Samuel Appleton was born in 1586 at the Appleton family estate Holbrook Hall in Little Waldingfield, Suffolk County, England. His father was Thomas Appleton and his mother was Mary Issack. He was the youngest of seven children.

On January 24, 1614, Samuel married Judith Everhard who was the daughter of John and Judith Bourne Everhard of Preston, Suffolk County, England. The marriage took place in Preston. Judith bore Samuel six children: Mary (1616); Judith (1618); Martha (1620); John (1622); Samuel (1625); and Sarah (1629). I am descended from their son Major Samuel Appleton.

Samuel's second daughter Judith died in 1629 at the age of eleven. Wife Judith died a few years later -- probably in 1633. In 1634, Samuel married Martha and that same year fathered another daughter named Judith.

In 1635, Samuel came to the United States with his wife and children. He took the freeman's oath on May 26, 1636 and settled in Ipswich, MA as early as July of 1636.

Several factors probably contributed to Samuel's decision to leave his homeland and come to Massachusetts. He was a Puritan and was almost certainly drawn to the New World's promise of religious freedom. He was possibly also very concerned about his future prospects in England as the youngest of his father's four sons. Still another motivating factor may have been his close acquaintance with John Winthrop, who was the first Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Samuel acquired two tracts of land in Ipswich. One tract was an eight acre building lot in the town of Ipswich itself. The other tract consisted of over 400 acres located on the road to the town of Hamilton, between the Ipswich River and Mile Brook. This tract was known as "The Farms" and was owned by the Appleton Family until recently.

He served as a deputy to the Ipswich Court and to the Boston General Court in 1637. He failed to be reappointed the next year however. This may have been because he was opposed to the expulsion from the colony of Anne Hutchinson.

He died, and was buried, in Rowley, MA in June of 1670, while he was living with his daughter Sarah Phillips.