b. 1600

John Field b. 1616

/ Kirstin Miller

John Field 8th great grandfather of Elizabeth Speedy who married Stanley Roose Sr.

John Field b. 1616 in Yorkshire, England to William and Jane Sotwell Field. John Field was in Providence, Rhode Island before August 1637 and was one of the young crowd. He and his young crowd were looking for the same rights as the older settlers: Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, William Arnold, etc. So the old and young worked together and created the 1637 Providence Civil Compact. Pages of details here, summarized here.

“We, whose names are hereunder, desirous to inhabit in the town of Providence, do promise to subject ourselves in active or passive obedience to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for public good of our body, in an orderly way, by the major assent of the present inhabitants, master of families, incorporated together into a town fellowship, and others whom they shall admit unto them only in civil things.”

By 1640 citizens of Providence needed a more precise civil compact so a committee of representatives (Robert Coles, Chad Browne, William Harris, John Warner) met and wrote up the 1640 Providence Agreement.

Providence agreement 1640
The representatives took their task seriously “in all differences amongst us, being so betrusted, we have seriously and carefully endeavored to weigh and consider all these differences, being desirous to bring them to unity and peace.”

They were modest: “although our abilities are far short in the due examination of such weighty matters, we have gone the fairest and equallest way to produce our peace.” Page 40 of Annals of the Town of Providence.

39 Citizens old and young signed the new compact including John, his brother William and his daughter’s future father in law Thomas Angell. The Angell, Arnold, Fields, Olney, Powers and Williams families are direct ancestors of Elizabeth Speedy Roose.

John Field stayed involved in town services with meetings at his home. “Meet at John Fields home: Ordred yt a declaration be set up under the hand of ye Towne Clerke to give notice to all ye Creaditors of John Smith, (deceased) to repaire on Munday ye 19th: instant, unto the house of John ffield about 9: or 10: of the Clock there to receive theire dues of ye said Estate.” Volume 6, page 117 of The Early Records of the Town of Providence.

John Field (1616 – 1686)
Ruth Field (1649 – 1726)
Hope Angell (1685 – 1759)
Oliver Angell (1717 – 1799)
Israel Angell (1740 – 1832)
Asa Angell (1771 – 1842)
Dexter Angell (1794 – 1854)
Delia Viola Angell (1839 – 1916)
Matilda Flood (1858 – 1940)
Philippa Flood Mockford (1891 – 1979)
Elizabeth Speedy (1917 – 2005) m. Stanley Roose (1915 – 2004)

Thomas Tracy b. 1610

/ Kirstin Miller

Thomas Tracy 10th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree.

Thomas Tracy was born in 1610 in England.  Thomas sailed for New England and arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1636.  Thomas was a carpenter and ship builder. He held many community posts including leader of the Train Band (militia company of early America), member of the Colonial Assembly and Lieutenant of the New London County Dragoons.

The Tracy family was one of the first to settle in Norwich CT where Thomas died Nov. 7, 1685, age 76. His estate included 5000 acres of Norwich land, he left this to his children. 

Some Tracy family history books state that “No family can claim armorial bearings more ancient than the Tracys, for they were handed down from the middle of the twelfth century”. This may or may not be proven.  Thomas Tracy has a memorial at Find A Grave with more information and a huge headstone erected by ancestors after his death. Find a Grave is generally completely unverified but still has good information.  Thomas Tracy Find a grave memorial 21945755

Jeremy Adams b. 1605

/ Kirstin Miller

Jeremy Adams 11th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

Jeremy Adams was born in England, parents unknown. He sailed to America on the Griffin, maybe he was associated with Puritan minister Thomas Hooker. Jeremy married twice, both his wives were widows named Rebecca. Jeremy’s jobs included: minister, farmer, innkeeper and liquor distributor. As an official innkeeper for the Colony he was famous and his inn was the main meeting site in the area. At Jeremy’s funeral the colony paid for 3 gallons of wine.

In the early days of Connecticut Jeremy was also a scout: “On 5 April, 1638, it was ordered that six men be sent to the Warranock Indians to trade; and moreover to knoe the reasons why they saide they are affraide of us, and if they will not come to us willingly then to compell them to come by violence, and they may leave 2 of the English as pledges in the meane time. Jeremy Adams was one of the six.” 

Jeremy Adams (1605 – 1683) John Adams (1637 – 1670) Rebecca Adams (1658 – 1716) Samuel Risley (1679 – 1756) Richard Risley (1709 – 1792) Prudence Risley (1735 – 1816) Joseph Gaines (1756 – 1841) Obed Gaines (1793 – 1877) William Newcomb Gaines (1825 – 1907) Mary Ella Gaines (1855 – 1917) William Earl Miller (1879 – 1949) Faber W Miller (1905 – 1957) m. Gladys Mae Cable (1913 – 1991)

Sources: 

Philip Walker b. 1628

/ Kirstin Miller

Philip Walker was born in Weymouth, Dorset, England in 1625. He was about fifteen when he came to Plymouth Colony with his mom around 1640. His mom is known as Widow Walker. She owned land in 1644. Bliss, Leonard, jr.The History of Rehoboth, Bristol County, Massachusetts. Boston: Otis, Broaders, and company, 1836.

Philip was an early deacon of the Congregational Church and a weaver and/or farmer. He was also a soldier in King Philip’s War, and helped to finance the war. Philip wrote one of the first American epic poems: Captan Perse & his coragios Company.  The poem was probably written in 1676, and Walker is writing about his personal experience. This 37 page PDF includes the poem, an introduction and context notes.

Captain Pierce’s battle  details at Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Men%27s_Misery.

The Plymouth Colony Archive Project has a bio on Philip. http://www.histarch.illinois.edu/plymouth/Walker.html

7th great grandfather of Elizabeth Matilda Speedy who married Stanley Roose Sr.

  • Philip Walker (1628 – 1679)
  • Samuel Walker (1655 – 1712)
  • Timothy Walker (1687 – 1745)
  • Eunice Walker (1728 – 1772)
  • Cynthia Hill (1763 – 1830)
  • Dexter Angell (1794 – 1854)
  • Delia Viola Angell (1839 – 1916)
  • Matilda  Flood (1858 – 1940)
  • Philippa Flood Mockford (1891 – 1979)
  • Elizabeth Speedy (1917 – 2005) m. Stanley Roose (1915 – 2004)

Abigail Smith b. 1638

/ Kirstin Miller
Abigail Smith 8th great grandfather of Faber W Miller b. 1905 who married Gladys Miller b. 1913
August 26, 1657:Addams, John. Court Record, Page 104 26 August, 1657: A Coppy of a Certificate undr the names of these subscribed. These are to certify any to whom it may come, that our Children John Addams and Abigail Smith have our full Consent to be marryed together, and wee know no engagemt of either party to any other. As witness our Hands: RICH: SMITH, JER: ADDAMS. These may certify whom it may concerne, that John Addams and Abigail Smith are lawfully marryed, by Order from their parents. As Witness our Hands in the pressence of Thomas Newman, Magistrate: John Lord. Richard Smith, Secretary: Josias Gilbert.
Detail
Volume 1 Page 92, Probate Records Volume II 1650 to 1663
Abigail Smith (1638 – 1689) > Rebecca Adams (1658 – 1716) > Samuel Risley (1679 – 1756) > Richard Risley (1709 – 1792) > Prudence Risley (1735 – 1816) > Joseph Gaines (1756 – 1841) > Obed Gaines (1793 – 1877) > William Newcomb Gaines (1825 – 1907) > Mary Ella Gaines (1855 – 1917) > William Earl Miller (1879 – 1949) > Faber W Miller (1905 – 1957) m. Gladys Cable 1913 – 1991

Robert Hale b. 1607

/ Kirstin Miller

Robert Hale 10th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

Robert Hale came to America in 1630, maybe with the Winthrop Fleets. He married Joanna (maybe last name Cutter) they had children and settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Joanna and Robert were founding members of the Charlestown Church of Christ, Robert was a Deacon. He was admitted to the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. History of the military company, volume 1 page 137 at HathiTrust

Hale, Robert 1644 Massachusetts

He wrote his will  on June 26, 1647 and his estate was settled December 27, 1659 with an inventory. He owned books, a big thing in 1659. ”My will is that my sons be brought up in learning and then be put to such trades, my daughters Mary and Joanna the remaining parts, pastor may have next swarm of bees”. Robert’s lands included farms, orchards, meadows, livestock and bees. His son John was the minister at Beverly who first supported then condemned the Salem witch trials. Further down this branch is Nathan Hale the Am. Revolution spy executed by the British.

Robert Hale (1607 – 1659)
Mary Hale (1639 – 1696)
William Wilson (1660 – 1732)
Mary Wilson (1690 – 1759)
Samuel Connable (1717 – 1796)
Elizabeth Connable (1757 – 1821)
Samuel Newcomb (1794 – 1879)
William Newcomb Gaines (1825 – 1907)
Mary Ella Gaines (1855 – 1917)
William Miller (1879 – 1949)
Faber W Miller (1905 – 1957)

Thomas Bulkeley b. 1617

/ Kirstin Miller

Thomas Bulkeley 18 and his family left England in 1634 or 35: “No doubt the long drawn out enrollments and the lack of effort to standardize spelling of the name were reflections of the family’s attempt to board the ship without being apprehended” from The Great Migration Vol 1 page 464. Thomas’s father Peter, a Puritan minister  had issues with the Church of England and Archbishop Laud, one of many, who left for New England. The Bulkeleys settled in Concord, Massachusetts and were part of a solid Puritan community.

In 1637 there were breaks in the Puritan community, Anne Hutchinson was part of it. Rev. Peter Bulkeley called her the devil. The breakdown was the Antinomian Controversy.  At an Ecclesiastical Council Reverend Bulkeley,  Reverend John Jones, John Cotton and others agreed to carry on and compromise.

In 1640 Thomas married Sarah Jones, the daughter of the Reverend John Jones. Rev. Buckeley and Rev. Jones were friends, the families were happy with the marriage.

In 1644 Reverend John Jones had to leave Concord he couldn’t abide by the religious beliefs. He left for Fairfield, Connecticut, many families left with Reverend Jones. Reverend Bulkeley in Concord was left with about 30 followers. Thomas and Sarah had to choose a side, his dad’s or her dad’s they chose her dad Reverend Jones’s side and moved to Fairfield.

Antinomian Controversy was huge in early America. My very basic understanding with no offense or expertise intended, it was the Covenant of Works -do this and you are saved- VS the Covenant of Grace -Christ did this so all are saved-. The whole story is at Wikipedia with 139 source citations.

Thomas Bulkeley (1617 – 1658)
Sarah Bulkeley (1640 – 1723)
Rebecca Brown (1684 – 1768)
Mary English (1715 – 1791)
John Connable (1749 – 1813)
Obed Gaines (1793 – 1877)
William Newcomb Gaines (1825 – 1907)
Mary Ella Gaines (1855 – 1917)
William Earl Miller (1879 – 1949)
Faber W Miller (1905 – 1957)

Elizabeth Arnold b. 1684

/ Kirstin Miller

Elizabeth Arnold 8th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Elizabeth Arnold was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1684 and died July 11, 1758. She spent her life in Providence, part of the time living in the Stone Ender her dad Eleazer built around 1693, it’s still standing today.

Arnold, Eleazer House Stone Ender at Wikipedia

Eleazer Arnold House, a stone ender

She married 1st William Hawkins in 1704 and 8 years later was a widow. She married 2nd Israel Smith in 1718,  was a widow 8 years later and didn’t marry again.

Her will and inventory is online, last on the page:
In the name of God Amen this 1st day of July in the 35th year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second of Great Britain &c King AD 1758: I Elisabeth Smith widow being Sick & Week of body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to allmighty God for the Same, Do make and ordain this to be my Last will & Testament

Elizabeth gave her daughter Naomi, who married Oliver Angell, a square table and 5 pounds money ‘old tenor.’ Elizabeth left her best silver sleeve buttons to her granddaughters.

Sources

Esther Ballard b. 1632

/ Kirstin Miller

Esther Ballard 10th great grandmother on RootsMagic tree

Esther/Hester sailed, on the James, with her parents and younger brother from a London port to Lynn, Massachusetts on July 13, 1635. Page 107 of this book: The original lists of persons of quality, emigrants, religious exiles, political rebels, serving men sold for a term of years, apprentices, children stolen, maidens pressed, and others, who went from Great Britain to the American plantations, 1600-1700 at HathiTrust.

Esther married Joseph Jenckes they had at least 7 children.  Their son Joseph Jenckes was Governor of Rhode Island from 1727-1732 his story at Wikipedia.

At about age 18 Esther was one of 4 people fined for wearing silver or silver lace. In Colonial New England, wearing silver was a crime for plain citizens, those making less than 200 pounds. The colony followed  Sumptuary law, description at Wikipedia. “If bourgeois subjects appeared to be as wealthy or wealthier than the ruling nobility, it could undermine the nobility’s presentation of themselves as powerful, legitimate rulers”.

Page 99 of this book: The history of Lynn, by Alonzo Lewis: At the Quarterly Court, on the twenty ninth of June [1652], the following presentments were made. We present Ester, the wife of Joseph Jynkes Junior for wearing silver lace.

Lynn Marshes


Benedict Arnold b. 1614, the Govr’s son

/ Kirstin Miller

screenshot.png

Photo at Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission

Benedict the 2nd born about 1641 has this headstone with the family crest, three shells, a center star and (not shown) a rose in each corner. This is gorgeous and indexed at the Rhode Island Historic Cemetery Commission : the stone was “carved by John Stevens II and lettered by his brother Philip”. Benedict, other Arnolds and Arnold in laws are at the Governor Arnold Burying Ground in Newport, Rhode Island, in a residential area, a tiny cemetery with less than 70 memorials. On Google maps it appears next to a private home with a bike parked on the side fence and a Starbuck’s within 100 feet or so.

There were five Benedict Arnolds in this family in the early days of America.

Benjamin 1- born 1615, son of William and Christiana Peake Arnold, married Damaris Westcott. He became President then Governor of Rhode Island. Father of

Benjamin 2- born about 1641 married Mary Turner, then Sarah Mumford. Parents of

Benjamin 3- born 1683 married Patience Coggleshall. Parents  of

Benedict 4- born 1719 married Hannah Waterman. Parents of

Benedict 5- born 1741 married Margret Shippen. This Benedict is the one of the American Revolution, labeled a traitor. He is buried in London, at St. Mary’s of Battersea, where William Blake was married, near the river Thames. Changes in Longitude has a full article and a comment section with many opinions about Benedict 5s actual crimes and intentions.

Benjamin 5s mom Hannah Waterman is buried at Old Norwichtown Cemetery in Norwich, Connecticut. This family suffered. From 1738-1755 four of six children died of yellow fever. For some reason, maybe the death of four children, the dad Benedict 4 drank, a lot. By 1756 the life planned for great-grandson of the Govr Benedict 5, private schools then Yale, was dashed, the money was gone, the family somewhat scorned by their community because of the dad’s drinking. Hannah the mom died in 1759, the dad drank more and died soon after. Benedict 5 got an apprenticeship with his mom’s side of the family, then the rest is history.

Hannah’s grave has an anonymous admirer who decorates the grave about once each year, 2011 story here: An anonymous admirer has once again shown devotion to the mother of one of history’s most infamous figures with a gift of flowers and light.