Thomas Manchester

Thomas married Sarah Earle 28 Jul 1720, Tiverton, RI. Sarah (daughter of William Earle and Hepsibeth Butts) was born 18 Dec 1696, Little Compton, RI; died Bef 1729. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

They were married by Job Almy, Justice.

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).

Notes:

The year of William's birth is recorded at Tiverton, but he may not have been born there, as it is recorded along with the birth year of his wife, and the births of all his children. Tiverton VRs record births of 7 children to this couple: Sarah, Ann, Joseph, Thomas, Nathaniel, Demarias, & Jonathan.

William married Hepsibeth Butts 26 Dec 1695, Tiverton or Little Compton, RI. Hepsibeth (daughter of Thomas Butts and Elizabeth Lake) was born 1675. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

One genealogy says she was a twin to Moses.

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.

Ralph — Dorcas Sprague. Dorcas was born 1629, Duxbury, MA; died Aft 1692, Dartmouth, MA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The following notes are adapted from John O. Austin's "Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island."

Thomas emigrated from Norfolk, England by 1662 to Portsmouth where he bought four acres from Richad Hart 16 Nov 1662. On 1 Oct 1666 he bought from Richard Bulgar two acres in Portsmouth for a cow and 10 s in wampum. On 20 Nov 1668 he deeded William Earle seven acres, and he bought from Richard Earle, of Dartmouth, a quarter of a purchaser's share of meadow, an eigth share of upland, etc. in Dartmouth. On 31 Oct 1682, in Little Compton, he and James Case were sent for, to be at the next court to give reason of their being and continuance at Punckateest without liberty to do so first obtained from the government. On 27 Oct 1685 Thomas was granted a division of land in Dartmouth, purchased of Woosamequin and Wamsutta.

The following notes are adapted from "The Butts Family of RI," by Francis B. Rutts, pub. 1891 & 1962, p. 9:

The name Thomas Butts first appears in Plymouth Co. records on 16 Nov 1662. There may also have been a Thomas Butts in Salem in 1652. His name is later found in several town records, including land transactions, in the years 1665, 1666, 1668, 1682, 1685, & 1696, in the towns of Portsmouth, Dartmouth, & Little Compton. He was admitted a freeman at Portsmouth 9 May 1660 (town records). In 1679 he was chosen surveyor of cattle. His will, dated 28 Dec 1702, was entered at Little Compton and proved 2 Feb 1703. It mentions his wife Elizabeth.

Thomas married Elizabeth Lake Abt 1664. Elizabeth (daughter of Henry LAKE and Alice Unknown) was born Abt 1641; died Aft 20 Jun 1709, Little Compton, RI. [Group Sheet]