Paul Wightman (1749 - 1817)

Born 1749 in North Kingstown, Kings, Rhode Island

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Reynolds) Wightman — married 1772 in North Kingston, Washington, Rhode Island

Descendants

Died 19 May 1817 at about age 68 in Middletown, Newport County, Rhode Island, United States

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Biography

Paul was born in 1749. He was the son of Vallentine Wightman and Rebecca Jamain.

He married Hannah Reynolds in 1772.^[1]

He is listed as the father of Mary Whitman (Wightman) on her marriage record.^[2]

He passed away in 1817. ^[3][4]

Paul Wightman, born 1749 in North Kingstown, Washington County, Rhode Island; died 19 May 1817 in Middletown, Newport County, Rhode Island. He married first, in North Kingstown 23 J(---) 1772, Hannah Reynolds, born 1752 in North Kingstown; died 6 April 1815 in Middletown, aged sixty-three years; married second, Penelope -----.

Paul Wightman lived fora time after marriage in North Kingstown. On 16 September 1776 he bought of John Reynolds a farm in North Kingstown (No. Kings. Deeds, xiii, B, 203-4), but sold the same 11 April 1785 (ibid., xv, A, 148). In 1786 he and his brother-in-law Benjamin Cole, Jr. were bondsmen for his brother John, appointed administrator of the estate of their father, Valentine (No. Kings. Pro.). In 1788 he and his brother John were sponsors for Silas Whitman who had "come into this town with a family" (No. Kingstown Town Meeting Records).

In April 1800 he was elected freeman of Middletown, and on 8 May 1801 took a long term lease of a property in Middletown. This estate, known as Whitehall, had been the property and residence of Bishop Berkeley who had come from England to promote the interests of the Established Church in New England. Not finding conditions encouraging, he renounced the enterprise; but before returning to England he disposed of Whitehall, about four hundred acres, one half of which went to Harvard College, the other half to Yale, the latter comprising the mansion house. It was this home portion that Paul Wightman leased, and he resided there till his death. The mansion house of Whitehall, a fine example of Colonial architecture, has been acquired by the Society of Colonial Dames, who have retired it in recent years to its original condition of simple elegance.

By his will, dated 18 April 1815, Paul Wightman bequeathed the lease of Whitehall to his son Oliver, to whom he had previously, 15 August 1801, deeded a farm in Middletown; and he left also a property of about one hundred acres to be divided, share and share alike, among his children. The division occurred 19 August 1822 (Middletown Probate).

Paul Wightman married a second time. The real estate records of Newport under date of 5 April 1817, record a life lease "to Penelope Wightman, wife of Paul Wightman of Middletown" from Hannah Gibbs, widow of Elisha, securing to the said Penelope Wightman certain rooms and privileges in the house of the said widow Gibbs. Possibly the tragic death of Paul Wightman by suicide six weeks later may be explained by the circumstances of an unfortunate second marriage.

The graves of both Paul and Hannah are at Whitehall, but unmarked.

Children, order uncertain:

1. Mary Wightman, "eldest daughter"; married 31 January 1802, George S. Sweet, son of Samuel Sweet of North Kingstown. After her death he married (2) her sister Fanny.
2. Rebecca Wightman; married James Shaw, of Newport, Rhode Island.
3. Lucy Wightman; married 8 March 1801, Sprague Dawley, son of George Sprague Dawley of Exeter, Rhode Island.
4. Hannah Wightman; married April 1808, Henry James Brayman.
5. Oliver Wightman, born 11 June 1780.
6. Benjamin Wightman, born about 1782.
7. Sarah Wightman, born --- 1784; died 30 May 1824, age forty; married John Rose.
8. Ann Wightman; married 10 January 1807, William Peckham.
9. Fanny Wightman, born about 1789; died 6 January 1827, aged thirty-seven; married George S. Sweet, widower of her sister Mary. He died about 1821, property in his estate advertised by Oliver Wightman, Executor, 10 February 1821 (Newport Mercury).

^[5]

Research Notes

Daughter Lucy Whitman married Sprague Dawley, son of George Sprague, on 8 March 1801 (needs profile).^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ "Rhode Island, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1630-1945," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2W7-29QX : accessed 30 November 2018), Paul Whitman and Hannah Reynolds, 1772; citing Marriage, North Kingston, Washington, Rhode Island, United States, Rhode Island State Archive, Providence City Archives, city and town clerk offices; FHL microfilm 930,980.
2. ↑ "Rhode Island, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1630-1945," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8K3-MBN : accessed 29 November 2018), Paul Whitman in entry for George Sweet and Mary Whitman, 31 Jan 1802; citing Marriage, Middletown, Newport, Rhode Island, United States, Rhode Island State Archive, Providence City Archives, city and town clerk offices; FHL microfilm 946,435.
3. ↑ "Rhode Island Deaths and Burials, 1802-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8FZ-42X : 10 February 2018), Paul Weightman, 19 May 1817; citing Rhode Island, reference p 147; FHL microfilm 22,394.
4. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 November 2018), memorial page for Paul Wightman (1749–19 May 1817), Find A Grave Memorial no. 177735446, citing Paul Wightman Lot, Middletown, Newport County, Rhode Island, USA ; Maintained by James Hobson (contributor 48870267) .
5. ↑ Whitman, Mary Ross. George Wightman of Quidnessett, R.I. (1632-1721/2) and descendants : Waitman, Weightman, Whiteman, Whitman, Whytman, Wightman, Wyghtman. Chicago, Ill. 1939. Pages 81-82.
6. ↑ "Rhode Island, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1630-1945," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8K3-97V : accessed 30 November 2018), Paul Whitman in entry for Sprague Dawley and Lucy Whitman, 08 Mar 1801; citing Marriage, Middletown, Newport, Rhode Island, United States, Rhode Island State Archive, Providence City Archives, city and town clerk offices; FHL microfilm 946,435.

• The Wightman Ancestry