Benjamin Smith Sr. (bef. 1631 - 1713)

Born before 30 Oct 1631 in Stratford On Avon, Warwickshire, , England

Son of Christopher Smith and Alice (Gibbes) Smith

Husband of Lydia (Carpenter) Smith — married 1661 in Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island

Descendants

Died 23 Dec 1713 after age 82 in Pawtuxet, Kent, Rhode Island

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Benjamin Smith Sr. migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Benjamin Smith Sr. was born in Warwickshire, England.

Benjamin Smith Sr. migrated from England to New England.

Benjamin Smith was born in England c.1631 likely son of Christopher and Alice Smith. ^[1] On March 17, 1675 testified that he was then about 43 years of age. ^{[2] [3]}

The tradition of the family is that he belonged to the Parliament or Cromwellian party so was forced to escape to America at the Restoration. ^[2]

He settled on a farm in Warwick which was deeded to him by his father in law. ^[2]

He was a prominent man in the affairs of the colony. ^[2]

• 1654: Sergeant for a military company. ^[3]
• 1658: June 1: He and others of Pawtuxet asked to be dismissed from the government of Massachusetts. Petition granted in October, 1658. ^[3]
• 1666-1673: 75: 86: 89: 90: 96: 98: 1701-4: Served as assistant deputy. ^{[2] [1][3]}
• 1670-74: 1680: 82: 84: 85: Deputy. ^[3]

He married about 1661, Lydia Carpenter, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Arnold) Carpenter. She was born probably in Providence about the time of the removal of the family to Pawtuxet in 1638. ^{[2][1] [4][3]}

In the will of William Carpenter, written on February 10, 1679/80. he left bequests to his daughter Liddea Smith, and his grandson Joseph Smith among others, however if Joseph died before age 21, his brother Simon to have his share. ^{[2] [1] [3]}

Benjamin's will was dated August 13, 1692 and proved on 22 January 1713/14 in Warwick.^[5] In it he named:

• wife Lydia executrix
• eldest son Benjamin
• second son Joseph
• third son William
• fourth son Simon
• eldest daughter Lydia Fones
• youngest daughter Elizabeth Smith ^[3]

He wife Lydia died October 1, 1711. ^{[6] [2] [1] [4] [3]}

Benjamin died December 23, 1713. ^{[5][6][1] [2][3]}

His will was proved January 22, 1714. ^[2] His date of death is recorded in the heading of his inventory which was taken on 29 December 1713 and was valued at L104 4s.^[5][3]

Children

1. Joseph born about 1661; married Sarah Stafford, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Holden) Stafford; was of Kingstown, Rhode Island.^[2][1][3]
2. Benjamín born about 1661; died April 27, 1730; married on December 25, 1691, Phebe Arnold ^[6], daughter of Stephen and Sarah (Smith) Arnold. ^{[2][1] [4] [3]}
3. William born December 27, 1664; died December 18, 1745 in his 82nd year ^[7]1; married on March 17, 1708/9, Patience Harris of Providence ^[6], daughter of Andrew and Mary (Few) Harris; was of North Kingstown where they are buried. ^{[2][1] [3]}
4. Simon born about 1666; died March 4, 1712; married Mary Andrews, daughter of William and Esther (Arnold) Andrews on January 5, 1698/9 ^[6]. ^{[2] [1] [3]}
5. Lydia born in 1668; died January 24, 1741; married John Fones, son of John and Margaret Fones of Conanicut Island. ^{[2] [1] [3]}
6. Elizabeth born in 1672; died February 7, 1718: married on February 28, 1698, Israel Arnold ^[6], son of Israel and Mary (Barker) Arnold. ^{[2] [1] [4] [3]}

DNA

Descendant of yDNA group NE18 brother Benjamin Smith-27260 (c1631 ENG-1713 RI) m Lydia Carpenter-995. See SmithConnections Northeastern DNA Project.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11} Austin, John Osborne. One Hundred and Sixty Allied Families, Genealogical Publishing Co., June 1, 2009 p. 14: 19: 58: 126
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15} Carpenter, Daniel Hoogland. History and Genealogy of the Carpenter Family in America: From the Settlement at Providence, Rhode Island, 1637-1901, Marion Press, 1901 p. 20-5: 313-4
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16} Austin, John Osborne. The Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island: Comprising Three Generations of Settlers who Came Before 1690, with Many Families Carried to the Fourth Generation, Joel Munsell sons, Albany New York, 1887 p. 36-7: 247: 376-7
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Arnold, Elisha Stephen, compiler. The Arnold Memorial: William Arnold of Providence and Pawtuxet, 1587-1675, and a Genealogy of His Descendants, Tuttle Publishing Company, Rutland, Vermont 1935 p. 52: 87: 91
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9079/images/007650581_00062). Rhode Island, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1582-1932 [database on-line], Wills, Vol 1, 1703-1745, image 62-65; Record of Wills, No 1, Warwick, 1703-1745, page 95-100. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Town Council record of probate proceedings, will and inventory
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} Arnold, James N. Editor. Vital Record of Rhode Island. 1636-1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. A Family Register for the People. Vol. 1: Kent County: Narragansett Historical Publ. Co., Providence, Rhode Island, 1891. Warwick Marriages p. 3: 4: 108: Warwick Deaths p. 202
7. ↑ Arnold, James N. Editor. Vital Record of Rhode Island. 1636-1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. A Family Register for the People. Vol. 5: Washington County: Narragansett Historical Publ. Co., Providence, Rhode Island, 1894 North Kingston Deaths. p. 99
8. ↑ SmithConnections Northeastern DNA Project, haplogroup Rb1 NE18 Christopher Smith-27264 (imm. from Stratford-Upon-Avon). Via Kits #138195 and #641829,

• William Shakespeare and the Christopher Smith Family by Kathleen Kitty Smith and Christopher Child, American Ancestors Magazine, Vol 17 Iss. 1, pages 50-53. Published by the New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 2016.
• The registers of Stratford-on-Avon : in the county of Warwick Baptisms 1558-1652, transcribed by Richard Savage for the Parish Register Society, 1897. Page 118. Baptized October 30, 1631in Stratford on Avon.
• A descendant matches all the kits in YDNA group NE18, Rhode Island Christopher Smith (imm. from Stratford Upon Avon) on page 2 of SmithConnections Northeastern DNA Project, Kit #138195.
• R1b-NE18 Rhode Island Christopher Smith (See the WikiTree.com breakthrough discovery of 4/29/2015 on page 2). These matching yDNA tests are supported by "The Register of Stratford On Avon" entry above.
• Find-A-Grave Virtual Cemetery memorial #50640997
• Representative men and old families of Rhode Island : genealogical records by J. H. Beers & Co. Publishing, 1908. Vol I Page 286 and 744
• American Ancestry by Thomas Patrick Hughes & Frank Munsell
• Bentley, William Perry. Genealogy of one branch of the Peckham family of Newport and Westerly, R.I Page 63
• http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89069623809;view=1up;seq=5
• http://books.google.com/books?id=mF1JAAAAMAAJ