Family

Samuel was the son of Lawrence Bridger rector of St. John the Evangelist Church in Slimbridge. Samuel was auditor of the College of Gloucester, England. Samuel and his wife Mary lived in an ancient house called Woodmancote and raised their eight children there. Their children were:

1. John
2. Samuel
3. Joseph, who immigrated to Virginia,
4. James also of Virginia,
5. George
6. Jonathan
7. Martha
8. Mary

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At age 18 he matriculated at Magdalen College.

From the "Bridger Family Association on Ancestral Progress" by Betty Cullen.

Samuel and his wife Mary lived in an ancient house called Woodmancote and raised their eight children there. There children were John, Samuel, Joseph, who immigrated to Virginia, James, also of Virginia, George, Jonathan, Martha, and Mary.

He had the reputation of being rather tight with his money, left his mark on Woodmancote. In order to avoid the decree of King Charles I, who had assessed a tax on each window in every dwelling in England, he bricked over at least three of Woodmancote's second floor windows. His 'tax shelter' is still visible.

At one time there was an interesting epitaph in the Lady Chapel of Gloucester Cathedral. Here lyes the body of Samuel Bridger, gent, who Departed this life upon the 21st day of July, An.1650. Receiver of this College Rents, he paid His Debt to Nature, and beneath he's laid, To rest until his Summons to remove, At the last Audit, to the Choir above. This epitaph was removed during a restoration at the end of the 19th century and is no longer there.

From Find a Grave # 74617351.

In 1602 at Magdalene College, Oxford, he was auditor to the Dean and as sub-dean at Gloucester Church in Gloucester.

Research notes

[1] Thomas Elliot I born 1476 died Mar 1545. He married Margaret Wilson dau of Thomas. Their son John Elliot married Elizabeth Graves -their dau Mary md Lawrence Bridger I, their son Samuel Bridger md Mary Webb - their son Joseph Bridger md Hester Pitt - their dau Elizabeth md Thomas Lear.

References

1. WikiTree contributors, "Samuel Bridger (abt.1584-1650)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bridger-140 : accessed 29 March 2025).
2. Carpenter, E.W. "Slimbridge and an American Connection". Regional Historian, Issue 9 (Summer 2002). (Dead link)
3. Source: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=74617351
4. http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=dempsey_g... (dead link)