Thomas Greene (abt. 1628 - 1717)

Born about 4 Jun 1628 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Barton) Greene — married 30 Jun 1659 in Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island

Descendants

Died 5 Jun 1717 at about age 89 in Stone Castle, Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island

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Biography

Thomas Greene immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

Thomas Greene was an early settler in Rhode Island.

Thomas was a Friend (Quaker)

THOMAS GREENE, of "Stone Castle" (John), was born and baptized at Salisbury, Cotmty Wilts, England, June 4, 1628, and came with his parents to New England in 1635. A few years after their settlement at Warwick, and soon after the organization of the government (1648), he had a home lot assigned to him. On September 30, 1660, one year after his marriage, he purchased of his brother-in-law, James Sweet, a stone house at Old Warwick, which had been built at the earliest settlement of the town, situated on the north side of "The Street" and nearly opposite the lane which leads to the only wharf in Warwick Cove. This was the only stone dwelling-house south of Providence on the mainland, and here he and his posterity resided until 1795, when, to the regret of many, the house was replaced by a wooden structure, now (1898) in good condition. During King Philip's War, on the 13th of March, 1675-6, the General Assembly of the Colony, in session at Newport, sent a message to the people of Warwick, stating that the Colony was unable to defend them and advising them to seek safety at the island of Rhode Island, promising them hospitality from the inhabitants of Newport and Portsmouth. Many removed to the island, and on the night of March 16th and 17th every house in Warwick was burned, excepting Thomas Greene's "Stone Castle," where he and his wife and six children, with some of his friends and neighbors, remained in safety, and it thus became the garrison house during the war. John Wickes only, a neighbor who sought its shelter, was slain. He went out in the morning after the burning of the town to look for his cattle, against the advice of his friends, thinking the "Indians who had been so friendly to him would not harm him," but he was killed and quartered by a marauding party of Indians, and his head set on a pole. His remains were brought in as they were found and buried in three separate graves, marked with rough stones, near the "Stone Castle." In 1880, Benjamin Greene Arnold, a descendant of the fifth generation from Thomas Greene and of the sixth from John Wickes, erected a headstone to his memory (see Appendix I.). The family residing at the stone house and their descendants were known thereafter as the "Stone Castle Greenes."

Thomas Greene was Commissioner, 1662; Deputy for ten years (1667-84) and Assistant for five years (1678-85). He died June 5, 1717, and with five generations of descendants lies buried near the original site of his dwelling. He left the homestead to his son Richard, and land at Coweset to the other children (Appendix I.). He married, June 30, 1659, Elizabeth, daughter of Rufus and Margaret Barton of Old Warwick, born 1637, died August 20, 1693 (see No. 27).

Rufus Barton, father of Elizabeth, came to Portsmouth, Rhode Island about 1640, to escape persecution from the Dutch at New Amsterdam, he being a Quaker. He received a grant of land at Portsmouth, 1641. He probably went to Warwick soon after the purchase of Shawomet, but was not one of the original purchasers. He was town magistrate and in 1648 was sent with a special message to the government of Massachusetts Ba}-. On arriving at Dedham and learning that the General Court at Boston had adjourned, he wrote a letter to Governor Winthrop (see Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island, p. 250). His death occurred soon after his return (1648). As he died intestate, the Town Council made an order for the distribution of his estate, but when his only son, Benjamin, applied to the Council eighteen years after, for protection of his property, this will or order could not be found and another will was substituted as nearly like the original as could be remembered. It mentions "daughters Elizabeth and Phebe L30 each at the age of 18 or day of marriage."

Children: Elizabeth, born July 12, 1660. No further record. Thomas, born August 14, 1662, married Anne Greene. Benjamin, born January 10, 1665-6, married Susannah Holden. Richard, born March 5, 1666-7, married Mary Carder. Welthyan, born January 23, 1669-70, married Thomas Fry.

In 1635 Thomas came with his parents from England. He lived at Stone Castle, Warwich, Rhode Island and is buried there. He was in King Phillip's War. The following is from Greene's of Rhode Island page 66: ...A few Years after their settlement at Warwick, and soon after the organization of the government (1648), he had a home lot assigned to him. On September 30, 1660 one year after his marriage he purchased of his brother-in-law, James Sweet, a stone house at Old Warwick, which had been built at the earliest settlement of the town, situated on the north side of 'The Street' and nearly opposite the lane which leads to the only wharf in Warwick Cove. This was the only stone dwelling-house south of Providence on the mainland, and here he and his posterity resided until 1795, when, to the regret of many, the house was replaced by a wooden structure, now (1898) in good condition.

During King Philip's War, on the 13th of March 1675-6, the General Assembly of the Colony, in session at Newport, sent a message to the people of Warwick, stating that the Colony was unable to defend them and advising them to seek safety at the island of Rhode Island, promising them hospitality from inhabitants of Newport and Portsmouth. Many removed to the island, and on the night of March 16th and 17th every house in Warwick was burned, excepting Thomas Greene's 'Stone Castle,' where he and his wife and six children, with some of his friends and neighbors, remained in safety." We have a picture of the stone house, called "Stone Castle" after it provided safety to so many.

His will is dated 25 January 1716/17 and proved on 27 June 1717 in Warwick, Rhode Island.^[1] He mentions his son Benjamin, his daughter Welthan Fry, his grandson, John Green, his granddaughter, Elizabeth Gorton, his granddaughter, Ann Tillinghast, granddaughter Phebe Green, and Deborah Green. He makes his son Richard Green the sole executor of his will. He makes his mark which looks like the letter T.

His date of death, 5 June 1717 "in sd Warwick" is recorded in the heading of his inventory which was taken on 14 June 1717.^[1]

Research notes

From Great Migration Directory: Greene, John: Salisbury, Wiltshire; 1635 on James; Boston, Salem, Providence, Warwick [GM 2:3:141-48; WP 3:458; NEHGR 103:185-88, 164:296-97].

Previously in sources sections (needs to be evaluated): Birth: 974 D2s Vol.2 pg 301 Genealogical Dictionary of 1st Settlers of New England by Savage. 974 B2ne Vol.4 New England Historical & Genealogical Register. 974.5 D3r Vol.11 Old Families of Rhode Island.

Marriage: 30 June 1659 St.Thomas Church, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England^[2][3][4][5]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9079/images/007650581_00081). Rhode Island, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1582-1932 [database on-line], Wills, Vol 1, 1703-1745, image 81-82; Record of Wills, No 1, Warwick, 1703-1745, page 132-134. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Free Ancestry.com image
2. ↑ Clarke: Page 54
3. ↑ UK Genealogy Archives: Wiltshire County Salisbury St. Thomas 1570-1812 (I) (v5) Wiltshire Parish Registers - Marriages Volume 5 Page 32 John Greene & Joane Tatarsole 4 Nov. 1619
4. ↑ England & Wales Marriages: Place: Salisbury, Wiltshire, England; Collection: St Thomas; -; Date Range: 1570 - 1906; Film Number: 1279310. Data: Text: Name: John Greene Gender: Male Spouse's Name: Joane Tatarsole Marriage Date: 4 Nov 1619 Marriage Place: Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
5. ↑ Jesse Smith: Page 127

• UK Genealogy Archives, Parish Registers and Phillimore Marriage records "UK Genealogy Archives". Parish Registers and Phillimore Marriage records. http://www.uk-genealogy.org.uk/Registers/index.html. Parish registers are the main tool to use in tracing your ancestors before census and civil registration commenced, and these records can go back as far as 1538. Parish registers and Phillimore marriages by County: Berkshire Buckinghamshire Cheshire Cornwall Derbyshire DevonshireH Dorsetshire Gloucestershire Herefordshire Lancashire Lincolnshire Middlesex Northamptonshire Nottinghamshire Shropshire Somerset Surrey Sussex Warwickshire Wiltshire Yorkshire

• England & Wales Marriages, 1538-1940 Publication: Name: Ancestry.com; Source Information: Ancestry.com. England & Wales Marriages, 1538-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: Genealogical Society of Utah. British Isles Vital Records Index, 2nd Edition. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, copyright 2002.

• Jesse Smith, His Ancestors and Descendants, 1909 Jesse Smith, His Ancestors and Descendants, 1909. Smith, L. Bertrand http://books.google.com/books?id=YYBRAAAAMAAJ.

• Clarke, Louise Brownell. The Greenes of Rhode Island (Knickerbocker Press, New York, 1903) Page 66-8

• The New England Historical and Genealogical Register "Notices of the Greene Family", Vol. 4, Page 75

• Hanaford, Mary Elisabeth Neal. Family Records of Branches of the Hanaford, Thompson, Huckins, ... and Allied Families (Rockford, Ill., 1915) Page 265

• Find A Grave: Memorial #17718073