Amey Remington

Amey married Joseph Wightman 9 Oct 1785, East Greenwich, RI. Joseph (son of John Wightman and Martha Waite) was born 28 Aug 1758, East Greenwich, RI; died 7 Mar 1829, Brookfield, Madison County, NY; was buried , Rural Cemetery, Brookfield, NY. [Group Sheet]

1. Randall Wightman was born 12 Dec 1789.
2. Robey Wightman was born 14 Oct 1791, East Greenwich, RI.
3. Martha Wightman was born 27 Sep 1793.

Notes:

According to the Remington chart by Boyd Scott Remington at RIHSL, this Matthew Remington was Captain of the 1st Cranston Company in 1763. Genealogist Martha A. Benns' book "Remington Family" has this Matthew (who married Martha Randall) as a son of Thomas & Mary (Allen) Remington; a Matthew is named in Thomas's will. However, it seems more likely that the earlier Matthew married Hepsibah Blackington (please see the notes for the other Matthew, who was "of Warwick"). An online genealogy has no parents noted for this one, but has his birth date as 12 September 1724 (source noted is "Descendants of William Randall") -- needs further research.

He is possibly the Mathew Rimenton listed as a resident of Coventry in the RI 1774 census (1 WM>16, 4 WM<16, 2 WF>16, 2 WF<16); also the Matthew Remmington 16 - 50 A, listed at West Greenwich, RI, in the 1777 RI Military Census.

The 1774 census data suggests that Matthew may have had four sons (?) born before 1774 in addition to two daughhters.

If this marriage to Martha Randall is a third marriage for the "other" Matthew, s/o Thomas & Mary (Allen) Remington, then we might conclude that Peleg did not have a brother Matthew (?). Genealogists differ on this. However, a note within parentheses in the genealogy entitled "John Remington of Massachusetts" in the possession of the Roger Williams Family Association (from Mrs. Adair), says that Peleg "and his brother left home when their father married a second time." This is evidence that Peleg did have a brother.

Matthew married Martha Randall 26 Dec 1755, Providence, RI. Martha (daughter of John Randall and Martha Williams) was born Abt 18 Mar 1724/25; died Between 1808 and 1809. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The dates of Martha's two marriages do not seem to jive. Was she a lot younger than Matthew? If she remarried to Henry Olin, which one, Sr. or Jr.? If her daughter Abigail, by Matthew, married Anthony Olin son of Henry Jr., it seems that Abigail could not have been born much before 1770 or so. Is there a generation missing here, possibly a Matthew Remington Jr.? Or, perhaps Matthew had an earlier wife who died, and he remarried to a younger woman, who was Martha?

I have put together all the data -- including marriage records and Henry's will -- into what I believe is the most likely scenario, given the information I have. If Martha Randall Remington married this Henry, and is indeed the Martha mentioned in his will, she could not have been the mother of his children, because some of them were already married with children at the time of his will; therefore she was probably his second wife. The codicil to his will makes it clear that there was another wife named Sarah; this also agrees with the marriage records.

Notes:

James N. Arnold's "Vital Record of Rhode Island" has the year as 1756. They were married by William Burton, Justice.

Notes:

Stephen is mentioned in his father's will.

Stephen & Lydia Remington signed a receipt for a legacy "from the estate of my uncle" Francis Stevens of Rehoboth; dated sometime between 20 Jan 1731/32 and 21 Apr 1732. (source: Bristol County, MA, Probate Records 1687 - 1745 p. 234, on Family Archive CD #502)

Warwick Land Evidence, dated 22 Nov 1736: Stephen Remington of Providence, mariner, sold to Jonathan Remington of East Greenwich, mariner, one lot in Chippowinoxit, Warwick, Lot #16, one and one-half acres; signed by Stephen Remington, witnessed by Dan Remington. (These three were brothers.)

Scituate Land Evidence Vol. 3, p. 278 records a deed dated 28 March 1747, in which Stephen Remington and Lydia R. his wife sell "to Thomas Barnes of Glocester 361 1/2 acres bordering the southerly side of Wilkinson's land, part of the original right of William White and of Benjamin Herington."

Also, an earlier Scituate deed dated 31 Dec 1742 identifies Lydia as "Lydia Remington, formerly Rhodes, daughter of Peleg Rhoads."

Notes from the Mary E. Rice Collection, concerning Cranston land evidence: on 18 March 1784, Stephen Remington sold one lot of land in Pawtuxet to Rhodes Greene; "Marcy Remington, wife of the above-said Stephen," surrenders her dower right. On 10 Feb 1785, Stephen Remington sold land to Capt Josiah Haines. This document was signed by Stephen & Marcy Remington. (Cranston bk 4, p10)

In 1741 a Stephen Remington refused the Captaincy of the Providence County Militia.

In 1743 his brother Joseph was involved in a Scituate land transaction, deeding land to his son Thomas.

In 1745, a Stephen Remington, Justice of the Peace for Providence, refused reappointment to the office in June.

Since there seem to be two Stephen Remingtons born around 1696, one of Thomas of Warwick, and the other of Stephen of Jamestown, it is possible that the data from the two has been confused by some researchers. I know that one married Lydia Rhodes, daughter of Peleg, and according to genealogist Martha A. Benns the other married Mercy Fenner, widow of Thomas. However, I believe Benns was incorrect in this, and that Stephen of Warwick married both of these women. The RI Cemetery Database records Mercy Remington's grave, but not the others, so does not help sort out these individuals.

Although Benns has paired the Stephen of Jamestown with Mrs. Fenner, no documentation is noted. It seems more likely that Mercy would have been a second wife for the Stephen of Warwick, especially since Mercy is buried in Warwick. That is the way that Boyd Scott Remington's chart at RIHSL lists them, and I concur with him in this instance; so I have placed Mercy with this Stephen, of Warwick.

Additional evidence is the death announcement for this Stephen, "a noted nautical Commander," who died at Pawtuxet in his 90th year.

Martha Benns has noted the date of death for Stephen Remington of Jamestown as 24 Dec 1785. However, that was the date of the death announcement for this Stephen, of Warwick, published in the Providence Gazette.

His will mentions a wife "Marcy," but no children. It also mentions friend Christopher Sheldon and his five children, including the oldest son named Remington.

James N. Arnold's "Family Notes" at the Knight Memorial Library has Stephen's dates as: 1689 - 16 Dec 1785.

A typewritten Remington genealogy given to Dot White of the Roger Williams Family Association gives Stephen's year of birth as 1695; it also says he died 16 Dec 1785. While it mentions his second wife as Marcy or Mercy (Unknown), it also lists three children by his second wife: Lydia, Mary, & Rosanna. However, this information is erroneous and most likely due to a misreading of Stephen's will (or abstract of his will). Stephen's will mentions three daughters of said friend Christopher Sheldon: Lydia, Mary, & Rosanna, all surname Sheldon. If Stephen & Mercy had any children, they are not in the Warwick city records and are not mentioned in his will.

Interestingly, "The Fenner Family," a comprehensive genealogy by Mrs. Eva Fenner and others, agrees with my conclusions concerning Mercy Sheldon as the wife of both Thomas Fenner and Stephen Remington. [http://www.fennerfamily.com/pdf/four.pdf]

Stephen married Lydia Rhodes Aft 15 Jun 1720. Lydia (daughter of Peleg Rhodes and Sarah Stevens) was born Abt 1698; died Aft 15 Jun 1756. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Scituate Land Evidence Vol. 3, p. 278 records a deed dated 28 March 1747, in which Stephen Remington and Lydia R. his wife sell "to Thomas Barnes of Glocester 361 1/2 acres bordering the southerly side of Wilkinson's land, part of the original right of William White and of Benjamin Herington."

Also, an earlier deed dated 31 Dec 1742 identifies Lydia as "Lydia Remington, formerly Rhodes, daughter of Peleg Rhoads."

The following is from the notes of Mary E. Rice, concerning a document in Cranston land evidence: "This proves that Lydia Rhodes was d/o Peleg and she married as first wife Stephen Remington, he married 2nd Mercy Fenner" . . . The deed reads "I, Lidia Remington, & Stephen Remington . . . deed to Christopher Sheldon, of Providence, mariner, the house and lot/land in Pawtuxet where we now dwell, near to the Pawtuxet Bridge." It mentions a bordering lot formerly laid out by Peleg Rhodes, deceased . . . "lots and tracts of land above-mentioned were given to me by my honorable Father Peleg Rhodes who was formerly of Providence but now deceased" . . . dated 15 June 1756, signed by Lydia Remington & Stephen Remington.

Notes:

John & Martha had 8 known children: (Capt.) John, Israel, Roby, Phebe, Barbara, Margaret, Martha, & Elizabeth.

John — Martha Williams. Martha (daughter of Joseph Williams and Lydia Herenden) was born 1708. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Martha and two of her sisters, Mercy & Lydia, married three Randall brothers.

Notes:

(If you use any portion of these notes, please give credit to me, Lois Sorensen, and to other sources as noted herein.)
According to Oliver Payson Fuller's "The History of Warwick, RI," published in 1875, Thomas Remington in 1692/3 bought Cowesett farm # 1 consisting of 240 acres for the price of 57 pounds, from John Warner & Philip Sweet. As nearly as I can determine, this property was at the northwest corner of Post Rd. (Route 1) and Cowesett Rd. The next farm westward, bordering Route 2, was later purchased by the Remingtons -- probably Thomas Remington, Jr., who married Maplet Gorton.

According to the early town records of Portsmouth, RI, "Thomas Rimmington of Prudence is Admitted a freeman in this town" at a Town Council meeting held 6 June 1692 at William Corey's house (also William Allin of Prudence at the same meeting). Later that same year, the records of a Town Council meeting held on 22 Aug 1692, again at William Corey's house, show that three men were chosen to serve on the next Jury of Tryals at Newport: John Vaughan, Thomas Rimmington, & Joseph Sheffield.

These references likely refer to our ancestor, if in fact he was at Prudence Island and a freeman of Portsmouth in the early 1690s. If this is so, then he must have bought property in Warwick shortly after this and later settled there (possibly c1704 -- see note below). His wife was of Portsmouth, so it is reasonable to assume that this is our ancestor and that they were married at Portsmouth.

In 1701, Thomas Remington was Constable on Prudence Island.

Similarly, genealogist Armand Lariviere says that Thomas initially settled on Prudence Island, Rhode Island, then relocated to Warwick, where he purchased farm #1, the Cowesett Plot, containing 240 acres, in 1693, for 57 pounds. He was deeded land in Haverhill, MA, by his father John in 1695 & 1709. Thomas became a freeman of Warwick in 1704.

Sources for information on this family:
"Gorton Family Genealogy"
"New England Historical and Genealogical Society Register," Vols. 29, 42, 43
"The History of Warwick, RI" by Oliver Payson Fuller

Thomas's will mentions his "dearly beloved wife Mary"; names eight sons, six of whom were under age 21 on 20 May 1710; and his two daughters, both under 18. Thomas gave all his lands to sons Thomas, Jr., William, & John -- they to pay legacies to the other children. Based on this will, I have estimated the birth years for his children. Wife Mary and son William were co-executors.

John, still under age 21, received 40 acres, and would pay his brother Thomas 10 pounds when Thomas reached age 21. Thomas received 1/2 of all the remaining land, across the north end, and he is to pay 11 pounds to five of his brothers when they reach age 21 -- Daniel, Joseph, Stephen, Matthew, and Jonathan; he also is to pay his sisters Mary and Prudence 7 pounds each when they reach age 18 or earlier if they marry younger than 18. William received the mansion house with the remainder of lands; he is to pay to each of the 5 brothers 11 pounds each at age 21 and the two sisters 7 pounds each at age 18. All the rest of the estate is left to dearly beloved wife Mary and well-beloved son William who are appointed joint executors. Thomas signed his will with a capital R -- the mark of "Tho Rimington." It was witnessed by Samuel Gorton, Edward Earle (his mark), and Elizabeth Gorton (her mark). On 26 Sep 1710 the witnesses appeared before the Town Council of Warwick and made oath that they saw Thomas Rimington sign and seal the will.

According to Oliver Payson Fuller's "The History of Warwick, RI," William sold his share of the farm in 1712, but reserved the burying ground where his father and grandfather are interred. Portions of the Remington land were later bought by Thomas Jones Spencer & Thomas LeValley.

His gravestone has the inscription T R 23 July 1710. Although recorded by James N. Arnold in 1893, in 1996 the cemetery could not be located. Supposedly, there were four graves -- Thomas and his wife, and son John and his wife. James Arnold described the location as "north of the David Bennett Lot in open pasture without any protection one tomb two graves at feet that of Thomas Remington and his wife and his son John and his wife." The David Bennett Lot is 1400 feet south of Cowesett Rd. across from Hardig Road and west of I 95.

Thomas married Mary ALLEN Abt 1681. Mary (daughter of William ALLEN, I and Elizabeth Unknown) was born Abt 1661, Prudence Island, Portsmouth, RI; died Abt 1710, RI; was buried , Historical Cemetery WK14, Remington Lot, Cowesett Rd., Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The Allen family were of Prudence Island, according to "Representative Men of Old Families of Southeastern MA," V. I, p. 173.

I have estimated Mary's year of birth, assuming that she was about 20 when she was married, and that none of her children were multiple births. Martha Benns gives her year of death as 1710, the same as for her husband Thomas (see Remington book at Rhode Island Historical Library). She is called Marie in her father's will (William Allin, 2 June 1685 Portsmouth, RI), but Mary in her husband's will (1710 Warwick, RI).

It is unclear exactly where she was born.

Notes:

According to the book "New England Marriages Prior to 1700" (by Clarence Almon Torrey, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1985), their first child on record was born in 1682; Mary's year of death is given as 1710+. Places of residence were Portsmouth and Warwick, RI.

Notes:

Peleg's will mentions his wife Sarah and daughters Elizabeth, wife of James Arnold; Lydia Rhoades; & Mary Rhoades; as well as cousin William Rhoades.

Peleg married Sarah Stevens Abt 1689. Sarah (daughter of Francis Stevens) was born Abt 1667; died 29 Jan 1730/31. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Her maiden name is sometimes spelled Stephens.

William — Abial Unknown. Abial was born 8 Oct 1675; died 1740. [Group Sheet]

Joseph — Lydia Herenden. Lydia was born 1680, Providence, RI. [Group Sheet]