Biography of Captain Oliver Hazard Perry Taylor

Oliver Hazard Perry Taylor

Oliver Hazard Perry Taylor was the youngest son of Commodore William Vigneron Taylor of the United States navy. He was born at Newport, Rhode Island, September 14th, 1825. He entered the Military Academy at West Point July 1st, 1842, before he had reached the age of seventeen, and graduated July 1st, 1846. On the day of his graduation he was appointed Brevet 2nd Lieutenant, First dragoons, but did not enter immediately upon his duties. The company to which he was assigned was serving in New Mexico against hostile Indians, and it was there he joined it on October 25th, following … Read more

Grinnell Family of New Bedford, MA

l grinnell

Since the early settlement of Newport and Portsmouth, R. I., shortly after 1638, the Grinnells have been identified with Rhode Island and Massachusetts history, the earlier generations living largely in the towns of Newport county, R. I., and for the past hundred and more years branches of this southern Rhode Island family have been representative of the best citizenship in the old Massachusetts town of New Bedford. At New Bedford lived Capt. Cornelius Grinnell, a patriot of the Revolution, and long engaged in the merchant service, who married into the old historic Howland family, and one of whose sons, Joseph Grinnell, for almost a decade represented the New Bedford district in the United States Congress, and was long prominent as a merchant and manufacturer and banker of the town; and there lived the late Lawrence Grinnell, father of the late Frederick Grinnell, who so long was at the head of the Providence Steam and Gas Pipe Company and the General Eire Extinguisher Company, a man of genius in mechanical lines, whose inventions gave him distinction, and one of whose sons, Russell Grinnell, is at this time vice president of the General Fire Extinguisher Company. It is with this New Bedford branch of the Grinnell family this article deals.

Biography of James Pike

John Pike, the common ancestor of the branch of the Pike family residing in Connecticut, settled in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1664. He was the progenitor of Jonas Pike, of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, who married a descendant of Peregrine White, the first white child born in New England. Their four sons were: David, Ephraim, Jonas and Jesse. There was also one daughter, Amy. David married Elizabeth Pitman, of Newport, Rhode Island. Their children were two sons, William and James Pitman; and two daughters, Lucy, wife of David Bayless, and Nancy, who married Abijah Prouty. William Pike left Sturbridge in 1810 and settled … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Colonel Silvester Richmond

(III) Colonel Silvester Richmond, son of Captain Edward Richmond, was born at Little Compton, formerly Dartmouth, Massachusetts, now (1910) Rhode Island, in 1672. He married, in 1693, Elizabeth, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Pabodie or Peabody) Rogers, granddaughter of John Rogers, of Duxbury, Massachusetts, great-granddaughter of John and Priscilla (Molines or Mullins) Alden, who came in the “Mayflower.” She was born in 1672, and died October 23, 1724. He married (second), February 18, 1728, Deborah, widow of Thomas Loring, and daughter of John and Sarah (Hawks) Cushing. She was born in September, 1674. He died November 20, 17$4, and his … Read more

Seabury Family of New Bedford, Massachusetts

Alexander Seabury

SEABURY – variously spelled Sebury, Saberry, Saberrey and Sabury. The American ancestor of the Seaburys of New Bedford was (I) John Seabury, of Boston, who died before 1662. He married Grace, and had two sons – John (who went to Barbados) and Samuel (born Dec. 10, 1640) – and several daughters. (II) Samuel Seabury, son of John, born Dec. 10, 1640, died Aug. 5, 1681. He married at Weymouth Nov. 9, 1660, Patience Kemp, who died Oct. 29, 1676. He married (second) April 4, 1677, Martha Pabodie, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Alden) Pabodie and granddaughter of John and Priscilla … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Francis Brayton

Francis Brayton, the immigrant ancestor, was born in England in 1612, and settled in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where he was received as an inhabitant and propounded for a lot of land in 1643. In 1655 he was freeman; in 1662-63, commissioner; in 1669-70-71-79-84, deputy, in 1688, a member of the grand jury. August 10, 1667 he enlisted in a troop of horse; January 6, 1671 he made an agreement with his son-in-law, Joseph Davol. by which the latter in behalf of his daughter, Mary Davol, was to pay her five pounds, at fifteen years of age, said sum to be … Read more

Fort Adams and Newport’s Defensive Ruins

Here is an odd little cluster of islands on the eastern side of the entrance to Narragansett Bay. The most important of these is Aquidneck and on the southern extremity of Aquidneck Isle is situated Newport. At the southern extremity of Newport is Brenton’s Point and on Brenton’s Point is Fort Adams. This is the proper way to build up a climax! Picture to yourself a sunny Fourth of July in 1799; this is the day on which Fort Adams is to be dedicated with imposing ceremonies. From out of the little many spired city across the sparkling blue waters … Read more

Biography of Lewis Balch, M. D., PH. D.

LEWIS BALCH, M. D., PH. D. ONE of the physicians and surgeons of Albany, whose professional assistance has been sought often in consultation through the state, is Dr. Lewis Balch. He was born in the city of New York, corner of Great Jones street and Second Avenue, on the 7th day of July, 1847. Ancestry on both sides is a notable one. It is of English and French origin. Several of his ancestors have rendered no small service in this country in civil and ecclesiastical matters. He is the oldest son of the Rev. Lewis P. W. Balch, D. D., … Read more

Descendants of Joseph Borden of Fall River MA

Richard Borden

BORDEN (Fall River family – line of Joseph, fourth generation). The Borden family is an ancient one both here in New England and over the water in old England, as well as one of historic interest and distinction. The New England branch has directly or indirectly traced the lineage of the American ancestor, Richard Borden, many generations back in English history. His first English forbear went over to England from Bourdonnay, Normandy, as a soldier under William the Conquerer, and after the battle of Hastings  – in A. D. 1066 – was assigned lands in the County of Kent, where … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Captain Edward Richmond

(II) Captain Edward Richmond, son of John Richmond, was born about 1632. He married (first) Abigail, daughter of James Davis, and (second) Amy, daughter of Governor Henry and Elizabeth Bull. He died in November, 1696. He had a share in Westerly, Rhode Island, 1661. He was general solicitor in 1667-69-70-72; was lieutenant in 1676, and he and his men captured seven Indians in King Philip’s war; clerk of a court martial that condemned to death some Indians; was one of the grantees of East Greenwich in 1677; attorney-general 1677-78-79-80; deputy 1678-79; selectman, 1683-85-89-90; captain in 1690. He was a member … Read more

Newport County Rhode Island Cemeteries

A complete listing of all available online Newport County Rhode Island cemeteries, with links to transcriptions, gravestone photos, official records, etc.

Newport County, Rhode Island Census

1790 Newport County, Rhode Island Census Free 1790 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1790 Newport County, Census (images and index) $ Free 1790 Census Index Surname A-G Surname H-S Surname T-Y Jamestown Town Little Compton Town Middletown Town Newport Town New Shoreham Town Portsmouth Town Tiverton Town Free 1790 Census Transcription Town of Newport, 1 of 2 Town of Newport, 2 of 2 Town of Portsmouth Town of Jamestown Town of Middletown Town of Tiverton Town of Little Compton Town of New Shoreham Free 1790 Census Images All Counties Hosted at Census Guide … Read more

Anthony Family of Bristol County Massachusetts

Edmund Anthony

The Anthony family of Bristol County Massachusetts descend from one John Anthony of Hampstead England who travelled in the Hercules to New England and settled in Rhode Island in 1634. This family, under the entrepreneurship of Edmund Anthony, became prominent publishers of many early Massachusetts papers, some of which were prominent in the establishment of the Republican Party and it’s causes.

Descendants of Richard Borden of Fall River MA

American Printing Company 1910 Illustration

The Borden family is an ancient one both here in New England and over the water in old England, as well as one of historic interest and distinction. The New England branch has directly or indirectly traced the lineage of the American ancestor, Richard Borden, many generations back in English history. His first English forbear went over to England from Bourdonnay, Normandy, as a soldier under William the Conqueror, and after the battle of Hastings — A.D. 1066 — was assigned lands in the County of Kent, where the family afterward became useful, wealthy and influential, the village where they … Read more

Osborn Family of Fall River Massachusetts

Covel & Osborn Company Letterhead Invoice, 1904

During the latter half of the century but recently closed and on into the present one, during the period of the great growth and development as an industrial center of Fall River, the name Osborn has stood out conspicuously in the business life of the city. Reference is made notably to the Osborn brothers — the late Hon. Weaver and James Munroe Osborn — for many years among the most prominent mill promoters and bankers of Fall River; and they have been followed by a generation now representative of the name and family, Mr. James E. Osborn, the son of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Judge Perez Richmond

(V) Judge Perez Richmond, son of judge William Richmond, was born at Little Compton, October 13, 1728-29, and died November 23, 1800-01. He married, February 3, 1754, Mercy Church, born September 18, 1734, died October 24, 1813, daughter of Thomas and Edith (Woodman) Church. He was appointed to enlist minutemen in Little Compton, June, 1775. He held various town offices, and was a leading and influential citizen; auditor of town accounts; moderator of town meetings six years; judge of probate court, and president of the town council. He was a mild old gentleman, fond of children and popular. He lived … Read more

Saconnet Tribe

Saconnet Indians. A band or small tribe living near Sakonnet Point, Newport County, Rhode Island, connected with the Wampanoag or the Narraganset. Under the woman chief Ashawonks they took the side of the English in King Philip’s War of 1675, and from her their land was purchased by the whites. In 1700 they numbered about 400; but in 1763 they were visited by an epidemic which considerably diminished their numbers, so that by 1803 they had dwindled to a dozen persons, living near Compton.  Their chief village bore the name of the tribe.

Ancestry of Capt. Jacob Taber of New Bedford, Massachusetts

Jacob Taber

Capt. Jacob Taber, late of New Bedford, and long successfully engaged as a master mariner in the whaling industry, was a descendant of an early settled New England family. He was a direct descendant of Philip Taber, who was at Watertown in 1634, and contributed toward building the galley for the security of the harbor, was made freeman in that same year, and was later at Yarmouth among the first settlers and deputy to Plymouth, 1639-40. Still later he was at the Vineyard, and afterward at New London, Portsmouth, and at Providence and Tiverton, respectively, being a representative from Providence.

Biographical Sketch of Judge William Richmond

(IV) Judge William Richmond, son of Colonel Silvester Richmond, was born in Little Compton, October 10, 1694; married, July 8, 1720, Anna Gray, born January 29, 1702, died at Bristol, Rhode Island, October 9, 1762. He died February 22, 1770. She was a daughter of Thomas and Anna Gray. He was one of the assistants of the governor, 1753-55; judge; town clerk, 1731. Children, born at Little Compton: Barzillai, April 13, 1721; Ephraim, May 5, 1723; Elizabeth, February 26, 1725; William, August 20, 1727; Perez, mentioned elsewhere; Ichabod, October 18, 1731; Thomas, December 13, 1733; Mary, December 26, 1735; Sarah, … Read more

Narrative of Robert Eastburn – Indian Captivities

A Faithful Narrative of the Many Dangers and Sufferings, as well as wonderful and surprising deliverances, of Robert Eastburn, during his late captivity among the Indians. Written by Himself. Published at the earnest request of many persons, for the benefit of the Public. With a recommendatory Preface by the Rev. Gilbert Tennent. Psalms 24, 6, 7, and 193, 2, 4. Philadelphia: Printed. Boston: Reprinted and sold by Green & Russell, opposite the Probate Office in Queen street, 1753. Preface Candid Reader: The author (and subject) of the ensuing narrative (who is a deacon of our church, and has been so … Read more