Roger Mowry
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Roger Mowry (abt. 1610 - 1667)

Roger Mowry aka Maury, Morey, Morie, Moorie, Mawry
Born about in Englandmap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married about 1635 in Roxbury, Massachusetts Baymap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 57 in Providence, Rhode Island and Providence Plantationsmap
Profile last modified | Created 9 May 2011
This page has been accessed 10,779 times.
There are disproven, disputed, or competing theories about this person's parents. See the text for details.
The Puritan Great Migration.
Roger Mowry migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See Great Migration Begins, by R. C. Anderson, Vol. 2, p. 1312)
Join: Puritan Great Migration Project
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Contents

Biography

Roger Mowry's origins are unknown according to genealogist Robert Charles Anderson of the Great Migration Series.[1]

Roger Mowry became a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in Boston on May 18, 1631, as did his associate, Rhode Island founder Roger_Williams.[2] The age requirement for Freemen places his birth before 1610 and his arrival at about 1630.[1]

Family

By 1637 Roger was married to Mary Johnson, daughter of John Johnson.[1] They had 11 children together:

  1. JONATHAN bp. Salem 2 April 1637 m. (1) Plymouth, 8 July 1659, Mary (Bartlett) Foster, widow of Richard Foster and daughter of Robert Bartlett; m. (2) say 1694 Hannah (Pincen) (Young) Witherell, daughter of Thomas Pincen.[3][4]
  2. APPIA/BETHIAH bp. Salem 17 June 1638; m. 30 September 1662, George Palmer[3][5]
  3. MARY bp. Salem 16 January 1639/40;[3] no further record.
  4. ELIZABETH bp. Salem 27 March 1642; living in 1690 when she appears in an account of payments from the estate of her brother, John[3][1] apparently unmarried.
  5. NATHANIEL b. say 1643, Lynn; m. (intention) Providence, 28 August 1666, Joanna Inman,[1][6] daughter of Edward Inman
  6. MEHITABLE b. say 1644; m. (1) Providence, 9 May 1662 (or shortly thereafter), Eldad Kingsley;[1][7] m. (2) by 1685 as his second wife, Timothy Brooks,[8]
  7. JOHN b. say 1646 ; m. by about 1674, Mary _____[1] [9]
  8. JOSEPH b. say 1647; m. by 1672, Mary Wilbur,[1][10] daughter of William Wilbur
  9. BENJAMIN b. 8 May 1649; m. say 1676, Martha (Hazard) Potter, widow of Ichabod Potter, and daughter of Thomas and Martha (_____) Hazard.[11][12]
  10. THOMAS b. Providence, 19 July 1652; m. Roxbury, 6 September 1673, Susanna Newell[11][13]
  11. HANNAH b. Providence, 28 September 1656; m. Portsmouth, 3 December 1674, Benjamin Sherman[11][14]
  • Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island included a fictional child, Roger.

Mary married (2) at Rehoboth, 14 January 1673, John Kingsley.[15]

Salem, Massachusetts

Roger Mowry's activity in New England between 1630 and 1636 remains undiscovered. His name appears in Salem town records beginning in March of 1636.

  • 1636 Mar 20: "he should begin the keeping of all the town's cattle..."(a position he continued to hold during his time at Salem.) [16]
  • 1636: Listed as a freeman; "Roger Morie" received 40 [or 50] acres "next to Mr. Cole". [17]
  • 1636: on a list of Salem church members [18]
  • 1636-7: Listed as a freeman and landholder [19]
  • 1636/7 Feb 20: fifty acres laid out [20]
  • 1637 Aug 14: he requested a "spot of ground by Estye's" [21]
  • 1637 Dec 25: grant of three-quarters of an acre of marsh; he had a household of five [22]
  • 1638 Jul 20: granted a strip of meadow of 2½ acres and 1½ acres of upland [23]
  • 1641/2 Jan 25: served on the Essex petit jury (from Salem) [24]
  • 1649/50 Jan 7: The Essex Court, meeting at Salem, referred to "where Rog moreys old house stood beinge pre-sented... [25]

Lynn, Massachusetts

Records in Lynn were destroyed, but he was a witness there, and it is surmised that a few of his children were born in Lynn. His wife's sister, wife of William Bartram, lived in Lynn. [26] He would have arrived at Lynn sometime between January of 1642 and June of 1643.

  • 1643 Jun: Roger was a signatory to the "Armitage Petition" asking the General Court to award custody of the Anchor Inn to Jane Armitage in lieu of her husband. Most of the petitioners lived in the western part of Lynn. [27]
  • 1646 Sep 29: The Essex Court, meeting in Ipswich, issued a "Warrant to constable of Lynn, to summon Hannah Knight for uncleanness with Isaack Hawkes ; Jabez Hackett, upon suspicion of uncleanness with Jane Somers" (wit: Roger Morey and John Elderkin). [28]
  • 1650 Jun 26: At the Essex Court, meeting in Salem, "Captaine Hathorne, attorney to Mrs. Ledia Bankes v. Roger Morey. Debt." [29]
  • 1650 Jun 27: At the Essex Court, meeting in Salem: Mr. John Cogan v. Roger Morey. For rent due and repair of a house. Judgment respitted until next Ipswich court, the defendant being out of this jurisdiction. [30]

Providence Plantation

It's unknown where Roger lived between leaving his Lynn residence in 1650 and being recorded at Providence in 1655. Lynn records suggest he may have left there to escape financial problems, but the move to Providence may also have been a means to renew his association with Roger Williams.

Tavern

Roger Mowry is perhaps best known as a tavern keeper in Providence. Tradition suggests that Roger Williams may have conducted religious meetings there. The house where Roger Mowry operated the tavern was built about 1653 in a uniquely Rhode Island style known as Stone_ender.

Formal appointment of Roger as a tavern keeper was made on May 25, 1655. The records of a meeting of the Court of Commissioners states: "Whereas there shall be two houses for entertainment in each Towne, (accordinge to ye former law made by this present Court... ye Court hath nominated and apoynted to ye same employment , namely FOR PROVIDENCE Roger Mowrie, Richard Perry." [31]

At least one town meeting was held at the tavern. On Jan 27 1657/8, the Rhode Island Treasurer was ordered to pay Roger "Moorie" 1s. 6d. out of the treasury "for this day's firing & house room." [32]

On June 3, 1659, in "obedience" with new Town rules, Roger "entered into ye Towne Book two ankers of Strong waters." This appears to be the first of many similar entries. [33]

Civic Affairs and Property

  • 1655: Roger was recorded as a Freeman at Providence. [34]
  • 1655 Apr 27: The first of many appointments as one of the "jury men or Triers of cases" [35]
  • 1655 Jun 4: named one of the Providence constables [36]
  • 1655/6 Jan 28 land was laid out at his request [37]
  • 1656 Aug 27: The Town ordered a house lot be laid out for him. [38]
  • 1657 Dec 7: Purchased four acres at Providence from Henry Reddock [39]
  • 1657/8 Jan: bought a house and four acres from Robert Colwell which he sold to Thomas Olney Sr. of Providence, 19 March 1658/9 [40]
  • 1659 Apr 20: acknowledged at Court in Providence that he sold land a house to Robert Colwell. [41]
  • 1660 Apr 27: Roger was granted six acres of land and three acres of meadow in exchange for land that he had been previously granted. [42]
  • 1660 Jun 12: sold ninety acres of land a mile outside of Providence to John Acres of Dorchester [43]
  • 1660, Nov 23: Henry Neale of Braintree, carpenter, sold Mowry everything he had in Providence, including his house, which had been purchased from Daniel Comstock. [44]
  • 1661 4 May: Samuel Comstock's widow, Anne Smith of Providence, sold Mowry four acres in the row of houses in the the north part of Providence, next to a parcel already owned by Mowry. [45]
  • 1661/2 Feb 3: Mowry sold the right of commonage that came with this land to William Carpenter. [46]
  • 1661/2 Mar 5: Chosen to levy the tax rate to pay for the Colony prison. [47]
  • 1662 Sep 20: The Town agreed with his request to "keep William Burrows [surveyor] another year. [48]
  • 1662 Dec 22: He sold Robert Colwell's right of commonage to William Carpenter of Pautuxett. [49]
  • 1665 Feb 19: Drew lot number 74 in the distribution of land on East Side of the Seven Mile Line in Providence. [50]

Death and Estate

Roger Mowry died at Providence on January 5, 1666/7. The Union Cemetery at North Smithfield houses a large monument to Roger and his descendants. [51][52] Roger's will has been missing as early as 1677. Wife Mary was named executrix, which she originally refused, but later changed her mind. [1] She executed a deed of sale with the town of Providence on September 1, 1671. [53] The estate was unable to pay its debts and the Providence Town Council gave widow Mary Mowry "somewhat above twentye pounds... to help relieve her in her old age." [54]

Roger's estate continued to receive land alotments due to his standing as an early freeman in Providence:

  • 1675 Apr 12: Drew lot number 19 in the distribution of land on the West Side of the Seven Mile Line in Providence. [55]
  • 1683/4 Mar 17: Drew lot number 85 in the distribution of land on the West Side of the Seven Mile Line in Providence. [56]

Research Notes

A birthplace of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England, son of Thomas Mowry and Elizabeth Unknown his wife, has been suggested as a possibility, but no sources were provided.

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 1995. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010) Subscription Link $. Page 1312.
  2. Shurtleff, Nathaniel B. Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Vol. I 1628-1641. Boston, MA: Massachusetts State Legislature, 1853. Page 366.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Mowry, William A. A Unique Family Monument. New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 52. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1898. Page 207.
  4. Barclay, Mrs. John E. "Mary2 Bartlett (Foster) Morey Her Husbands and Children." The American Genealogist, Volume 32, October 1956. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .) Subscription Link $. Page 193-95.
  5. Moriarty, G. Andrews. "Additions and Corrections to Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island." The American Genealogist, Volume 20, 1943. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009-.) Subscription Link $. Page 54.
  6. "Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8VB-HLW : 22 January 2020), Nathaniel Mowrey, 1666.
  7. "Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8VB-HLX : 22 January 2020), Edward Kinsley, 1662.
  8. New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. By Subscription. Page 215.
  9. Austin, John Osborne. The Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island Comprising Three Generations of Settlers Who Came before 1690. Albany, NY: 1887. Page 348.
  10. Rhode Island: Vital Records, 1636-1850. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014), Originally Published as: Vital record of Rhode Island 1636-1850: First Series: births, marriages and deaths: a family register for the people, by James N. Arnold. Providence, RI: Narragansett Historical Publishing Company. By Subscription. Page 6-67.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 The Early Records of the Town of Providence, Vol 2. Providence, RI: Providence Record Commissioners, 1892. Page 18.
  12. Robinson, Caroline E. The Hazard Family of Rhode Island. Boston, MA: Self-Published, 1895. Page 6.
  13. "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FC93-5Q7 : 24 January 2020), Thomas More, 1673.
  14. Austin, 1887. Page 179.
  15. Arnold, James N. Vital Records of Rehoboth, 1642-1895. Marriages, Intentions, Births, Deaths. Part 1. Providence, RI: Narragansett Historical Publishing Company, 1897. Page 220.
  16. Town Records of Salem Massachusetts Vol I 1634-1659. Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1868. Page 41.
  17. STR1, 1868. Page 24.
  18. First Church in Salem. Link. FirstChurchinSalem.org. Accessed 5 Feb 2021.
  19. STR1, 1868. Page 26.
  20. STR1, 1868. Page 37.
  21. STR1, 1868. Page 54.
  22. STR1, 1868 Page 103.
  23. STR1, 1868. Page 71.
  24. Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County Massachusetts, Volume 1 1636-1656. Salem, MA. Essex Institute, 1911. Page 33.
  25. EQC1, 1911. Page 175.
  26. Smith, Dean Crawford. The Ancestry of Emily Jane Angell 1844-1910. Edited by Melinde Lutz Sanborn (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1992) p.416
  27. Rebecca Berry. "The Armitage Brothers - Joseph of Lynn and Godfrey of Boston." The Essex Genealogist, Volume 18. Lynnfield, MA: Essex Society of Genealogists, 1998 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2018.) Subscription Link $. Page 230.
  28. EQC1, 1911. Page 107.
  29. EQC1, 1911. Page 193.
  30. EQC1, 1911. Page 194.
  31. Bartlett, John R. Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, Vol 1. Providence, RI: Self-Published, 1893. Page 313.
  32. PrTR2, 1893. Page 110.
  33. PrTR2, 1893. Page 22.
  34. RICR1, 1893.Page 299.
  35. PrTR2, 1893. Page 80.
  36. PrTR2, 1893. Page 81.
  37. PrTR2, 1893. Page 92.
  38. PrTR2, 1893. Page 97.
  39. PrTR2, 1893. Page 16.
  40. The Early Records of the Town of Providence, Vol I. Providence, RI: Providence Record Commissioners, 1892. Page 62.
  41. PrTR1, 1893. Page 22.
  42. PrTR2, 1893. Page 126.
  43. PrTR1, 1892.Page 18.
  44. PrTR1, 1892. Page 45
  45. PrTR1, 1892. Page 59.
  46. PrTR1, 1892. Page 85.
  47. PrTR2, 1893. Page 144.
  48. The Early Records of the Town of Providence, Vol III. Providence, RI: Providence Record Commissioners, 1893. Page 25.
  49. PrTR1, 1892. Page 71
  50. PrTR3, 1893. Page 73.
  51. Mowry, William A. "Mowry, A Unique Family Monument." New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 52. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1898. Page 207.
  52. Find A Grave: Memorial #34256637
  53. PrTR3, 1863. Page 209.
  54. Bartlett, John R. Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, Vol 2. Providence, RI: Self-Published, 1893. Page 244.
  55. The Early Records of the Town of Providence, Vol IV. Providence, RI: Providence Record Commissioners, 1893. Page 46
  56. PrTR4, 1893. Page 67.

See also:

  • Austin, John O. Space:The Journal of William Jefferay, Gentleman|The Journal of William Jefferay, Gentleman (E. L. Freeman & Sons, 1899) (https://books.google.com/books?id=eV-JVpporCAC&pg=PA72 Page 72 : Jan. 5, 1666, Friday: "Mr. Roger Mowry, of Providence, died. He leaveth a large family; a widow and ten or eleven children, some already married."
  • Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to N.E. 1620-1633 Vol I-III, pages 1312-1314; The Biography and Genealogy of Captain John Johnson from Roxbury, Massachusetts, published 2008, page 102
  • Ancestry.com. New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Original data:Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Volumes 1-3; The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volumes 1-6. Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1996-2011.





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Comments: 21

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Mowery-640 and Mowry-83 appear to represent the same person because: Mowry from NEHGR Great Migration Begins - Immigrants to N.E. 1620-1633, Vols. I-III
posted by Robert Nichols
Roger Mowry-83 is my 8th Great grandfather, his widow Mary Johnson -1249, sister to Humphrey Johnson-2899, children of John Johnson--1588. Widow Mary Johnson Mowry is 3rd wife of John Kingsley-32 my 8th great grandfather, his son Eldad Kingsley-37 my 7th great grandfather, had daughter Mary Kingsley born & Oct 1765, wife of Henry Northrup 1663-1740. Humphey Johnson-2899 mar 1 Eleanor Cheney-42 sister of Thomas Cheney-44 Father of Benjamin Cheney-61 by second wife Mary Harbert had William Cheney-70, 1717-1775 killed at Bunker Hill. Descendant of William Cheney, Mary Miller Cheney married Walter Linn Spencer b1897 (graduated Purdue univ), son of William H Spencer b1865, son of Calvin Spencer b1837 (died 1882 crushed by a tree on his farm in Montague, Lewis, New York) and first wife Clarissa Douglass; Calvin Spencer's widow Amanda Benton, raised my Grandfather Charles Spencer 1880-1958 named in WILL of his step mother's nephew, owner with his brother William, of a cheese plant in Lewis County.

Mary Miller Cheney was accepted www.dar.org, I have her application and acceptance. One has to research through conflated records, variations of surnames, multiple marriages, dna files, wills, and census records; findagrave records are full of errors, family trees give false narratives; example, Our Rufus Spencer 1761-1836 is Rev. War Soldier, DAR, New York 5th Militia, received a pension, was reported as dead 1762, another tree Anonymous, has his wife Hulda-wrong. Rufus Spencer 1757-1837 (DAR), buried in Watertown, Jefferson, New York, I have his WILL; mar. Eleanor (first wife), this Rufus is a cousin to Rufus Spencer 1761-1836 buried in Old Quaker Cemetery, Lowville, Lewis, New York. Rufus Spencer 1761-1836 received land grant from Brig. Gen. Walter Martin, both found in Martinsburg, Lewis, New York Federal Census. Walter Martin purchased 8000 acres of land in Lewis County, New York, from James Constable son and agent for William Constable who founded Constableville, Lewis, New York, a village on the Black River, was to built in the image of Paris, France. Information found in history books, not in family trees. In time frame 1816-1832, brother Joseph, of Emperor Napoleon, built his hunting lodge at Lake Bonaparte, Joseph's purchase of 26,000 acres is recorded, Surveys, also recorded, Mansion in Burlington, New Jersey has a US Supreme Court File. A daughter of Joseph Bonaparte married the cousin of Amanda Benton. great grand daughter of Jonathan Benton b1746 (DAR), soldier of the Revolution, on guard duty, Sgt Enoch Crosby Sgt of the Guard at the Hanging of Major J Andre. Read the book George Washington's Secret Six, the Culper Ring.

posted by Joan (Stone) Jakubowski
edited by Joan (Stone) Jakubowski
protected by PGM, disputed origins, prevent return of wrong parents.
Refresh is done with two decisions still needed: 1) Keep or detach parents (I didn't find anything other than family trees connecting the Gloucestershire couple with Roger) 2) Keep or delete the Salem Register article at the bottom?
posted by Jill (Neibaur) Olson
I vote for removing the parents.

Re: the quote: An interesting piece but... It doesn't further our knowledge. It's not an endangered piece of literature (although I did look for the original in the Salem Register) . It's only a curiosity.

posted by Anne B
Detached parents and added explanation on their profiles; deleted the Salem Register article
posted by Jill (Neibaur) Olson
I can refresh this profile in a few days if that's OK
posted by Jill (Neibaur) Olson
That will be wonderful, thanks Jill.
At least one, if not both, of the birth dates of Nathaniel and Elizabeth must be wrong. They presently show they were born 2 months apart, physically impossible unless there were different mothers.
Will one of the profile managers please step in here? Do some research and fix the birthdates of Nathaniel and Elizabeth? Thanks.

Cheryl PGM Leader

Sorry, I jumped on that last response too fast; Elizabeth's date is her baptism; Nathaniel's needs to be changed to Anderson's 1643 estimate
posted by Jill (Neibaur) Olson
Thanks for fixing, Jill..................
Can this be trusted to correct the birthdate and place:

"Roger was born in Drimpton on 16th May 1610" ... "n June 20th 1628 he set sail on the ‘Abigail’ en route for the New World of America" ... " member of the Salem Church and in 1634 he married Mary Johnson and settled down" http://www.drimpton.org.uk/history.php?fbclid=IwAR0clCym7KfPea2Q_0POdDHWGEZrLz73_U_HNWQemZp6yiGi5dzJG65PBO0

posted by Patrick Mowry
Is there a source for these parents?
posted by Anne B
Mowry-83 and Mowry-631 appear to represent the same person because: I accidentally created 3 duplicates initially due to the Morey/ Mowry/ Mowery.

I found the Mowry/Morey Line I wanted and corrected the father of Martha to Joseph Mowry (Mowry-502) but now I have 3 semi-orphaned Mowerys that I would be happy to delete or merge. I yield any discrepancies in dates to the existing Mowry line. I was just attempting to connect myself to the line. :) Sorry for the inconvenience.

Joseph Mowry-502 Morey-1333

Benjamin Mowery-18 Mowry-630


Roger Mowry-83 Mowry-631

posted by Robert Linne
Mowrey-149 and Mowry-83 appear to represent the same person because: Clear duplicate.
posted by Gerald Jones
death date is more accurately 5 Jan 1667 (new style) vs 1666 (old style)
posted by Ron Heroux
Morey-423 and Mowry-83 are not ready to be merged because: A match looks likely, but there are too many differences in names and dates to be certain.
posted by Joyce (Rosnel) Weaver
Morey-423 and Mowry-83 appear to represent the same person because: Similar name, similar details
posted by Bob Tonsmeire
Roger Mowry was a Flagon & Trencher Society ancestor. http://www.flagonandtrencher.org/fandt_tocs.html Vol 13. "Roger Mowry, Providence, RI (revisited), 1610- 1666/7"
posted by Kitty (Cooper) Smith
Morey-489 and Mowry-83 do not represent the same person because: not match
posted by Michael Russ

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