Samuel Enys facts for kids

Samuel Enys (born October 11, 1611 – died November 8, 1697) was an important English businessman and politician. He was a Member of Parliament in 1660, helping to make decisions for the country.

Early Life and Adventures

Samuel Enys was the third son of John Enys and Winifred Rise. He grew up in Cornwall, England, and went to Truro Grammar School. When he was 16, he became an apprentice to an English merchant in San Sebastian, a city in Spain. This meant he learned how to trade goods and manage money.

During the time of the English Civil War, Samuel was very loyal to the King. He even fought a duel to defend the King's honor! When he visited England in 1642, he helped provide supplies for a relative who was fighting in the Royalist army, which supported the King. Because of his support for the King, he was put in prison by the Parliament's army in Plymouth. Luckily, he was released with the help of a friend, John St Aubyn, and a loan of £100.

Samuel stayed outside of England until the last Royalist stronghold in Cornwall, called Pendennis, gave up.

A Successful Merchant

After the war, Samuel Enys became one of the most successful merchants in Penryn and Falmouth, two towns in Cornwall. He bought more land to make his family's estate bigger. Before the King returned to power, Samuel even gave money to support the King's court, which was in exile (meaning the King was living outside England). In 1659, he arranged to buy 300 guns from France. These guns were stored at a place called Trelawne, but they weren't needed because George Monck's army advanced into England, which helped bring the King back peacefully.

Political Career and Public Service

In April 1660, Samuel Enys was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Penryn. Some people didn't want him to be an MP because he had supported the King and fought a duel.

From 1660 to 1664, he was a captain in the militia for Cornwall. The militia was like a local army that helped keep order. In 1661, he was put in charge of collecting money from "tin coinage" for the Duchy of Cornwall. This was a tax on tin, which was a very important metal mined in Cornwall. He had to pay £2000 a year for this right. However, he had some disagreements with James Robyns, who was in charge of checking the tin, and so he rented out his right to collect the tax to someone else in 1664.

Samuel Enys also served as a commissioner for assessment in Cornwall from 1661 to 1680. This meant he helped decide how much tax people should pay. In 1670, he became a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Cornwall. A Justice of the Peace was a local official who helped keep the peace and deal with minor legal issues.

Later, in 1685, he became an alderman in Penryn, which is a senior member of a town council. He held this position until October 1688. He also served as a commissioner for assessment again from 1689 to 1690.

Family and Later Years

Samuel Enys married Elizabeth Pendarves on July 5, 1647. They had six sons and one daughter. His wife, Elizabeth, passed away on May 28, 1705. Samuel Enys lived to be 86 years old and was buried in Gluvias.