Copyright 1999 Perry Streeter (Content updated 31 October 2007) (c) 1999 Perry Streeter mailto:perry@streeter.com http://www.perry.streeter.com This document is Copyright 1999 by Perry Streeter. It may be freely redistributed in its entirety provided that this copyright notice is not removed. It may not be sold for profit or incorporated in commercial documents without the written permission of the copyright holder. I am seeking all genealogical and biographical details for the family documented below including their ancestors, children, and grandchildren and the spouses thereof, including the full names of those spouses' parents. All additions and corrections within this scope, however speculative, will be greatly appreciated. Francis Bates of Topsfield, Massachusetts Your compiler is indebted to Margery Matthews of Foster, Rhode Island for generously sharing her research on the Bates family. Her research is based primarily on vital records and land records of Voluntown, Connecticut and Warwick, Rhode Island, as well as other primary sources. Due to significant losses of important records at Topsfield and Salem, Massachusetts, Voluntown, Connecticut, and North Kingstown and Coventry, Rhode Island the connection between the first three generations may be impossible to prove. However, Ms. Matthews feels that there is sufficient evidence for the line as presented below. 1. Francis-1 Bates was born in England in 1627. He married in 1657 Anne Oldham. Anne was born in England, the daughter of _____ and Sarah (North) Oldham (The American Genealogist, 58:4). Sarah (North) Oldham was the daughter of Richard-1 and [Joan (Bartram)] North of Salisbury, Essex County, Massachusetts. Perhaps he was the Francis christened at Haydon, Lincolnshire, England on 13 July 1627 to Abraham Bate (International Genealogical Index of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). Francis was at Ipswich, Massachusetts by 1648. In 1650, he was a settler at Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts (Holmes, Ancestral Heads of New England Families, Institute of American Genealogy). Francis appears several times in the records of Essex County. In 1654, he was called as a witness against "Goodwife Batchilir," and served as a witness to other cases between 1660 and 1667. He earned two shillings for clapboards and palles. On 5 August 1662, a deed was made from Francis and Anne bates to William Smith for a 40-acre plot. This deed mentions their small tenement, L-40 payable in corn or cattle four times a year until paid with "my house, upland, upland meadow, fencing, right to common and the river." William Perkins Sr. and John Wilde witnessed the deed. The latter gentleman confirmed in 1698/9 that he had sold Francis property 50 years ago. That land transaction must have coincided with Francis' arrival in Topsfield. In 1663, Francis was named with others as a delinquent taxpayer ("Delinquent Tax Payers," Topsfield Historical Magazine, 17:56). His appeal for relief to the town of Ipswich was denied in May 1663. In November 1664, in the case of Captain George Corven v. Francis Bates over a debt, the verdict of L-7 was for the plaintiff (Essex County, Massachusetts Records). ffrancis [sic] Bates was granted share #19 in the Division of Common Land in March 1669. This is probably the land he was taxed for 9 shillings that same year. Anne (Oldham) Bate's maternal grandfather, Richard-1 North, was a settler of Salisbury, Massachusetts. Anne probably came to America around 1653 or a little earlier. Children (Topsfield, MA Vital records; Immigrants to America before 1750): i. Sarah-2, b. 17 Aug 1659. ii. Simon, B. 27 Dec 1660; d. 29 Jan 1660/1. iii. Ebenezer, b. 20 Jan 1662. 2. iv. Francis, b. 1668, m. Mary Burges. 2. Francis-2 Bates (Francis-1) was born probably at Topsfield, Massachusetts in 1668 and died North Kingstown, Rhode Island after March 1741 (deed executed) but before 8 June 1742 (will proved). He married, first, Mary Burges (William-1), daughter of William-1 and Susannah (_____) Burges, who died after 14 April 1726 (when they both signed a deed) but before 9 July [1727-29] when Francis married, second, in North Kingstown, Rhode Island Margaret Nichols. Francis-2 Bates first appears at (then Rochester, now) Kingstown, Rhode Island under "Assessments of Ye Estates of Ye Towne of Rochester, Rhode Island" (NEHGR, 35:126). On 6 September 1687, "Frances Battes" paid pole money. On 3 February 1709, Francis Bates of Kingstown and George Tibbets of Greenwich together purchased a share in the New or Great Purchase (Warwick Deeds [hereinafter WD], 2:47). This share entitled them to future division shares of the purchase. The New or Great Purchase comprised the present towns of Exeter and West Greenwich. Francis received share #46 (117 acres) and share #50 (336.5 acres) in the present town of Exeter. He also received share #29 (169 acres) in the present town of West Greenwich. The investors in the New or Great Purchase did not settle these lands, but sold them. Francis Bates and Jacob Mott exchanged lot #6 in the Fones Purchase on 4 March in the fifth year of George I (WD, 4:11). On 18 December 1719, Francis sold lots in the Great Purchase to Mary M. Young of Kingstown (WD, 4:149). At some point, Francis purchased lot #5 from Richard Sweet of East Greenwich (WD, 5:28). Francis and Mary may have moved to Windham, Connecticut for a short while. William Burges "of Kingston" had purchased land in Windham in 1716. On 16 May 1719, he deeded 50 acres to "Francis Bates son-in-law and Mary his wife of Windham and the children of Mary" (Windham Deeds, ?:338). On 26 May 1722, William had the inclusion of the children annulled and confirmed the same to Francis. On the same day, Francis Bates "of Windham" sold the 50 acres to Paul _____. Francis and Mary returned to Kingstown, Rhode Island in 1726. Francis Bates sold his son "Daniel Baites" 20 acres on the Queen River on 14 April 1726; Francis and Mary both signed the deed. Mary probably died shortly afterwards for Francis was married in North Kingstown on 9 July (1727-29?) to Margaret Nichols. In May 1728, Francis deeded 40 acres each to his sons James and Samuel "for his support and his family." Margaret signed these deeds with Francis. In December 1738, Francis and Margaret sold land on the Queen River to John and Benjamin Nichols. In March 1741, they sold land to Robert Gardner. BATES, Francis. Will proved 8 June 1742, pgs 1-4. Mentions: [Wife?] Margaret Bates. Sons Fo[burn], S[burn, Jo[burn] under 21, and probably 3 more sons names completely lost. Daughters Ann Gallop deceased, [burn] Roy Wife of John Roy, Eas[burn], Abigail Bat[burn], Ma[burn], and another daughter, name completely lost. Witn lost. (North Kingstown, R.I. Probate Vol 8 1742- 1756 as cited in "Abstracts North Kingstown Wills," Rhode Island Genealogical Register [Volume 12]) Margery Matthews seems to have had access to the original will or perhaps a better copy of it. She reported that Francis wrote his will probably in 1737 and that sons Francis, Samuel, and (Daniel?) had already received their portions and/or a home puls 5 shillings each. His widow, Margaret, was named executrix; she was to have some land, a house, and cattle. The other children were left various sums or items. There are discrepancies between Francis' will and the vital records of North Kingstown as printed by Arnold. Perhaps some of the children not mentioned in his will died young. Children, birth order uncertain, surname Bates: 3. i. Francis-3, b. circa 1695 or earlier; m. Mary (_____); named in will; probably the eldest son being named in honor of his paternal grandfather and father. ii. Samuel, b. at N. Kingstown, RI 1 Dec 1698; m. there 9 July 172? Elizabeth Nichols; named in will. Children, surname Bates: 1. Benjamin 2. Samuel 3. John iii. Daniel, d. before November 1749; m. Hannah (_____); named in will. Children, surname Bates: 1. Jonathan 2. Daniel 3. Francis 4. Ruth 5. John 6. David. iv. James, [b. 23 Oct 1695; d. 1763]; m. at N. Kingstown 22 April 1723 Elizabeth-[3] [Harrington], [(John-2, Benjamin-1), b. 1700, d. after 1769], probably the dau. of John-2 and Lydia (Cranston) Harrington, see Benjamin Harrington of Providence, Rhode Island for more inforamtion; resided in Coventry, RI; named in will; theoretical information from Lois Barr (correspondence [2 Sep 1999]; hereinafter Barr. Children, surname Bates (Barr): 1. James Jr., m. Phebe Rice, dau. of Randall and Elizabeth (George) Rice; ancestors of Lois Barr. 2. Ebenezer, m. Mary Perkins. 3. Caleb. 4. Joshua, m. 29 July 1764 Avis-5 Sherman (Benoni-4, Elisha-3, Eber-2, Philip-1), b. N. Kingstown, Washington Co., RI between 1742 and 1748, dau. of Benoni-4 and Margaret (Havens) Sherman. 5. Mary, m. Nathaniel Harrington. 6. Phoebe, m. Jeremiah Blanchard. 7. Samantha. v. Ebenezer, b. at N. Kingstown, RI 25 Nov 1696. vi. John, b. at N. Kingstown, RI 25 Feb 1700. vii. Mary, m. 28 Dec 1746 Samuel Codner of S. Kingstown, RI. viii. Elizabeth ix. Freeborn x. Benjamin xi. Ann, m. (_____) Gallup; named in will. xii. daughter, m. John Ray; named in will. xiii. Esther, named in will. xiv. Abigail, named in will. xv. Ezekiel?, named in will. xvi. Joseph xvii. Lydia 3. Francis-3 Bates (Francis-2-1), born circa 1695 or earlier based on the birth of his first child on 6 May 1716; -married Mary _____. Francis-3 had already received his portion from his father Francis-2' estate by 1737. Perhaps his portion was money used to buy land in Voluntown, New London, Connecticut where his first child was born on 6 May 1716. On 28 July [1772, sic 1727?], Francis bought land from Thomas Leffingwell for L-30 (Voluntown, Connecticut Land Records [hereinafter VLR], 1:150). On 3 March 1729, this cordwainer sold his land in Voluntown to Thomas Holeman of Bristol, Massachusetts (VLR, 8:477). Francis was also a Baptist Elder and performed marriages in the 1730s until at least 7 July 1742; he was probably associated with the Anabaptist church in Rice City, the section of Coventry, Rhode Island where he later lived. Francis Bates purchased 53.5 acres in 7 Men's Land in Warwick, Rhode Island on 16 November 1731 from Samuel Whaley for L-55 "where Bates now lives" (Warwick, Rhode Island Land Records [hereinafter WLR], 2). He later purchased 30 more acres from Samuel Whaley near the Moosup River on 7 November 1733 (WLR, 5:215), 1.5 acres of which he sold back to Whaley on 22 April 1734 (WLR, 5:217). Francis purchased lot #56 (202 acres) from Resolved Waterman on 19 May 1736 near Westquoid, a tract of land near the southern boundary of modern-day Foster. On 9 December 1738, Francis Bates of Warwick gave to William Bates "for love and affection" 60 acres of the land that he had bought from Waterman (WLR, 6:80). In the deed, a mill dam on the Moosup River is mentioned; Francis reserved to himself a right to pass and repass from the mill, probably a grist mill. Samuel and Josiah Bennet witnessed the deed. On 4 January 1741/2, Francis and Mary "of Coventry" sold land to their son-in-law, Richard Herrington. This 101-acre plot was bounded by those of George Parker, Samuel-3 Bennett, and William Beats [sic] (WLR, 1:154). The land Francis Bates bought in Rhode Island was in the section of Warwick that became Coventry after 1741. Children, first six born at Voluntown, Connecticut, remainder at (then Warwick, now) Coventry, Rhode Island: 4. i. William-4, b. 6 May 1716; m. Sarah Bennett. ii. Mary, b. 31 April 1718; m. Amos-3 Harrington (John-2, Benjamin-1). Children, surname Harrington: 1. William 2. Ephriam 3. Tabitha 4. Martha. iii. Martha, b. 26 May 1720; d. 13 March 1726/7. iv. Abigail, b. 16 March 1722; m. Ebenezer Perkins. Children, surname Perkins, b. Coventry, RI: 1. Mary, b. 23 Sep 1742. 2. Hannah, b. 25 June 1744. 3. Martha, b. 10 Nov 1746. 4. John, b. 21 Jan 1749. 5. Ebenezer, b. 15 April 1752. 6. Abigail, b. 6 Nov 1754. 7. Frances, b. 3 march 1757. 8. William, b. 12 June 1761. v. Susanna, b. 28 July 1724; m. Josiah-5 Bennett (Thomas-4, John-3-2, Edward-1). Children, surname Bennett: 1. Francis, b. Scituate, RI 2 Nov 1745; d. Pownal, VT 9 April 1829; m. Betsey _____. 2. Josiah Jr. 3. Matthew. 4. Stephen. 5. Micai. 6. Ichabod. 7. Dorcas. 8. Zilpah. 9. Anna. 10._Susanna. vi. Francis, b. 1 May 1727; d. in Pownal, VT 28 March 1803; m. Elizabeth Harrington (Josiah-3, John-2, Benjamin-1), b. ca. 1732, d. in Pownal, VT 28 Feb 1816. vii. Sarah, b. 6 Jan 1729/30; m. 15 or 16 April 1746 Richard Herrington Jr.. Children, surname Herrington: 1. Francis, b. 20 March 1747. 2. Lida, b. 8 Oct 1748. 3. Hester, b. 6 June 1751. 4. Job, b. 6 June 1753. 5. Eber, b. at Coventry, RI 12 April 1755; d. at Burlington, NY 13 Jan 1834; m. 15 April 1784 Susanna Gardner. viii. Benjamin, b. 30 May 1721; m. Martha Harrington (Josiah-3, John-2, Benjamin-1). ix. Esther, m. Elisha Herrington, brother of Richard Herrington Jr. 4. William-4 Bates (Francis-3-2-1) was born at Voluntown, New London County, Connecticut 6 May 1716 and moved to Warwick, Rhode Island with his parents. William died at Coventry, Kent County, Rhode Island before 8 May 1808. He was married at Preston, New London County, Connecticut on 10 June 1734 to Sarah-4 Bennett (Samuel-3, John-2-1). Sarah was born at Preston 29 September 1715, the daughter of Samuel-3 and Sarah (Harrington) Bennett. William, as the eldest son, had been given land by his father Francis which he probably deeded back to him on 22 September 1743. Children, as listed in the Aylsworth genealogy: i. Eunice-5, b. 5 April 1735. ii. Stephen, b. 28 July 1737; probably m. Susan (Baker) Barnes. Child, surname Bates: 1. James, b. VT about 1785; resided in PA in 1850; served in the American Revolution. iii. Hezekiah, b. 21 Jan 1739. iv. Oliver, b. 4 March 1742; moved to Edmeston, Otsego Co., NY. Children, surname Bates: 1. Lory, b. Edmeston; m. Betsey Southworth, d. 1 April 1881. 2. John B. 3. Leonard. * v. Susannah, b. 9 April 1774; m. 18 Oct 1761 Edward-4 Burleson (John-3-2, Edward-1), b. at Suffield, Hartford Co., CT 10 November 1737, d. probably at West Greenwich, Kent Co., RI in 1803, son of John-3 and Hepzibah (Bromley) Burleson; direct ancestors of the compiler; see Edward Burleson of Suffield, Connecticut for more information. vi. Sarah, b. 18 Feb 1746; m. (_____) Greene. vii. Mary, b. 20 April 1748. viii. Abigail, b. 3 July 1752. ix. Esther, b. 27 Aug 1755. x. Lois, b. 20 Jan 1760.