John Smith Sr. (abt. 1605 - bef. 1649)

Born about 1605 in England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before 1649 before about age 44 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island

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John Smith Sr. migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 6, p. 387) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Note: He is distinct from John Smith, quartermaster, who also lived in Dorchester. All Dorchester records pertaining to John Smith relate to the quartermaster.

Biography

John Smith, miller, was born about 1605 based on his date of marriage to Alice ______.^[1] "(I) John Smith, immigrant ancestor and founder, was a native of England. He came first to Dorchester, Mass., where, however, he soon fell under the displeasure of the Puritan authorities because of his religious views. On September 3, 1635, it was ordered by the General Court of Massachusetts 'that John Smith shall be sent within these six weeks out of this jurisdiction, for divers dangerous opinions which he holdeth and hath divulged, if in the meantime he removes not himself out of this plantation.' In 1636 Roger Williams and John Smith and four others came to Providence and made the first settlement there.^[2]John Smith was one of the most prominent figures in the year's decades of the history of Providence. In 1641 he held the office of town clerk. On March 1, 1646, an agreement was made at the monthly court that he should have the valley wherein his house stood in consideration for which he was to set up a mill. It was also agreed that no other mill would be permitted in Providence. In 1647 twenty-two acres were laid out to him, a portion for the mill, and at the time of his death he was in possession of one hundred and fifty acres. He was one of the most prosperous men of the community, which fact is evidenced by the tax list. On September 2, 1650, his widow, Alice, was taxed two pounds and ten shillings."

Banished from Dorchester, Massachusetts with Roger Williams and four others. First white settlers in Rhode Island in spring/summer 1636.^[3]

Roger Williams wrote to Governor John Winthrop 16 Apr 1638 and said this about John Smith:^[4]

"it is and every shall be (the Lord assisting) my endeavor to pacify and ally where I meet with rigid and censorious spirits who not only blame your actions but doom your persons, and indeed it was one of the first grounds of my dislike of John Smith the miller and especially of his wife, viz: their judging of your persons as devils etc."^[5]

While one of the first settlers of Providence, his name was excluded from later town foundation documents.^[6]

He died after 1647 when he was granted land, and before 10 May 1649, when his wife was called widow.

After he died, his widow and son, John, made provisions with the town to continue the operation of the mill. There was some controversy about this because Roger Williams himself beseeched the town of Providence to put an end to the controversy.^[7]

Occupation

Grist miller

Children

1. John Smith, Jr.

Anderson points out that some have attributed him a daughter, Elizabeth, who married Shadrach Manton, but makes the case against this relationship.^[8]

Research Notes

Anderson, in The Great Migration, says that John Smith's origins are unknown. No sources have been provided to show that he was a son of John Smith (1574-1674) and Ann Smith (1576-1676); they have been detached as his parents pending reliable sources. Also, Anderson reports his wife Alice's last name at birth was unknown. Anderson further states that there is not reliable evidence that Elizabeth Smith Manton (1632-1732) was his daughter and she has been detached.

DNA

Immigrant Ancestor of yDNA group NE40 John Smith-42051, the miller (c1595 ENG-1648 RI) m Alice Knight-3286?. See SmithConnections Northeastern DNA Project.^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009. Reference page 388 via $American Ancestors
2. ↑ Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather), ed , History of Providence County, Rhode Island 1891 New York, W.W. Preston. John Smith among 1st settlers, pgs 16, 142.
3. ↑ page 155 of Appendix of Chad Browne Memorial book
4. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Vol VI, p 388-390
5. ↑ Roger Williams Correspondence, p 149; Winthrop Papers 4:25
6. ↑ Anderson, p 389, citing Chapin 1:76-78, 96-97, 116
7. ↑ Anderson, p 389-290, citing Roger Williams Correspondence, p 329
8. ↑ Anderson, p 390
9. ↑ SmithConnections Northeastern DNA Project, haplogroup Rb1 NE40 John Smith, the miller.

See also:

• Austin, John Osborne, 1849-1918, "Genealogy Dictionary of Rhode Island", 1887 Albany : J. Munsell's sons, page 382 John Smith the Miller.

• Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, pp 387 - 390. by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009. Featured name: John Smith.for subscribers$

• Colket, Jr., Meredith B. 1912-. Founders of Early American Families: Emigrants From Europe, 1607-1657, Revised Edition. Cleveland: General Court of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America : distributed by Founders Project, 1985. Text located at the New England Historical and Genealogical Society library. Page 287.

• Memoirs of the Wilkinson family in America by Rev. Israel Wilkinson, 1869. Page 8

• Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs ..., Volume 4 by William Richard Cutter, Page 1711
  

• The Chad Browne memorial: consisting of genealogical memoirs of a. . . Early RI Settlers by Abby Isabel Brown Bulkley, and Henry Truman Beckwith
  

• Connecticut Nutmegger Vol 30 page 452-454 (subscription) Bible Records Smith submitted by Lt. Gail L. Smith

• Charles William Farnham, "John Smith, the Miller, of Providence, Rhode Island: Some of his Descendants," in Rhode Island History 20:109-114

• Genealogy of the Whipple-Wright : Wager : Ward-Pell : McLean-Burnet Families...

• Wikipedia contributors. "John Smith (settler)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Accessed 15 Sep 2023.