Seventhly, J give to my daughter. . . ground wh is my proper[ty], lying near to Henry Browne's in the . . . together with the other parcels J have bought of John W... last. Eighthly, my Will is, that Plaine shall have all . . cow & heifer & one yearling as also J give unto her the Ninthly, J give unto my Daughter Hanah Steere & her [husband] my ten acres of upland & my share of Meddow lying by the West Side, which said ten acres of upland joyneth to my son John Steeres ten acres [which J] formerly gave to him. Tenthly, J give unto my two Grandchildren Thomas & John Smith, my fify acres of Lands, not execeeding sixty, lying on both sides of Mooshawsick River & my share of Meddow lying on both sides of Wanasquatucket River, desiring that none of my neighbours would defraud the ffatherless. Eleventhly, J give to my daughter Plaine my share of Meddow at New-BeedTwelfthly, my Will is that John Steer shall have my five acres of land wch lyeth joyning to his fifteen, wch lyeth by Pawtucket River. Thirteenth, my will is, that the young horse Colt shal be my said wives, with the Mare. ffourteenth, J bequeath my Oxen to pay my Debt to Stephen Paine & other Debts if any do appear. ffifteenth, J give to my wife the pide Steere. Sixteenthly, J do give to John Steere my black Steere. Seventeenthly, My Will is that the said Oxen with the Debts, shal be at the ordering of John Steere, my wife, Gregory Dexter & my daughter Plaine. Eighteenthly, the half of the fruit on the other . . . of the trees J give to my daughter Plaine, as also the other halfe of my ground, seeing that Plaine will not use it, my Will is, that my Wife shal [have the use of] the other half for her life. Nineteenthly, the one half of my moveables [J bequeath] to my daughter Hanah Steere, & the other half to my daughter [Plaine except]ing one new piece of red Cotton wh J give to my said wife. Twentieth, my will is to avoyd any contention that may arise betwixt my two children. my moveables, that they make use of Gregory Dexter, Daniel Brown & John Hawkins to divid betwixt them. Twenty-one, J give to my two grandchildren William & Joseph Smith, my two other yearlings. Twenty-two, my Will is, that my Corne & Graine of all sorts, together with my Swine & provisions shal be my wives to dispose of, as She pleaseth. Thus not questioning but my wife & children will see my body decently put into the earth, by my former wife And desiring my friends Gregory Dexter, Daniel Brown & John Hawkins to be Overseers to see this my will to be pformed J cease from this world & yet hope for a better: Jn testimony whereof J set to my hand & Seale william wick endon The memorandum was wrote befor the Sealing, which is on the oth' wrote in the side Signed and Sealed in the presence of GREGORY Dexter SAMUEL BEWIT THE WHIPPLE ANCESTRY. CAPT. JOHN WHIPPLE, Sen., was an early settler of Dorchester, Mass. He was born in England about 1616 or 1617, and emigrated from that country as early as 1632. His employment was that of a carpenter, having learned his trade with Josiah Stoughton. October 5, 1632, he was ordered to give 3s. 4d. to his master, for wasteful expenditure of powder and shot. In 1637 he received a grant of land at Dorchester Neck (near what is now Neponset village), and in 1641 he and his wife united with the church in Dorchester. March 7 of that year he had his son John baptized. Seven more of his children were baptized at intervals between that date and September 28, 1656. In 1658 he sold his house and some forty or fifty acres of land to James Minot, and soon after removed with his family to Providence, where in July, 1659, he had land granted to him, and he was admitted an inhabitant. He had a grant of land in 1660, at Louisquisset. February 19, 1665, he had lot 45 in a division of lands. He owned allegiance to King Charles I. May 31, 1666, in company with his eldest son. He was a member of the Town Council in 1669.* As one of the influential citizens, Roger Williams addressed some letters to him, though in a strain of criticism upon his views. He was deputy in 1666, 1669, 1670, 1672, 1674, 1676, and 1677. He built a house on the east side of the river and of the "Towne Street" (now North Main Street), north of Star Street, between North Main and Benefit streets. In 1670 he had a license to keep an Ordinary. He not only worked at his trade, but was an innkeeper, which employment was considered in those days a highly respectable one. The public meetings of the Proprietors were held at his house, and the town paid him twenty shillings a year for the privilege. Though he was one of the chief land-holders of his day, his first house had only a lower room and a chamber above. "It was one of the *Staples's Annals of Providence, p. 664. ↑ Whipple Genealogy, p. 7. first that was rebuilt after Philip's War." * The old English settle took the place of chairs in his inn, and only three of the latter were mentioned in his inventory. His house was doubtless enlarged from time to time, as venerable citizens, now passed away, have given their recollections of the house of a later date as a large one having two stories, a large stone chimney at one end, and with steps leading up to it from North Main Street. It was standing as late as 1800. John Whipple was one of those who remained in the town through the Indian War of 1675-6. He had married, about 1640, Sarah —, born in Dorchester about 1624. Mrs. Sarah Whipple died in the year 1666, aged 42. Her husband died May 16, 1685, aged 68. His will was made May 8, 1685. He and his wife were first buried near his residence, but as this with other burial places were needed for public uses in the opening of Benefit Street, their remains were removed to the North Burial Ground, where their tombstones are to be seen. John whippor Children: I. JOHN, baptized November 7, 1641; m., 1st, December 4, 1663, Mary Olney; 2d, April 15, 1678, Rebecca Scott, widow of John Scott. He d. December 15, 1700. II. SARAH, baptized February 6, 1642; m. John Smith, 2d, the miller. He d. 1682. III. SAMUEL, baptized March 17, 1644; § m. Mary Harris, dau. of Thomas Harris. He lived in the "Whipple" or "Abbott House," probably built by Roger Mowry. He d. March 12, 1710, a. 67; she d. December 14, 1722, æ. 84. IV. ELEAZAR, baptized March 8, 1646; m., June 29, 1693, Alice Angell, dau. of Thomas Angell. V. MARY, baptized April 9, 1648; m., March 9, 1666, Epenetus Olney. He d. June 3, 1698. VII. WILLIAM, baptized May 16, 1652; m. Mary —. VIII. BENJAMIN, baptized May 16, 1652; m., April 1, 1686, Ruth Mathewson, dau. of James and Hannah (Field) Mathewson. He d. March 11, 1704. IX. DAVID, baptized September 28, 1656; m., November 11, 1677, Hannah Tower of Hingham, Mass. He d. December, 1710; she d. November, 1722. X. Joseph, b. 1662; m., May 20, Alice, dau. of Edward and Anphillis (Angell) Smith. She d. July 20, 1739. He d. April 28, 1746. He became one of the largest land-holders in the State, inheriting the greater part of his father's property.|| XI. JONATHAN, b. 1664; m., 1st, Margaret Angell, dau. of Thomas and Alice Angell; 2d, Anne She d. March 5, 1725; he d. September 8, 1721. * Dorr's Planting of Providence, p. 24. † Ibid., p. 28. Whipple Genealogy, p. 7. to be of a separate family from John, Sen., but this is an error. § The Whipple Genealogy represents this Samuel yer. He was the ancestor of John Whipple, the law He mar HON. JOHN WHIPPLE, eldest son of John, Sen., baptized in infancy, November 7, 1641, in Dorchester, Mass., came with his parents to Providence. ried, first, December 4, 1663, Mary, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Small) Olney, who died about 1676. He married, second, April 15, 1678, Rebecca Scott, widow of John Scott. Mr. Whipple was very active in town affairs and held various offices of trust. He was town treasurer in 1668, also in 1683; town clerk in 1670, 1671, 1672, 1678, and 1681; member of the Town Council in 1674, 1681, 1682, and 1687. He was a deputy in 1681, 1682, 1684, 1686, and 1690, and an assistant in 1677, 1678, and 1680. August 14, 1676, he was appointed one of the committee who disposed of the Indians taken captive in King Philip's War. He probably succeeded his father as keeper of a public house, as after his father's death he was, on the 14th of September, 1667, forbidden to sell any strong drink by retail till bond should be given. In 1688 he was taxed for the possession of two oxen, six cows, four young cattle, four horses, an old mare, and for various rights in land. He became blind in his later years, as appears from the old council records in the proceedings relating to his will. He died December 10, 1700, and his wife presented a will of his that disinherited his only son John, but it was proved that he had stated that “he could not help doing as he had done, for he was now blind and he must do as others would have him," and expressed his desire not to disinherit his son but to help him if he could. The will was set aside because of undue influence on the part of his second wife. JONATHAN WHIPPLE, son of John, Sen., was born in Providence about 1664. He married, first, Margaret, daughter of Thomas and Alice Angell. She died, and he married, second, Anne She died March 5, 172, having made her will July 11, 1723. Jonathan Whipple settled a little east of Woodville in North Providence, between the old Angell road and the Douglas turnpike. October, 1680, he brought in the head of a wolf " that he had killed not far of the town." In 1688 his ratable estate comprised two oxen, four cows, one steer, one mare and colt, four and a half acres planting, three acres mowing, twenty acres in woods. He bought land of James Dexter in 1701 which is described as lying about one and a half miles northeasterly from the salt water or town harbor, bounded on the south and west by the river called the West River, and on the north by his own lands, which was probably the tract given him by his father in his will. December 23, 1720, he signed a deed of gift to his son Jonathan, bestowing upon him sixty-five acres, a dwelling-house, and orchard. He made his will September 5, 1721, and died September 8. His two sons Jonathan and Thomas were named as the executors of his will, which was proved September 27, 1721. To the former he gave £5 and his cane, and to both of his sons his lands not yet disposed of and his wearing apparel. To his wife Anne he gave a third of the homestead and of his movable goods, while widow, etc. To his daughter Alice £20 and the privilege of living at home so long as she remained single. To Paratine White £5. To his grandson Jonathan Haman a gun. To all the children his silver money, and to his five daughters the rest of his movable estate. His inventory amounted to £221 3s. 7d. His wife's inventory amounted to £105 12s. 11d. Jonathan Whipple Children of Jonathan and Margaret Whipple: I. SARAH, M., Ist, May 3, 1709, Samuel Irons; 2d, October 8, 1722, John Warner. II. MARGARET, m., 1st, Joseph Burden; 2d, Peter Barnes. III. JONATHAN, b. February 22, 1691; m., October 24, 1717, Amy Thornton. IV. THOMAS, b. February 26, 1694; m. Naomi Dexter, dau. of John Dexter. JOHN WHIPPLE (3), son of John (2), grandson of John, Sen., was born October 2, 1664. He married, November 16, 1689, Lydia, daughter of Hezekiah Hoar of Taunton, Mass. She was born March 24, 1665. He inherited from his grandfather, Hon. Thomas Olney, the home lot of his father. A. Holbrook's Sketches. |