Restcome Sanford, Sr.

Restcome married Elizabeth Lake 20 Jan 1724/25. Elizabeth (daughter of David LAKE, Jr. and Mary WILCOX) was born Abt 1707; died Between 1747 and 1749. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Information for this family group comes from "Genealogies of RI Families, Vol. I," "The Manchester Family of RI," by Alden C. & Rita C. Manchester, p. 676; also Family Tree Maker CD 180.

Samuel married Deborah Manchester Abt 1703. Deborah (daughter of William MANCHESTER and Mary COOK) was born 5 Oct 1677. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Alden G. Beaman's genealogy of the Greenes gives the date of John Sanford's baptism as 24 June 1632.

John married Mary Gorton 17 Apr 1663, Portsmouth, RI. Mary (daughter of Samuell GORTON and Mary MAPLETT) was born Abt 1630, England; died 1688, Tiverton, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

"William Manchester was admitted freeman of Portsmouth 9 Apr 1675 (records of the town of Portsmouth). He was one of the purchasers of Pocasset in the Plymouth Colony (now Tiverton and Little Compton, RI) in March 1679/80. He was an inhabitant at the organization of Tiverton 2 Mar 1692/93 (Tiverton T.R., vol. 1). He held numerous town offices from representative to the General Court of Massachusetts to fence viewer." (excerpted from "The Manchester Family of Rhode Island" by Alden C. & Rita C. Manchester, published in "Genealogies of RI Families, Vol. I," p. 676; also Family Tree Maker CD 108)

The cause of death, according to Court Files, Suffolk, 12614: he "fainted away in his field."

William married Mary COOK Between 1672 and 1675. Mary (daughter of John "Butcher" COOKE and Mary BORDEN) was born Abt 1654, Portsmouth, RI; died Aft Jul 1725, Portsmouth, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Mary's brother Thomas Cook married Mary Cory (b. 1669, sister of our ancestor Anne Cory who married Robert Bennett). Mary's sister Martha Cook married William Cory (probably the one b. 1659, son of William and also brother of Anne and Mary Cory; but there were four cousins named William Cory in his generation).

John — Elizabeth Webb. Elizabeth was born , England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Samuell always signed his name with two "LL"s.

There is an excellent biographical sketch of Samuell by Thomas Gorton in his book "Samuel Gorton and His Descendants," published by Gateway Press. Also interesting is a book entitled "Warwick Neck," compliled by a Mr. Nixon, and published by the Warwick Neck Association. It is available in the reference section of the Warwick Public Library.

Samuell Gorton was a very intelligent free-thinker who was not bound by many of the entrenched conventions of his time. This brought him into conflict with others, especially those who were in positions of power and leadership. Samuell was not hesitant to speak up about what he believed was right, both in his own defense and on behalf of other individuals, and was known to be quite candid and sometimes even sarcastic in his confrontations. While some people of his day considered him to be a rabble-rouser, his political beliefs were vindicated in time, and his religious beliefs are held by many today. I daresay most of us would have strong words for the town fathers of Massachusetts Bay, if we had the opportunity to go back and confront them. Although Gorton has been criticized by some writers, he was greatly respected and admired by many in his own time, and can be credited, along with Roger Williams, for helping to obtain the rights enjoyed by the Colony of Rhode Island, freedoms which eventually spread to the rest of America and to other parts of the world.

There is no ambiguity about his motives in coming to America; his own words were: "I came to New England to enjoy libertie of conscience in respect to faith towards God, and for no other end." Samuell arrived in Boston in March of 1636 or 1637, at the height of a controversy already raging over doctrinal differences. He soon relocated to Plymouth, whose pastor at the time, Rev. Smith, was somewhat "lacking in gifts." As Samuell led his family in times of worship and Bible study at his home, which happened to be rented from the minister, others of the community began to join them. Before long there was jealousy, with some people taking sides. When Mrs. Gorton's servant was ordered to appear in court, supposedly over some inapproprate conversation but really because she had smiled in church, Samuell told her not to go and went to court in her stead to plead her case. Because the proceedings were handled unfairly and the so-called judge criticized by Gorton, the outcome was that he was told to leave the community, which he did. Moving to Portsmouth, RI, he was one of the group who in 1639 signed the second town compact, and was referred to as "Mr." Gorton, which at that time conveyed respect. A struggle over politcal leadership was going on, involving William Coddington and Anne Hutchinson. Of course Gorton freely expressed his opinion, again incurring resentment from certain individuals. A situation with a servant again was the reason for a visit to court, but it soon turned into barrage of accusations against Samuell by the officials, mostly because he had questioned their right to be in charge at all. He and those who spoke up on his behalf were told to leave, which they did, even though the town reversed this order a month later. Gorton and his family, along with his friends and their families, moved to Providence, where most of the town leaders agreed in principle with Gorton's views. However, some key differences in opinion caused tension, so the Gortonites moved south and settled in the area now known as Warwick Neck, adjacent to the settlement at Pawtuxet. A large tract of land was purchased from the Indians, with Roger Williams helping in the negotiations. However, their troubles were not over yet, because a group of Indians on Warwick Neck, the Shawomuts, refused to leave, even though the land had been fairly purchased by the settlers. Years of controversy ensued, during which Massachusetts and Connecticut tried to use differences between the Indian tribes as an occasion to gain control of the Rhode Island territory. At one time Massachusetts even sent a raiding party down to arrest Gorton and the other families. Finally, a charter granted by the King of England and facilited by Richard Rich, the Earl of Warwick, brought resolution to the situation. Samuell named the town Warwick after the Earl. However, the Indians on the neck continued to harass the settlers up until the end of King Philip's War. That such turmoil should prevail in such a beautiful location is a shame. However, in time Samuell Gorton and his family would enjoy the fruits of their labor and persistance.

Samuell, with the help of his sons, built a house at Warwick Neck in 1677, when he was 85 years old -- the year before he died. The house burned down in 1848, and another was built on the site in 1849. There is a stone marker at the lot, 190 Warwick Neck Avenue.

Bio here:
https://www.warwickhistory.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=476:samuel-gorton-15931677&catid=57&Itemid=130

Samuell married Mary MAPLETT Abt 1629, England. Mary (daughter of John MAPLETT and Mary Unknown) was born 12 Mar 1608/09, London, England; died Aft 1650, RI. [Group Sheet]

Thomas married Margaret WOOD Bef 1650. Margaret (daughter of John WOOD and Margaret CARTER) was born 1630; died Abt 1693. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

"John Cooke alias Butcher" was made a freeman of Portsmouth, RI, on 10 July 1648 at the age of 18. In March 1656/57 he signed as one of the purchasers of Conanicut Island (Jamestown). On 14 May 1660 his parents deeded to him 60 acres of land in Portsmouth. He was a grand juryman at the Court of Trials in 1667, 1669, and 1673. His name appears in many official records of the time period.

See his will dated at Portsmouth on 15 May 1691, proved 25 May 1691. The will describes John as aged. He names four sons and seven daughters, plus one granddaughter: John, Joseph, Thomas (probably the one who married Mary Cory, b. 1669), Samuel, Mary (Mrs. William Manchester; these are our ancesters), Elizabeth (Mrs. William Briggs), Sarah (Mrs. Thomas Wait), Hannah (Mrs. Daniel Wilcox), Martha (Mrs. William Cory), Deborah (Mrs. William Almy), Amy (Mrs. David Clayton), and granddaughter Sarah Manchester, plus six other unnamed daughters (or granddaughters, or daughters-in-law).

According to the book "Thomas Cooke of Rhode Island," he died of smallpox.

John married Mary BORDEN Abt 1652. Mary (daughter of Richard BORDEN and Joan FOWLE) was born Abt Jan 1632/33, Cranbrook, Kent, England; was christened 13 Jan 1632/33, Cranbrook, Kent, England; died 23 Dec 1690, Portsmouth, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The ages and birth order of the children are not certain. Birth years have been estimated for most.