William Bailey Whitford

Notes:

His gravestone in Historical Cemetery #27, off Burnt Sawmill Rd., West Greenwich, has been photographed. It is posted on the family tree at our web site.

William and his sister Mary both married children of Jacob & Hannah Lewis.

A note in the family Bible has his date of death as 14 Sep 1883. It says he died at age 87 years 3 months 25 days, and that he was born May 20th.

In the 1850 Federal Census, William B. & Ollive Whitford, ages 54 & 52, are living at West Greenwich. Their son William H. is 12.

William married Olive Lewis 4 Mar 1832, West Greenwich, Kent Co., RI. Olive (daughter of Jacob Lewis, Jr. and Hannah Wilcox) was born 9 Jan 1797, West Greenwich, Kent Co., RI; died 6 Aug 1876, West Greenwich, Kent Co., RI; was buried , Simeon Whitford Lot, Burnt Sawmill Rd., WEst Greenwich, RI. [Group Sheet]

1. William Harris Whitford was born 4 Nov 1837, West Greenwich, Kent Co., RI; died 4 Aug 1865.

Notes:

The birth record at West Greenwich reads: "Rubin whitford the First Son of Nicholas whitford and mary his wife was Born June the 16th Day AD 1748 and the fifth Day of the week and between nine and ten of the clock in the after noon."

See his will dated 9 Sept 1830, proved 29 Oct 1831 at West Greenwich. In it he mentions his father Nicholas Whitford, uncle Solomon Whitford, wife Comfort Whitford, son William B. Whitford, and daughter Mary Whitford. The gravestones of Reuben and Comfort have been photographed and are posted on the family tree at our web site [www.thesorensens.net]. They are in Historical Cemetery #27, off Burnt Sawmill Rd., West Greenwich.

Reuben married Comfort Bailey 9 Apr 1795, West Greenwich, Kent Co., RI. Comfort (daughter of William BAILEY, Jr. and Phebe OLIN) was born 14 May 1763; died 2 Dec 1841; was buried , Historical Cemetery 27, Burnt Sawmill Rd., West Greenwich, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Comfort and her sister Barbary married two half brothers, Reuben and Carmi Whitford.

Notes:

Some information on the Whitford family can be found in Beaman's Vital Records, Vol. 7, Washington County, pp. 408 - 414. This includes the marriage record of Nicholas and Susannah, as well as the births of several of their children.

The 1774 census shows Nicholas with 4 males over 16, 3 under 16, 3 females over 16, and 1 under 16, living in West Greenwich. The 1777 military census shows Nicholas of West Greenwich as 16-50 and able to bear arms. The 1782 census shows Nicholas Whitford of West Greenwich with 1 male over 50, 2 males and 2 females 22-49, 1 boy and 1 girl 16-21, and 2 boys under 16. (While there is a possibility that some or all of these records were for another Nicholas Whitford, most likely they pertain to this particular Nicholas.)

See his will dated 29 Oct 1785, proved last Mon Aug 1790, West Greenwich pp. 348-350. I have made an assumption that Nicholas died in West Greenwich.

In 1769 Nicholas Whitford bought from Thomas Comstock some property on Weaver Hill Road in West Greenwich. This became the Whitford farm and stayed in the family until 1866. Nicholas passed on the farm to his son Levi, and from him it went to Levi's sons Ezekiel & Nicholas. Ezekiel bought the rights from his brother Nicholas in 1814. In 1866 James A. Whitford, grandson of Ezekiel, sold the farm to Rhodes Greene & Ephraim B. Harrington; in 1884 Greene & Harrington sold it to Burrill Andrews. Along the way sections of it were sold to other individuals. In 1886 Andrews sold his portion, consisting of 70 acres and the house, to George W. Fish. Thereafter it stayed in the Fish family until 1979 when it was sold to John Searle. The house is still standing and occupied; the family grave plot is adjoining. (source: historical collections at the Louttit Library, 274 Victory Highway, West Greenwich, RI)

In recent years, descendant Ray Whitford and family of North Attleboro, MA, spent much time and effort cleaning up this family burial plot.

Nicholas married Mary Jenkins Abt 1747. Mary died 29 Apr 1752, West Greenwich, Kent Co., RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

"Mary Whitford wife of Nicholas Whitford deceased April the 29th day 1752" -- West Greenwich town records.

William married Phebe OLIN 19 Jun 1760, East Greenwich, RI. Phebe (daughter of John OLIN, II and Susannah PEIRCE) was born 9 Nov 1735; died Abt 1808. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

William & Phebe were married by Thomas Shippee, Justice.

Notes:

Pasco lived in East and West Greenwich, and in Coventry, RI. The first three children were born in East Greenwich (Vital Records of Kent Co. p. 171). The rest of the children were born in West Greenwich (Vital Records of Kent Co. p. 102).

On 2 May 1727, by vote of the RI Colonial Assembly, Pasco Whitford of East Greenwich was admitted freeman of the colony (RI Colonial Records, vol. 4, p. 386).

In 1751 Pasco Whitford bought 80 acres of land from Gideon Brayton at Tarbox Corner in East Greenwich, RI. This land was originally granted to the Knight family in 1677, sold to Gideon Freeborn 1688, deeded to his daughter Mary and her husband Thomas Brayton and then passed on to their son Gideon Brayton in 1721. The house on this property has been dated at 1738 and is still standing, having been refurbished. The property passed from the Whitfords to the Tarbox family possibly through an inheritance to Pasco's granddaughter Easter (Esther?) who married Joseph Tarbox in 1788. Source: The East Greenwich Packet - Fall 1971 Vol 1 no 2.

There is a Pasco Whitford listed in the Rhode Island Colonial Census of 1 June 1774, where he is shown as head of a West Greenwich family consisting of 1 male and 1 female over 16, and 1 male under 16, and 1 black, total 4. This may be for this Pasco.

The 1777 RI Military Census shows Paskeo Whitford of West Greenwich as "60 yrs. and up."

The 1782 Census shows Pasqua Whitford's household of West Greenwich as having one male 50 and up, 2 males and 2 females 22-49, 2 boys and 2 girls 0-15. This may be for this Pasco.

He was a member of the Maple Root Church of Coventry, RI. This church was organized in 1762. His son David and David's wife, Lydia (Sweet), were also members (Arnold's Vital Records of RI, vol. 10, p. 275).

His grave site was quite challenging to find. It is located off Carr's Pond Rd. near Middle Rd., near the East Greenwich/West Greenwich border. One must trek a ways through the woods to get to it, and then it is hard to find because it is so well hidden by trees and briers. The marker is a simple rough-hewn granite stone, with a simple and rough inscription: P W 1700 - 1788. There are several other similar Whitford stones nearby, as well as quite a few Tarbox family stones. (Historical Cemetery WG 029)

Pasco married Hannah HILL Abt 1720. Hannah was born Abt 1700; died Abt 1735. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

It has been suggested that only the oldest child, Nicholas, was born to Hannah Hill, and that the next two were born to the second wife, Hannah Matteson. The age differences may indicate this. On the other hand, Reuben Whitford (son of Nicholas) mentions his Uncle Solomon Whitford in his will of 1830, which might indicate that Solomon was born of the first wife, as Nicholas was.

Notes:

William Bailey was made freeman of East Greenwich on 2 May 1721.

William married Rebecka STRAIGHT Abt 1719. Rebecka (daughter of Henry STRAIGHT, Jr. and Hannah UNKNOWN) was born 27 Apr 1700. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Her father's will gives her name as Rebeckah. The book "Records of the Bailey Family" gives her date of birth as 27 Jan 1700.

John married Susannah PEIRCE 8 Dec 1734, East Greenwich, RI. Susannah (daughter of Jeremiah PEIRCE and Abigail LONG) was born 8 Apr 1708; died Feb 1802. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Elsewhere her birthdate is given as 8 Dec 1708.