Joseph Sheldon Cooke

Notes:

When his parents both died, Joseph was put under the guardianship of his grandfather Christopher Sheldon, in 1795 (see http://gaspee.org/ChristopherSheldon.html).

Joseph married Mary Welch 21 Sep 1805, Providence, RI. [Group Sheet]

Jesse married Rosanna Sheldon 26 Aug 1783, Providence, RI. Rosanna (daughter of Christopher Sheldon and Rosanna Arnold) was born 2 May 1763; died 1789. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Christopher Sheldon was one of the men involved in the buring of the British ship Gaspee (http://gaspee.org/GaspeeRaiders.htm).

Christopher Sheldon is mentioned as a friend in the will of Stephen Remington who died in 1786. Stephen's will also mentions Christopher's five children. Stephen was married to Christopher's aunt, Mercy Mary Sheldon.

Christopher and his wife Rosanna were first cousins.

The following notes are excerpted from the web site site gaspee.org (see URL above):

"Christopher Sheldon . . . owner of the Sheldon Wharf in Providence, participated in rebellious action of June 10, 1772 which captured and burned the British revenue boat "Gaspee" at Gaspee point in Narragansett Bay."

"On the night of June 10th, 1772 Christopher Sheldon had joined 8 rowboats full of Providence men who made their way with muffled oars to his majesty's ship Gaspee, sent to enforce the stamp act, and burned her."

"As a youth and young man Christopher was born into a family intertwined with many of the other area families by marriage since Providence was a town of about 4,000 individuals. At least two of these were the Tillinghast and the Fenner families, both well known locally. His father was Town Treasurer for many years and, according to Chase, Providence houses, 1779, had built a sizable house near the still standing warehouse on South Main Street. His mother, the former Mary Greene, died when he was only twelve. His father remarried and Christopher became a part of a large family." [Don't think this is accurate -- perhaps the second wife was Mary Greene. I believe the first wife was Lydia Arnold, d/o Israel Arnold.]

"Sometime prior to the French and Indian War time period he began working for the Brown family mercantile interests and served as a Master on several of their ships which career he continued for much of the rest of his time as a seaman. During the French and Indian War, he functioned as a privateer on two Brown ships, both of which were captured in 1764, the snow, Dolphin and the schooner, Rosanna. After that time he worked with the Brown family in more 'normal' maritime efforts as master of the brig, George, ( 1767-1771) which sailed between Providence and Paramaribo, Surinam for Nicholas Brown & Co. One record that Irving Sheldon discovered was a bill for carrying a French captain to Antigua. A Rhode Island privateer had captured this gentleman, and this was a step in returning the captain to French territory. For his services, Christopher billed the Colony."

"In mid 1772 at the time of the Gaspee raid, Captain Christopher Sheldon was 40 years old and Captain Joseph Tillinghast (a known Gaspee Raider and longboat captain) was 38. Probably both would have known John Mawney, the 'physician' on the Gaspee raid since Tillinghast eventually married Mawney

Christopher married Rosanna Arnold 7 Jan 1753, Providence, RI. Rosanna (daughter of Israel Arnold, III and Mary Rhodes) was born Abt 1733; died 5 Nov 1766; was buried , North Burial Ground, Providence, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Joseph's four children are mentioned in the will of his sister Lydia (Sheldon) Arnold.

Joseph married Lydia Arnold 15 Jan 1724/25, Providence, RI. Lydia (daughter of Israel Arnold, II and Elizabeth Smith) was born 8 Jan 1702/03, Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Israel's will mentions his wife Mary; sons Israel, Peleg, & Remington; and daughters Mary & Resanah.

Israel married Mary Rhodes 14 Jan 1724/25. Mary (daughter of Peleg Rhodes and Sarah Stevens) was born Abt 1701; died Aft Sep 1743. [Group Sheet]