Deborah Wightman

Notes:

Both Deborah and her sister Phebe married a Mr. Sweet. It is unclear from their mother's will which one married Thomas.

Deborah married Thomas Sweet 24 Apr 1760. Thomas (son of Philip Sweet, III and Lydia Rice) was born Abt 1740. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

I have two daughters named Mary in this family, so I need to find out if one Mary married two husbands.

John married Phebe Havens 14 Jun 1722. Phebe was born Abt 1702; died Abt Oct 1786. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Phebe Wightman was a widow residing at East Greenwich, RI when she wrote her will dated 17 May 1783 at Warwick, proved 14 Oct 1786. In it she mentions the names of eight children, including two daughters named Mary; and two granddaughters, Phebe Whitford (wife of Sweet Whitford) and Phebe Dexter.

Notes:

George Wightman bought land from Thomas Remington in Cowesett, Warwick, RI, in January 1712/13. He was a deacon at Shawomet Baptist Church, Old Warwick, then located "near the fulling mill" in the Apponaug area.

George married Elizabeth Unknown Abt 1698. Elizabeth died Bef 1738. [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]