Samuel Bullen (abt. 1617 - 1692)

Born about 1617 in England

Husband of Mary (Morse) Bullen — married 10 Aug 1641 in Dedham, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 16 Jan 1692 at about age 75 in Medfield, Suffolk, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Richard Draper [send private message], Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree [send private message], and Halsey Bullen [send private message]

Samuel Bullen migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 49) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Disputed Parents

A Samuel Bullen (abt.1591-) of Redgrave, co Suffolk and wife, were previously attached as parents. The family group also included a sister, Mary Bullen (1620- ). As there is no supporting documentation, the connections to those profiles have been removed.

Biography

Birth

Samuel Bullen must have been born in England, but the place, date, and parentage remain unidentified despite considerable research effort. Suggestions for location include Redgrave, Suffolk, where his wife Mary Morse was born; the Dedham in County Norfolk; and Northumberland, where many Bullens lived then and some still live. The most common guess for his birth date is 1616/7. Alternatively, his gravestone says he died aged 70 on February 14, 1691/2, which calculates to birth in 1621/2.

Emigration and Arrival in Massachusetts Bay

Emigration: Timing and details of Samuel's emigration to Massachusetts Bay are also undiscovered. A common theory is that he came over on the Increase in 1635, with Samuel Morse and his family, possibly as an indentured apprentice or servant.

Earliest record: Samuel Bulleyne signed the Dedham Covenant, which was prepared in 1636.^[1] That may have been the source for Tilden's statement (without source) that he was in Watertown in 1636.^[2] But Samuel may not have been there then, because it has been suggested that later arrivers signed the same document without showing the later date at which they signed. (Samuel was the 86th signer, between John Guild (arrived by 1640) and Robert Gowan (arrived by 1639).)^[3] The Great Migration Directory lists his immigration as by 1639.^[4]

Property: Samuell Bullen, together with Henry Wilson, were granted a parcel of land at a meeting of the Dedham selectmen on 23 June 1640. Further grants followed.^[5]

Freeman: Samuel Bullen was allowed to take the Freeman's Oath in Dedham, on 2 June 1641.^[6] That achievement suggests he had arrived there at least a couple of years earlier. That achievement and his marriage later in 1641 also suggests that any indenture he might have been under had expired.

Removal to Medfield: Samuel Bullen was one of the founders of Medfield, a town separated from Dedham in 1649. He helped establish the borders and lay out the roads, built a house there in 1651, and lived the rest of his life there. He became Deacon of the church he helped establish. His house and farm buildings were burned by King Philip's warriors in February 1675-6; he rebuilt and later petitioned for compensation for his losses.^[2]

Marriage

Samuel Bullen married Mary Morse; 10 August 1641, Dedham, Massachusetts^[7]

Children

Samuel and Mary had ten known children. The first four were born at Dedham^[8][9], and the last six born at Medfield:^[10][2]

1. Mary, born 20 July 1642; married Ephraim Clark in 1669; died 1726.
2. Samuel, born 19 December 1644; married Experience Sabin; died 1736. No issue.
3. Elizabeth, born 3 February 1646/7; married Benjamin Wheelock in 1668.
4. John, born 1648, baptized 22 April 1649; married Judith Fisher in 1683; died 1703.
5. Joseph, born 6 September 1651; married Abigail Sabin in 1674; died 1704. No issue.
6. Ephraim, born 18 July 1653; settled in Sherborn; died 1694.
7. Meletiah, born 15 September 1655; married Josiah Fisher of Dedham in 1679.
8. Elisha, born 26 December 1657, married Hannah Metcalf in 1683; died 1736.
9. Eleazar, born 26 April 1662; died 3 May 1662.
10. Bethia, born 1 August 1664; married Benjamin Colburn.

Death

Samuel Bullen died on 16 January 1691/92, in Medfield. His widow Mary died 14 February 1691/92 just four weeks after Samuel's death.^[11]

Probate

Samuel Bullen died intestate. An inventory, taken promptly, totaled L.178,2 shillings, and 8 pence, including a loom and other weaving tools but mostly in land. Then things slowed down--way down. Letters of Administration were granted 10 July 1695, more than three years later, to his son Joseph Bullen, weaver, and son-in-law Joseph Clarke, cordwainer. Joseph Bullen presented an accounting of his administration to the court on 22 July 1696, and the court accepted it. A year later, Samuel Barber, Samuel Morse, and Joseph Morse informed the court, on 26 May 1697, that the estate "cannot be divided without spoiling the inheritance." On 10 June 1697, the probate judge accepted that, and then appointed Samuel Barber, Eleazer Adams, and john Plimpton (the same men who took the inventory six years earlier) to deal with the matter; six days later, on June 15, those men presented an inventory of the real estate, valued at L. 131, of which L.90 was the homestead. The probate records end there.^[12] but Tilden's history reports that the homestead went to eldest son Samuel Bullen.^[2]

Samuel's heirs, as listed in those Suffolk County probate records in what appears to be the handwriting of the court clerk, were Mary Clarke, children of Elizabeth Wheelock, John Bullen, Joseph Bullen, children of Ephraim Bullen, Melatiah Fisher's children, Elisha Bullen, Bethiah Colburne.^[12] That list for some reason omits the principal heir, Samuel Bullen, possibly because its a list of who Samuel would have to compensate for receiving the undivided real estate.

Burial

Burial: 1691/92, Vine Lake Cemetery, Medfield, Massachusetts, grave #368:

Photo of Gravestone

A memorial stone was erected by descendants about 100 years after his death:

Photo of Memorial Stone at FindAGrave Memorial #41693097^[13]

Two Sketches

The following biographical sketch appears in Tilden's History of Medfield (1887):

Samuel Bullen (or Boleyn, according to the English spelling) was at Watertown in 1636; was one of the signers of the Dedham compact; took the freeman's oath in 1641; owned a house there in 1646. The Town of Medfield, Massachusetts, was carved out of a portion of Dedham in 1649. Samuel Bullen was one of the signers of the town's Agreement. He was chosen as part of a committee to help lay the line between the two towns as well as laying the highways in the new town. His tombstone, erected by his descendants about a century after his death, declares that he was "the first European with a family in this town." It is certain that his house was built prior to November, 1651. It stood a few rods north of Philip Street, opposite the house of F.D. Hamant. His buildings were burned by the Indians; and he removed for a while to Sherborn, and became a tenant of his [wife's] brother, Daniel Morse. In 1679 "Samuel Bullen, late of Medfield," sent a petition for favor as to his rates, he having suffered losses in the time of the war, and having been obliged to aid his "necessitous children." He returned to Medfield, and rebuilt soon afterward. He was one of the selectmen here in 1682, and was chosen deacon prior to 1689. His house was standing as late as 1798. Besides other outlands, he had a "divident" on the east side of Mount Nebo, in the region now known as "Goudy." He married in 1641 Mary Morse (8). He and his wife both died in 1691.^[2]

A second sketch, source to be acknowledged:

DEACON SAMUEL BULLEN “BULLEYNE” (Jr.) was born around 1617 in England. He was the son of Samuel Bullen and Elizabeth (maiden name unknown). He came to America before 1636, as he was a signer of the Dedham covenant while he lived in Watertown. On 6/23/1640 he was granted land with Henry Wilson, which they were to split. However by September that land was given to Thomas Eames. In October he was given six acres of “planting grownd” and in December he was given another 4 acres. In 1641 he became a freeman and was also given 2 acres of swamp land. He also married Mary Morse (1620-2/14/1691), daughter of Samuel Morse and Elizabeth Jasper, on 8/10/1641 in Dedham, Massachusetts. They had 10 children: Samuel; Mary Clark (1642-1726); Elizabeth; John; Joseph; Ephraim; Meletiah; Elisha; Eleazar (died in infancy); and Bethia. In 1644 he was noted to be considered for some upland and meadow land when it became available. In 1645 he was given 2 acres of land in the “great playne” next to his brother-in-law Joseph Morse's Lot. He was also granted 2.5 acres of woodland. In 1648 his “countrey rate” (taxes) due were 4 shillings and 5 pence, and his house was valued at 6 pounds. When the town of Medfield was formed, he was one of the early settlers. He was noted to have been appointed to a committee to help divide the towns of Dedham and Medfield. His house was noted to be the southernmost for the town. In 1657 he donated 2 shillings for building the meeting house. In 1660 he received a “law book” for his neighborhood. In 1676, during King Philip’s War, his house was destroyed by Indians in the raid on Medfield. It is said that he went to live with his brother-in-law Daniel Morse Sr. in Sherborn. Because of the damage he suffered during the war, he was unable to pay his taxes. In 1679 he petitioned the Court in Boston to have his back taxes abated, which the Court granted. He became the town’s representative to the General Assembly in 1681 and in 1682 he was a selectman. He also became a Deacon of the church prior to 1689. Mary died on 2/14/1691 and Samuel on 1/16/1692, both in Medfield, Massachusetts.

Sources

1. ↑ Hill, Don Gleason, The Early records of the town of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1636-1659, Volume 3, p. 3.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Tilden, William S., Ed., History of Medfield History of the Town of Medfield, Massachusetts, 1650-1880, pp. 38, 42, 334-5.
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dedham_Covenant
4. ↑ Anderson, Robert C. The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1640: A Concise Compendium (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Great Migration Study Project, Boston, 2015).
5. ↑ Hill, Don Gleason, The Early records of the town of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1636-1659, Volume 3, p. 68.
6. ↑ Massachusetts: Miscellaneous Censuses Substitutes, 1630–1788, 1840, 1890 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2013. From records supplied by Ancestry.com) Original data: Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp.. Massachusetts Census, 1790-1890. Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.
7. ↑ Vital Records of Dedham, Massachusetts 1635-1845, p. 235.
8. ↑ Hill, Don Gleason. 1886. The Records of Births, Marriages and Deaths, and Intentions of Marriage, in the Town of Dedham. pages 2- 3
9. ↑ Hill, Don Gleason, compiler, The Record of Baptisms, Marriages & Deaths ...transcribed from the Church Records in the Town of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1638-1845 (Dedham, MA: Town of Dedham, 1888), page 31, baptism of "___ of br: Samuell Bullin & his wife was baptised 22d 2m 1649."
10. ↑ NEHGS, Vital Records of Medfield, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: NEHGS, 1903) page 28.
11. ↑ Vital Records of Medfield, Deaths, p. 198: "Bullin... Samuell, Dea., Jan. 16, 1691."; "Bullin... Mary, w. Dea.Bullin, Feb. 14, 1691."
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017-2019. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized mages provided by FamilySearch.org) Case 2259.
13. ↑ Thanks to dsheindel for the Samuel Bullen entry and to Bill Boyington for additional pictures.

• Hanson, Robert Brand, Ed., [1] The Vital Records of Dedham, Massachusetts, 1635-1845]. (Picton Press, Camden, Maine).

• Dedham Town Records, Vol. 1, Pg. 2, 3, 126
• Dedham Town Records, Vol. 2, Pg. 29
• Dedham Town Records, Vol. 3, Pg. 3, 68, 71, 72, 75, 82, 92, 96, 103, 106, 109, 111, 113, 152, 154, 155, 161, 168, 181

• Ancestral File Number: FP9T-8M