Captain John Holden

Notes:

John's will mentions his sons Thomas Rice, Randall, Cyrus, & Henry J. "The reason I haven't given more to Thomas & Randall is that Father Rice gave them $4000."

John married Barbary Rice 20 Feb 1803, Warwick, Kent Co., RI. Barbary (daughter of Thomas (2) Rice, Jr. and Rosannah Blanchard) was born Abt 1778; died 28 Apr 1843; was buried , Holden-Bicknell-Taylor Lot, New London Tpke., Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

HOLDEN John, of Providence, and Barbara Rice, of Warwick, Feb. 20, 1803 (in Warwick VRs)

1. Thomas Rice Holden was born Abt 1807; died 10 Sep 1865; was buried , Holden-Bicknell-Taylor Lot, New London Tpke., Warwick, RI.
2. Randall Holden was born Abt 1810; died 7 Feb 1863; was buried , Holden-Bicknell-Taylor Lot, New London Tpke., Warwick, RI.
3. Cyrus Holden was born Abt 1816; died 14 Jun 1895; was buried , Holden-Bicknell-Taylor Lot, New London Tpke., Warwick, RI.
4. Henry J. Holden was born Abt 1822; died 6 Aug 1882; was buried , Holden-Bicknell-Taylor Lot, New London Tpke., Warwick, RI.

Notes:

Charles is a descendant of Randall Holden (Howlden), one of the signers of the Second Portsmouth compact, and one of the early settlers of Warwick.

According to a Remington family Bible record, Mr. Holden was of Old Warwick.

All the information on this family group, including names of spouses and dates, came from a transcript of the Holden Family Bible, found at the Rhode Island Historical Library, Providence, RI.

According to the death record at Providence, Charles died at age 66.

Charles married Sarah Remington 3 Nov 1771, Warwick, RI. Sarah (daughter of Thomas REMINGTON, III and Abigail ELDREDGE) was born 29 Jan 1750/51, Warwick, RI; died 18 Jan 1828, Providence, RI; was buried , Quaker Burial Ground, North Main St., Providence, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Sarah's children were first cousins to our ancestor Maplet.

Sarah is mentioned as Sarah Holden in her father's will.

Notes:

Epitaph on a memorial stone at Historical Cemetery 115, Warwick, RI:

"He was a dutifull son
A loving husband
A tender parent.
He lived beloved,
and died lamented
by all who knew him."

John married Dorothy Rice 5 Aug 1744, Warwick, RI. Dorothy (daughter of Thomas Rice and Mary Holden) was born 30 Oct 1723; died Bef 27 May 1789, Warwick, RI; was buried , Cemetery 115, Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

(If you use any portion of these notes, please give credit to me, Lois Sorensen, Remington researcher, and to other sources as noted herein.)

A Remington family Bible record says that this Thomas Remington was one of triplets, the other two of whom died young. This Bible belonged to Mrs. Mary E. Remington, wife of James D. Remington, great-grandson of Thomas. However, Fuller's "History of Warwick" says that his son Thomas was one of triplets.

He is undoubtedly the Thomas Remington who in March 1744 agreed to take over management of the estate of his brother Stephen Remington, laborer of Warwick, who was "non compos mentis." The original document is witnessed and co-signed by Stephen and Daniel Remington, probably Thomas Jr. and Stephen's uncles.

Thomas was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, along with some of his sons. Oliver Payson Fuller, in his book "The History of Warwick, RI," says four of the Remington brothers (sons of Thomas III, likely the four oldest) were in the American army during the war of the Revolution. According to the manuscript "Revolutionary War -- Burial Place & Service of RI Patriots," found at the Knight Library in Providence (now at Providence Central Public Library), Thomas was a Private in the Pawtuxet Rangers in 1778. It says he was buried in the family lot on the Remington Farm, north side of Cowesett Road near Quaker Lane (Route 2).

This historical cemetery is located behind the Stop & Shop plaza at the intersection of Cowesett Rd. and Bald Hill Rd./Quaker Lane/Rt. 2. Thomas's gravestones (headstone and footstone) have been photographed.

In the RI Genealogical Register, Vol. 17, pp. 204 & 205, there is a list of graves at or near this location. It refers to "the Remington farm now owned by George Dawley," and mentions an Arnold family burial plot northwest of his house, and another cemetery "on the Remington farm north of the house." This is where Thomas & Abigail are buried. This lot has about 15 marked burials, Remingtons and Arnolds, plus some unmarked graves.

According to early records described in "Family Notes" (formerly at Knight Library, now at Providence Central Public Library), this family's "Remington Farm" extended from Cowesett Rd. (at Quaker Lane) northward to the next road (probably the location of present-day Rt. 117) for a mile, then eastward a 1/2 mile, so that it was rectangular in shape. This was on the east side of Quaker Lane. According to Oliver Payson Fuller's "The History of Warwick, RI," it was Cowesett farm #2 on the old plat map laid out in the 1600s; it was originally owned by John Smith, and later by the heirs of Lieut. Eliza Collins, and subsequently by Samuel Barnes of Swansea, from whom it was purchased by Thomas Remington II (who died in 1723 at age 41).

Also on Cowesett Rd. but west of Quaker Lane (Rt. 2) was the "Col. Waterman Place," where our ancestors Capt. John & Mercy Waterman are buried (near the corner of Kulas & Cedar streets). This was on the south side of Cowesett Rd., roughly across from where Evelyn's Villa and the Cowesett Inn are today. Across from the Waterman place was the Arnold farm (the area where Pep Boys and the Ricci home are now located), purchased from Robert Potter's heirs by Israel Arnold of Pawtuxet in 1707.

An entry in Elder John Gorton's pastoral journal notes that he preached 23 Sept 1764 on I Peter 4:18 at Thomas Remington's [house]. Editor Cherry Fletcher Bamberg writes, "Although Thomas and Abigail Remington, who lived at Cowesett, were not official members of the church, they hosted occasional meetings and had a substantial running account with Elder Gorton in the mid-1760s. Purchases included needles of silk, thread, flour, 'Bisket,' snuff, wooden plates, and sundries" (p. 56). Gorton was a tailor by trade, but also a merchant who sold various foods, household items, and sundries.

In his will, dated 11 June 1798 proved 9 May 1808, Thomas Remington of Warwick, yeoman, gave to his [second] wife Sarah the household furniture, all she brought with her "at the time of our marriage," and all she has acquired since, a cow, heifer, etc. His son Thomas received lands in Coventry, with buildings thereon, he to pay legacies to his brothers John & Jonathan and to sisters Maplet Rice, Sarah Holden, & Mary Rice. Sons John and Jonathan were each given $10, as they already had their share [perhaps when they moved to Berkshire County, MA]. Each of his three surviving daughters was given $100 and the household furniture after the death of their [step] mother. Henry was given $240 and land; Benjamin received his father's mansion house and clock and all remaining of the homestead farm and rest of all his possessions, he to be executor.

Death notice, transcribed in Arnold's "Vital Record of RI" Vol. XIX p. 85: Providence Phenix - Deaths: "Thomas Remington d 12 Apr 1808 in his 85th year."

RI Cemetery Database: Thomas Remington, 2nd, h/o Abigael Eldrege, c.1724 - 12 Apr 1808, 85th yr

Thomas married Abigail ELDREDGE 14 Dec 1744, Warwick, RI. Abigail (daughter of Robert ELDREDGE and Hannah RATHBONE) was born Abt 1723; died 14 Apr 1766, Warwick, RI; was buried , Warwick, RI, Historical Cemetery 60 off Cowesett Rd. near Rt. 2. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The Warwick marriage record gives her maiden name as Eldred, but the gravestone says Eldredge. Capt. Samuel Tillinghast had this entry in his diary for April 15, 1766: "This Day died Thomas Remingtons Wife. Had been Long Ill with the Consumption." The entry for the 17th says: "This day Thomas Remingtons Wife buried. Elder Holden Preachd."

Death notice in the Providence Phenix: "Mrs. Abigail Remington wife of Mr. Thomas & dau of Mr. Robert & Mrs. Hannah Eldredge
d 14 Apr 1766 in her 45th year."

Abigail's gravestones (headstone and footstone) have been photographed.

Notes:

He was ordained 16 June 1757. His will, dated 14 Jan 1782 and proved 13 June 1785, freed most if not all of their family's slaves. At his funeral, Elder John Gorton preached on 2 Timothy 4:7 & 8.

"HOLDEN Elder Charles, at Warwick, aged 89 years, 7 months, 15 days; funeral text Timothy 11, ch. v. 7-8; was ordained an elder at 62 years of age and had baptised 62 persons as appears from the church records; Jan. 20, 1785 Providence" obit (b. c 5 June 1695)

"HOLDEN Elder Charles, at Warwick, aged 98 years, 7 months, 15 days; Jan. 20, 1785 Providence" obit (b. c 5 June 1686)

Since his first wife was born c 1689 and his second wife was born c 1687, the second age given above (98) may be the correct one (but needs verification). However, the RI Cemetery Database has the following entry: HOLDEN CHARLES, ELDER 1696c - 20 JAN 1785 WK115. This suggests that the age on his gravestone is 89.

Charles married Penelope Bennett 13 Dec 1716, Warwick, RI. Penelope (daughter of John Bennett) was born Abt 1689; died 13 Apr 1756; was buried , Elder Charles Holden Lot, Second Point Rd., Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

All of the children and grandchildren are named in his will, but no wife is mentioned. Thomas and his family lived in the Bald Hill section of Warwick, RI.

Thomas married Mary Holden Abt 1721. Mary (daughter of Randall Holden, Jr. and Bethiah Betty Waterman) was born 19 Mar 1698/99; died 11 Apr 1738; was buried , Cemetery 68, Warwick, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

BSR has his name as Thomas William Remington.

According to "The History of Warwick, RI" by Oliver Payson Fuller, Thomas Remington, Jr., bought farm #2 on the Cowesett plat. It was purchased from Samuel Barnes of Swansea, but had originally been granted to John Smith and then to Lieut. Eliza Collins's children, namely Eliza (Eliezar or Elisha?) & William. This large plantation was on the northeast corner of Route 2 (Quaker Lane) and Route 3 (Cowesett Rd.,) and adjoined the farm to the east which had been purchased by his father Thomas.

Thomas married Maplet GORTON 28 Dec 1710, Warwick, RI. Maplet (daughter of Benjamin GORTON and Sarah CARDER) was born 1690, Warwick, Kent County, RI; died Aft 18 Aug 1723. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The surname is sometimes spelled "Eldred." Possibly there was another son and another daughter whose names have been burned from the will. One of the daughters married Eber Sherman.

Robert was an ensign in the militia.

Robert married Hannah RATHBONE Abt 1722. Hannah (daughter of Joseph RATHBONE and Mary MOSHER) was born 21 Mar 1705/06, New Shoreham, RI; died Abt Feb 1764. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The surname is sometimes spelled "Rathbun."