Samuel Peters

For the American congressman, see Samuel R. Peters.

Reverend Samuel Andrew Peters (1735–1826) was a Connecticut Anglican clergyman and historian. A nephew, John Samuel Peters (1772–1858), served as Governor of Connecticut 1831-33. Another nephew, John Thompson Peters (1765–1834) served as Justice of the Supreme Court of Connecticut 1818-1834.

Chronology

• December 1, 1735 : Born in Hebron, Connecticut being third youngest of twelve children of John Peters (1695–1754) and Mary Marks (1698–1784).
• 1757 Graduated from Yale College
• 1757 Elected Rector of St. Peter's Church, Hebron, Connecticut
• 1758 Sailed to England
• March 11, 1759 Ordained Deacon
• August 5, 1759 Advanced to the Anglican Priesthood
• 1760 Returned to America; took charge of St. Peter's Church parish at Hebron, Connecticut
• February 14, 1760 : First marriage to Hannah Owen (1740–1765) who bore him three daughters.
• 1763 - Climbed Killington Peak, and allegedly named the area Verd Mont giving the state its future name.
• June 25, 1769 : Second marriage to Abigail Gilbert (1751–1769).
• April 20, 1773 : Third marriage to Mary Birdseye (1750- ) who bore him two sons.
• August 1774 : Fled to London, England after several visits from the "Sons of Liberty" because of his Loyalist sympathies.
• 1781 : 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 generally panned.
• February 27, 1794 : Nominated Anglican Bishop-elect of Vermont (but never consecrated)
• 1805 : Returned to America
• 1817 : Visited the Falls of St. Anthony, taking up a large claim there, but again settled in New York (1818).
• April 19, 1826 : Died in New York City in great poverty.

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
• 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 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. See first section of Chapter II in American Humor: A Study of the National Character University of Virginia (2001)
• Trumbull, 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