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Christopher Holder was born in about 1631[1], based on his being 25 in a passenger list of 1656. Little seems to be known for certain about his early life or family.
He was one of the first Quakers. In 1656 he went with others to New England on board the Speedwell to propagate the Quaker message. They were imprisoned and sent back to England. In 1657 he returned to New England and was active in missionary work, often working with John Copeland. They founded the first Quaker meeting in America at Sandwich, Cape Cod. He was subsequently imprisoned and whipped in Boston, Massachusetts. On his release, Christopher returned to England, and then went to the West insides, before sailing to Rhode Island in 1658. Going on again to Sandwich, he was once more imprisoned and whipped. On his release he went back to Rhode Island.[1]
In 1658 he and John Copeland went to Boston, where the Governor ordered their ears to be cut off. Shortly after, being a Quaker was made a capital offence in Massachusetts. On his release he undertook missionary work in Maryland and Virginia. Undeterred by his punishments there, Christopher was again in Massachusetts in 1659, only to face further periods of imprisonment. He was spared the death penalty, but banished from the colony on 18 October 1859.[1][2] Five days after his release, two fellow Quakers were hanged.[1]
He sailed to England with, among others, Mary Scott, who had visited him during at least one of his spells in prison. They were married at Olveston, Gloucestershire, England on 12 August 1660.[1][3][4][5][2][6]
He returned to Rhode Island, settling in Newport. His wife Mary died in 1665, and in December that year he married Hope Clifton.[1]
In 1672 he was in New York with George Fox.[7] During King Philip's War (1675-1676) he was respected enough for the General Assembly of Rhode Island to seek his advice.[1]
He was in England again soon after 1680: he was arrested in May 1682 for refusing the path of allegiance. He was imprisoned again in Cornwall from 1683 to 1685.[1]
Along with John Copeland, he is credited to have formed the second Quaker community in America (in Salem, MA).[8]
"[Christopher and Mary Scott] had but two children, Mary, born 16 Sept. 1661, who married Rev. Peleg Slocum of Dartmouth, Mass.; and Elizabeth, born 4 Jan. 1665, concerning whom nothing more is known."[9]
However, subsequent documents identify the husband of Elizabeth. Specifically a deed dated 20 July 1715 found in the Dept of Ancient Documents at the State House at Providence, RI:
The Familysearch transcript of Rhode Island records gives a different birth date for Mary - 6 May 1662[12] and gives Elizabeth's birth date as 4 January 1664.[13]
Christopher and his second wife Hope Clifton had seven children: They had seven children:
Christopher died in 1688 at Ircott, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England and was buried at Frenchay, Gloucestershire on 13 June 1688.[21]
FindAGrave has the following comment on Christopher's daughter Elizabeth Holder Chase:[22]
If this is true, Holder-921 seems to be the father of Holder-22 and the co-incidence that both father and son's wives have the same names is bona fide. In that case, Elizabeth Holder Chase is the daughter of Holder-22 and not the daughter of Holder-921.
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Categories: Frenchay Monthly Meeting, Gloucestershire | Rhode Island Quakers | Sandwich, Massachusetts | Quaker Notables
Tepper, Michael "Immigrants to the Middle Colonies; "Notes on the Eight names Marked as Quaker sin the Speedwell Passenger List" Pg.150. Pub. 1979, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/22123031?h=e05ca6&utm_campaign=bandido-webparts