Waterman TIBBETTS

Notes:

Waterman Tibbitts and his wife Mercy Waterman were first cousins, both descendents of Roger Williams through his daughter Mercy, who married Resolved Waterman, whose son John Waterman married Anne Olney. Waterman's mother -- Phebe, and Mercy's father -- John, were siblings, children of John and Anne.

Waterman & Mercy joined the Six-Principle Baptist Church of East Greenwich together on 16 October 1783. According to author Cherry Fletcher Bamberg, this was 20 years after he contributed money to repair the meetinghouse, and 18 years after being married by Elder Gorton. At 12 o'clock on Christmas Day 1783, there was a church meeting held at "Brother Waterman Tibbitts." Other church meetings were noted as taking place there, also. Later, on 31 April 1787, they were given letters of recommendation to Elder Thomas Manchester's church in Coventry on 31 April 1787. Waterman became clerk of this assembly, the Maple Root Baptist Church, in 1790.

According to Bamberg's notes in the book "Elder John Gorton and the Six-Principle Baptist Church of East Greenwich, Rhode Island," he was born 13 April 1741 in Warwick, RI, by his own sworn testimony. He was a lifelong resident of Warwick. His Revolutionary War service consisted of short enlistments in various alarm companies spanning two years. Town records at Warwick in 1779 listed for Waterman Tibbetts: 93 acres of land used for hay, corn, apples, wood, pasteurage, a house, barn, cider house, corn crib, and a variety of farm animals. The 1798 Direct Tax recorded a two-story home, 40' x 24', on two acres about two miles from Apponaug. The family burial plot was originally located up on the hill where Tollgate High School is now, so I imagine his farm was in that area, probably bordering Bald Hill Road.

Waterman married Mercy WATERMAN 13 Dec 1764, Warwick, RI. Mercy (daughter of John WATERMAN and Mercy STAFFORD) was born 31 Dec 1742, Warwick, RI; died 10 May 1824; was buried , Brayton Cemetery, Apponaug, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Waterman & Mercy were married by Elder John Gorton of the Six Principle Baptist Church, where they also were members.

1. Charles TIBBETTS was born 25 Jan 1766, Warwick, Kent Co., RI; died 2 Oct 1812, Warwick, Kent Co., RI; was buried , Brayton Cemetery, Apponaug, RI.
2. John Waterman Tibbetts was born 2 Jan 1769; died 8 Jan 1838.
3. Henry Tibbetts was born 11 Jan 1771; died Bef 1832.
4. Lafayette Tibbetts was born Abt 1775.
5. Daniel Tibbetts was born 1777; died 1804.
6. Benjamin Tibbetts, Hon. was born 16 Nov 1780, Warwick, RI; died 8 May 1864, Warwick, RI; was buried , Brayton Cemetery, Apponaug, RI.

Notes:

Henry's will at Warwick was dated 30 Dec 1764, proved 28 Jan 1765 or 2 Feb 1765. He mentions sons Henry, Charles, and Waterman, and daughter Phebe. In November 1764, both Charles and Elizabeth Tibbetts died. It is not clear whether these were Henry's children or grandchildren. Henry himself died not long after they did. Capt. Samuel Tillinghast of Warwick recorded these deaths in his diary. The entry for 17 Jan 1765 reads, "Last night died Henry Tibbits, Who has been Long Ill with Many disorders. This is the third out of this Famely in about two months." Editor Cherry Fletcher Bamberg tells us that "John Gorton preached at the funerals of Charles and Elizabeth Tibbits on 16 Nov. 1764 and then at Henry Tibbits' funeral on 18 Jan. 1765." According to "John Gorton's Papers," Elder Gorton's text at Henry's funeral was Isaiah 55:3.

Cherry Fletcher Bamberg's book entitled "Elder John Gorton and the Six-Principle Baptist Church of East Greenwich, Rhode Island" says that Henry was the second son of his father Henry. It reports that he joined the Six-Principle Church of East Greenwich on 19 August 1754, and records that he contributed to repair the meetinghouse in 1763.

Henry was under 21 in 1708 when he was mentioned in his grandfather's will (NK 5:139 - 142). Some records say that he died 17 Jan 1765, but Capt. Samuel Tillinghast's Diary says the 16th.

Henry married Phebe WATERMAN 23 Nov 1738, Warwick, RI. Phebe (daughter of John WATERMAN and Anne OLNEY) was born Between 1705 and 1714; died Bef Dec 1764. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Henry & Phebe were married by Elder Manassah Martin.

Notes:

Henry Tibbetts, Junior is on a list of taxes under Gov. Andros, dated 6 Sept 1687, assessing estates of the Towne of Rochester in the King's Province.

According to "The History of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, 1677-1960, With Related Genealogy," by Martha R. McPartland (East Greenwich Free Library Assoc., 1960), Henry was born about 1640, was living in Kingstown in 1663, and died in 1713. He came to East Greenwich between 1690 and 1708 and built a home on Frenchtown Road. The Henry Tibbitts House, built before 1708, was given to John, son of Henry, in his will. This house is still in East Greenwich, at 1786 Frenchtown Road, and is owned and lived in by descendants of Henry, John Gifford Tibbitts and his son, Gifford C. Tibbitts. Some very old family furnishing are in the house, such as a maple desk originally owned by Esther Whitford Tibbitts.

Austin's book on early RI families has Henry's date of death as 27 Dec 1702.

Henry married Rebecca MEDBURY Between 1688 and 1690, Kingston, RI. Rebecca was born Abt 1667; died 10 Jun 1752. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

I have roughly estimated Rebecca's year of birth; also, I have estimated the birth years for all these children.

Notes:

Information on this couple is noted in New England Marriages Prior to 1750.

John married Anne OLNEY 1691. Anne (daughter of Reverend Thomas OLNEY, Jr. and Elizabeth MARSH) was born 13 Jan 1667/68; died 16 Oct 1745, Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Information on this marriage is noted in New England Marriages Prior to 1750.

Notes:

Information on this family can be found in "The History of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, 1677-1960, With Related Genealogy" by Martha R. McPartland, p. 269.

Henry Tibbetts, Senior is on a list of taxes under Gov. Andros, dated 6 Sept 1687, assessing estates of the Towne of Rochester in the King's Province.

The will of Henry Tibbets was dated 27 Nov 1708 at North Kingstown. Some portions of it are burned, but as near as can be determined, it mentions the following individuals: his wife Sarah; three sons -- George, John, & Henry (dec'd, leaving widow/d-in-law Reb____); three daughters -- Mary Green w/o Edward, Sarah Hall, & ____ha Stanton w/o Benjamin; three grandsons -- Thomas, Henry, & William; three granddaughters, d/o son Henry -- Rebecah, Avis & Dinah; and one other granddaughter -- Anna Fones, d/o S_____; also mentioned is William Tanner who rec'd land (poss. grandson or son-in-law).

From North Kingstown land evidence: Henry Tibbits deeded, by gift after his decease, land to William Tanner, as given to William Tanner in Henry's last will. Land bounded by George Tibbits, etc. (date lost -- possibly 1710).

Henry married Sarah STANTON Dec 1661, Newport, RI. Sarah (daughter of Robert STANTON and Avis ALMY) was born Abt 1640, Newport, RI; died Aft 27 Nov 1708. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Sarah's father, Robert Stanton, was admitted as a freeman of Newport, RI, in 1639. So, if she was actually born in 1640, it must have been in Newport. If she was born earlier, she may have been born in England.

Resolved married Mercy WILLIAMS 1659, Providence, RI. Mercy (daughter of Roger WILLIAMS and Mary BARNARD) was born 15 Jul 1640, Providence, RI; died Abt 1705. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Information on Mercy's two marriages is noted in New England Marriages Prior to 1750.

Reverend married Elizabeth MARSH 3 Jul 1660, Providence, RI. Elizabeth was born 8 Jul 1646, Salem, MA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Her parents possibly were John Marsh & Susannah Skelton.