| Home Surname List Name Index Sources Email Us | Fifth Generation181. Ruth COMSTOCK was born on 20 January 1723/4 in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island.66 There is something very wrong with the dates concerning Ruth and her children in the old Comstock books. She is given as the mother of all the children and said to have remarried after the death of John Comstock in 1790. Yet she is given a birth of ca 1724 and the couple married in 1746. If she was born in 1724, then several of the children were born when she was well into her 50's, maybe even 60's, which seems highly unlikely. I believe that Ruth Comstock died some earlier and that before 1780, John had married Ruth Aldrich. This record would seem to be contradictory but perhaps there is an error in the transcription because I do believe Wanton was a son of Ruth, nee Comstock, the first wife. Ruth COMSTOCK and John COMSTOCK were married on 19 January 1746/7 in Smithfield, Providence County, Rhode Island.71 John COMSTOCK68, son of Hazadiah COMSTOCK and Catherine PRAY, was born on 16 April 1724 in Smithfield, Providence County, Rhode Island.71 He died on 16 May 1790 at the age of 66 in Smithfield, Providence County, Rhode Island.49 The Comstock books have this family very confused. John's wife Ruth, born 1724, could not have been the mother of the younger children ascribed to this family. Yet when John died, his widow was Ruth. I believe it is likely that John married twice, both times to a lady named Ruth [probably Ruth Aldrich] and the second Ruth was much younger resulting in a second family. Any descendants of this family should obtain the original records for clarity. John Comstock of Smithfield was admitted to vote 5 May 1752. He was on a list of freemen from Smithfield, 1753 1774 Census of Smithfield. John Comstock had 4 males over 16, two males under 16, and 4 females over 16. Since this is just the number of people in the household, it is impossible to determine if all were one family, or some were servants, or other relatives. By 1774, Ruth was surely past child-bearing age. 12 Jul 1788 John deeded 1/2 of the home farm to sons William and Levi. Later records of theirs indicate they were very young and were not counted in 1774. John would have been quite old and may have been guaranteeing this property for the sons born to the second wife. Ruth Comstock, widow, and Wanton, her son, presented John's inventory 21 Jun 1790. [My question her is did this record actually state that Wanton was Ruth's son, or did it refer to Wanton as a son of John Comstock, deceased. That could be key to whether or not Ruth is Wanton's stepmother, not his mother.] After John's death, Ruth married Francis Hamilton. Apparently they were in Oneida Co, NY by 1800 - please read second wife Ruth Aldrich's notes. 22 Feb 1805. William & Levi Comstock of Paris, Oneida Co NY, deed Stephen Charles Mowry 1/2 of a farm in Smithfield, RI, where our father John lived and died excepting the dower of Ruth Hamilton out of said deed. [Although this deed states that John was the father of William & Levi that lived in Oneida Co, it apparently did not say that the dower of Ruth Hamilton was that of their mother, although I believe she would have been.] 3 Sep 1810. William Comstock & Patty his wife, Kanah Mills & Joanna his wife, all of Paris, Oneida Co NY. Oliver Gillette & Rhoda his wife of Hamilton, Oneida Co NY, are seized in fee of land late in possession of John Comstock, dec'd. The said William, Joanna, & Rhoda being natural heirs of Nancy Comstock, dec'd who was heir of John Comstock, they appoint Levi Comstock their attorney to lands of our sister Nancy, dec'd. Ruth COMSTOCK and John COMSTOCK had the following children:
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