The New Comer's Stories

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The Newcomer's Stories

Thomas Allin and Anna Barnes

Thomas Allin was born on Prudence Island, Rhode Island in January of 1668.He was the second son of William and Elizabeth Allin. His mother's maiden name is not known. Thomas grew up on the island on the large farm of his parents. When Thomas was 12 yea rs old, his father moved their entire home across the

icecovered Narragansett Bay to Barrington. This must have been an exciting adventure for young Tom. If nothing else, his father taught him to be daring and adventurous. Thomas' father William died in 1685 and left the homestead to Thomas. He carried on the duties of gentleman farmer and overseer of the large land holdings of his father.

At the age of 26, Thomas married Anna Barnes. Their marriage took place on September 24, 1694.The young couple settled in Barrington and had six children, Thomas, Elizabeth, Matthew, Anna, Rebecca, Alethea and Abigail. These children were born between 1695-1709.

Thomas became ill and wrote his will on August 10, 1719. He died on August 11, 1719 in Barrington . His will dated September 7,1719 included the following:

His wife Anna and son Matthew were to be executors of his will. He left to Anna, a third of his real and personal estate in Swanzey. To daughters Elizabeth and Anna, £80 each, they having £20 already. To daughters Rebecca, Alethea and Abigail, £100 each at age 18. To sons Matthew and Thomas, all estate equally, both land, housing and movables, providing that daughter Elizabeth Hill and other four daughters named Allin be paid their parts, etc.

His inventory showed a total of £97.19 shillings including wearing apparel, £23 money and paper bills, £52.7 shillings, books, £ 2, arms and ammunition, £ 2, riding beasts £8, 4 feather beds, 2 flock beds, 2 paid cards, weaving loom, 2 woolen sheets, 2 linen sheets, pair of worsted combs, 3 Negro slaves and an Indian maid servant, £164, a mare, a colt, 3 oxen, 12 cows, 3 heifers, 6 steers, a bull, 5 young cattle , 5 calves, 150 sheep and lambs, 17 swine.

The real estate amounted to £1,800. He left a considerable inheritance to his children.

Samuel Barnes and Jean

Samuel was the son of Thomas and Prudence Albee Barnes. He was born on March 17,1685 in Swansea, MA. His sister was Anna Barnes who married Thomas Allin on the Cole side of our family.

Samuel's first wife was Joanna Reynolds. Joanne died before 1706. It was that year that he married Jean whose surname is not known. They married on November 28,1706 in Swansea. Jean was the mother of Keziah Barnes.

The records of the Barrington Church mention member Jane/Jean Barnes on Mar 6, 1737 - "Jane Barnes, "her husband is a ridged Antinomian Baptist." The date of Jean's death is not known. It was after 1737. Jean and her daughter Keziah became members of the Barrington Church.

In his later life he was again a widower, and he married for a third time. His wife was Rebecca, whose last name is not known.

At the time of his death, he was a resident of Warren, RI and a yeoman. His will dated February 23, 1764, filed in Barrington, RI, mentions his wife Rebecca who "will carry forth the contract made between us."

He mentioned son Thomas Barnes, daughters Hannah Brown, dec'd, late wife of Hezekiah Brown, Keziah Peck, wife of Solomon Peck, and Annie Hunt.

He left an inheritance to his late daughter's children, and to his great grandchildren.

Samuel died after 1764.

Robert Millard and Charity Thurber

Robert,son of Robert Millard, the tanner, was born in Rehoboth, MA on June 12, 1666. He too, was a tanner, and part owner of a sawmill.

Robert married Charity Thurber,daughter of John and Priscilla Thurber, on February 12,1689. Their home was on the Rocky River in the southeast section of Rehoboth. On July 11,1702, he sold nine acres “given me by my honored father Robert Millard, deceased”, to Thomas Bowen of Swansea. This land was bounded by land given to his brother Nathaniel Millard.

Robert died at the early age of forty-three, leaving his wife and nine children, the youngest being only three years old.

His will was written on May 4,1709,and proved on September 11, 1709. He bequeathed to his wife Charity the west end of the dwelling house and one-half the land lying on the west side of Rocky River in Rehoboth, also one-half the salt marsh in Swansea during her widowhood, all moveable estate withindoors and without and “my part of a sawmill in Swansea for bringing up my children”; to son John, the other half of the land on the west side of Rocky River and the east end of the dwelling house,“also the other part of the house and land after my wife's decease or marriage”, one fourth of the salt marsh in Swansea and the land of Manwhague (in southeast Rehoboth); to son Samuel “when he comes of age” all the other part of my homestead lying on the east side of Rocky River, together with one-fourth of the salt meadow and of the land at Manwhague; to two sons Robert and Benjamin “when they come of age” all the rest of my lands and meadow dividends and individed lying in Rehoboth and Attleboro: to four daughters, Charity, Rachel, Patience and Mary, ten pounds each at eighteen years or marriage. “ His wife Charity was appointed executrix. Inventory was taken on August 22, 1709, filed by the executrix on September 7, 1709. It totaled £573.16.09 (Bristol County MA Probates Vol. 2, page 265/266. Even though the children were quite young when Robert died, there was no guardianships on file in the court in connection with the estate.

Charity married January 31, 1711, John Wood. She was his second wife.

Robert and Charity are buried in Kickemuit Cemetery in Warren, Rhode Island. His gravestone reads “died 17 Aug. 1710, age 43 years”

Charity (Thurber) Millard is buried in the Kickemuit Cemetery in Warren, Rhode Island. Her gravestone reads:

"In Memory of Charity, formerly ye Wife of Robert Millerd* later of John Wood, died August ye 27th 1741 In ye 78th year of her age"

Rev. Thomas Greenwood and Elizabeth Wiswall

Reverend Thomas Greenwood, eldest child of Thomas and Hannah (Ward) Greenwood of Newton, Massachusetts was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts on January 22,1671. Thomas graduated from Harvard with a BA degree in 1690, and was ordained in October of 1693 at the First Congregational Church of Rehoboth,MA, now Newman Congregation Church in Rumford, Rhode Island.

Rev. Greenwood married Elizabeth Wiswall on December 28, 1693 in Weymouth, and brought his new bride to the Rehoboth Church the following Tuesday. The town agreed to give him £95 current silver money of New England, toward his settlement, and for his comfortable subsistance, the contribution of strangers and £70 yearly, "to be paid to him one third in silver money and the other two-thirds in beef, pork and all sorts of merchantable corn, rye, butter, cheese and merchantable boards at the current price set upon by the selectmen of the town, " and the use of the pastor's and teacher's lands so long as he shall continue in the work of the ministry in Rehoboth.Judge Samuel Sewell in his diary makes frequent mention of Rev. Thomas Greenwood of Rehoboth, whom he visited on his official rounds. On Friday,September 30, 1709, he found Mr. Greenwood "dangerously ill of a malignant fever. At parting , Mrs. Greenwood, with tears, desired prayers for her husband and that word be left with Caleb Stedman at Roxbury, to acquaint her husband's bro., John, at Newtown."During the early years of Thomas Greenwoods's ministry it should be noted that the General Court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay saw fit to restrict the native Indians to certain tracts of land by legislative act. This was quite different from the townspeople's treatment in 1664 of their neighbor, Sam, the Indian, who was made a citizen, or at least an equal, by vote of the town. Just prior to the turn of the century.

In the year 1700, Thomas Greenwood was appointed as schoolmaster to serve as teacher at the handsome sum of thirty pounds silver money for the year. The school was supported by the Town of Rehoboth and the pattern of connection between the ministry and teaching of children was continued.

Rev. Thomas Greenwood made this entry on one of the parish registers at Rehoboth, Mass.:

"My hon'rd father Dyed (Friday) Sept. 1st, 1693, In ye evening."

Two books of exceeding interest are in the hands of Francis A.Thayer, 38 Park Row, New York City. Both are of old print and have come down from the sons of Thomas Greenwood to the present generation. One of these books is entitled , "Commentaries on the Lamentations of Jeremiah," London, 1602, in which is written the autograph avowedly of "Rev. Thomas Greenwood, his book, 1714." and under "John Greenwood , 1720" and on another fly leaf -- "Jno Greenwood's ex Doro patris" without date. The autographs are in a handsome hand. There is also written: "Noah Greenwood, 1786." Another book, "The Sermons of Christian Religion Delivered by Zacharias," has written on the fly leaf: "Abiah Carpenter, his book the 25th April 1659." "Jno Greenwood, his book, bought of Capt. Butterworth, Jan'y 8, 1724." (Same fine hand as the other book.) "Oliver Greenwood, his book, January 1783." (In an uncultured hand.) June 11, 1700

From the "Early Rehoboth":

Lying embedded in the grass in the minister's monument lot is the blue slate top of the tomb of "ye Rev'd Mr. Thomas Greenwood Late Pastor of the Church of Christ in Rehoboth , died 8 Sept. 1720."

Beside this is a light-colored sandstone tomb top inscribed to the memory of his son "Rev'd John Greenwood who after continuing a Faithful Pastor of the Church of Christ in Rehoboth 46 years departed this life Dec'r 1st 1766 in the 7 0th Year of his Age."

Nathaniel Holmes and Sarah Thaxter

Nathaniel Holmes, son of Joseph and grandson of George was born in Dorchester, MA on June 21, 1664. It is recorded in the Dorchester Church Records, on page 173, that “Nathaniell ye Sonne of Joseph Homes baptized ye 10 (5) 64 being a fortnight old or better ye wife being a member.”

Nathaniel was married by Rev. John Norton to Sarah Thaxter on October 1, 1691, in Boston. She was born in Hingham on September 26, 1671, the daughter of Captain John and Elizabeth (Jacob) Thaxter.

In 1691, Nathaniel passed his right to lands in Woodstock, Connecticut to Roger Adams. On June30, 1692, Sarah Holmes, “now the marryed wife of Nathaniel Holmes of Boston, Joyner, “for £54 sold her share in land in Hingham inherited from her father, Captain John Thaxter, to her brother Samuel.

Witnesses, Nathaniel, Rely and Sarah Holmes (Suffolk Deeds, Vol. 16, page 188)

Nathaniel was interested in military affairs, and was lieutenant in 1795, and afterwards captain, in 1709, of a local company. In 1693, he joined the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, being elected first sergeant in 1695. On November 10, 1702 “Resolved that the Sum of fifty Pounds be allowed and Paid out of the Publick Treasury to the Lieutenant of the Castle for the year currant. And Thirty Pounds to Mr. Nathaniel Holmes the present Lieutant of the Castle. He Instructing in the Art of Gunnery Such as Shall be Appointed to learn the Same.” (MA Archives, Vol. 70, page 162)

On May 5, 1703, William Tilley sold to Nathaniel Holmes, for £35 10s ., “One Full Eighth” part of land eighty-two feet square, “with a Wind Mill Erected thereon,” on the “South East corner of Fort Hill,”also “One Full Eighth part of the Necessarys Utensils Tools Convenienceys ways Paths Priviledges Apparel Furniture perquisites and appurces whatsoever.” (Suffolk County Deeds, Vol. 26, page 8)

On April 17, 1711, this was sold back to Tilley, the wife Sarah acting as attorney of Nathaniel, he being away for his health in the West Indies. He had previously given power of attorney to his wife Sarah, recorded in Middlesex County Deeds, Vol. 15, page 115.

On November 16, 1704, the Provincial Council, after arguing for four years, came to a settlement over salaries of the soldiers for 1700. The following paragraph is taken from the MA Archives, Vol. 48, page 367. It also appears in Provincial Laws, Vol VIII, page 380. “Council established salary of various officers, and among those named ye Captain of ye Castle for ye year & Nathaniell Holms the then Lieu' who was ye post in 1700.” Nathaniel served again in the early part of 1703.

January 28, 1705 - Liberty was granted to L' Nathl Holmes to burn brick and Lime for the Space of one year next ensuing on his Land Scituate between the Land Richd Paine & the Land formerly Nicholas Baxter over against the land of Joseph Allen at the South End of Boston.” (Boston Selectmen's Records)

This land he bought of his father Joseph on May 1, 1690, for “ £150 in Silver money,” with dwelling and barn. Evidently this was not land enough for his use, for he bought “the land of Joseph Allen,” three-quarters of an acre for £151.”

In 1706 he served as “Tyhinge Man” for Boston.

March 5, 1707. - In the expedition to Nova Scotia and Acadia against the French, Captain Nathaniel was appointed “to view and approve all gunpowder to be sent on the present expedition that it be good and fit for the service.” One hundred barrels was the quantity taken at £12 pr barrel.

The expedition departed the 12th of May for Port Royal, and Nathaniel was captain of one of the company of grenadiers. (Province Laws, Volume VIII, page 690) About the close of the trouble, Captain Holmes was “sick and unserviceable” and the bills of his medicine and attendence were paid by the Province, November 5, 1707. (MA Archives, Volume 71, page 451) This expedition no doubt laid the foundation to a decline, for he was never well afterwards, and he went to the West Indies for an extended stay. In reading the reports one can see that he was harassed by both his superiors and his men. He was responsible for a great deal, yet did not hold high enough commission to carry authority. He allowed his soldiers clothing to the amount of £38, paying for the same from his own pocket, which the soldiers were to pay out of their wages, but as they did not receive their wages, of course, Captain Holmes was

out that much. He petitioned the Council that he be re-imbursed from the public treasury. On July 3, 1708, the Council voted to allow £17. 10s 94, which was a trifle more than half.

August 4, 1708, Nathaniel Holmes sold for £350 to Henry Hill a parcel of land bounded by Summer, South and Essex Streets, which he had “purchased of Joseph Alline,” called the “Southerly end of Boston” in the deed.... “together with all houses, barns, stables, outhouses, fframes ediffices buildings easements wells waters fruit trees and fences thereupon standing rights members hereditaments wasys water courses common of pasture feeding wharffage Dockage profits privilidges and appurces whatsoever.”

After selling his place at the south end he bought of Timothy Cutler, anchorsmith, Charlestown, a piece of marshland of “seavon” acres for £66, called “Dirty Marsh,” now part of the site of the US Navy Yard. He must have owned other parcels of land in the vicinityk, for December 30, 1709, “Sarah, wife and Attorney of Captain Nathaniel Holmes of Boston, but at p'sent on a Voyage at Sea,” for £30, sells to Paul Dudley land in Charlestown near “Dirty Marsh.” Witnesses, Deborah Cushing and Thomas Cushing (her relatives) January 9, 1710, she sold to John Eliot of Windsor, CT, for £50 the “Dirty Marsh” lot. He had two years to pay for it. (Middlesex Deeds, Volume XV)

Nathaniel died died in Boston on July 11, 1711, just after returning from a voyage for his health. At his funeral, it was recorded in Sewall's Diary, Volume II, page 319, “Captain Nathaniel Holmes is buried: Bearers, Captain Fayerweather (John Fayerweather who was captain of the Castle at the time) , Captain Williams, Mr. Tay, Darby, Mr. Gallop Merchant, Tilley. (Probably his former partner in the windmill on Fort Hill). I and Mr. Deringe went together first; then Mr. Pemberton went with me. None of the Council there, but I. But a very few days are pass'd since he came from the Lee-ward Islands.” There are no probate records of his estate.

His wife, Sarah Thaxter Holmes remarried on March 18, 1714. She married Judge John Cushing of Hingham and Scituate, as his second wife. Honorable John Cushing was the son of Daniel and Elizabeth Thaxter Cushing. His first wife was Deborah Loring, who was the mother of his first nine children. By his second wife Sarah Thaxter Holmes Cushing, he had two children, Josiah, born on January 29, 1715 and Mary, born on October 24, 1716.

Edward Smith and Amphillis Angell

Edward Smith, husbandman, was born April 3, 1636 in Providence, Rhode Island. He was the son of Christopher and Alice Smith. On May 9, 1663, he married Amphillis Angell , the daughter of Thomas Angell and Alice Ashton of Providence. Amphillis was born in Providence on May 9, 1641. Her father was one of the founding fathers of Rhode Island along with Rev. Roger Williams. Edward and Amphillis raised a family of five sons and three daughters. Their daughter Rachel was our ancestor. Among his many roles he served as hayward for Providence in 1656 and Town Sergeant in 1661. On February 19, 1665, Edward drew lot #22 in Providence. He paid a tax of 6shilling3d on July 1, 1679 and 7shilling on Sept. 1, 1682. In 1688, Edward owned five cows, four yearlings, two oxen and two horses. His land holdings amounted to 200 acres in five parcels in 1688. On October 3, 1681 he sold the right of commoning five pounds to Eleazar Whipple "which did in the original belong to my father Christopher Smith, now deceased." Edward became a freeman on May 13, 1658. He was made a Sergeant in 1662 in the militia. From 1665-83 Edward served as deputy to the General Court. He served on the Providence Town Council as a deputy for seven years. He was Assistant Governor of the colony in 1691. His will was written on September 8, 1693 and probated on September 18, 1694. His inventory was taken and is listed. He is listed in the DAR records.

Robert Fish and Mary Hall

Robert Fish, youngest son of Thomas Fish, was born in Portsmouth, Rhode Island in 1665. His father owned a great deal of land there, and Robert grew up clearing the land, growing crops, tending orchards, raising livestock, probably sheep, shearing them and learning the trade of a blacksmith. Several of his descendants were also blacksmiths, a trade of great importance in the early days of the colony. Some towns offered free land to men who were blacksmiths.

Robert early on became prominent in the affairs of the Colony, and he held many government positions.

In April of 1681, at the age of eighteen, he was appointed town constable.

By the age of twenty-one, he was a land owner in his own right. He and his brother Daniel were made freemen of the town on May 4, 1686. They had also become a members of the Quaker church.

That same year, on September 16, he married the eighteen year old daughter of a neighbor. Her name was Mary Hall. George Lawton, Justice of the Peace married them.

There was always plenty of work to keep them busy, Mary spinning the wool from Robert's sheep, keeping house, and raising a large family.

Each livestock owner used a particular ear mark on their cattle to distinguish ownership. Robert Fish used a crop on the right ear and a half penny above the same and a flower deuce on the left ear. This mark was recorded on July 10, 1687 by John Anthony, Town Clerk.

At the April Town Meeting in 1691, he was again chosen Constable. On June 17, 1694 he was chosen as a juryman. He served on the jury until 1699. He was re-appointed in 1707 and served until 1715. On September 25,1695, at a meeting of all the free inhabitants of the town of Portsmouth, it was voted and agreed upon that there should be a pound built near Robert Fish's shop of two rod squares to be built with good posts and oak plank six foot high.

At a meeting held on March 21, 1697, Robert Fish was chosen pound keeper. He retained this position from 1705 - 1709

At a meeting held on May 3, 1698, he was appointed from Portsmouth as a Deputy to the Governor at the General Assembly meeting at Newport.

He served his town as a juryman from 1694-1699, and again f rom 1707-1715, and as the Pound Keeper from 1705-1709. Thomas joined the Colonial Militia where he earned the rank of Lieutenant.

Mary and Robert were blessed with a large family. They did lose two sons before 1728, Isaac and Zuriel. Both died before the age of thirty.

Their eldest son Robert was appointed to the Coronor's Jury at the age of 22 on December 29, 1712 to view the body of Richard Tripp who died by drowning.

Robert Fish died in Portsmouth, RI. At the time of his death in 1730 he was serving as a Lieutenant in the Colonial Militia. He is listed in the Veterans of the Colonial Wars

His coat of arms may be found in the Tercentenary of New England Families.

Robert's will was dated December 12, 1728 and was proved in 1730 . His sons Daniel and David were names as his Executors.

He named two of his sons as Co-Executors. They were his tw o youngest sons, Daniel and David.

To son Robert, 5 shillings

To son William, land in Tiverton, Rhode Island which remained in the Fish family until 1930

To daughter Mary Dexter £10

To daughter, Alice Peck, our ancestor, £30, andirons and a Negro woman Rose at the death of both of Alice's parent s.

To wife Mary, the use of the south end of the house, garden , half the orchard while a widow, and keep of a cow, horse , swine, geese, fowls, etc. with a supply of firewood yearl y, also, beef, pork and Indian corn [viz: one hundred pounds each of beef and ten bushels of corn yearly.) To her as a free gift, a horse, a cow and household stuff.

To son Daniel the Negro boy Jo.

To son David, the Negro boy Tony, together with all the rest of my smith-working tools, watchhouse, orchard, etc. and at the death of their mother they have full paying legacies.

To son Jonathan, land in Portsmouth. He directs that his burial place be fenced about and cared for and used "for my dear relatives."

Mary, his widow,died June 8, 1735.

The will of the widow Mary was dated April 28, 1735 and proved June 11, 1735. The sons Daniel and David were again named Executors of the will.

To son Robert, the great Bible, a case of bottles and one half of the old pewter plates with a little table.

To daughter Mary Dexter, a dozen pewter plates, the great looking glass, and half the wearing apparel, etc.

To son William, a cow, a silver cup, the red chest, etc.

To son Jonathan, a mare, the brown chest, the great chair and the biggest tankard.

To daughter Alice Peck, our ancestor, a bed chest, pewter platters, spice mortar, little trundle bed, and half the

wearing apparel, etc.

To son Daniel, the great chest commonly called "Father's chest", a silver spoon, the great cupboard and desk that was my father's, the silver spoon with my name at large there on, and the woolen spinning wheel

To granddaughter Mary, daughter of my son William, a pair of iron dogs, frying pan, box iron and heater, etc.

To two daughters the rest of the estate equally, except for Negro woman's bed and bedding.

Total Inventory £160. 3 shillings.