Francis Brayton

Benjamin married Mary Butts 9 Nov 1719, Portsmouth, RI. Mary (daughter of Zaccheus Butts and Sarah Cornell) was born Abt 1697. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

BRAYTON Benjamin, and Mary Butts; m. by William Sanford, Justice, Nov. 9, 1719.

Notes:

Francis Brayton was admitted as a freeman of Portsmouth, RI, on 30 April 1672.

The will of Francis Brayton, dated 6 Jan 1715/16 and proved (probated) 10 F eb 1718/19, at Portsmouth, RI, appoints his wife Mary and son Francis co-executors, and Jacob Mott, William Anthony, and Preserved Fish, as overseers.

For more information on this family see "Brayton Family History," by Clifford Ross Brayton, Jr., pub.1978 (at RI Historical Society Library, Hiope St., Providence, RI).

Francis married Mary Fish 18 Mar 1670/71, Portsmouth, RI. Mary (daughter of Thomas FISH and Mary Unknown) was born 1652, Portsmouth, RI; died Abt 4 Apr 1747, Portsmouth, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

BRAYTON Francis, of Francis, and Mary Fish, of Thomas; m. by William Baulston. Asst., March 18, 1671.

Notes:

Zaccheus Butts was chosn to serve on the jury in 1698. (from "The Butts Family of RI" by Francis B. Butts, p. 11)

Zaccheus married Sarah Cornell 1686. Sarah (daughter of Thomas Cornell and Sarah EARLE) was born Abt 1671; died 16 Jan 1748/49; was buried , Kickemuit Cemetery, Warren, RI. [Group Sheet]

Francis — Mary Unknown. Mary died Abt 1692. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

See will dated 9 Feb 1686/87 in "RI Genealogical Register."

There is some question about the maiden name of Thomas's wife. It has been suggested that she may have been Mary Ayers. (see notes below)

From "The Fish Family in England and America," p. 33:
"Meetinge Jan. 19, 1651, 2 acres of lande adjoining to Thomas Fish were ordered layd out to Henry Eves in lieu of land given to said Henry by the Towne formerly"

"Meetinge March 20 1660, Thomas Fish received a deed of house and land from Henry and Ann Ayres, in consideration of fencing two acres said Henry and Ann to enjoy said land for their lives without paying rent."

"Meetinge September 12 1680, Voted: John Biggs is appointed to speke to Thomas Fish that he lay out that acre of land to this townes commons which was lent to Henry eves" (Ayers/Eyers).

(source: "The Fish Family in England and America, Genealogical and Biographical Records and Sketches," by Lester Warren Fish, c 1948)

Thomas married Mary Unknown 1645, Portsmouth, RI. Mary was born 1625; died 1699, Portsmouth, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Her place of birth is given in some genealogies as Portsmouth, but that is impossible, since the settlement was not begun until the middle 1930s. The Portsmouth Compact, dated 1638, does have a Phillip Shearman as one of the signers. However, his daughter named Mary was born later.

Other possibilities -- Mary Sherman, May 1624 - 1673/1699 ?, daughter of Samuel Sherman 20 Oct 1601 - Oct 1644 & Hester Burgess 1604 - 14 Aug 1646. Or, someone else has suggested she may have been Mary Soule, a daughter of George Soule.

Dr. Kenneth Parker's notes indicate Thomas Fish's wife was Mary AYERS (no source documentation given; Dr. Parker has passed away). See the following note.

"I believe that this lady was Mary Ayers whose father was Henry Ayres. She was born 1615?? and died 1699 in Portsmouth, RI. Mary Ayres married Thomas Fish in 1647 in Portsmouth. He was the son of Robert Fish and Alice Fish. I got this from RootsWeb.com by a David E. Crandall, Jr. [dcrandall.jr@prodigy.net]. A note on this RootsWeb.com site says: A notation in an issue of "Second Boat" lists her maiden name as Ayres, daughter of Henry. Submission was by Mary P. Lavery, 7 Paris Ave., Corinth, NY 12822. TORREY lists her name as [?Sherman]. The FISH genealogy very tentatively assigns her maiden name as SOULE. (RIGENWEB mailing list posting from Arlene Clarke Haddock).

See notes for her husband, Thomas Fish.

See her Portsmouth will dated 9 September 1697, proved 9 Aug 1699, which mentions sons John Fish, Robert Fish, Thomas Fish (dec.), and Daniel Fish; daughters Mehittable Tripp, Mary Brayton, and Alike (Alice?) Knowles; grandchildren Preserved Fish and Mehitable Fish, of Thomas (dec.); grandchildren Thomas Fish, Comfort Fish, and Ruth Fish, of Daniel; granddaughter Mary Fish, of John; grandson Robert Fish of Robert.

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]

Notes:

Thomas was convicted and executed for murdering of his mother. It is not known if he really was guilty.

Thomas married Sarah EARLE Abt 1668. Sarah (daughter of Ralph EARLE and Joan SAVAGE) was born Between 1640 and 1645, Dorchester, MA; died Abt 1690, Tiverton, RI. [Group Sheet]