Smith

John Smith and Marah Huntley b. 1660

/ Kirstin Miller

John Smith and Marah Huntley 8th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree.

Marah, or Mary, Huntley was born on December 3, 1660 in Lyme, Connecticut.- a new record shows Marah born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The date is definite- the place is not. She was the 4th child of John and Jane Huntley. Her dad John Huntley would sail to Barbados, where he traded fish for tobacco and cotton. A record shows he bought a pair of shoes and a shirt for his wife on one trip. He probably bought back gifts for his kids too.

John Smith was born November 20, 1655 in Massachusetts, to Richard and Joanna Quarlls Smith who were both from England, and married in Boston. John and his family moved to Lyme Connecticut soon after John’s birth. In Lyme, on October 26, 1685 John and Marah married. They had at least 10 kids and stayed in the Lyme, New London, Connecticut area.

Before they married, John Smith, his dad and Marah’s dad, both their grandads, and future in laws were part of the Lyme Riot of August 1671. New London and Lyme, Connecticut, towns next to each other, had a history of land disputes. In 1671 men from both towns fought over mowing the minister’s meadows. 30 men from New London wanted to mow, a group of men from Lyme set out to do the same, and the riot started. After a while leaders from both towns met and “drinking a dram together with som(e) seeming friendship, every man departed to his home”. The men were fined, the courts eventually covered the fines.

John Smith died in Lyme, Connecticut on October 11, 1736. Marah Huntley Smith died soon after.

Sources

Eleazer Arnold and Eleanor Smith b. 1651

/ Kirstin Miller

Eleazer Arnold and Eleanor Smith 9th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree

I could spend the rest of my living days gathering details about Eleazer Arnold, Eleanor Smith and their Providence, Rhode Island family. Eleazer was a man with money, descended from white English immigrants, he has so many records and references, primary documents showing his existence and character and community involvement in 1630s colonial America.

Eleazer Arnold was born on June 17, 1651 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts. His parents were Thomas and Phebe Parkhurst Arnold, they settled first in Massachusetts then by 1658 were in Providence, Rhode island. Both Thomas and Eleazer were admitted as freemen there on May 18, 1658. Eleazer’s dad was deputy of the colony, a member of the legislature and more. Eleazer was as involved his community. He was on the town council, was a deputy and a justice of the peace.

Eleanor Smith was born in 1655 in Providence. She died on August 29, 1722. Her parents were John and Elizabeth Smith of England. Eleanor and Eleazer married in 1672 or so. They had at least 10 children. They had a tavern or public house inside their house. “Arnold, a landowner with a wife and ten children, secured a license for a ‘Public House’. Tavern customers were probably served in the great room or hall of the house.”

Their home, built by Eleazer around 1693, is still standing and considered “the best of the “stone-enders” remaining in Rhode Island”. It’s an historical site, museum with tours and on Google maps at 487 Great Road, on highway 123 in [now] Lincoln, Rhode Island.

Eleazer Arnold house in 1952 Rhode Island History journal, PDF

Eleazer died August 29, 1722 he left a will, a large estate. Eleanor was not in this will so died before Eleazer. In the will were sons Joseph, John, Jeremiah, daughter in law Sarah [Hawkins], daughters Phebe Smith, Elizabeth [Israel] Smith, Eleanor Arnold, Mary Thomas, Abigail Man, some grandchildren and brother John. An inventory lists possessions.

Sources

Joseph Smith b. 1670

/ Kirstin Miller

Joseph Smith, 9th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree.

Joseph Smith was born in 1670 in Providence, Rhode Island. Joseph’s grandpa John Smith came to America from England around 1630 then connected with Roger Williams, both banished from Massachusetts for ‘diverse thoughts’, they founded Providence in 1636. Joseph’s dad John Smith Jr and his mom Sarah Whipple were the first generation of English immigrants born in Providence. Smith, Williams, Whipple, their descendants would stay there for years and years.

Joseph and his brother William were both weavers, their dad owned the mill in Providence. “The Records show that Joseph Smith, weaver, another son of the miller, was granted three acres of land near Wanskuck, in the right of his deceased father, in December, 1700.”


The early records of the town of Providence at HathiTrust

Joseph married Lydia Gardiner. Their marriage is recorded in the Early Records of Providence, “Vpon the 4th day of Aprill in ye yeare 1689 Joseph Smith (the weaver) and Liddea Gardiner, (after lawfull publication) were both joyned together in Marriage by Richard Arnold Assistant, both partyes belonging to Providence.” Theys stayed in Providence where they had 7 children. Lydia died in 1723, she was 53, Joseph died January 13, 1749 he was 79.

Sources

Israel Smith b. 1689

/ Kirstin Miller

Israel Smith, 8th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

Israel Smith was born on January 13, 1689. [Israel was a common name family in early America, a biblical name 300+ years before the country ‘Israel’ was created in 1948]. Israel’s mom is Lydia Gardiner, his dad is Joseph Smith. Israel is connected through marriage to the Angell, Arnold, Ballou, Gardiner, Hawkins, Olney, Smith, Tefft and Whipple families, they all arrived from England and lived in Providence, Rhode Island in from 1630 on.

Soon after his grandparents arrival in 1634, the migrant population in Rhode Island was 300, at Israel’s birth the population was 3000, at Israel’s children’s birth the pollution was 33,000, 50+ years before the American Revolution.

Israel was a landowner and farrmer, sometimes called a yeoman in early America. He married Elizabeth Arnold on June 3, 1718. Elizabeth was a widow, her 1st husband was William Hawkins. Elizabeth and Israel had 4 children along with Elizabeth’s 5 children from her first marriage.

1726 inventory snapshot

Israel died on January 20 1726, he was 37. He died in Providence, cause of death is unknown. He didn’t leave a will but left an inventory. Israel’s inventory included ‘bookes’, livestock, tools, seeds, a gun, a feather bed, blankets, linens, clothing, kitchenware, pewter platters, 10 and one half pounds of woolen yarns, thirty eight pounds of flax, spinning wools, furniture, tobacco and candlesticks.

Sources

Hannah Smith b. 1711

/ Kirstin Miller

Hannah Smith 7th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Hannah Smith was born on June 24, 1711 in Glastonbury Connecticut. Her parents were Gershom and Hannah Judd Smith. Hannah had one confirmed brother, Gershom Jr who died at age 14. There may have been other siblings, with no records to show this.

On September 24, 1729 in Glastonbury, Connecticut Hannah married Richard Risley. They had 11 children. There is a pubic shared photo of the youngest child, Richard O. Risley. Hannah and Richard’s children settled in Vermont, New York, most stayed in Connecticut, Benjamin went to Ohio.


Records of births, marriages and deaths 1680-1905 at FamilySearch

When Hannah died on December 2, 1785 she had more than 30 grandkids. She had a tragic death at age 74, “of a fall into ye fire”. Hannah and Richard share a gravestone and are both buried at Quarryville Cemetery in Bolton, CT. The cemetery is off the Boston Turnpike, next to the Bolton United Methodist Church, in the middle of Connecticut. In the same cemetery is Hannah’s daughter in law Sarah Smith Risley, wife of Benjamin. Sarah died in 1777 of ‘child bed fever’ at age 33. Sarah’s headstone is intricate and inscribed with: A mournful sight for to behold. Our dearest friends turned into mould. But when we do think of their? dust? Think it will be so with us.

Sources

  • The New England historical and genealogical register at Archive
  • The American genealogist database at American Ancestors
  • Find a grave memorial 4139815
  • Records of births, marriages and deaths 1680-1905 at FamilySearch
  • Quarryville Cemetery in Bolton, CT on Google maps

Gershom Smith b. 1679

/ Kirstin Miller

Gershom Smith 8th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

Gershom Smith was born on November 30, 1679 in Hartford, Connecticut. Gershom’s dad Johnathan came to America from England around 1640, his mom Margaret Bushnell was born in Salem, Massachusetts.


Connecticut marriages 1640-1939 at FamilySearch

Gershom married Hannah Judd: “Gershom Smith of Glastonbury and Hannah Judd the daughter of Benjamin Judd of Farmington was married on the 4 day of May announced Dom 1710.” They had 2 children, a son Gershom Jr who died young and a daughter Hannah who married and had a family. Gershom’s older brother Richard wrote a will in 1725, on Valentine’s Day, that named younger brother Gershom as executor (manager) of the estate. Richard never married, had no kids. Gershom died before Richard so Richard ’s estate went to court on 6 June, 1749. Gershom’s daughter Hannah had married Richard Risley who was named executor of his wife’s uncle’s estate.

Gershom died August 28, 1747 in Glastonbury. His widow Hannah went to live with daughter Hannah Smith Risley and her family. Gershom, with his son are buried at Green Cemetery in Glastonbury.

Sources

  • Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) at Ancestry
  • Connecticut marriages 1640-1939 at FamilySearch
  • Headstone photo at Find a grave memorial 194149478 “Added by Margery Bogus 16 Oct 2019”
  • The American genealogist database at American Ancestors.
  • A digest of the early Connecticut probate records volume 3 at HathiTrust
  • Find a grave memorials 203140948 and 16547820

Hannah Smith b. 1612

/ Kirstin Miller

Hannah Smith 9th great grandma on RootsMagic tree.

Hannah was baptized in Leicester, England on September 6, 1612. She probably sailed to America with her parents and then definitely married Edward Mellows by 1636. Then lived in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Hannah was a widow in 1650 and in 1651 she married Joseph Hill, they had children and lived in Boston and Malden, Massachusetts. In May of 1653 Peter Bulkeley, brother of Martha (Hannah’s mother in law from first marriage) helped Hannah with the estate of her Mellows children.
“[345.] Mr Joseph Hills, with the consent of Hanna, his wife, and Mr Peter Buckley [*345.]
Buckley, theire vnkell, offering a petition for the confirmation of the sale of a howse and certayne lands, sould by his wife in the time of her widdowhood, hath his request graunted ; as also power is hereby giuen and granted to the petitioner to make sale of such land as yet remaynes vnsould, by the consent and advice of Mr Buckley, pvided satisfaction be made to the children of Mr Mellowes according to what the land shalbe sould for about what it is prised in the inventory.”

Hannah was a widow again in April 1674 then she died a few months later on July 11 1674. “Deaths: Joseph Hills, Jr. April 19, 1674. Hannah wife of Joseph Hills July 11, 1674”

Hannah’s marriages connect her to both sides of my family tree. Hannah’s first husband was Edward Mellows, his mother Martha Bulkeley 11th great aunt. Hannah’s 2nd husband was Joseph Hills, their son Samuel Hill was 6th great grandfather of Elizabeth Speedy who married Stanley Roose.

Smith, Dean C, and Melinde L. Sanborn. The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton, 1878-1908. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996.

Jacobus, Donald Lines, 1887-1970. The Bulkeley Genealogy: Rev. Peter Bulkeley, New Haven, Conn: Tuttle, 1933.

Massachusetts. General Court. Records of the Governor And Company of the Massachusetts Bay In New England: Boston: W. White, printer to the commonwealth, 1853-54. http://tinyurl.com/y5rjyf86

Hannah and Joesph’s death dates. The Society. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 10. The Society, Boston 1856

Naomi Smith b. 1720

/ Kirstin Miller

Naomi Smith 7th great grandmother on RootsMagic tree.
Naomi was born October 28, 1720 in Providence, Rhode Island. Her parents Israel and Elizabeth Arnold Smith and ancestors lived in 1636 RI.  Naomi married Oliver Angell- his family also of 1636 RI. Naomi was a teacher, ‘She had the satisfaction of knowing that her boys and girls were all unusually intelligent.’ Page 9. Israel Angell Colonel of the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment at HathiTrust. She’s described as a ‘small alert woman with remarkably keen dark eyes’. Naomi and Oliver had seven children and this Angell family lived right through the American Revolution. Naomi’s son Israel was a Colonel, son Hope helped with the draft. Naomi would have been part of the Homespun Movement. Americans tired of taxes on English imports, began protesting these imports, this included cloth. So before and during the war women upped their spinning and weaving to produce clothing, bedding, textiles, yarns  for their communities and the troops. 

Naomi Smith Angell headstone at Hope Angell Lot

Naomi Smith Angell headstone at Hope Angell Lot, RI

Naomi and Oliver both died in 1799, same year as George Washington. Naomi and Oliver are buried in a cemetery known as Rhode Island Hist. Cemetery North Providence #8, the Hope Angell Lot, or the Oliver Angell Lot. The cemetery was originally on an Angell farm and is now in a residential area between two houses. Photo shows the location on Google Maps. GPS coordinates: 41.8733900, -71.4574900 

Angell Cemetery in Rhode Island

Hope Angell Lot,. North Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, USA

 

John Smith b. 1598

/ Kirstin Miller

John Smith 11th great grandfather on RootsMagic Tree

John Smith was born in England, around 1598. In England he married Alice her last name unknown. John was in Dorchester, Massachusetts by 1634 and by 1635 he was ordered to leave because ‘dyvers dangerous opinions’. At about the same time in Salem, Massachusetts Roger Williams had the same contrary views that didn’t align with the people in power. Roger had to return to England and maybe have a trial or meeting with superiors.

screenshot
The story is Roger escaped in the night in a canoe and with 4 others they made their way to a spot, connected peacefully with the native people and founded Providence, Rhode Island. The seal of Providence shows this event. In 1636 John and the others had built their homes and begun organizing. John was a miller and given a land to build a mill. He operated the mill agreeing that every 2nd and 5th day of the week the mill was reserved to grind corn for the town. John was a town clerk in 1641 so his name is on deeds and wills and laws passed. He probably died in 1648 and his will (not yet found) leaves the mill to his son and widow. The town council OKed this as long as Alice and John Jr provided good service, as John Sr. had, they did.

The history of the state of Rhode Island and Providence volume 1 page 144

Seal of the city of Providence Rhode Island at Wikipedia 

Records of the Governor and company of the Massachusetts Bay Volume 1 page 159 John Smith banished 2 Sep 1635

Marah Smith b. 1686, Isaac Tubbs b. 1675

/ Kirstin Miller

Marah Smith and Isaac Tubbs 7th great grandparents, on RootsMagic tree.

Marah Smith and Isaac Tubbs married in 1709 about 30 years after their fathers and grandfathers were on opposite sides of a 1670 Colonial riot. Marah Smith’s 2 grandfathers Richard Smith and John Huntley rioted on the Lyme side. Isaac Tubbs’s father and grandfather rioted on the New London side.

In Colonial Connecticut a 2 mile strip of land was part of ongoing land disputes. In May 1668 Lyme was incorporated, New London, Connecticut was already a town, when the Court made a judgement on the land: that it would be ’ministry land’ for the town ministers, one side for Lyme, the other for New London. Men from New London protested and accused their leaders of not truly representing the people. The 1668 Court ruling held, until August of 1671. 30 men from New London set out to mow the ministry land, they were met by a group of men from Lyme planning to mow their minister’s land, and the riot started. The Lyme constable put New London men in prison, the New London constable put Lyme men in the town prison. After a while leaders met and “drinking a dram together with som(e) seeming friendship, every man departed to his home” and decided to let the Courts again make a decision about the continuing land dispute. March 1672 the Court charged and fined men for rioting. From New London: Samuel Tubbs (father of Isaac Tubbs) and Isaac Wiley (grandfather of Isaac Tubbs). From Lyme: John Huntley and Richard Smith (grandfathers of Marah Smith). The court fined each town, but the Court eventually forgot about the fines or paid the fines and the disagreement just sort of died out.

The public records of the Colony of Connecticut volume 2 page 558 at HathiTrust