John Wilkinson (1654 - 1708)

Born 2 Mar 1654 in Providence, Rhode Island

Ancestors

Husband of Deborah (Whipple) Wilkinson — married 16 Apr 1689 in Providence, RI

Descendants

Died 10 Apr 1708 at age 54 in Providence, Rhode Island

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Biography

John Wilkinson, son of Lawrence and Susanna (Smith) Wilkinson, was born March 2, 1654., at Providence, Rhode Island.^[1] John married Deborah Whipple, daughter of Eleazar Whipple and Alice Angell on 16 Apr 1689.^[2] They lived in Providence, Rhode Island.

John went up the Blackstone about seven miles, and settled on the west side of the river in a very pleasant locality near what was then, and is now, called "Martin's Wade." The whole country was called Providence at this time, and the divisions of towns and counties were unknown. The road from Providence to Woonsocket runs near the river at this place, and another road coming from the west past the "Dexter Lime Rock" meets it at right angles. [Wilkinson:

John Wilkinson married at the age of thirty-five, Deborah Whipple and had three sons and three daughters. From this family descended most of the name in Cumberland, and several in Smithfield. The Pawtucket Wilkinsons trace their descent from the oldest son, John, who married Rebecca Scott; and a numerous branch of the New York Wilkinsons, who settled in Syracuse and Skaneateles, are the lineal descendants of Daniel, who married Abigail Inman—and the famous Jemima of New Jerusalem notoriety, was the daughter of Jeremiah, who married Elizabeth A. Whipple.

1. John Wilkinson born March, 1690; m.Rebecca Scott
2. Mercy or Mary Wilkinson , b.30 June, 1694; m.John Scott
3. Sarah Wilkinson,b. 22 June, 1696;
4. Freelove Wilkinson, b. 25 July, 1701;
5. Daniel Wilkinson, b.8 June, 1703, and
6. Jeremiah Wilkinson, b.4 June, 1707, m.Elizabeth Whipple.

John's neighbors in this sylvan retreat at a later period were the Whipples and the Dexters, sons of the Rev. Gregory Dexter—and from whom the "Dexter Lime Rock" takes its name—and the aborigines. The latter were very numerous, and frequently very hostile. They looked with jealous eyes on the encroachments of the white men, and used every means in the sic power to prevent the advancement of civilization. They did not hold John in very high esteem, although they feared him. The Narragansett tribe had a camp in a swamp east of the river, and John had taken up land which extended into the swamp and included a part of their camp. Although he did not molest them, yet the very presence of the pale faces was an offence sic to these lords of the soil. Whoever will take the pains to examine the old records will find a description of this land purchased at a later date by John's son, a part of which runs as follows: "one messauge or tract of land * * lying by said Wilkinson's at the 'Camp Swamp.'"*

Some five or six years after King Philip's War became more turbulent again, and a battle was fought not far from the old Quaker meeting-house in the south part of the town of Smithfield, a little north-west of Scott's pond. The town of Providence was alarmed, and immediately every able-bodied man was under arms and marching to the scene of conflict. Arriving in the vicinity the crack of the musket and the whizzing of bullets warned them of the presence of the enemy. Down among the tall grass, thick as grasshoppers; behind rocks, trees, and knolls of earth were the wily savages pouring in a destructive fire upon the unprotected band of settlers. ..

John was severely wounded in this fight, and in the "Proceedings of the Generall Assembly of R. I., 25th Oct., 1682," the following entry is made: "Voted, upon the petition of John Wilkinson of the towne of Providence, who was wounded in the late warr with the Indians, this Assembly doe allow him the sum of tenn pounds in, or as money, to be paid out of the Generall Treasury.*

John was frequently honored by his fellow-citizens, who imposed upon him many offices of trust. He was Deputy for Providence to the General Court for several years, and his service was always acceptable to his constituency. He served his day and generation well.
John died suddenly in his 55th year, and was found sitting upon a stone by the wayside—dead. He died 10 April 1708, at Providence.^[1]

"extensive land owner.... in that part of Providence which was in 1731 called the town of Smithfield. His house was on the margin of the Blackstone River, near what was called 'Martin's Wade,' a little south of the present villa of Ashton"^[3]

Sources

• Wilkinson, Rev. Israel; Memoirs of the Wilkinson Family in America, comprising genealogical and biograpical sketches of Lawrence Wilkinson of Providence, R.I., etc. by Rev. Israel Wilkinson A.M. published 1869 Davis and Penniman, Printers page 338 https://archive.org/details/memoirsofwilkins00wilk/page/n9/mode/2up http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~bbunce77/misc/Wilkinson004.html#2dGEN

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Tingley, Raymon Meyers, Some ancestral lines : being a record of some of the ancestors of Guilford Solon Tingley and his wife, Martha Pamelia Meyers, published 1935. Reference page 23
2. ↑ U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700
3. ↑ Memoirs of the Wilkinson family in America : comprising genealogical and biographical sketches of Lawrance Wilkinson of Providence, R.I., Edward Wilkinson of New Milford, Conn., John Wilkinson of Attleborough, Mass., Daniel Wilkinson of Columbia Co., N.Y. ... and their descendants from 1645-1868. p 53 https://archive.org/stream/memoirsofwilkins00wilk#page/52/ retrieved 11/4/16

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Michelle Ladner for creating Wilkinson-2483 on 25 Jul 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Michelle and others.