Samuel Fuller (Mayflower physician)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Fuller was an English doctor
and church deacon
. He is remembered as one of the Separatist Pilgrims who together formed the colony in North America at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
of Norfolk
on January 20, 1580. He was the son of Robert and Sara (Dunkhorn) Fuller. Samuel's father Robert was a butcher in the area of Norwich
. Initially Samuel learned the trade of a say-weaver, one who makes cloth for tablecloths and bedding.
In 1604 the Puritan
minister John Robinson
left his position at Cambridge
to become pastor of St. Andrew's Church
in Norwich. In the face of persecution from King James I
, Robinson left Norwich and soon made his way to the village of Scrooby
. Samuel Fuller went to Scrooby as well at this time, presumably influenced by Robinson. In 1609 the Separatist congregation at Scrooby escaped to the Netherlands and made their way to the city of Leiden, where they could worship as they pleased. Fuller went with them to Leiden and became a deacon in their congregation. Fuller's first wife Alice Glascock having died, he took as his second wife Agnes "Anna" Carpenter in 1613. Anna gave birth to a child but it died in infancy and was buried in Leiden. Anna died soon after and in 1617 Fuller took a third wife, Bridget Lee. All of his wives were Englishwomen. Although some historians and genealogists have proposed that it was in Leiden that Fuller acquired training in medicine, possibly while attending lectures at Leiden University
, historian Norman Gevitz has found no evidence to support any conclusion other than that of Fuller having done so only once in Plymouth. Gevitz considers the contentions that Fuller was the "Mayflower physician" and played any role as a healer during the "General Sickness" after the Pilgrims' arrival nothing more than "myths."
Fuller and the elders of the congregation entered into negotiations with some speculators to travel to North America and establish a colony
there. In 1620 a ship named the Speedwell
departed Holland with a small number of Separatist colonists, Samuel Fuller among them. They docked at Southampton
, Hampshire, where they met up with a ship called the Mayflower
. The ships set sail for North America, but the Speedwell was found to be unseaworthy and they had to put in at Plymouth in Devon
, England. Fuller took his apprentice and servant William Butten with him and sailed to North America. He left his wife behind in Plymouth, England to care for his young child, which later died there. Samuel Fuller's brother Edward Fuller joined him, along with Edward's wife Ann. The settlers founded a colony in North America and named it Plymouth, after the city they had set out from. In 1623 Bridget Fuller took passage on a ship named the Anne and came to Plymouth Colony (America). Four years later they had a son they named Samuel, who became the Reverend Samuel Fuller of Middleboro.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and church deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
. He is remembered as one of the Separatist Pilgrims who together formed the colony in North America at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Early life
Samuel was born in England and baptized at Redenhall Parish, Harleston in the English countyCounties of the United Kingdom
The counties of the United Kingdom are subnational divisions of the United Kingdom, used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. By the Middle Ages counties had become established as a unit of local government, at least in England. By the early 17th century all...
of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
on January 20, 1580. He was the son of Robert and Sara (Dunkhorn) Fuller. Samuel's father Robert was a butcher in the area of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
. Initially Samuel learned the trade of a say-weaver, one who makes cloth for tablecloths and bedding.
In 1604 the Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
minister John Robinson
John Robinson (pastor)
John Robinson was the pastor of the "Pilgrim Fathers" before they left on the Mayflower. He became one of the early leaders of the English Separatists, minister of the Pilgrims, and is regarded as one of the founders of the Congregational Church.-Early life:Robinson was born in Sturton le Steeple...
left his position at Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
to become pastor of St. Andrew's Church
St. Andrew's Church
St. Andrew's Church, Church of St Andrew, or variants thereof, may refer to:- Africa :* St. Andrew's United Church in Cairo, Egypt* Church of Saint Andrew, Tangier, Morocco- Asia :* St. Andrew's Church , Hong Kong...
in Norwich. In the face of persecution from King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, Robinson left Norwich and soon made his way to the village of Scrooby
Scrooby
Scrooby is a small village, on the River Ryton and near Bawtry, in the northern part of the English county of Nottinghamshire. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 329. Until 1766, it was on the Great North Road so became a stopping-off point for numerous important figures...
. Samuel Fuller went to Scrooby as well at this time, presumably influenced by Robinson. In 1609 the Separatist congregation at Scrooby escaped to the Netherlands and made their way to the city of Leiden, where they could worship as they pleased. Fuller went with them to Leiden and became a deacon in their congregation. Fuller's first wife Alice Glascock having died, he took as his second wife Agnes "Anna" Carpenter in 1613. Anna gave birth to a child but it died in infancy and was buried in Leiden. Anna died soon after and in 1617 Fuller took a third wife, Bridget Lee. All of his wives were Englishwomen. Although some historians and genealogists have proposed that it was in Leiden that Fuller acquired training in medicine, possibly while attending lectures at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, historian Norman Gevitz has found no evidence to support any conclusion other than that of Fuller having done so only once in Plymouth. Gevitz considers the contentions that Fuller was the "Mayflower physician" and played any role as a healer during the "General Sickness" after the Pilgrims' arrival nothing more than "myths."
Pilgrim Journey to America
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
there. In 1620 a ship named the Speedwell
Speedwell (ship)
The Speedwell was a 60-ton ship, the smaller of the two ships intended to carry the Pilgrim Fathers to North America...
departed Holland with a small number of Separatist colonists, Samuel Fuller among them. They docked at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Hampshire, where they met up with a ship called the Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
. The ships set sail for North America, but the Speedwell was found to be unseaworthy and they had to put in at Plymouth in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England. Fuller took his apprentice and servant William Butten with him and sailed to North America. He left his wife behind in Plymouth, England to care for his young child, which later died there. Samuel Fuller's brother Edward Fuller joined him, along with Edward's wife Ann. The settlers founded a colony in North America and named it Plymouth, after the city they had set out from. In 1623 Bridget Fuller took passage on a ship named the Anne and came to Plymouth Colony (America). Four years later they had a son they named Samuel, who became the Reverend Samuel Fuller of Middleboro.
Further reading
- Norman Gevitz, "Samuel Fuller of Plymouth Plantation: A 'Skillful Physician' or 'Quacksalver'?'", Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 47 (1992): 29-48.
- Arthur and Katherine Radasch, Mayflower Families for Five Generations: Francis Eaton, Samuel Fuller and William White, volume 1 (Plymouth: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1974).
- Francis H. Fuller, Early New England Fullers, New England Historical and Genealogical Register 55(1901):192-196.
- Francis H. Fuller, Fullers of Redenhall, England, New England Historical and Genealogical Register 55(1901):410-414.
- Will of Samuel Fuller
- References to Samuel Fuller