Thomas and Alice (MNU) Angell, early settlers of Providence, Rhode Island are my 10X great grandparents.
I think it is quite Ironic that I attended the University of Rhode Island and taught elementary school there for 2 1/2 years and never realized that I had an entire branch of my family tree who lived there from the early 1600s onward.
I was aware of the Angell surname, as I remember Bishop Kenneth Angell (1930-2016), but I didn’t know that he and I were distant cousins.
As with many of the early Rhode Island residents, there is mis-information to be found online.
There is no evidence that Thomas Angell was given land by Roger Williams when he was still underage. Nor is there support for the claim that his wife, Alice, was an Ashton by birth. In fact, it has been conclusively proved that she was NOT a daughter of James Ashton.
Having cast those false claims aside, let’s look at what is known about Thomas and Alice Angell and their family.
Thomas Angell was born c1618, but of unknown origin. He wrote his will on 3 May 1685, but died some years later, as it was proved on 18 September 1684. Thomas’s wife, Alice, was named the executor.
Alice wrote her own will on 20 October 1694, which was proved 15 January 1694/95.
Children:
- Anphillis, born c1642; died after 20 October 1694, when she was mentioned in her mother’s will; married Edward Smith, either 27 April or 9 May 1663.
- Mary, born c1644; died before her mother, as she isn’t mentioned in her will; married Richard Arnold, c1665
- Deborah, born c1646; died after 20 October 1694, when she is mentioned in her mother’s will; married Stephen Seabury (Sabeere in her mother’s will) of Newport, 14 November 1668
- John, born c1647; died 27 July 1720; married Ruth Field, c1669
- Alice, born c1649; died 13 August 1743 ; married Eleazer Whipple, 26 January 1670
- James, born c1753; died 3 March 1710/11; married Abigail Dexter, 3 September 1678. Abigail was the daughter of Rev. Gregory Dexter.
- Margery/Margaret, born c1668; died 8 September 1721; married Jonathan Whipple, c1691
Thomas and Alice (MNU) have many, many descendants today, including many in still in Rhode Island.