1646 - 1713

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• Birth	Bef 25 Jan 1645/1646	Dorchester, Suffolk County, MA   [1]
  Christened	25 Jan 1645/1646	Dorchester, Suffolk County, MA   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Died	16 Mar 1712/1713	Seekonk, Bristol County, MA   [1]
  Buried	Abt 20 Mar 1712/1713	Seekonk, Bristol County, MA   [1]
  Person ID	I87349	Brainard (Brainerd) / Foster / Fish
  Last Modified	29 Apr 2004 00:00:00
  Family 1	Mary SMITH, b. 20 Jul 1650, Dorchester, Suffolk County, MA
  Married	16 May 1673	Dorchester, Suffolk County, MA   [2]
  Notes	Reference Number:6631
  Children	> 1. Samuel B PELTON, b. 26 Jan 1674/1675, Dorchester, Suffolk County, MA   2. Mary PELTON, b. 26 May 1678, Dorchester, Suffolk County, MA   3. Deliverance PELTON, b. 31 Jul 1680, Dorchester, Suffolk County, MA > 4. John B PELTON, b. 9 Jan 1681/1682, Dorchester, Suffolk County, MA   5. Unknown PELTON, b. 22 Apr 1685, Dorchester, Suffolk County, MA   6. Ithamar PELTON, b. 30 May 1686, Dorchester, Suffolk County, MA > 7. Henry B PELTON, b. 10 Dec 1690, Bristol, Bristol County, RI > 8. Sarah PELTON, b. 23 Mar 1692/1693, Bristol, Bristol County, RI > 9. Benjamin PELTON, b. 3 Sep 1698, Bristol, Bristol County, RI
  Family ID	F32346	Group Sheet
  Family 2	Mary RYDER, b. 20 Jul 1630
  Notes	Reference Number:7982
  Children	1. Mary PELTON
  Family ID	F32345	Group Sheet

• Notes

  Wild and reckless youth. "Clear the road for Sam Pelton" from one escapade. See page 29 of 1892 book "Pelton Family in America" by J.M. Pelton. Died in Seekonk, Rhode Island then a part of Massachusetts (Rhode Island was one of the original 13 colonies so it probably was never a part of MA., however, Maine was a part of MA before being granted it's own statehood). Lived on Mount Hope farm near Briston, Rhode Island then a part of Mass. Moved to Seekonk after three children were born. The tradition that father, John Felton, killed the Duke of Buckingham is false. This story has been found not to be true by reviewing the court and other records by several sources. The Felton man was hung in England and displayed for some time. Sam occupied as mariner. On May 5, 1756, the Hopewell house was purchased from the heirs of Colonel Daniel Coxe by Benjamin Pelton of Long Island, New York. This included the farms of Joseph B. Horn and N. Stout Voorhees. Benjamin Pelton's will dated September 30, 1775, devised it to his heirs. On July 5, 1776, Adam Ege, as surviving executor, sold 57 1/2 acres on the west side of the road to Charles Sexton, Jr., brother of Honorable Jared, the Surrogate, Legislator and Judge from 1777 to 1785. The farm was then owned by Joseph B. Horn, with a record of all the transfers from Charles Sexton to the present owner. Benjamin Pelton's widow died in 1780 and 120 acres of the middle of the tract descended to grandson, John Pelton. He, on May 2, 1796, sold it to Moses Quick for 1050 pounds in gold and uniting his fortunes with the great tide of emigration moved toward Sussex County and central New York State. During the revolution, and earlier, the old Pelton place was kept as a hotel. As it was located on the great thoroughfare from tide water navigation at Trenton to the northern part of the state, it was a noted stopping place for the immense trains of wagons loaded with produce from Hunterdon, Warren and Sussex Counties. That part of the state contained a population of forty thousand as early as 1790, and was increasing very rapidly with families from the eastern and central portions of the state. The old house which occupied the site of the present mansion of John L. Burroughs was a long low colonial structure, very substantially built of stone; having one door and three windows in front and dormer windows in the roof. It had a basement or cellar kitchen in the rear, in which was enacted the famous Pelton adventure, which tradition has handed down for over one hundred and fifty years. During the early settlement of the country, there was a considerable traffic carried on in stolen horses, and it was very rarely that the property was recovered or the thieves apprehended. Sam Pelton, only son of Benjamin, was a wild and reckless youth, fond of excitement and adventure. He attended the races near his old home on Long Island, and had the reputation of furnishing some good horses for the sporting fraternity of this famous resort. As his associates were not the best, he was regarded with suspicion by the old settlers, who thought he knew something of the route over which some of their favorite horses had mysteriously disappeared. Accordingly when the report circulated that Sam Pelton was keeping a horse in the cellar of the old house, people organized a posse of neighboring farmers who determined to investigate, and if the report was found to be correct, to bring him to an account. Knowing him to be a fearless character, of great strength and daring, they advanced very cautiously until they reached the cellar door, and hearing that he was inside they demanded his surrender. Finding that he was not disposed to yield without a struggle, they opened the door, which was no sooner ajar, than Sam made a sudden dash for the center of the posse, throwing himself against them with tremendous force, striking out right and left, and shouting at the top of his voice, "Clear the road for Sam Pelton!" The besieging party were not prepared for such an attack, and were so amazed and dumfounded at his daring, that they made no effort whatever to stop him, and while they stood in breathless astonishment wondering what was going to happen, Sam had mounted one of their horses which stood outside, and without a parting salute left this region, never to return. When his would-be captors had recovered sufficiently to realize what a tremendous rush of events had transpired in a remarkably brief period, they were chagrined and disgusted beyond all expression. In playing the role of detectives they had not only made a most dismal failure, but their prisoner had escaped with one of their best horses and all the equipments. The expression, "Clear the road for Sam Pelton, " became proverbial at once among the old settlers. At a vendue or other gathering of farmers, it was frequently heard when a person wanted to pass through a crowd, and as they stood good naturedly aside, the remark was often heard, "By all means give Sam plenty of room." Contact Gary Garbe for information on living individuals. I DO NOT have information for the majority of the people listed as living. gary_garbe@hotmail.com

• Sources

  [S2602] Pelton and Garbe Families, Gary Garbe. [S2620] American Marriages Before 1699 on Ancestry.com.