Samuel Cater (abt. 1627 - 1711)

Born about 1627 in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England

Descendants

Died 19 Aug 1711 at about age 84 in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England

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Biography

Samuel was a Friend (Quaker)

Samuel Cater was born in Cambridgeshire, England.

Samuel Cater

He was born about 1627, being baptised at Littleport, Cambridgeshire on 14 Jan 1627, the son of William Cater and Katherine (Unknown) Cater. ^[1]

About 1655, Samuel, who had previously served as an elder in the baptist church at Littleport, Cambridgeshire, was converted to the Quaker religion by James Parnell (later himself an influential Quaker preacher, author and martyr). In consequence, he and his brother Ezekiel were excommunicated from the baptist church in May 1655. ^[2]

He married his wife Elizabeth about 1658, the birth of their first child, Samuel Cater, being noted in the Littleport Quaker monthly meeting book on 2 Jul 1659. ^[3] They had at least eight children, five of whom died in infancy.

Samuel was in frequent trouble with authorities for his Quaker beliefs: in 1662 he was imprisoned for ten weeks at Cambridge; in 1670 he was fined for preaching in Essex, and in 1676 he had another jail term in Cambridge castle. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

In 1675 Francis Bugg, later a wealthy Suffolk businessman, was arrested after being persuaded by Cater to attend a Quaker meeting in Suffolk. His goods were distrained by way of fine and he demanded that Cater pay. Cater refused, and took the case to arbitration. Judgement went in Cater's favour, but Bugg afterwards became an influential, fiercely anti Quaker, writer. ^[7]

Elizabeth, his wife, died in 1685, her burial on 23rd Mar 1685 being noted in the register book of the Littleport, Cambridgshire Quakers. ^[8]

In 1694 he was bequeathed £5 in the will of his friend Solomon Fromanteele of Colchester, baymaker. ^[9]

Samuel died on the 19 Aug 1711. ^[10] He left a will, as of Samuel Cater, carpenter of Littleport. ^[11]

Published works

A bibliography (not necessarily complete) of Samuel Cater's published pamphlets:

• 1665 - An Epistle to Friends (In Humphrey Woolrich's A General Epistle, 1665)

• 1672 - A Salutation in the love of God, an in the fellowship of the work of his blessed truth, unto all the faithful bretherin and sisters in Christ jesus our lord, who are begotten by the immortal word of God unto a lively hope, which liveth and ibideth forever. - Written whil imprisoned in Melrose prison in Scotland.

• 1675 - His testimony regarding James Parnell. See James Parnell's works.

• 1676 - (With John Webb and Jacob Baker) - A relation of some of the most material matters that passed in a publick dispute at Thriploe in Cambridgeshire, the 15th day of the 2nd month 1676, between Francis Holdecroft and Joseph Odde his assistant, both Presbyterian priests, on the one party, and Samuel Cater, with some other friends of thee truth called Quakers. (1676, no printers name or place)

• 1676 - The innocent cleared and the guilty made manifest. Being a reply to a printed paper lately come to my hand called "the apostacy of the people called Quakers from the faith once delivered to the saints" subscribed Francis Houlcroft and Jospeh Oddey, who call themselves ministers of Christ, but upon true examination are made manifest by their fruits to be otherwayes. That is to say ignorant of the true God and Jesus Christ, and enemies to his appearance. By a servant of truth, Samuel Cater. (4to, printed 1676)

• 1680 - A general epistle to all friends who are convinced of the truth. With a word of exhortation to friends to be diligent in keeping their mens and womens meetings for the service pf the truth, with a tetsimony to the same. Also an invitation to that come to our meetings to hear the truth declared, not to rest in hearing,, but to come into obedience thereunto, so that their souls may be saved, By Samuel Cater. (London, printed by Andrew Sowle, and sold at his shop in Devonshire new buildings, near Bishops gate, 4to 1680)

• 1681 - Samuel Cater's testimony regarding Giles Barnardiston, written in Ely prison, 11th month, 1680.

• 1683 - The liberty of an apostate conscience discovered: being a plain narrative of the controversie between Francis Bugg, an officious agent in William Rogers's behalf and quarrel on the one part, and Samuel Cater and George Smith, prisoners for the testimony of Jesus, in Ely gaolon the other part. With their answer to his painted harlot. Whereby F.B.s Liberty of conscience is proved on injurious bondage. (London, printed by John Bringhurst, at the sign of the book in Grace church street 8vo, 1683

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975"
   FamilySearch (accessed 19 February 2022)
   Samuell Cater baptism on 14 Jan 1627 in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England, United Kingdom.
2. ↑ John Bunyan and English Nonconformity by Richard Greaves 1992. Extract reads: "Like Bunyam, Holcraft and Oddy engaged in controversy with the Quakers, particularly Samuel Cater (1627 - 1711), a carpenter from Littleport, near Ely. Cater had been a baptist, serving as an elder in the Littleport baptist church (which was associated with Henry Denne, one of Bunyen's friends) by 1655. After James Parnell converted Cater to Quaker tenets, the Baptists excommunicated Samuel and his brother Ezekiel in May 1655."
3. ↑ Monthly meeting of Chatteris Quakers, register book for Littleport. Entry reads: "Samuel Catter, son of Samuel Catter and Elizabeth his wife was born the second day of the seventh month in the year one thousand six huundred and fifty nine."
4. ↑ The papers of William Penn Vol 1 166 - 79. Mary Maples Dunn and Richard s Dunn (Ed) University of Pennsylvania Press, 1981. Page 230.
5. ↑ From: The Friend: A Religious and Literary Journal, Volume 2 (Ed.robert Smith), 1829. "Samuel Cater I have known for thirty years. He hath been a great sufferer on account of his religion, imprisoned many times, six years at one time, a close prisoner for three years, not stirred out of prison. F.Bugg says that he was a poor journeyman carpenter, and is now a rich man worth hundereds of pounds. What then, shall an industrious man work forty years and get nothing. His trade was a gainful trade, if it be wisely managed, yet he is not a rich man; he hath a commendable house and the lot belongs to it, when the fens were taken in, at Littleport, in the Isle of Ely, and two acres and a half of arable land in the fields; and this is his visible estate that I hear of , besides a small stock to carry on the butter trade, for he is a factor to send butter to London. Although he is about seventy years of age, he gets his living by that trade".
6. ↑ Cater imprisoned for six years.
7. ↑ Wikipedia:Francis Bugg
8. ↑ Monthly meeting of Chatteris Quakers, register book for Littleport. Entry reads: Elizabeth Catter, wife of Samuel Catter buried 23rd day of the 1st Month (ie 23rd March by Quaker reckoning) 1685
9. ↑ https://www.essexarchivesonline.co.uk/ViewSecureImage.aspx?&ID=836512&DocID=474776
10. ↑ Piety Promoted: In a Collection of Dying Sayings of Many of the ..., Volume 3 edited by William Evans, Thomas Evans, 1854. Page 351. "He departed this life the 19th of the eighth month 1711, aged nearly 86 years."
11. ↑ Will at Cambridge record office. Samuel Cater, carpenter of Littleport. VC 37: 155 CW In