Ralph Earle (bef. 1632 - bef. 1702)

Born before 22 Apr 1632 in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Dorcas (Sprague) Earle — married before 26 Oct 1659 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island

Descendants

Died before 28 Mar 1702 at about age 69 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Province of Massachusetts Bay [uncertain]

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This profile is part of the Erleigh Name Study.

Biography

2nd Generation in the line of Ralph (1)

Ralphe, son of Ralph & Joan Earle was baptized 22 April 1632 at St. Michael's church in Bishop's Stortford.^[1][2] He wasn't yet six and a half years old when his father first appears in the Rhode Island record in October 1638.

24 November 1656, Ralph Earll, Jr., signing by his mark, witnessed a deed executed by his father.^[3]

30 November 1657, ordered that tenn men, one of whom was Ralph Earll, Jr., shall be Suplied with plantin land on hoge Island & to injoy it for seven yeares.^[3]

11 May 1658, Ralph and his brother William are received as freemen of Portsmouth. At the same meeting, Ordered that Ralph Earll junr shall be payd Eleven shillings after the the Rate of Eight white peages [beads] p[er] peny, by the Treasurer.^[3]

8 June 1658, Ordered that Ralph Earll Junor shall be payd two shillenes for muny that he payd for his fferigg gooing to plimoth:^[3]

Ralph married, before 26 October 1659, Dorcas Sprague. On that date, Francis Sprague of Dubury, planter, conveyed to 'his son in law Ralph Earle of Road Iland... the one half of all his share part or portion of land lying or being att the place or places commonly called by the Indians by the Names of Coaksett and Acushena in the Jurisdiction of Plymouth.'^[4]

16 December 1659, Ralph Earle of Portsmouth in the jurisdiction of Providence plantation, with the consent of Dorcas his wife, sells to Robert Hazard of Portsmouth his 'Quarter share lot and portion of land which is the quarter part of one share that belongeth to thirty foure; which thirty foure is where the first purchasers of the land comonly called by the Indian Names of Cushenah and Acoaksett in the jurisdiction of New Plymouth.' Ralph signed by his mark, Dorcas perhaps by signature.^[5]

Ralph likely removed removed from Portsmouth shortly after and settled on the other quarter, as he lived subsequently in Dartmouth, within which the land was situated. He was one of the persons who received the confirmatory deed of the town, and it is known that he was there in 1663.

May 10, 1684, John Eyanoe conveyed to Ralph Earle, a neck or island, made at high water, in Yarmouth, in consideration of a "certain parcel of Land sittuate under ye goverment of new york in America, upon cut Ahonkko, viz. one neck and one island in A fresh pond upon said cut Ahonkko, and Twenty acres of Land in Dartmouth, payd by Ralph Earl."

June 13, 1688, "Ralph Earl of Dartmouth," " in consideration of natural love and affection," conveyed to his son Ralph, " one half of the westermost island, called Elizabeth Island, to be his after my decease."

October 20, 1689, "in consideration of natural affection," he conveyed to his son William one hundred acres of land in Dartmouth.

June 10, 1692, he says that " of my own moote [and] motion, for divors good causes and good considerations moveing mee thereunto, beside my trew Love and naturall Affections that I bare unto this my youngest son Joseph Earle, and for his advancement for time to come," and "with the consent of Dorcas, my wife," he conveyed to the said Joseph two hundred acres of land in Dartmouth. This was "bounded upon Ponaganset River, So up into the woods."

July 24, 1693, he conveyed to his son William, "in consideration of natural love and affection, one-quarter part of the Island called by the Indians Pocatahunka, being the westermost Island."

He was a large landholder, and many other of his conveyances are upon record. Of these grants, the only consideration for the value of the land appears to have been his "natural love and affection "in the following instances, namely: 250 acres to his son John; after his death 100 acres to his grandson John, 100 acres to his grandson Daniel, 50 acres to his grandson Benjamin, and "A small Island, or Tract of Land," to William Ingraham.

The following paragraph is taken from John W. Barber's Historical Collections of Massachusetts:

"During Philip's War a great part of this town [Dartmouth] was laid desolate and many of the inhabitants killed. Most of the Plymouth forces were ordered thither. In coming to Russel's garrison, at Ponaganset, or Aponaganset, in this town, they met with a number of the enemy that had surrendered themselves, prisoners, on terms promised by Capt. Eels, of the garrison, and Ralph Earle, who persuaded them to come in, by a friendly Indian whom he employed. It is to be regretted, however, that notwithstanding the promises made by the above persons to the Indians, they were, by the superior authorities, carried away to Plymouth, 'then sold and transported out of the country, being about eight score persons."

Children of Ralph and Dorcas (Sprague) Earle:

i. John (1660-<1717)

ii. Elizabeth (ca1662-)

iii. Ralph (ca1664-1718)

iv. William (1672-1715)

v. Joseph (ca1668-)

vi. Dorcas (ca1670-)

Death and Estate

It was previously thought that Ralph died ca. 1716, as letters of administration were granted to son John 6 January 1717 (The Earle Family, p. 21; actually, 1717/18). However, as shown below, Ralph had already been deceased "some years" when John requested administration in November 1717:

Bristol ss

Mr Jno Earll ye eldest son to mr Ralph Earll of Dartmouth decaced haveing made his Application to mee Nathll Paine Esqr Judge of Probate of Wills & Granting of Letters of Administration for and within ye County of Bristoll that his said father died some years since and Left an Estate in Lands Goods & Chattels and that there hath not been any person quallifyed by Letters of Administration to act on sd estate and now praying that hee ye said Jno Earll may have Letters of Administration Granted to him These are therefore to Give you mr Ralph Earle William & Joseph Earle all sons to ye sd Ralph Earle deceaced that you appeare att Bristoll on ye firstt Monday in decembr nextt to objectt or give [ ] yor Reasons if you have any: why Letters of Administration may not be Granted to ye sd Jno Earle Dated at Bristoll this ye 4th of November 1717

You are to apeare att ye probate office att twoo of ye clock in ye after noone } Nathll Paine

Janry 6: 1717/18 there being no objection made Lettrs of Administration was Granted unto John Earle the eldest son of Ralph Earle deceased^[6]

In fact, Ralph was deceased before 28 March 1702 when William Earle of Portsmouth, yeoman, in consideration of a dwelling house built and finished by Joseph Hix, son-in-law of said William now of Portsmouth (erected on land belonging to said William's mother, Jone Earle, in Portsmouth), conveys to said Hix one hundred acres of land in Dartmouth, 'part of which... I bought & Purchased of my Brother Ralph Earle Late of sd Dartmouth Deceased ...'^[7]

Research Notes

Disputed Origins

The following is an outline of a working theory of Earle family relationships that makes sense of birth dates, marriages, and lists of children in a variety of sources. Where a name like Ralph Earle-82-129-212 is shown, the suggestion is that the profiles for Earle-129 and earle-212 should be merged into Earle-82. Obviously, this theory is subject to any available primary or solid secondary evidence which should be used to override or correct this working theory.

Ralph Earle-82
m. Joan Savage-488

• 1. Ralph Earle-127 m. Dorcas Sprague-2254
• 1-1. John Earle-83
• 1-2. Elizabeth Earle-84
• 1-3. Ralph Earle-85
• 1-4. William Earle-126 m. 1st Mary Cory-76
• 1-4a William Earle-126 m. 2nd Hepzibah Butts-233
• 1-4-1. Sarah Earle-123
• 1-5. Joseph Earle-11
• 1-6. Dorcas Earle-88
• 2. William Earle-86 m. 1st Mary Walker-3240-5461
• 2-1. Mary Earle-96
• 2-2. William Earle (b. 1657)
• 2-3. Ralph Earle-116 m. Mary Carr-1409
• 2-3-1. William Earle-204 m. Anna Howard-2859
• 2-3-2. Robert Earle-115
• 2-3-3. Ralph Earle
• 2a William Earle-86 m. 2nd Prudence ?
• 2-4. Thomas Earle-323
• 2-5. Caleb Earle
• 2-6. Sarah Earle (b.1677)
• 2-7. John Earle-1
• 2-8. Prudence Earle-369
• 3. Mary Earle-128 m. William Cory-86
• 3-1. John Cory-85
• 4. Martha Earle-100 m. William Wood-155-9008
• 5. Sarah Earle-298 m. 1st Thomas Cornell-73 m. 2nd David Lake-824

Sources

1. ↑ Miller, Spencer. "Earle Family of Bishop's Stortford, Co. Herts, England." New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 67: Pages 390-393.
2. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKWM-GL4 : 18 September 2020), Ralphe Earle in entry for Ralphe Earle, 1632.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Portsmouth, RI, Clarence S. Brigham, ed. The Early Records of the Town of Portsmouth. Providence, RI: E. L. Freeman & Sons, State Printers, 1901. Pages 332, 80, 84, 85.
4. ↑ "Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9Z7-G97B?cc=2106411&wc=MCBR-PWY%3A361612701%2C362501701 : 22 May 2014), Plymouth > Deeds 1651-1681 vol 2-4 > image 154 of 677; county courthouses and offices, Massachusetts.
5. ↑ "Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89Z7-G9MY?cc=2106411&wc=MCBR-PWY%3A361612701%2C362501701 : 22 May 2014), Plymouth > Deeds 1651-1681 vol 2-4 > image 170 of 677; county courthouses and offices, Massachusetts.
6. ↑ "Bristol County (Mass.) probate records 1690-1881". Catalog: Bristol County (Mass.) probate records 1690-1881 Manchester, Wiliam G. - Manly, Edwin Earl, Elizabeth C. - Eastland, Joseph. Film number: 007702781 > image 583 of 919. FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9YR-W97S (accessed 18 September 2022).
7. ↑ "Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99ZW-SCLY?cc=2106411&wc=MCBR-YTP%3A361612901%2C362549501 : 22 May 2014), Bristol > Deeds 1687-1734 vol 1-3 > image 62 of 799; county courthouses and offices, Massachusetts.

• Earle, Pliny. The Earle Family. Ralph Earle and his Descendants. Worcester, MA: Press of Charles Hamilton, 1888. Internet Archive.

• Source: S-2009482853 Repository: #R-2009482618 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.; Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created.

• Repository: R-2009482618 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com

• Source: S1 Author: Ancestry.com Title: Public Member Trees Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2006; Repository: #R1

• Repository: R1 Name: www.ancestry.com Address: E-Mail Address: Phone Number: