Samuel Skelton
Encyclopedia
Samuel Skelton was the first pastor of the First Church of Salem, MA, which is the original Puritan
church in North America.
Rev. Skelton was probably born in Yorkshire, England. He graduated from Cambridge in 1611 and earned a master's degree there in 1615. He was recruited by John Endicott, who had just been appointed as the governor of a new colony, the London Plantation in the Massachusetts Bay in New England. Endicott invited Skelton to come to America with him and serve as minister of the colony. Endicott already had a close relationship with Skelton, having been converted by him, and Endicott considered him as his spiritual father.
Skelton and his family arrived in Salem on June 23, 1629. Skelton had been ordained in England, and had served for many years as minister of the established English Church in Lincolnshire. The new church in Salem was organized as one of the established English churches, and continued in that capacity until Jan. 1, 1630. At that point, use of the Book of Common Prayer was discontinued, and the church became the Second Independent Congregational Church in New England. This change, along with the significant assistance of Skelton, made it possible for the Pilgrims
and the Puritans to unite as one colony.
Colonial authorities granted Skelton 213 acres of land in Danversport, MA for services rendered to the colony (the land was a peninsula which became known as Skelton Neck). Skelton was considered to be reserved "in his manners," but "his talents and attainments were respectable." He was "a man of gracious speech, full of faith, and furnished by the Lord with gifts from above."
Roger Williams
came to America in 1631, and in April became an assistant to Rev. Skelton. Williams later became minister (Skelton had died), but was banished from Massachusetts for questioning the power of the colonial government over the church. As a result, he left the colony and founded Rhode Island.
Salem, MA Web site
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...
church in North America.
Rev. Skelton was probably born in Yorkshire, England. He graduated from Cambridge in 1611 and earned a master's degree there in 1615. He was recruited by John Endicott, who had just been appointed as the governor of a new colony, the London Plantation in the Massachusetts Bay in New England. Endicott invited Skelton to come to America with him and serve as minister of the colony. Endicott already had a close relationship with Skelton, having been converted by him, and Endicott considered him as his spiritual father.
Skelton and his family arrived in Salem on June 23, 1629. Skelton had been ordained in England, and had served for many years as minister of the established English Church in Lincolnshire. The new church in Salem was organized as one of the established English churches, and continued in that capacity until Jan. 1, 1630. At that point, use of the Book of Common Prayer was discontinued, and the church became the Second Independent Congregational Church in New England. This change, along with the significant assistance of Skelton, made it possible for the Pilgrims
Pilgrims
Pilgrims , or Pilgrim Fathers , is a name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States...
and the Puritans to unite as one colony.
Colonial authorities granted Skelton 213 acres of land in Danversport, MA for services rendered to the colony (the land was a peninsula which became known as Skelton Neck). Skelton was considered to be reserved "in his manners," but "his talents and attainments were respectable." He was "a man of gracious speech, full of faith, and furnished by the Lord with gifts from above."
Roger Williams
Roger Williams
-People:* Roger Williams , Welsh soldier of fortune* Roger Williams , English theologian, co-founder of Rhode Island* Roger Williams , US actor...
came to America in 1631, and in April became an assistant to Rev. Skelton. Williams later became minister (Skelton had died), but was banished from Massachusetts for questioning the power of the colonial government over the church. As a result, he left the colony and founded Rhode Island.
External Links
First Church in Salem Web siteSalem, MA Web site