rhode Island, on 7 September 1779.

All of them were mentioned, but not all of them signed because some could not present due to considerable distance and travel factors. Apparently, all were in accord with this transaction. The signatures showed that only two heirs, Thomas Howland and Samuel Luther, could read and write.

Heirs of Samuel Howland: John, Thomas, Samuel, and Caleb were the surviving sons of Samuel Howland. The two daughters, Mary (Howland) (Luther) Kimball and Tabitha (Howland) Hopkins, and the youngest son, Asahel Howland, were all deceased. The remaining five heirs were Samuel Howland's three grandchildren, Rhobe Place, Samuel Luther, and Stephen Kimball, who were the surviving children of the decedent, Mary (Howland) (Luther) Kimball, and two grandchildren, Susanna Yates and Martha Aldrich, who were the married daughters of the decedents, Tabitha (Howland) and Laban Hopkins. Asahel Howland left no children, and Freelove (Howland) Eldridge had two children, Orinda and Philinda Eldridge. Asahel Howland and Freelove (Howland) Eldridge were not mentioned in the land record of the book. The reason for the exclusion of Freelove (Howland) Eldridge and Asahel Howland was never explained. Ashael Howland might have been deceased prior to the sale of the land record in 1797, so it might explain why Asahel Howland left no children, but if he had any surviving children, they would still be considered to be Samuel Howland's heirs. In fact, Freelove (Howland) Eldridge was still alive because she gave birth to two girls between 1797 and 1801, and they would still be considered to be Samuel Howland's heirs. The reason for their exclusion could not be explained.

Death

It is unknown whether Samuel Howland ever made his last will and testament prior to his death. Likely, he died intestate sometime after the sale of land was recorded on 7 September 1779 or before the final sale of land was recorded on 4 September 1797.

The census records of 1790 could seem to indicate that Samuel Howland survived his wife, Freelove (Seamans) Howland, and the land sale records of 1779 and 1797 could corroborate this.

Burial

His burial place remains unknown. It is possible that Samuel Howland and his wife, Freelove Howland, were buried in Scituate, Rhode Island. However, their gravestones were weathered by the series of storms and were lost into the ground, or they were probably destroyed by the creation of Scituate Reservoir, which flooded much of the town of Scituate.^[18][19]

Research Notes

Birth

The book "The Seamans Family in America," written by John Julian Lawton (1933), shows Samuel Howland was born on February 24, 1728, in Newport, Rhode Island, but it does not provide a source to validate the birth date.

The latest research identified an error in John Julian Lawton's determination of Samuel Howland's birth date. He referenced Samuel Howland's birth date from page 80 of "Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636–1850: First Series: Births, Marriages, and Deaths: A Family Register for the People," by James Newton Arnold (1893), Vol. 4, "Portsmouth," which states, "1-94 Howland, Samuel, of Isaac and Elizabeth, born on the 24th day of the 2nd month, 1728." This date follows the Quaker dating system. The second month referred to April, not February, due to the Quaker dating system and the shift in the start of the new year; before 1752, the new year began in March, not January, while after 1752, it commenced in January. John Julian Lawton misunderstood and thought the second month was February because he was not well familiar with the Quaker dating system before and after 1752. It is likely that he assumed Samuel Howland and Freelove Seamans were born in the 1720s, leading to the error passed down in our research.

Yet, the lingering question persists: How and why did he link this birth record to Samuel Howland, the spouse of Freelove Seamans? He likely referenced "A Brief Genealogical and Biographical History of Arthur, Henry, and John Howland and Their Descendants" by Franklyn Howland (1885), which mentions the tradition among John and Freelove's descendants linking them to the Tiverton Howlands in a footnote on page 86 and the belief that Thomas Howland originated from the Howland's Ferry branch in a footnote on page 127. These footnotes led him to believe that Samuel Howland hailed from Tiverton, referred to as Howland's Ferry, which was located in close proximity to Portsmouth across the sea. This is how he examined the vital records in Portsmouth and located his birth record. He likely assumed Samuel Howland to be the offspring of Isaac and Elizabeth Howland, yet he omitted this detail in his publication, failed to adequately cite the source, and subsequently released the book in 1933.

The birth record indicates that his father was Isaac Howland, suggesting descent from Henry Howland, Jr. Therefore, our ancestor, Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, is not identical to Samuel Howland, who was born on April 24, 1728, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

Parentage

Establishing the parentage of Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, poses a challenge due to the absence of evidence in primary documents. A few secondary sources may or may not validate the parentage of Samuel, but there is only one primary source that may confirm the validity of his ancestry.

The marriage record in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts, shows that Samuel Howland and Freelove Seamans were wed by Judge Peres Bradford on April 17, 1740. However, according to the birth record in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts, Freelove Seamans was born on 20 July 1724, and was the daughter of Thomas Seamans and Tabitha Wood. Samuel Howland married her when she was at least three months shy of 16 years old, so in 1692, the marriage law of the Province of Massachusetts Bay allowed "any person or persons that are or shall be at the time of such marriage... within the age of consent; that is to say, the man fourteen years of age, the woman twelve.^[4] Judge Bradford was there to solemnize their marriage since she was a minor. It was customary that the marriage record, in fact, did not record the consent or the names of their parents. Also, the record did not say that Samuel Howland is a minor or an adult, and it even did not record that Freelove Seamans is a minor.

However, the birth record for Samuel Howland had not been made in any public records in the Province of Massachusetts Bay or its adjacent colonies, but he might be either a minor or an adult. Even if he was an adult or a minor, it would still require Judge Peres Bradford to be present to legalize their marriage for them because Freelove Seamans, in fact, was a minor.

Freelove Seamans resided in Swansea for 15 years before her marriage in 1740, while the whereabouts of Samuel Howland's residence remained unknown. Did he marry her from some other location? The marriage record could not be ascertained as to whether he married her from some other location of his birth or livelihood. However, under the law of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, the marriage record suggests that Samuel Howland might have been the inhabitant of Swansea for some time because the intention of marriage was not recorded in any public record of any town in the Province of Massachusetts Bay.

If Samuel Howland, age 26, came from Marshfield to Swansea either before or after the death of his father, Thomas Howland, in 1737, it could explain why Samuel Howland would want to live with his older brother, John Howland, who married Freelove Wood in Swansea in 1725 for some time, so that he could marry Freelove Wood's niece, Freelove Seamans, in 1740. They are the brothers; they are the sons of Thomas Howland of Marshfield, who descended from Arthur Howland.

In this case, the law of the Province of Massachusetts Bay required John Howland and Samuel Howland to procure the certificate from the selectmen of Marshfield with the intent to dwell at Swansea. They must give the certificate to the town selectmen of Swansea in order to be allowed to become inhabitants of Swansea.^[9] Their certificates should be recorded in the town records of Swansea, but their certificates in the town records of Swansea will be searched.

Currently, no primary record confirms Samuel Howland's parentage. The recommended approach is to analyze secondary sources for validation and comparison.

In 1885, Franklyn Howland released a book titled A Brief Genealogical and Biographical History of Arthur, Henry, and John Howland and Their Descendants, detailing the genealogy of Arthur, Henry, and John Howland and their descendants in the United States and Canada. Franklyn Howland was the first genealogist to create a biographical sketch for Samuel Howland, who is featured on pages 100 through 101 of his book. He included Samuel Howland in the section titled "Section Third, Henry Howland, and His Descendants."   Franklyn Howland said, "The writer is not certain that this Samuel Howland belongs here, but thinks that the first child of John (99) was this Samuel, who the Swanzey T. R. says, 17, 4, 1740, m. Freelove Seamans, and had first two children mentioned below." He also included a footnote below the paragraph stating that one conflicting piece of evidence against this theory is the possibility of another Samuel being associated with John, as detailed on page 86.

Although unable to confirm Samuel Howland's parentage, Franklyn Howland speculated that John³ (son of Samuel², grandson of Henry¹) Howland, who married Rebecca as documented on page 86, could be his father. He added a footnote below the paragraph expressing the complexity of the situation. Based on available facts, he leans towards the belief that the John who married Freelove Wood was this specific John's second wife. Despite a family tradition linking them to the Tiverton Howlands, there is no concrete evidence supporting this connection.

Franklyn Howland consolidated the family records of two John Howlands on page 86. The first John³ (Samuel², Henry¹), born in Freetown, Massachusetts, husband of Rebecca, was the father of the first five children, cited correctly from William Thomas Davis’ Ancient Landmarks of Plymouth, Massachusetts: Part II. Genealogical Register of Plymouth Families, which was printed in 1883 (Davis 152). It said, "John, Freetown, son of 1st Samuel, had a wife, Rebecca, and the following children: a son, born, 1717; Rebecca, 1718; Sarah, 1720; Penelope, 1722; Susanna, 1723."

However, William Thomas Davis' work closely resembled that of Ebenezer Weaver Peirce in his book Contributions Biographical, Genealogical and Historical from 1874. It is clear that Ebenezer Weaver Peirce was the first to create a biographical sketch for John³ (son of Samuel², grandson of Henry¹) and his wife Rebecca, detailing their five children. However, he did not mention the second John Howland, who married Freelove Wood and had nine children, in his book (Peirce 108). Both Peirce and Davis were correct about the biographical sketch of John Howland, who married Rebecca with just five children, who all were born in Freetown, according to the typewritten Freetown Vital Records book on page 18.

However, it was Franklyn Howland who introduced the second John Howland, married to Freelove Wood with nine children, on page 86 of his book. He speculated that Freelove Wood was the second wife based on the proximity of Swansea to Freetown. According to the Swansea vital records, John Howland married her on 13 May 1725, in Swansea, Bristol County, Province of Massachusetts Bay. It was how he came to his conclusion that the second John Howland who married Freelove Wood with their nine children is identical to John Howland who married Rebecca with their five children in this biographical sketch on page 86.

In 1946, General Charles Roscoe Howland, a former president of the Pilgrim John Howland Society, released his book titled A Brief Genealogical and Biographical Record of Charles Roscoe Howland, Brothers and Forebears. He presented his theory regarding the parentage of Samuel Howland. He thought that Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, was the son of Josiah Howland and his wife, Yetmercy Shove.^[20] However, he acknowledged that the birth of Samuel had not been made into any public record, and he could not find any primary source to validate Samuel Howland’s parentage. He stated that Samuel Howland was about two years old when Josiah Howland died on 8 February 1717 in Bristol, Massachusetts Bay, so he estimated his birth to be in 1715. Also, he thought John Howland, who married Freelove Wood, was the cousin of Samuel Howland.^[20] In fact, Freelove Wood was the aunt of Freelove Seamans, who married Samuel Howland.

Sometime in the 1940s, a genealogist named Howland Atwood discussed the ancestry of Samuel Howland in a 31-page report detailing the forty years of his research involved in establishing the following line of descent: Pilgrim John¹ Howland, Jabez², Josiah³, Samuel⁴. However, he has never published his findings on the ancestry of Samuel Howland since 1980. He titled his typescript The Ancestry of Samuel⁴ Howland of Scituate-Glocester, Rhode Island and of Caleb⁵ Howland of Clarendon-Hubbardton-Brandon, Vermont, and his typescript has been preserved in the collection of the Rhode Island Historical Society.^[21]

Atwood strongly felt that Samuel Howland is the son of Josiah³ (Jabez², Pilgrim John¹) Howland. His confidence was probably based on General Charles Roscoe Howland’s work. Unfortunately, he explained that the General Society of Mayflower Descendants rejected the theory of General Howland, past president of the Pilgrim John Howland Society, because in 1976, the historian of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants made the statement that the Society was following Franklyn Howland’s book regarding this line that Samuel Howland was a descendant of Henry Howland but not a descendant of Pilgrim John Howland until someone proves it otherwise.^[21]

Atwood also explained, “The rejection of the line of descent from Samuel⁴ (Josiah³, Jabez², Pilgrim John¹) Howland in the book of General Howland is based primarily on the one page of the Howland of America that probably contains the most errors of all the pages in this otherwise splendid, very valuable book,” so the General Society of Mayflower Descendants decidedly rejected General Howland’s theory.^[21]

In April 1970, Roberta L. Hendrix from Cazenovia, New York, published her article titled "Parentage of Caleb Howland of Clarendon, Vermont" in Volume 124 of The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. She confirmed that Samuel Howland is Josiah Howland's son, based on Atwood's research.

In January of 1986, another genealogist named Francis G. Jenkins published his findings in his article, “The John Howland Who Married Freelove Wood” in the journal Mayflower Descendants, Vol. 39, No. 1. He discussed three theories about the Howland brothers, John, Arthur, and Henry, as potential progenitors of the John Howland who married Freelove Wood. He commented on the footnote from page 86 in Franklyn Howland’s work that this difficulty is easily seen in a deed dated 1728 (three years after his supposed marriage to Freelove in 1725), in which John and his wife Rebecca sold land that he had received a gift from his father Samuel Howland in 1712, and also in the will of Rebecca, widow, dated 1754, which proved she was John Howland’s widow.^[22]

Jenkins was correct regarding the identity of John Howland, who married Rebecca, because he located the burial records of John and Rebecca Howland in Newport, Rhode Island. The burial record stated that John Howland died on 11 September 1744, "in the 64th year of his age,” and his wife Rebecca Howland died on 12 June 1766, "in the 81st year of her age." (Jenkins 1). They were laid to rest in the Common Burial Ground in section BE in Newport, Newport County, as documented in the burial records.^[23] He highlighted that John Howland, who married Rebecca, and John Howland, who married Freelove Wood, were distinct individuals in the vicinity of Freetown and Swansea around the same period.

Let us return to look at the book by Franklyn Howland on page 86. He supplied "A son" for the first male child of John Howland, who married Rebecca. He did not supply the first name of their first child. He thought that "A son" was referring to Samuel Howland on page 100, but he was the one who had to place him there under "Section Third, Henry Howland, and His Descendants." Obviously, he knew nothing of Samuel Howland’s parentage, and he should not place him there if he did not know his parentage. What was his true reason for putting him there?

Franklyn Howland struggled with this issue of Samuel Howland's parentage, and, at first, he might be trying to place Samuel Howland in the family of Josiah Howland and his wife Yetmercy because of the proximity of Bristol, where Josiah Howland raised his family there and had his property there, to Swansea, where Samuel Howland married Freelove Seamans. However, he still seemed to struggle with another issue because he acknowledged there was another proximity of Swansea to Freetown, where John Howland and his wife, Rebecca’s five children, were all born and had the property there. Perhaps this was how he came to his conclusion to place Samuel Howland as "a son" in the family of John Howland, who married Rebecca because of the proximity of Swansea to Freetown.

All five children of John Howland and his wife, Rebecca, were recorded completely in the vital records of Freetown. The typewritten Freetown Vital Records on page 18 revealed the first name of the first child of John Howland and his wife Rebecca to be Benanuel Howland.^[24][25] Also, there existed an original birth record in Freetown for Benanuel, and it spelled "Beenanewell." It was an uncommon name, but it could not be easily deciphered by the early researchers, so they discreetly supplied “A son” in their book (Peirce 108), (Davis 152), and (Howland 86). They simply did not know who was the first son of John Howland and his wife, Rebecca.

Benanuel was an uncommon name and apparently unknown to the early researchers, for example, Ebenezer Weaver Peirce (1874), William Thomas Davis (1884), and of course, Franklyn Howland (1885), who might have been considered the name illegible to them, so Franklyn Howland might have realized that name was too long to be determined as "Samuel," which he did not choose to list as Samuel on page 86. When whoever considered the name illegible, it would simply substitute the words "A son" in its place (Peirce 108), (Davis 152), (Howland 86). Therefore, it proves that Benanuel Howland is not identical to Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, because Benanuel Howland was not mentioned in the will of Rebecca Howland on 30 May 1754, in Newport, Rhode Island. It indicates that Benanuel Howland was deceased prior to his mother's will.^[26]

In the 1990s, genealogist Rhoda English Ladd discussed Francis G. Jenkins's work and suggested that Samuel, who wed Freelove Seamans, could have been a brother of John Howland of Swansea and Scituate.

Indeed, John Howland had a brother named Samuel Howland, born on January 21, 1710/11 in Marshfield, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. This scenario rests entirely on the circumstantial similarity of each family member’s name and the whereabouts of John Howland, based on the names of the children of Samuel Howland and his two residences in Swansea, Massachusetts, and Scituate, Rhode Island.

Arthur Howland and some of his descendants were recognized as Quakers. Given that the parents of John⁴ and Samuel⁴ (Thomas³, Arthur², Arthur¹) Howland were Quakers residing in Marshfield and Pembroke, this aligns with the possibility of either John Howland marrying Freelove Wood or Samuel Howland marrying Freelove Seamans, as they may have been linked to the Quaker Howlands of Tiverton or Howland’s Ferry, as discussed in Franklyn Howland's book.

Howlands of Tiverton descended mainly from Zoeth Howland, the son of Henry Howland, who was known to be a Friend or Quaker. Tiverton and Howland’s Ferry were in the same area because Howland’s Ferry itself was located in Tiverton. In fact, Zoeth Howland’s son, Daniel Howland, was known to operate the tavern inn at Howland’s Ferry, which was used to operate a ferry to travel from Tiverton to the port of Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island from the early to mid-18th century. However, Tiverton was about 13 miles south of Swansea, but they were separated by the Taunton River. This could clarify how Samuel and his brother, John, could have been acquainted with and connected to the Howlands of Tiverton.

Samuel Howland, born on 21 January 1710/11, was nearly fourteen years older than Freelove Seamans, born on 17 April 1724. Given his age difference, it's unlikely that Samuel Howland was married to Freelove Seamans as he was almost twice her age. In such a case, Judge Peres Bradford would have needed to approve their marriage due to Freelove Seamans being a minor.

Since 2006, the General Society of Mayflower Descendants has maintained that Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, is still believed to be a descendant of Arthur¹ Howland, based on recent research by Francis G. Jenkins.^[27]

It's important to note that Freelove Seamans, born on 20 July 1724, got married just a few months before turning sixteen, on 17 April 1740. Below is a list of potential husbands for Freelove Seamans, including their birth dates, age differences compared to her, and their respective religions.

The following chart of three choices for her husband is:

1. Samuel⁴ (Josiah³ & [Mary], Jabez², John¹) Howland, b. est. 1704, 20 years difference, Congregationalist.
2. Samuel⁴ (Thomas³, Arthur², Arthur¹) Howland, b. 1 January 1710/11, 14 years difference, Quaker.
3. Samuel⁴ (Josiah³ & [Yetmercy], Jabez², John¹) Howland, b. est. 1715, 9 years difference, Congregationalist.

All their research so far has reached the conclusion that the parentage of Samuel Howland remains unknown.

Even though the parentage of Samuel Howland remains unknown, it is possible to learn the ancestry of Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, by looking at the evidence here in the obituary of Angelo Howland, who died on 8 January 1911 in Chester, Pennsylvania. The newspaper Chester Times published his obituary on 9 January 1911. It said, "His life is best told in the words of his only surviving daughter, Mrs. Gertrude Taylor, of Spartansburg [sic], S. C., who in a brief biography has this to say on her father:... Mr. Howland was a direct descendant of Harry Howland, one of the old Plymouth Colonists."

Harry was a hypocorism or a diminutive form for Henry. This designation depended on a reporter who heard variations in pronunciation from different individuals, such as Mrs. Gertude Taylor from Rhode Island and Mrs. Anna Pratt Howland from Pennsylvania, each with unique accents and connections to the newspaper company. The reporter likely misheard a family member saying the name, then promptly employed his shorthand writing skills on a notepad to record it in shorthand. The reporter often wrote 'Henry' in a shorthand form, making it appear diminutive. Unconsciously, he wrote the shorthand without consulting his notes, oblivious to the subtle alterations. The term 'Harry' as a nickname is also used as a verb for harry. Interestingly, if the reporter used 'Henry' or 'harry' in shorthand, they would appear nearly identical. Evidently, the newspaper printer mistook the shorthand for 'Henry' and 'harry', resulting in the misprint as 'Harry'.

Regarding the obituary of Angelo Howland, one may wonder if Mrs. Gertrude Taylor had ever read 'The Howlands of America' by Franklyn Howland, published in 1885. Franklyn Howland was the first to provide information about Angelo Howland and his ancestry in his book. Perhaps she discovered her direct descent from Henry Howland by following the book's contents, leading her to provide the information to the reporter. It is unclear whether she obtained the information from the book or directly from her father, Angelo Howland, through written or oral history. Indeed, at that time, there were only three surviving children of Angelo Howland who may have been aware of the details. It is possible that one of them shared information about his ancestry with the reporter.

With sources, the traditional paper trail can definitely validate that Angelo Howland is a direct descendant of Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans. However, relying solely on his obituary as proof is insufficient to confirm that Angelo Howland is a direct descendant of Henry Howland, a settler in Plymouth. His detailed obituary appeared authentic and persuasive to his relatives due to their belief that they were familiar with his life and lineage.

Now, it has been disproven that Angelo Howland is a descendant of Plymouth colonist Henry Howland, as indicated by the Y-chromosome STR and SNP test results of FTDNA kit #861275. His results do not align with those of the six other Howland men who can trace their lineage back to Henry Howland of Plymouth. The Y-DNA test results from FTDNA kit #861275 and two other testers provide evidence that Samuel Howland is a descendant of Arthur Howland, Sr., through the lineage of Arthur's grandson, Thomas Howland. It is probable that there are several Y-DNA descendants of the most recent common ancestor, Arthur Howland. Additional Howland Y-DNA descendants need to undergo testing to validate two SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms).

To confirm the parentage of Samuel Howland, it is ideal to rely on sources predating Franklyn Howland's 1885 work; however, no such sources have been discovered thus far. The latest source is the obituary of Angelo Howland, which was printed in 1911, but it cannot be ascertained to determine if it is based on the information from Franklyn Howland’s work on pages 86, 100, 127, and 128. There is a possibility that his daughter obtained this information from Franklyn Howland's book.

DNA testing clearly shows that Samuel Howland, the spouse of Freelove Seamans, is a genetic descendant of Arthur Howland, Sr.

DNA

The patrilineal relationship is confirmed through Y-chromosome DNA STR and SNP testing. Anonymous Howland and Frank Howland show a match on 105 out of 111 markers and share one SNP, R-A9708, as reported by Family Tree DNA. This confirms their direct paternal lines back to their most recent common ancestor, Henry Howland Sr.

Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Marker Results

The analysis of 37, 67, and 111 STR markers reveals significant variation in genetic distance among the male descendants of the three brothers, Arthur, John, and Henry Howland. However, Further analysis is needed through a different test, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), to distinguish genetic lines among all descendants of the three brothers, Arthur, John, and Henry Howland.

The male descendant of Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, submits his Y-DNA to the Family TreeDNA company, and it can offer an opportunity to explore the possibility of learning the parentage of Samuel Howland. It can help to find the matches between his Y-DNA chromosome and the Y-DNA chromosomes of other Howland men through Y-chromosome STR (short tandem repeat) marker testing. The Family TreeDNA company has between 12 and 111 STR marker tests and can help find matches between their STR results. It has the tools to find the matches between them and see how much genetic distance he has with them.

Genetic Distance

The genetic distance between Samuel Howland's male descendant (FTDNA kit #861275) and a member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants (FTDNA kit #25807), a descendant of Pilgrim John Howland, shows 3 mutations in 37 Y-chromosome STR markers. Genetic distance refers to the total number of differences or mutations between two sets of results.^[28]

The genetic distance between the male descendant of Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, and a male descendant of Jerome⁹ Johnson, (Edward⁸ Jerome, Jerome⁷ H., Rueben⁶ Howland, Nicholas⁵, Samuel⁴, Nicholas³, Zoeth², Henry¹ Howland) is 2 or 2 mutations in 37 Y-chromosome STR (short tandem repeat markers). The genetic distance is the total number of differences or mutations between two sets of results.^[28]

Also, it is important to look at the genetic distance between the male descendant (FTDNA kit #861275) of Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, and a male descendant (FTDNA kit #93435) of Allen¹⁰ Winfield, (Harry⁹ W., Charles⁸ Rexford, Eddy⁷, Eddy⁶, John⁵, John⁴ who married Freelove Wood, Thomas³, Arthur², Arthur¹ Howland) as 3 or 3 mutations in 37 Y-chromosome STR (short tandem repeat) markers). The genetic distance is the total number of differences or mutations between two sets of results.^[29] This individual claimed to be a descendant of Arthur Howland, the brother of John and Henry Howland.

The male descendant (FTDNA kit #861275) of Samuel Howland who married Freelove Seamans and the male descendant (FTDNA kit #93435) of John Howland who married Freelove Wood do have allele values of 14 and 13 respectively at DYS439, allele values of 19 and 18 respectively at DYS458, and allele values of 18 and 17 respectively in DYS576. The difference for each is calculated (DYS439: 14–13 = 1, DYS458: 19–18 = 1, DYS576: 18–17 = 1). The differences are added together. The total number of differences in their Y-DNA 37 haplotypes is 3 (1+1+1 = 3). Their genetic distance at 37 STR markers is then 3.

Next, the two male descendants (FTDNA kit #861275 and FTDNA kit #934533) of Samuel Howland do have allele values of 14 and 13 respectively at DYS385b, allele values of 14 and 13 respectively at DYS439, allele values of 19 and 18 at DYS448, and allele values of 16 and 15 respectively at DYS450. The differences are added together. The total number of differences in their Y-DNA 111 haplotypes is 4 (1+1+1+1 = 4). Their genetic distance at 111 STR markers is then 4.

However, it is notable that three Howland men (FTDNA kit #861275, FTDNA kit #934533, and FTDNA kit #93435) share the allele value of 16 at DYS464a, distinguishing them from other Howland male descendants who have allele values of 15 at the same marker.^[29] This provides strong evidence of their relation, indicating a possible descent from Arthur Howland based on the difference in allele values.

The relationship between Samuel Howland and John Howland is suspected to be that of brothers. Indeed, Freelove Seamans was the niece of Freelove Wood. Therefore, by marrying Freelove Seamans, Samuel Howland became a nephew-in-law of Freelove Wood, who was John Howland's wife. Samuel Howland would consider John Howland his uncle-in-law by marriage, but biologically, he was suspected to be his brother. If John Howland originated from Marshfield and relocated to Swansea, he would be considered the older brother of Samuel Howland.

The male descendant (FTDNA kit #93435) of John Howland, who married Freelove Wood, should consider upgrading his testing to 67 or 111 markers to achieve a better resolution. Alternatively, waiting for more prospective male descendants to participate in testing could also provide additional clarity on the exact relationship between them, as indicated by the STR results. They do not share a father-and-son relationship; it is evident that they are related in a different way. Therefore, they are considered to be related in some way, and there is a suspicion that they may be brothers until further clarification is obtained in the future.

Next, the genetic distance between the male descendant (FTDNA kit #861275) of Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, and a male descendant (FTDNA kit #675253) of Daniel¹⁰, (Daniel⁹, Richard Greene⁸, Daniel⁷, Daniel⁶, Daniel⁵, Daniel⁴, Daniel³, Zoeth², Henry¹ Howland) is 1 or (1 mutation) in 37 Y-chromosome STR (short tandem repeat) markers. The genetic distance is the total number of differences or mutations between two sets of results.^[28]

It may align with the footnotes on pages 86, 127, and 128 in Franklyn Howland's book. Samuel Howland is related as a cousin to the Howlands of Tiverton or Howland's Ferry branch. Howlands of Tiverton mainly descended from Zoeth Howland. His son, Daniel Howland, used to operate a tavern inn at Howland's Ferry in the 1700s.

Based on the understanding of the STR results, Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, seems to be one of the descendants of Zoeth Howland, the son of Henry Howland. However, caution is advised when interpreting the STR results of this male descendant (FTDNA kit #675253) of Zoeth Howland, as back mutations could have occurred between Zoeth Howland and his male descendant. A single mutation is insufficient to establish a direct connection from the male descendant of Samuel Howland to Zoeth Howland's father, Henry Howland, Jr. The Family TreeDNA has confirmed that Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, is not a descendant of Henry Howland, Jr. See more information below on new recent SNP results on Zoeth Howland’s two male descendants to compare with this line’s test results.

Unfortunately, the diverse mutations present in all the STR results make it challenging to trace his lineage to any of the Howland brothers. These mutations are changes that occurred at some point in the past, but because they remain hidden from us in the present, we cannot tell when they occurred or how frequently they occurred just by looking at two sets of STR results from people living today. These mutations are known to be parallel mutations and back mutations.

Validating his lineage to one of the Howland brothers using STR results alone is insufficient. Instead, a different test called single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is recommended to differentiate between the descendants of the three brothers: Arthur, John, and Henry Howland.

Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Results

The Big Y-700 tests are completed for four Howland men who cannot trace their Y-DNA line via the traditional paper trail to one of the Howland brothers. The four Big Y-700 results confirm that Samuel Howland is a genetic descendant of Arthur Howland, who is the brother of Pilgrim John Howland and Henry Howland, Jr.^[30]

The Y-chromosome SNP results of four men, along with those of the other four Howland men, confirm that Henry Howland’s three sons belong to the haplogroup R-A9708. Also, it proves that they are the direct descendants of Henry Howland of Fenstanton in England through three sons, Arthur, Henry, and John.

They share one variant in the block of the R-A9708 clade on the Y haplotree, and this one variant becomes the official single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), which is A9708.^[31] Now, it is placed on the block of the R-A9708 clade under the R-A9703 clade on the Y haplotree.^[31] R-A9708 is the Y-DNA haplogroup for Howland's three lines.

This SNP, A9708, had occurred only in the Y chromosome long before their most common ancestor, Henry Howland of Fenstanton, was born and inherited it to pass on to his three sons in their Y chromosome.

Interestingly, eight men (Howland of Cambridgeshire), one man (Howland of Kent), and one Rogers man all share one mutation, which is A9701.^[31] This indicates that the mutation A9701 occurred prior to all 10 mutations, including A9703, in their Y chromosome. One man with 10 mutations (A9703) split from a man with A9701 long ago before they both started to develop the surname system. One man with 10 mutations (A9703) bore the two family names Howland of Cambridgeshire and Howland of Kent, while one man with one mutation (A9701) without that mutation (A9703) bore the family name Rogers. The R-A9701 haplogroup is the parent of the R-A9703 haplogroup because the A9701 SNP is an older mutation than all 10 SNPs of A9703. Then, one man with one mutation (A9708) split from a man with 10 mutations (A9703) long ago. One man with the mutation A9708 bore the family name Howland of Cambridgeshire, while another without that mutation, A9708, bore the family name Howland of Kent. Between 500 C.E. and 1000 C.E., these individuals were identified as Anglo-Saxon men before the establishment of the surname system.

John Howland, Jr.'s male descendant has two private variants in his Y-DNA results, while Jabez Howland's male descendant shows four private variants. They are not identical to any of the two SNPs, R-FT62874 and R-FT62411, and several private variants in the Y-DNA results of the three male descendants of Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans.

Two SNPs, FGC58203 and FGC58211, are found in the Y-DNA results of two male descendants of Henry Howland, Jr. These two SNPs occurred between the birth of Henry Howland, Jr., and his grandson, Nathaniel Howland. They belong to two Howland men who are descended from Henry Howland, Jr., through his son, Zoeth Howland. These two SNPs are not found in the results of the three male descendants of Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans. It proves that Samuel Howland, who married Freelove Seamans, is not the genetic descendant of Henry Howland, Jr.

Family TreeDNA confirmed that three Y-DNA-tested descendants share two SNPs, FT62411 and FT62874. However, none of the other four Howland men (descended from John and Henry) share these two SNPs, indicating that the three male descendants are likely descended from Arthur Howland. These two unique SNPs appeared between the birth of Arthur Howland (abt. 1590–1675) and the births of Thomas Howland (1743–1816) and Caleb Howland (1758–1838). However, Two brothers, Thomas and Caleb Howland, do not share six private variants. This indicates that four private variants emerged after the birth of Thomas Howland (1743–1816) to some extent, and two private variants arose after the birth of Caleb Howland (1758–1838) to some extent.

Presently, two SNPs, FT62411 and FT62874, are categorized under the clade R-FT62874 for Arthur Howland's sole son, continuing Arthur Howland's lineage.

The current unidentified private variant at position 11138796 (C → T) in the Y-DNA results is identified through the Big Y test of an individual (FTDNA kit #861275) who traces his descent back to Arthur Howland. This unidentified private variant emerged at some point after the birth of Thomas Howland (1743–1816) within the lineage. Additional Big Y testing of Thomas Howland's descendants (1743–1816) is necessary to pinpoint the location of this private variant in the lineage.

As of December 2021, the Y-DNA results for Caleb Howland's two sons show that their line does not have this currently unnamed private variant at position 11138796 (C → T). This private variant did not pass down through Caleb Howland's two sons, indicating that it occurred after the birth of Thomas Howland (1743–1816).

As of December 2021, FTDNA kit #861275's result shows that he has four novel variants. These four mutations are unnamed and not shared within any family branches. Thus, he has four remaining novel variants that have not been shared with anyone, suggesting that these four unnamed variants arose after the birth of Thomas Howland (1743–1816). If any Howland man descended from this line as follows: Thomas Howland, James Howland, Crawford Howland, or Angelo Howland, he would share some of his four novel variants.

The unique SNPs and novel variants in the Howland men's Big Y-700 and Y-Elite 2.0 results suggest that the three lines diverged during their emigration to America long ago. This supports and confirms a position that Samuel Howland’s line is not descended from Henry Howland, Jr and Pilgrim John Howland. All those seven Big Y results pointed out that Samuel Howland is the direct paternal descendant of Arthur Howland.

Genetic genealogists and scientists determine the chronological order of novel variants by finding progressively closer matches.

SNPs or novel variants are random mutations, and as such do not happen with any regularity. For instance, the Big Y- 700 male tester is 13 generations removed from Henry Howland (brother to Pilgrim John Howland) and has 12 novel variants that the Big Y-700 male tester who is 11 generations from Arthur Howland does not have. It is possible that an individual may have experienced multiple novel variants in one generation and several generations without any novel variant. Determining the exact timing of a novel variant or SNP occurrence may be possible at some point, but it necessitates extensive testing.

In the future, a descendant who takes the Big Y (or Y Elite) test will share some of the novel variants that this line currently does not share with anyone else. At that point, genetic scientists can further distinguish which of this line's novel variants are older and which are younger.

There are probably several Y-DNA descendants of the recent ancestor, Thomas Howland (1743 - 1816). Additional Howland Y-DNA descendants need to undergo testing to identify an unnamed novel variant at position 11138796 (C → T) in Y-DNA.

Haplogroup

The most recent confirmed ancestor in Henry Howland of Fenstanton's haplotree line follows the path: R-M269 >> R-U106 >> R-Z8 > R-Z1 > R-Z344 > R-Z6 > R-A96 > R-S10415 > R-A9701 > R-A9703 > R-A9708.

Around 30 generations spanned between R-A9703 and R-A9708, during which 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) emerged on the Y haplotree. Now, the family of Howland belongs to the haplogroup of the R-A9708 clade with its one SNP.

At the S10415 level, Howland exhibits nine mutations shared with various surnames like Wing, Baldwin, Mayberry, Foate, Hadley, and Rogers. At the A9701 level, Howland and Rogers have a shared mutation, distinguishing themselves from the rest of the surnames. Yet, at the A9703 level, Howland distinguishes itself from Rogers. At the A9708 level, Howland from Cambridgeshire differentiates itself from Howland from Kent, while all male descendants of Henry Howland of Fenstanton share the R-A9708 haplogroup. The Howland of Kent's line ascended to John Howland of Wye (born bef. 1737) and tested negative at R-A9708, so John Howland of Wye created two families, Howland and Baker, and they now belong to R-A9703.

R-A9703's paternal line was formed when it branched off from the ancestor R-A9701 and the rest of mankind around 450 CE. These dates are estimates derived solely from genetic information. With a 95% probability, the ancestor R-A9701 was born between the years 40 BCE and 835 CE. The most likely estimate is 449 CE, rounded to 450 CE.

R-A9708's paternal line was formed when it branched off from the ancestor R-A9703 and the rest of mankind around 1500 CE.

The estimated birth year of the most recent common ancestor of this line is around 1550 CE. This date is an estimate based on genetic information only. With a 95% probability, the ancestor R-A9708 was born between the years 1340 and 1694 CE. The most likely estimate is 1542 CE, rounded to 1550 CE. He is the ancestor of at least four descendant lineages known as R-FT62874, R-FGC58211, and two yet unnamed lineages.

Two private variants, including A9705, are present in a Y-DNA tested descendant of Pilgrim John Howland's son, John Howland, Jr., while four private variants are found in a Y-DNA tested descendant of Pilgrim John Howland's son, Jabez Howland. Surprisingly, two private variants and four private variants are not identical, and, significantly, Pilgrim John Howland himself did not have his own novel variant to give to his sons individually, but from his father, only he did pass down one known mutation (R-A9708) to all of his sons.

At the R-FGC58211 level, two mutations known as FGC58203 and FGC58211 belong to two Y-DNA-tested descendants of Henry Howland, Jr.'s line.

At the R-FT62875 level, two mutations known as FT62411 and FT62874 belong to three Y-DNA-tested descendants of Arthur Howland's line.

The results verified that Samuel Howland's haplotree line follows: R-M269 >> R-U106 >> R-Z8 > R-Z1 > R-Z344 > R-Z6 > R-A96 > R-S10415 > R-A9701 > R-A9703 > R-A9708 > R-FT62874.

More Information

See more information on Samuel (1710/1 - b1797) in Howland Y-DNA Lineage on a PDF document. Look at his descendants on the list. The DNA testing was done on some descendants of the Howland lineage through either the Howland (Y-DNA) project in Mayflower DNA or the Howland DNA project in Family TreeDNA, and both projects can help establish the Howland lineage through the Y Elite 2.0 test, the Big Y-700 test, or the STR markers test.^[32] Samuel Howland (1710/1–b1797) under Howland Y-DNA Lineage on the PDF document refers to Samuel Howland and his children.

Sources

1. ↑ Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : 2014), Plymouth County, Marshfield, Births, Marriages, Deaths, Town Records, 1645-1733; image 135 of 147; Marshfield town clerk office, Massachusetts. Text: “Samuell the son of Thomas Ho[wland] and Mary his Wife was borne Ja[nuary] the 21 1710/11”.
2. ↑ Howland, Franklyn, A Brief Genealogical and Biographical History of Arthur, Henry, and John Howland and Their Descendants, of the United States and Canada: Together with an Account of the Efforts Made in England to Learn of Their English Ancestry, Etc. New Bedford, Mass.: Howland, 1885, p. 43.
3. ↑ Howland, Franklyn, A Brief Genealogical and Biographical History of Arthur, Henry, and John Howland and Their Descendants, of the United States and Canada: Together with an Account of the Efforts Made in England to Learn of Their English Ancestry, Etc. New Bedford, Mass.: Howland, 1885, pp. 86, 127, 128.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} The Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay: To Which Are Prefixed the Charters of the Province. With Historical and Explanatory Notes, and an Appendix. Volume I. 1693 - 1714. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1869, p. 172.
5. ↑ The Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay: To Which Are Prefixed the Charters of the Province. With Historical and Explanatory Notes, and an Appendix. Volume I. 1693 - 1714. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1869, p. 61.
6. ↑ The Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay: To Which Are Prefixed the Charters of the Province. With Historical and Explanatory Notes, and an Appendix. Volume I. 1693 - 1714. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1869, p. 209, 210.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Town Records of Scituate, Rhode Island, Probate and Council Records, Vol. I, page 109.
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. “Records of Slaves Granted Freedom, with Births, Marriages, and Deaths,” p. 62. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook), https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2495/40369_271558__0042-00074.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} The Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay: To Which Are Prefixed the Charters of the Province. With Historical and Explanatory Notes, and an Appendix. Volume I. 1693 - 1714. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1869, p. 451, 452, 453.
10. ↑ Scituate, Rhode Island. Probate and Town Council Records, Book 1, p. 117-118. Ancestry.com. Rhode Island, Wills and Probate Records, 1582-1932 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015, https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/9079/007649084_00095#. (Subscription required.)
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Glocester, Rhode Island Land Records, Volume 8, page 217.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1650-1850. First Series. Births, Marriages, Deaths. A Family Register for the People, by James N. Arnold, Editor of the Narragansett Historical Register, Volume 3, Glocester, Part I. Providence, Rhode Island: Narragansett Historical Publishing Company, 1892, page 18. The exact text is "Howland, Samuel, Jr., of Scituate, son of Samuel Howland, now of Glocester, and Hannah Franklin, of Scituate, dau. of Elisha Franklin, of Scituate, were married Dec. 3rd, 1779."
13. ↑ 1774 Rhode Island Census. Glocester, Page 132.
14. ↑ Chamberlain, Mildred M. The Rhode Island 1777 Military Census. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1985. Print.
15. ↑ Glocester, Rhode Island Land Records, Volume 8, page 296.
16. ↑ Glocester, Rhode Island Records, Vol. 9, page 251.
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} Rhode Island, Glocester Land Records, Book 16, page 16. (Primary source).
18. ↑ Wolf, Raymond A. The Scituate Reservoir. Charleston, S.C: Arcadia Pub, 2010. Print.
19. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 February 2018), memorial page for Samuel Howland (1715–unknown), Find A Grave Memorial no. 102155156; Maintained by Darrel Salisbury (contributor 47446515) Body lost or destroyed, who reports a burial site unknown.
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1} Howland, Charles Roscoe. A Brief Genealogical and Biographical Record of Charles Roscoe Howland, Brothers and Forebears, Tuttle Publishing Co, Inc. Rutland, Vermont, p. 53 - 54. (Secondary source).
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1 21.2} Atwood, Howland. The Ancestry of Samuel⁴ Howland of Scituate-Gloucester, Rhode Island and of Caleb⁵ Howland of Clarendon-Hubbardton-Brandon, Vermont. Genealogical Research. Rhode Island Historical Society. Sharon, VT; Windsor, CT: Author, 1970-1979. Typescript Document.
22. ↑ Jenkins, Francis G. "The John Howland Who Married Freelove Wood." The Mayflower Descendants 39.1 (1989): 21-26. Journal.
23. ↑ Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission. Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission. 2018. Internet. 30 December 2018. <http://rihistoriccemeteries.org/newgravedetails.aspx?ID=145819>.
24. ↑ Van Antwerp, Lee D. Vital Records of Freetown, Massachusetts, Births, Deaths, 1686–1793. Vol. 1, Fall Rivers, 1969, p. 18. Typescript. Text: "Benanuel Howland the son of John Howland of Freetown and of Rebecca his wife was born on the 20" day of February in the year 1716/17."
25. ↑ Thomas, Helen G. Vital Records of the Town of Freetown, Massachusetts, 1686 Through 1890. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1988. Print. Text: "Howland, Benaneul, s. John & Rebecca... 20 Jan 1716/7."
26. ↑ Town Council Records of Newport, R.I., XV:35, Newport History Society.
27. ↑ Kellogg, Lucy M., and Lainhart A. Smith. Family of John Howland: The First Four Generations of His Children Lydia, Hannah, Joseph, Jabez, Ruth, and Isaac. Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2006, 42.
28. ↑ ^{28.0 28.1 28.2} Family Tree DNA. (https://www.familytreedna.com).
29. ↑ ^{29.0 29.1} Family Tree DNA. Howland DNA Project - Y-DNA Colorized Chart.
30. ↑ Howland (Y-DNA): Mayflower DNA, MayflowerDNA.org, 2019, https://mayflowerdna.org/wiki/index.php?title=Howland_%28Y-DNA%29.
31. ↑ ^{31.0 31.1 31.2} Family TreeDNA. Big Y Block Tree. Family TreeDNA.com.
32. ↑ Howland (Y-DNA), Mayflower DNA, Mayflowerdna.org, 2 Feb. 2017, <https://mayflowerdna.org/wiki/index.php?title=Howland_(Y-DNA)>.

• Paternal relationship is confirmed through Y-chromosome DNA test results on Family Tree DNA. Anonymous Howland, FTDNA kit # 861275, and his 6th cousin 1x removed, Howard Howland, FTDNA kit # 944338, match at a Genetic Distance of 4 on 111 markers, thereby confirming their direct paternal lines back to their most-recent common ancestor who is Samuel Howland, the 6x great grandfather of Anonymous Howland and 5x great grandfather of Howard Howland.