Hannah Rice

Notes:

The will of Josephus Rice of Warwick, yeoman, is dated 26 Mar 1812, proved 17 July 1813. It mentions wife Sarah; son Thomas Rice; dtrs: Elizabeth Whitford w/o John S., Phebe Rice, Sarah Arnold w/o Daniel, and deceased dtr Sarah Arnold formerly wife of James Arnold; and granddtr. Lucy Arnold, d/o James and Sarah.

His will is somewhat confusing because he mentions his wife as Sarah Rice. However, his daughter Sarah's (w/o Daniel Arnold) gravestone identifies her as the daughter of Josephus & Mary. He also mentions another daughter Sarah, deceased. Both Sarahs married an Arnold; however, one could not have died before the other was born, if the ages on the gravestone and in the will are correct. Could there have been a divorce, and he remarried to a Sarah, and had another daughter named Sarah? Or, perhaps his second wife already had a daughter Sarah, whom he adopted; or perhaps she was simply his stepdaughter and he included her in his will as a daughter. Josephus did have a daughter Abigail (Warwick VRs), and according to DAR records she married James Arnold and they had a daughter named Lucy b 30 June 1800, so perhaps the second daughter Sarah in his will should read Abigail.

Josephus married Mary Remington 18 May 1777, Warwick, RI. Mary (daughter of Thomas REMINGTON, III and Abigail ELDREDGE) was born 26 Mar 1754, Warwick, Kent Co., RI; died Between 18 Jun 1798 and 26 Mar 1812. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The marriage record identifies her as d/o Capt. Thomas Remington. Mary Rice is mentioned as a daughter in the will of Thomas Remington of Warwick, dated 18 June 1798.

Notes:

Mary & Josephus were married by Thomas Rice, Justice. The marriage record identifies her as daughter of Capt. Thomas.

Rice Josephus, of Capt. Thomas, and Mary Remington, of Capt. Thomas ; m. by Thomas Rice, Justice, May 18, 1777.

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 Ann Low 19 Jun 1741, Warwick, RI. Ann (daughter of Anthony Low and Mary Arnold) was born Abt 1704. [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.

John married Elnathan Whipple 25 Jul 1695, Providence, RI. Elnathan (daughter of John Whipple, Jr. and Mary Olney) was born 2 Jan 1674/75, Providence, RI; died 7 Jan 1761; was buried 9 Jan 1761. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

John & Elnathan were married by Joseph Williams, Justice.

Anthony — Mary Arnold. Mary (daughter of Israel Arnold, I and Mary Barker) was born Abt 1685. [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."