Abraham Wightman

Notes:

See this web page for information on Abraham:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wightman/Abraham1711.htm

The following is a quote from that site:

"Shortly after the completion of the Revolutionary War, Abraham purchased land in Herkimer Co., NY. He did not move there himself, but rather was investing and prospecting, as most did at this time. About the same time and not incidentally I'm sure, all five of his sons and his daughter Amey moved to New York State, mostly to Herkimer County." (Bruce Wightman)

Abraham & Susannah had 10 known children.

Abraham married Susannah Stark 19 Apr 1737, Lebanon, New London Co., CT. Susannah (daughter of John Stark and Martha Walworth) was born Abt 1715, Norwich or Groton, New London Co., CT; died 1813, Colchester, New London Co., CT. [Group Sheet]

1. Allen Wightman was born 30 May 1742, CT; died Aft 1783, Onondaga Co., NY; was buried , Lakeview Cemetery, Skaneateles, Onondaga Co., NY.

Notes:

The name Valentine was used in the Wightman family for quite a while. This one was named after his uncle. As late as the 1850 Federal Census, there was a Valentine Whitman 59 living at Warwick.

Rev. Valentine Wightman was Pastor of the Baptist Church at Groton, CT, which was organized in 1705. It is said that for over 35 years it was the only Baptist church in CT.

Valentine married Susannah Holmes 17 Feb 1702/03, North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI. Susannah (daughter of John Holmes and Mary Sayles) was born Abt 1682, Newport, RI; died Abt 1727, Groton, New London Co., CT. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Susannah Holmes is a descendant of Roger Williams, founder of Providence, RI.

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:

John Holmes was of Newport.

John married Mary Sayles 12 Oct 1680, Warwick, Kent Co., RI. Mary (daughter of John SAYLES, Jr. and Mary WILLIAMS) was born 11 Jul 1652, Providence, RI; died Abt 1717, Warwick or Newport, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Mary's first husband was William Greene, who died about Feb 1680.

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:

According to the book on Roger Williams' descendants, John & Mary Sayles had six children and lived on Aquidneck Island. Some lists of their children do not include Mary, Anne, or Richard, the latter two probably having died young. The dates of birth of most of these children have not yet been confirmed. When the next book is published by the Roger Williams Family Association, more research will be possible.

John & Mary are buried near Easton's Beach, Middletown, RI.

John married Mary WILLIAMS 1650, Providence, RI. Mary (daughter of Roger WILLIAMS and Mary BARNARD) was born Aug 1633, Plymouth Colony, MA; died 1681, Middletown, Newport Co., RI. [Group Sheet]