Who is Samuel Peyton from Peyton Place and what is their importance?

Peyton Place's namesake, Samuel Peyton, was an escaped slave. After escaping slavery, Samuel went to Europe where he became extremely wealthy. When he returned to the states, he brought his white wife along with him. Ostracized from society, the Peyton's holed up in their stone castle. Their lives are representative of the emotional isolation felt by the characters.