Elizabeth Wightman

Elizabeth married Stephen Hookey 16 Jan 1723/24. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Rev. Daniel Wightman was "a zealous pioneer of Baptist faith," along with his brother Valentine. Daniel was ordained in 1704, and appointed co-pastor of Second Baptist church in Newport, a Six-Principal Baptist church.

Daniel — Catherine Holmes. Catherine (daughter of Jonathan HOLMES and Sarah BORDEN) was born 1671; died 8 Sep 1699. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

George came to America sometime between 1653 and 1663. His older brother, Valentine, was already here in Providence, where his first child was born in 1653. Their grandfather Edward had been burned at the stake in England for his faith, so they came here for religious freedom, as many RI families did.

The area called Quidnessett was defined in 1659 by agreement with Indian sachem Kachanaquant; its boundaries were the Potomomut River (now Hunt's River) on the north, the Indian road or Pequot Path (now Post Road) on the west, Richard Smith's land (Wickford area) on the south, and Narragansett Bay on the east, totalling about 6x3 miles.

In 1660 the Atherton Company, a group of land speculators from MA Bay Colony and CT, was ordered by the Assembly to open up the Quidnessett tract to purchase by private individuals. Valentine Wightman, George's brother, procured an area of 100-plus acres bordering the bay. This land soon became the property of his brother George, and was handed down intact through 6 generations and known for over 200 years as the Wightman homestead in Quidnessett. George later acquired more land, totalling about 2000 acres.

For a fascinating history of the Wightman family, see: http://www.concentric.net/~Ssbray/wightman.htm

George married Elizabeth Updyke Abt 1663, Cocumscussuc, Kingstowne, RI. Elizabeth (daughter of Gysbert Updyke and Catherine Smith) was born Abt 27 Jul 1644, New Amsterdam, America; died Between 25 Dec 1712 and 26 Apr 1716, Quidnessett, North Kingstown, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Son of Obediah & Catherine Holmes.

Jonathan married Sarah BORDEN Between 1664 and 1667. Sarah (daughter of Richard BORDEN and Joan FOWLE) was born May 1644, Portsmouth, RI; died 1705; was buried , Holmes Family Cemetery, River Rd., Middletown, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Sieur Gysbert Updyke was an officer of the Dutch West India Company. He probably came to Long Island from Amsterdam about 1630. In time he owned extensive land areas in and around present-day New York City; Hempstead, Long Island; Cow's Neck; and Coney Island. He held several positions of leadership at Long Island and New Amsterdam, and was also an innkeeper. He made frequent trips to the "Block House" in Narragansett Country, RI. This was Richard Smith's trading post (now known as "Smith's Castle" on Post Road near Wickford).

He died after 10 April 1662. Very possibly he came to RI after the surrender of New Amsterdam to the English in 1664, and eventually died here.

Gysbert married Catherine Smith 24 Sep 1643, Old Dutch Church, New Amsterdam, Manhattan Island, America. Catherine (daughter of Richard Smith and Joan Unknown) was born Abt 1620. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

She was also known as Catharina or Katrina. Catherine was the daughter of Richard Smith (of Smith's Castle, Wickford), who also owned land on Long Island under sovereignty of the Dutch West India Company. Smith established trading posts near the Pequot Path (Post Road) in Kingstowne, and also in New Amsterdam (New York). He frequently traveled back and forth between the two locations, and established strong personal and business relationships with individuals at New Amsterdam. Undoubtedly that explains how his daughter met and married Gysbert Updyke, an officer of the Dutch West India Company.

Notes:

Obadiah and his wife and possibly son Jonathan arrived in Boston in 1638.

Obadiah Holmes was granted land in Salem in 1639. He, along with Thomas Gardner, was granted another small piece of land in Salem 20 March 1643.

Mr. Obadiah Holmes is on the list of purchasers, settlers, and inhabitants of Rehoboth, MA, for the year 1643. He is also on a town meeting list for June 1644; also 1645 and 1646.

In 1652, Obadiah succeeded Rev. John Clarke as pastor of the Newport Baptist Church. He was the second pastor of that congregation, which was the second Baptist Church in the New World. He led them for almost exactly thirty years--until his death in 1682. (see: http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1601-1700/obadi ah-holmes-whipped-for-baptist-beliefs-11630124.html)

Obadiah Holmes is mentioned as "my great-grandfather" in the 10 Jan 1799 will of John Holmes of Middletown, RI. John died at age 63 and is buried in the family cemetery in Middletown, RI.

From Wikipedia: "Obadiah Holmes (1610 - 15 October 1682) was an early Rhode Island settler, and a Baptist minister who was whipped in the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious beliefs and activism. He became the pastor of the Baptist Church in Newport, Rhode Island, a position he held for 30 years." (see more at Wikipedia)

His gravestone record has his birth year as 1606. However, he was baptized in England 18 March 1610.

The will of "Obadiah Holmes of Newport on Rhode Island" is dated 9 apr 1681. It mentions wife Catherine Holmes; dtrs Mary Brown, Martha Odlin, Lydia Bowne, and Hopestill Taylor; sons Jonathan (executor), John, Obadiah, & Samuel: also grandchild Martha Brown.

Obadiah married Katherine HYDE 20 Nov 1630, Collegiate Church, Manchester, Lancashire, England. Katherine was born Abt 1613, England; was buried , Holmes Family Cemetery, River Rd., Middletown, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Her name on the gravestone is Catherine.

Notes:

From "Johnston Historical Society Historical Notes" Vol. XII, No. 3, Nov. 2006, by Steve Merolla: "The Borden family first began purchasing land on Neutaconcanut Hill in 1659, when Richard Borden of Portsmouth, RI, purchased sixty acres. His son Thomas added to the acreage on the hill, which amounted to about 400 acres at the time of his death in 1676. His three sons -- Richard, Mercy, and Joseph -- each received about 130 acres out of the estate. The Borden estate covered a great semi-circle around the brow of Neutaconcanut Hill, stretching from the area around the back of the 1025 Club [on Plainfield Street] to Neutaconcanut Park, along the west side of Killingly Street until it meets Hartford Avenue, then up Hartford Avenue to Borden Avenue."

Read the remainder of this interesting article in the above newsletter, available at the Johnston Mohr Memorial Library or on the Johnston Historical Society website.

From Friends' Records: "Richard Borden . . . being one of the first planters of RI, lived about seventy years and then died at his own house. He was buried on the burial ground given by Robert Dennis to the Friends, which is in Portsmouth, and lieth on the left hand of the way that goeth from Portsmouth to Newport." (see text at Google Books: "Historical and Genealogical Record of the Borden Family")

His will, dated 31 May 1671 and based upon stated intentions of Richard, mentions wife Joan, who received the house, fruit trees, animals, and yearly supplies of firewood, cider, and grain; son Thomas, who received all his lands in Providence; son Francis, who received all his lands in New Jersey; son John, who received all land around John's new dwelling house; and sons Joseph and Samuel, who received 40 pounds each; daughter Mary Cook, who received 5 pounds; daughter Sarah Holmes, who received 40 pounds, and daughter Amy Border, who received 100 lbs; son Matthew, who was the executor and received all the remainder of the estate after payment of debts and legacies. (see above-mentioned book)

Richard married Joan FOWLE 1625, County Kent, England. Joan was born 15 Feb 1603/04, County Kent, England; died 16 Jul 1689, Portsmouth, Newport Co., RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Joan survived her husband 18 years and died at age 84 y 6 m.