Roger Williams 1638 land deed

/ Kirstin Miller
screenshot.png

Rhode Island Roots volume 5 page 1 a snapshot of the referenced deed

In 1636 Boston courts decided  Roger Williams had to return to England. He was creating problems in the colony, accused of having diverse thoughts. Roger encouraged freedom of religion, ‘soul liberty’, a separation of church and state. He would ask the courts and churches to explain how stealing lands from the native Americans fit in with the beliefs of the new colony. As the colony prepared to export him, Roger Williams fled in the night. He headed down river to present day Providence, Rhode Island. With help from the Narragansett tribe he founded a colony based on his beliefs. March 24, 1638 the first land deeds were signed by the native people selling the lands and witnessed by Roger Williams and Benedict Arnold (Gov’r not American Revolution soldier).

Years later Roger’s son Daniel said, “Can you find such another now alive or in this age? He gave away his lands.” It is pretty amazing for those times and anytime: Roger owned all that land, legally and he thought, ethically purchased, but he didn’t keep the lands he shared them. He wanted the new Providence Plantation to succeed so he started deeding land to his friends and followers and they all started working on building a place built on Roger’s ideas.

Rhode Island Roots. Warwick, RI: Rhode Island Genealogical Society, 1975–. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2018.)

 

James Waters b. 1568

/ Kirstin Miller

James Waters 10th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

James was born in England around 1568, during the first Queen Elizabeth’s reign, his parents are unknown. He was an apprentice in the Ironmongers Company in 1592.  ‘Ironmonger’ was the word for a manufacturer of iron goods, today the word is still used in England for a hardware store worker or owner. Once James finished his ironmonger apprenticeship he married Phebe Manning.

An old illustration of the gate, c. 1650

James and Phebe were parents of at least 7 children. Those who didn’t survive to adulthood are buried in St Botolph without Aldgate Churchyard, in present day East End, London. James wrote his will in 1676 and requested that he be buried in the same cemetery “in or near the place where my children do lie buried”. The will divided his estate in to three parts, one for his wife, one for his son Richard, not the first born, but may be the only surviving son. The third part James divided between St Botolph church, the poor living in East Smithfield, and some friends: a cordwainer, a shoemaker, and a (black)smith.

James’s widow Phebe remarried and with her husband and son Richard sailed to America.

Sources

  • The gate around Aldgate was standing until the mid 1700s, history at Wikipedia. The illustration of the gate, c. 1650, Anonymous cartographer public domain,  University of Toronto Wenceslaus Hollar Digital Collection. Wikipedia
  • James’s will is in New England historical and genealogical register volume 51 page 406 at Archive.org, a digital book.

Richard Clemence b. 1659

/ Kirstin Miller

Richard Clemence 9th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree

Richard was born in Providence. He was a freeman in 1681. In 1682 his father deeded to him 60 acres of  upland, meadow, etc ‘not upon sudden motion but upon deliberate consideration’. 

Richard Clemence built a home in Rhode Island that is still standing and documented at Library of Congress. Richard married Sarah Smith daughter of John Smith the miller, all first settlers in Rhode Island with Roger Williams, etc.

screenshot.png

photo at Clemence Irons House, Historic New England, link below

Richard wrote his will January 2nd 1721. He died in October of 1723, the will was read December 9, 1723. In his will he lists his wife, children, grandchildren. He makes his son Thomas executor and asks that Thomas take care of Richard’s ancient mother, Thomas’s grandmother.

“Jtem I Give and bequeathe unto my aforesaid son Thomas Clemance all the Rest of my moveable Esstate of what sort soever after all my debts funarall Charges and other Expencesduely paid: what after Remaines I Give unto him his Heirs Executors administrators and assigns for Ever: and for him or them to take Care and provide all things essesary for my antiant mother : dureing the whole terme of her naturall Life”

An inventory follows: wearing apparel, silver and paper money, copper pennies; feather beds, flax, hemp and hay; a grindstone and a parcel of old carpenters tools.

Volume 16 page 292 -297 The early records of the town of Providence. Richard’s will

Page 48 in The genealogical dictionary of Rhode Island. Clemence, Thomas family timeline, details

Clemence Irons House and History

Good deeds

/ Kirstin Miller

Both my grandfathers, Stanley Roose and Faber Miller, show up (at least once) in the Greene, Iowa newspaper for their good deeds.

Stanley Roose: Good Neighbor Deed in Greene Recorder 1961 August 16, page 1of 10 column 3 midway.

A group of neighbors and friends gathered at the farm of Mr and Mrs William Kline on Friday afternoon and baled 1300 bales of hay. Town extra balers, wagons and tractors were provided to do the work. Those helping were Walt Wilkie, John Schwennen, Duane Miller, David Rotting, Myron Beguelin, Leonard Wiegman and son Gordon Cassman, Stan Roose, Galen Miller, Oscar Chaman and grandson, Dennis McWilliams, Gary McWilliams and Frances Beguelin. The neighbor ladies furnished lunch.

Faber Miller: Good Samaritan to Half Frozen Pheasant in Iowa Recorder 1942 Jan 7 page 1 column 5.
A half frozen hen pheasant picked up this morning by Faber Miller Greene rural mail carrier on his route was brought to the local post office this morning. The bird apparently recovered from the warmth of the postoffice, was given food and released again. Local sportsmen are asking all who can to leave a little grain or crumbs where they can be picked up by the hungry pheasants. The heavy snow prevents the birds from securing food as well as having normal shelter.

 

John Angell b. 1646

/ Kirstin Miller

John Angell 9th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

John was born in 1646 in Providence, Rhode Island. Ten years earlier the 1636 census recorded 25 families total living there. In 1667 John was 21, he swore allegiance to King Charles with other men, a common thing. A couple months later there’s an issue when he and 2 others are accused by a constable. John Angell, John Field (future brother in law) and Resolved Waterman (future in law) were walking back home after mowing a meadow when they’re charged with disturbing the peace and put in jail. The whole town thought John and the others were wrongly accused by an inept constable. Their case came to court “We pray this honrd Assembly to provide by Some order yt ye Kings Name and Authoritie be not so cheape and base, as to be made a stalking horse to Mens private Ends and passions Nor his Majties Subjects so oppressed in thejr persons and Liberties Yor humble srvants and petitioiners ye Towne of Providence, on our vsual quarter day in his Majties Name assembled July 27, 1667 So-Calld”.

In 1669 John married Ruth Field they stayed in Providence, John was a weaver and held different town offices. He was part of King Philips War serving under Captain Daniel Henchman and in Dedham, Massachusetts on July 7 1675 the soldiers put their war on hold to watch the lunar eclipse, the moon turning deep red, lasting about an hour.

In the Thomas Angell genealogy book, John Angell is described as a strong man, a great grandson tells this story, “My great grandfather, John, was said to be a man of enormous strength, having on one occasion nine bushels of pears on his old mare, and she would not carry them, he took them on his own back and carried them, which seems, incredible. He said he once attempted to carry four bushels of salt up stairs, but the stairs broke down and he was injured by the fall.”
May 30 1667 Alegance to his Majestye
Volume 3 page 102 The early records of the town of Providence

Oath of allegiance
Page 10, Oaths of allegiance in colonial New England, by Charles Evans

Be not so cheap and base as a smokescreen into men’s private affairs and liberties
Volume 15 page 115, The early records of the town of Providence

Volume 37 Page 65 The New England historical and genealogical register 1883 Volume 37

Lunar eclipse 1675

Page 13 Genealogy of the descendants of Thomas Angell

Rhode Island Indian Rock, Narragansett Pier, Detroit Photographic Co., c1900, photochrom, color Library of Congress

Joseph Jenckes b. 1628

/ Kirstin Miller

Joseph Jenckes 10th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

Joseph was born and baptized October 1628 in England. In his 20s, by 1650 he was working at his dad Joseph Sr’s iron forge in the new colony of Lynn, Massachusetts. In 1660 Joseph is tried for treason after he said he wanted to turn King Charles’s head in to a football. He said this probably in a tavern, drinking, after work with friends, was overheard and turned in to the courts. There was some kind of trial, Joseph was jailed, then he wrote a long letter to the court, he was released and the charges were dropped.

In 1663 Joseph lived through the earthquakes in Lynn. The first one was January 27, “chimneys fell, people were forced to seize upon supports to prevent falling. On the evening of the fifth of the next month another earthquake; in some places doors opened and shut, walls split, bells rang, and floors fell. Between that time and July, thirty shocks took place, the earth seemed to undulate, as if upon stupendous waves, rolling from the northwest. In some instances ponds were dried up, the courses of streams changed, trees torn up, and hills riven”.

March of 1669 Joseph had left Lynn for Pawtuxet, Rhode Island. He built and ran a sawmill and iron forge. He and his family were some of the first settlers and Joseph held different town, civil positions.

In 1689, with the governor of Rhode Island and others, Joseph signed the ‘Petition from the Governor and Council of Rhode Island, to their Majesties William and Mary, of England’ congratulating the new King and Queen of England and the colonies. “Most dread Sovereign : We your Majesties’ most humble subjects and supplicants of your Collony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, having received the joyful tidings of both your Majesties’ safe arrival in England, after your so great and hazardous undertaking, for the good of the nation, to relieve them from Popery and arbitrary power; as also Concerning your accessions to the Crown”.
Annals of Lynn 1660 page 251: tried for treason

On Wikipedia with sources: Joseph Jenckes, Jr.

Annals of Lynn 1663 page 252: earthquakes

1663 Charlevoix earthquake

Records of the colony of Rhode Island and Providence plantations
Volume 3 page 258: a letter to  William and Mary

Thomas Judd b. 1608

/ Kirstin Miller

Thomas Judd 10th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

judd, thomas landThomas Judd was born in England, about 1608. He landed in Cambridge, Massachusetts Bay in 1634. In Cambridge he was admitted to the church and made a freeman in May of 1636. Thomas left Cambridge for Connecticut, first Hartford, probably with Puritan minister Thomas Hooker. Both Hooker and Thomas Judd were landowners on a map of Hartford in the 1640s, these were original settlers. The map was “prepared from the original records by vote of the town” and created in the 1800s. Thomas Judd is in the bottom left corner No. 154. Other Miller ancestor landowners on this map in this same area in 1640 are Jeremy Adams, Thomas Bliss and Richard Risley.

UCONN libraries provides a digital copy of this map and details.
A list of the landowners ‘freeholders’ here
More details on the map here.

Thomas left Hartford for Farmington where he held lots of town service positions including, in August of 1658, “to communicate the mind of the court to the Indians”. The church records of Farmington, Connecticut name Thomas as the second Deacon of the church. “The number of such as are in full communion in the church in Farmington March 1 1679/80. Deacon Judd. Benjamin Judd and his wife. John Judd and his wife. William Judd and his wife”. Finally Thomas moved to Northampton, Massachusetts where he is buried and has a headstone credited to a descendant: Sylvester Judd of 1858.

Thomas didn’t leave a will at his death but there is a probate record, 15 pages, handwritten mostly land deeds and an inventory.

judd, thaoms estateThis page from the will lists the children and their inheritance, Benjamin Judd 4th on the list is the Miller ancestor through Mary Ella Gaines, grandma of Faber Miller who married Gladys Cable.

Sources

Anna Roos b. 1854

/ Kirstin Miller

Anna Roos, 3rd great aunt on RootsMagic tree

Anna Christina was the 2nd child of Garbrand and Catharina Renistra Roos, born in 1854 probably in the Netherlands, near north western Germany where her parents were married. In 1862 the Roos family sailed to New York on the Adler, Anna was 9 years old. Her family lived in Ogle County, Illinois until she was about 18. roos, anna and devries marraigeThen by 1872 the family lived in Grundy County, Iowa. In Grundy County on May 2, 1880 Anna married Ippe Devries whose family came to America from Germany in 1866 when Ippe was 15. Anna and Ippe started a family (at least 7 kids) and farmed. They’re on the census in Butler County in 1880 and 1900. On the 1910 census, the family was in Seneca, Illinois and owned a dairy farm. The older sons were farm hands, the oldest daughter a trained nurse.

roos, j devries, i landBy August 1912 they were back in Iowa and featured in the Butler County Tribune and Aplington newspapers along with Anna’s brother John. “Allison: John Roos one of the wealthiest land owners of Jefferson township has sold out his land holding in Nobles County, Minnesota and has bought the Ippe De Vries quarter in section 26 of Bennezette township. John says Iowa land is good enough for him”. Anna lived to age 88, Ippe to age 86, both are buried in Pleasant View Cemetery in Aplington, Iowa.

Sources:

The Aplington News, 1912 Aug 29 page 1 column 6 top John Roos selling his Nobles, Minnesota land

Iowa, County Marriages 1838-1934 database, Roos, Anna and Ippe Devries 1880 marriage with license, return and marriage date of May 2, right side 3rd from bottom

1880, 1900, 1910 US census at FamilySearch.org

Find a Grave memorial 

Amphyllis Angell b. 1636

/ Kirstin Miller

Amphyllis Angell 10th great aunt, on RootsMagic tree

Amphyllis was the daughter of Thomas Angell, an original pioneer of Rhode Island. She was born about 1636, lived through the beginnings of her country and when she died in 1694 the American Revolution was still 80 years in the future. Amphyllis married Edward Smith on May 9, 1663. Twice Edward and she were in the Early records of Providence with an ‘intention’ of marriage.

In 1687 Providence, Rhode Island, the townspeople were summoned. Anyone over the age of 16 had to supply a list of their real and personal estate, their possessions. A tax rate was set up, it was the Majesty’s Rate for King James II. Edward Smith, Amphyllis Angell’s husband was chosen as Commissioner for “ye mannageing ye bissnesse of his Majesties Rate. All which persons & Estates, are by ye sd Com. & ye sd Select men, to be assesed & rated as followeth vizt Every person aforesd, One shill & Eight pence by the head, & all Estates reall & personall att one penny for every twenty shill”.

The early records of the town of Providence pages 98-103 shows a list of persons taxed, male and female, anyone with an estate. This list of taxpayers in 1687 Providence contains Speedy ancestors: Angell, Arnold, Ashton, Olney, Williams; and a probable Miller ancestor: Johnathan Sprague. This tax or Majesty’s Rate lasted about 1 year and ended in 1688 when King James II lost the throne.

Amphyllis and Edward had at least 4 children, probably more. Edward Smith died without a will in 1693. Amphyllis and son Edward Jr presented Edward’s inventory to the council and asked to be administrators. Amphyllis died about 1 year after her husband.

Sources

  • Early records of Providence volume 17 page 93. September 1687 taxes
    https://is.gd/y2Q6B5
  • Early records of Providence volume 3 page 32 and 35. Edward and Amphyllis’s marriages intentions
    https://is.gd/KJfSQX