RED LION SAM

Upon examining previous posts about Rebecca Miller’s father, Samuel Bradford, I am convinced that he was of Scots-Irish origin, he being from Northern Ireland and his ancestors from Scotland.

But our Miller-Bradford line is ever challenging and never easy. As you know, also from previous posts, not only was Rebecca’s husband named Samuel Miller, but her maternal grandfather was also Samuel Bradford, although “not related” to her husband's line according to the Allen Family Record, one of our “old stand-by” research documents written by a grandson of Rebecca, George Washington Allen.

We have affectionately dubbed Rebecca's grandfather “Red Lion Sam” as historical records prove that he lived in Red Lion Hundred [listed as Lyon in his will], New Castle County, Delaware. This dear great great….grandfather of ours has proved the most elusive of all. I have found absolutely nothing to indicate his origins or ancestry.

All we really know about him is from his will. He died April 30, 1767, leaving property to his wife, Margret, his son William, and his two daughters, Martha and Sarah [Rebecca’s mother], as well as his young grandson by William who is also named Samuel Bradford (oh yes, you observant ones – this means that Rebecca’s husband, grandfather and cousin were all named Samuel Bradford!!].

Red Lion Sam is mentioned in a few land records (see previous posts using the search term “Dragon Swamp”), but again, these provide absolutely no clue to his origins.

Also, neither Red Lion Sam, his son William, nor his grandson Samuel are identified in the Bradford DNA project mentioned in our last post.

Old Drawyer's Church (photo by Dave Table, Panoramio)

A very small clue indicates that he might be of Scotts-Irish ancestry--his son William and grandson Samuel (mentioned above in connection with the will) are buried in the Old Drawyer’s Church in New Castle County, which during their era was a Presbyterian Church (the denomination of Scots-Irish congregations in America).

Others and I have researched New Castle County, Delaware and other records extensively. We have found a lot of information on Samuel’s relatives, but again, absolutely nothing to indicate his parentage or ancestry.

RESEARCH CHALLENGE: Please help us in the search for Red Lion Sam!! It will be a grand day when we discover the birth date, birthplace, parentage and ancestry of this man. If any of you are on Ancestry, you will be able to access documents that I cannot. Perhaps a concentrated effort by all the descendants of Red Lion Sam may eventually lead to a “gold mine” of information about this elusive ancestor.