Today, we’ll examine the interesting lives of Richard Smith and Joan Barton, daughter of the subjects of Part 2 – William Barton and Eleanor Burnell of Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England. Neither Richard nor Joan could ever have imagined the path their lives would take when they left home due to their nonconformist religious beliefs.
Today’s Woodruff collateral family was treated in The American Genealogist in October 2010 in the article “The English Ancestry of Joan Barton, Wife of Richard Smith of Narragansett, Rhode Island” by John C. Brandon and Leslie Mahler, FASG.
Richard Smith was born c1596, possibly in Gloucestershire, England and died before 22 August 1666, Southampton, Suffolk, New York. Joan was Barton was born c1601, probably in Gloucestershire, too. They married there at Thornbury, England on 28 May 1621. She died before 6 October 1651, when Roger Williams (yes, that one, of Rhode Island, who was a long time friend) stated that Richard Smith “is like to have Mrs. Chester, ” e.g. in marriage. However, if he did indeed marry a second time, his second wife also predeceased him as she is not named in his 1664 will.
While the parents of Joan Barton are now proven, the parents of Richard Smith remain unknown [in spite of claims of his father being from Virginia!!!.]
The story of Richard and Joan’s life together begins with Rev. Francis Doughty, a nonconformist minister from the nearby village of Oldbury, also in Gloucestershire, England. About 1636, the reverend immigrated to New England with his followers, including the Smiths, who first settled in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts.
Richard Smith took the oath of allegiance on 3 December 1638 and was a freeman in Taunton by 1640. Around that time, he purchased land in Narragansett, Rhode Island along what was called the “Pequot path.”
Rev. Doughty was expelled from Massachusetts and the Smiths followed him first to Portsmouth, Rhode Island and then to New Amsterdam, New York, held at the time by the Dutch.
Richard Smith had some social stature at the time as he was one of eight men who signed a treaty between the Dutch and the Indians in 1645.
Richard Smith was an ambitious man with a long term business plan. Although living in New Amsterdam, he retained ownership of his property in Narragansett. He became the first white settler in that area and ran a trading house with the Indians in the area.
His Dutch trading house in New Amsterdam burned down in August 1646 and it is thought that he may have moved permanently to Rhode Island at that time.
Richard Smith died in Wickford, Rhode Island, near North Kingstown, and his will was recorded on 22 August 1666.
His will:
In the Name of God, Amen. The fourteenth day of July in the year of Our Lord, one thousand, six hundred, sixty and four, in the Sixteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord, Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England and Scotland, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Father, etc. I, Richard Smith, of Wickford, in the Narragansett Countrey, in New England, Yeoman, being in health of Body, and of good and perfect memory, (Thanks be unto God) Do make this my last Will and Testament, and I do hereby revoak and renounce all former and other Wills and Testaments whatsoever heretofore by me made, by Word, Writing or otherwise And make and ordain this to be my very true, last Will and Testament, and no other Concerning my Lands, Chattels, debts, and every part and parcel thereof, in manner and form as followeth.
First: I Commend my soul to Almighty God, and to his Son Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Redeemer, by whom I have to obtain full pardon, and remission of all my Sins, and to Inherit Everlasting Life. And I will that my Body be decently buryed by the Discretion of my Executors hereunto named.
Item. I will that my debts which I shall owe unto any Person or Persons at the time of my decease either by Law or Conscience be well and truly Contented and paid, within Convenient time, out of my Goods and Chattels.
Item, I give unto my Son Richard Smith all my Right, Title and interest of, in and to my Dwelling house, and Lands thereto belonging, Situate, being and lying in Wickford aforesaid, and is bounded on the Southwest by Annoquatucket river, and by the Lands of Capt. William Hudson, Northeasterly and on the East by a fresh river or brook and Creek and Cove.
Item, I give unto my Son the s’d Richard Smith, all my right title and interest of, in, and to my propriety of Lands lying in Cunnanicot Island and Dutch Island, with the privileges and appurtenances to them or either of them belonging or in any way appertaining.
Item, I give unto my daughter Elisabeth, wife of John Vial of Boston, Vintner, all that my Share, which is a oe Third part of Land lying on the Southerly side of my son, Richard Smith’s two thirds part of a tract of land lying on the Easterly side of the aforesaid fresh river, or Brook, and Creek and Cove, Commonly Called by the name of Sagag. Item, I will that all my share and part in the Great Neck of Land beyond Capt. Edward Hutchinss house, Westward and Southward and all the rest of my share of Land belonging to that purchase And also my share of Land of the last purchase and all my Cattle, Horses, Mares, Sheep, Goats, & Swine and all my Goods and Debt whatsoever to me appertaining be (after my decease) Divided into Four Equal parts and portions, the which after my debts paid & funeral Charged thereout, I give and bequeath as followeth. That is to say. To my son Richard Smith, and his heirs, the one fourth part or portion thereof, and to my Daughter, Elisabeth, wife of John Vial and her issue, I give one other Fourth part thereof, and to my Grand Children, the Children of my dec’d daughter Katharine, sometime wife to Gilbert Updike, one other forth part thereof to be Equally Divided amongst them. And to my Grand Children, the Children of my deceased daughter, Joan, sometime wife to Thomas Newton, one other fourth part thereof to be Equally divided amongst them my S’d Grand Children, parts to be paid to each of them, Viz. To Each of my Grandsons as they Come to the age of Twenty one years; And to Each of my Grand Daughters as they Come to the age of Eighteen years, or on day of marriage which shall first happen, And in Case that any One of my Grand Children, the Children of my daughters Katharine and Joan, do Dyue before they come to be of the age aforesaid or Marr’yd, then such part or share, as should have been to such deceased, shall be to the Survivours of them, part and part alike to them to be divided.
Item, I make and ordain my sons, Richard Smith, and John Vial, to be my full whole and only Executors of this my last will and Testament. And my Well beloved Friend Capt. Edward Hutchinson of Boston. [Here the document is torn.]
Before John Leverett Assistant, Entered and recorded at the request of the s’d Vial the 22d. of August, 1666. Robert Howard, Not. Pub., An attested Copy.
Children of Richard and Joan (Barton) Smith:
- Joan, baptized 22 January 1623, Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England; died before 14 July 1664, the date of her father’s will and she is called deceased; married Thomas Newton, 31 March 1648, possibly Newtown, New York
- Katherine, baptized 26 August 1627, Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England; died before 14 July 1664, the date of her father’s will and she is called deceased; married Gysbert Updike, c1643, probably New Amsterdam, New York
- James, baptized 13 December 1629, Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England; died before his father’s 1664 will; no further record
- Richard, baptized 19 December 1630, Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England; died 16 March 1691, Wickford, Washington, Rhode Island; married Esther (MNU), who survived him. However, based on his will, Richard had no surviving children:
“In the name of God, Amen. I, Richard Smith of Rochester in the King’s Province att Naragansett in New England, Gent, being of sound mind and perfect disposing memory, doe make this my last will and Testament, revoking all wills by me formerly made, first I bequeath my soul to God that gave itt, in hopes that through the mercy and meritts of my Saviour Jesus Christ to obtain everlasting life in the Kingdome of Heaven, and my body to be buried at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named; and for my lands and worldly goods I bequeath as followeth. First I order my debts to be truely paid, and my funerall Expenses discharged. Item I give unto my beloved wife the Rents, issues and profitts of all during her naturall life and no longer and after her decease I give unto my kinsman Lodowick Updick the housing and lands I now dwell on as far southward as now fenced in by me and as far northward as my bounds goeth of this homested joyning to Joseph Dallavar with all my lands at Sagaoe with all Rights and Titles thereto belonging outward without the fence north and westward the breadth of said lands to he and his heirs forever: provided he gives up and and resigns all his right he owneth and hath in Wesquoge farme, to remain as I have ordered itt in this Will after herein mentioned, otherwise he said Lodowick shall not have Sagoe lands nor Caulfsnecke; also I give to Daniel Updick my land now in possession of Jacob Pinder and John Thomas, one moity, and to James Updick the other moity of said lands with back out-Lett the breadth of said neck north westward with all Rights thereto belonging, to they and their heirs forever. Item I give unto Israeli Neuton and to James Neuton all my lands at Wasquoge farme with all priveledges thereto belonging to they and their heirs forever. Item I give unto Thomas Neuton of London and to him and his heirs forever my house at Bristoll [England] and land thereunto belonging: also hog Island alias Chisewanack, near adjoyning to he and his heirs forever. Item I give unto my sister Elizabeth Violl alias Newman my farme on Boston Neck which Alexander King lived on after my wifes decease to her and as she shall dispose of itt to hir children and them and their heirs forever. Item I give to Aquila Ketch all the house and land within fence, and an hundred acres to be lay’d — to it where Thomas Withers lives, and his Mother and to him and his heirs forever. Also I give unto my Negro Ceasar, and to his wife Sarah their freedome after my decease, and one hundred acres of land in convenient, place to be lay’d out by Lodowick Updick on some of my out Sheares of land either mortgage or Surplices of the neck. Also I give unto Ceasar’s children all their freedome when thirty years old and to Ebedmelish the like freedome: and the land Ceasar is to have, to him and his heirs forever, this after my wifes decease not in her lifetime, for she shall possess her life in all. Item I give unto Mr. Francis Brinley all my right in rny housing and lands on Rhode Island during his naturall life, and after him to his sonn Thomas Brinley and to his heirs forever. Item I give unto all my sisters children and to their childrens children all my sheare of land besides what is already given in this Will, both in the Surplices of the Boston neck and mortgage land,_ equally between them and their heirs forever. Item I give unto Richard Updick, LodoiDick’s sonn, twenty pounds, Smith Neuton, Thomas Neuton’s sonn, ten pds to be paid after my wifes decease. Also I Impower my wife to dispose of part of my goods to my Relations as she shall see best cause for, and their necessity’s require, and do make my wife Ester Smith, and Lodotdck Updick, whole and sole Executrix and Executor of this my last Will and Testament, only my wife to enjoy all during her natural life. And I give Captain Fones 10s. to buy him a ring. And do set my hand and seal this 16th. day of March, 1690-1.
Richard Smith and a seal.
Signed and Sealed and owned in presence of us, Joseph Pendleton, John Shelden, March 16th., 1690-1.
The above written Will and Testament was owned and acknowledged by the above written Testator before John Fones Justice of the Peace.”
5. Elizabeth, baptized 18 March 1631, Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England; died 29 September 1693, Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts; married (1) John Viall, 25 November 1667, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts (2) Deacon Samuel Newman, c1688
Next is the family sketch of Thomas Newton and Joan Smith, whose daughter Hannah married John Woodruff the Younger.