Reverend Samuel Andrew Peters (1735–1826) was a Connecticut

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

clergyman and historian. A nephew,

John Samuel Peters John Samuel Peters (September 21, 1772 – March 30, 1858) was an American politician, a member of the National Republican and later Whig parties, and the 26th Governor of Connecticut. Biography Peters was born in Hebron, Connecticut on Septemb ...

(1772–1858), served as Governor of Connecticut 1831–33. Another nephew,

John Thompson Peters John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

(1765–1834) served as Justice of the Supreme Court of Connecticut 1818–1834.

Biography

Samuel Peters was born December 1, 1735, in Hebron

Connecticut Colony The ''Connecticut Colony'' or ''Colony of Connecticut'', originally known as the Connecticut River Colony or simply the River Colony, was an English colony in New England which later became Connecticut. It was organized on March 3, 1636 as a settl ...

, being third youngest of twelve children of John Peters (1695–1754) and Mary Marks (1698–1784). In 1757 he graduated from Yale College and was elected Rector of St. Peter's Church, Hebron, Connecticut. In 1758 he sailed to England where he was ordained Deacon in March 1759, before being advanced to the

Priesthood a month later. In the following year he returned to America and took charge of St. Peter's Church parish at Hebron, Connecticut. in 1763 he climbed Killington Peak, and allegedly named the area Verd Mont giving the state its future name. In August 1774 Peters fled to England after several visits from the " Sons of Liberty" because of his

Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...

sympathies. In 1781 he published, under a pseudonym, "''General History of Connecticut, from its first settlement under George Fenwick, to its latest period of amity with Great Britain prior to the Revolution; including a description of the country, and many curious and interesting anecdotes. With an appendix, pointing out the causes of the rebellion in America; together with the particular part taken by the people of Connecticut in its promotion. By a Gentleman of the Province''". This work is noted for its unflattering descriptions of the colonists and for its misrepresentation of the Connecticut Blue Laws. The work was negatively received.According to ", the ''Monthly Review'' proclaimed the book as "altogether unworthy of the public attention."" In February 1794 he was nominated Anglican Bishop-elect of Vermont but was never consecrated.

New International Encyclopedia ''The New International Encyclopedia'' was an American encyclopedia first published in 1902 by Dodd, Mead and Company. It descended from the ''International Cyclopaedia'' (1884) and was updated in 1906, 1914 and 1926. History ''The New Intern ...

Peters returned to America in 1805. In 1817 he visited the Saint Anthony Falls, taking up a large claim there, but again settled in New York in 1818. He died in poverty in New York City on April 19, 1826.

Marriages and issue

* February 14, 1760 : First marriage to Hannah Owen (1740–1765) who bore him three daughters. * June 25, 1769 : Second marriage to Abigail Gilbert (1751–1769). * April 20, 1773 : Third marriage to Mary Birdseye (1750- ) who bore him two sons.

References

Resources

*Baker, Mark. ''Connecticut Families of the Revolution, American Forebears from Burr to Wolcott'', The History Press, 2014 *Cameron, Kenneth W., ed. ''The Works of Samuel Peters of Hebron, Connecticut, New England Historian...'', Hartford: Transcendental Books, 1967 *Cohen, Sheldon S. "Connecticut's Loyalist Gadfly: The Reverend Samuel Andrew Peters", American Revolution Bicentennial Commission of Connecticut Pamphlet XVII (1976) *Cohen, Sheldon S. "Yale's Peripatetic Loyalist: Samuel Andrew Peters", Journal of the New Haven Colony Historical Society (NHCHS) 25 (Summer 1977) 1:3-7 *Gencarella, Stephen Olbrys. "The Reverend Samuel Peters’s Natural History: A Reassessment." ''Folklore'' 133, no. 3 (2022): 267-288. *Metz, Wayne Normile
"The Reverend Samuel Peters (1735-1826): Connecticut Anglican, Loyalist Priest"
Doctoral dissertation, Oklahoma State University, 1974 *Middlebrook, Samuel
"Samuel Peters: A Yankee Munchausen"

New England Quarterly ''The New England Quarterly'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal consisting of articles on New England's cultural, literary, political, and social history. The journal contains essays, interpretations of traditional texts, essay reviews and book r ...

20 (March, 1947) 1:75-87 *O'Neil, Maud. "Samuel Andrew Peters: Connecticut Loyalist", Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles, 1947 *Peters, Samuel Andrew.
The Frogs of Windham
a popular chapter from Peters' ''History of Connecticut...'' (1781) * Rourke, Constance. Se
first section of Chapter II
in ''American Humor: A Study of the National Character'' University of Virginia (2001) *

Trumbull Trumbull may refer to: Places United States * Trumbull County, Ohio ** Trumbull Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio * Trumbull, Connecticut * Trumbull, Nebraska * Fort Trumbull, Connecticut * Mount Trumbull Wilderness in Arizona People Surname * ...

, ''The Reverend Samuel Peters; His Defenders and Apologists'' (Hartford, 1877) *Avery, Joshua M.
"Subject and Citizen: Loyalty, Memory and Identity in the Monographs of the Reverend Samuel Andrew Peters"
M.A. Thesis, Miami University, 2008

External links

The True-blue laws of Connecticut and New Haven : and the false blue-laws invented by the Rev. Samuel Peters : to which are added specimens of the laws and judicial proceedings of other colonies and some blue-laws of England in the reign of James I / edited by J. Hammond Trumbull, Hartford, Conn, American Pub. Co., 1876
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peters, Samuel 1735 births 1826 deaths People of colonial Connecticut People from Hebron, Connecticut 18th-century American Episcopal priests Yale College alumni