OUR RHODE ISLAND ROOTS #4: From Patriot to Pariah

(Arnold-Rhodes-Williams-Olney-Winsor)

Christ Church, Philadelphia 2015

On this day in 1779,

a man and woman celebrated the rite of holy matrimony in Christ Church, Philadelphia.  At thirty-eight, the groom was a distinguished Revolutionary war hero, promoted to Major General by his friend George Washington just two years before.  The bride was the beautiful, 18-year-old socialite daughter of a Philadelphia judge who would later serve as chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. 

Wounded in battle twice, at Quebec and later at the Battle of Saratoga, the man’s shattered leg prevented him from further commanding forces in battle so he was assigned by Washington as military governor of Philadelphia, where he met and courted his betrothed.  In addition to his successful military career, he was a trained druggist and merchant trader whose private ships sailed to Canada and the Caribbean.  On his wedding day, he was also a widower with three sons, ages 9-11.  Of those sons, one would later serve as captain in the Royal Artillery and be mortally wounded in the West Indies. 

This marriage would produce additional children who served their country as:

·        - A lieutenant of the Sixth Bengal Cavalry and later paymaster at Muttra, India.

·         -A lieutenant-general for corps of Royal Engineers in the Napoleonic wars in Egypt and West Indies; an aide-de-camp to William IV; later created a knight of the Hanoverian Guelphic order and a knight of the Crescent.

·         -A lieutenant-colonel in the 2^nd Bengal Cavalry

·         -A captain in the Royal Lancers; his son a captain of the 4^th Regiment of Foot, killed during the siege of Sevastopol, Crimean War

The one thing they all had in common: they all served in the English military. 

So how did a celebrated American Revolutionary War Patriot end up raising a family who ultimately dedicated their lives and military service to “The British Enemy?”  And how did that same American hero fall from grace as Patriot to Pariah …with his name forever linked to the word “traitor?” 

The answer to these questions is a story in itself.  And this marriage undoubtedly played a part.

As my third cousin-eight generations back, the groom and I share the same 1635 immigrant ancestor:  William Arnold.  William’s daughter Joanna was my 9^th great grandmother.  William’s eldest son succeeded Roger Williams as Governor of Rhode Island and became the wealthiest pioneer of the new colony.  William’s eldest son’s name was passed down father-to-son for generations, including the subject of this wedding story:  the groom who shared the name of his father, grandfather, and great grandfather: Benedict Arnold.

Read more about Benedict Arnold at: George Washington's Mount Vernon

OUR RHODE ISLAND ROOTS #3: Roger Williams-A Man Rooted in Liberty

(Williams-Winsor and Williams-Olney)

9th GGF: ROGER WILLIAMS (1631 English immigrant)

To commemorate the 300^th anniversary of Rhode Island, a monument was erected in Providence’s Prospect Terrace Park to honor its founder (and my 9^th great grandfather) Roger Williams.  Topped with a 15-foot granite statue, the monument now serves as the final resting place for the remains of my illustrious ancestor.  I use the word “final” because his original burial place -an apple orchard behind his home lot in Providence- was the scene of a most unusual grave-robbing.

Roger Williams died in 1683 and was quietly buried in a humble grave on his property in the community he named Providence.  This was common practice at the time since public burial grounds were not  established in Providence until 1700.  If not for the efforts of a local community leader intent on locating the overlooked graves of Williams and his wife Mary, the grave-robbery might never have been discovered. 

Here’s how the story goes:  In 1860, Zachariah Allen went in search for the forgotten graves located near the ruins of the Williams’ home.  Upon locating the site of probable interment, he unearthed what remained of two disintegrated coffins.  With the exception of bits of wood, coffin nails, and small fragments of Mister and Mistress Williams, all that remained was Biblical dust.  Or was there more?

Imagine the amazement of Mr. Allen as he looked down upon the open grave to see that one coffin had been invaded by an apple tree root.  Now, this was no ordinary, wandering tree root.  No.  This root almost seemed inspired.  Tracing its path, it appeared to have entered the coffin where Roger Williams’ head would have been laid to rest.  But, curiously, the root continued straight down where his spine would have been, branching off as legs and -if that wasn’t enough to convince the onlooker- each long branch end pointed up in foot-like tips.   Seriously, you just can’t make this stuff up! 

Although Mr. Allen reverently scooped up and preserved the dust from Roger Williams’ grave, which was temporarily placed in an urn and deposited in a mausoleum of a descendant of Williams …he also felt compelled to remove the most peculiar grave-robbing root, too.   Just in case you don’t believe me, you can see it for yourself discretely displayed in a museum not far from the Roger Williams monument. 

I discovered this story by chance while researching my ancestor under such headings as “Williams Root,” “Who Ate Roger Williams” and “TheTree Root that Ate Roger Williams.”  Despite its macabre nature, and my slightly irreverent reference to a grave-robber, I prefer to imagine the amazing discovery more symbolically.

To me, the slightly anthropomorphic apple tree root aptly symbolizes the fact that Rhode Island is, indeed, “rooted” in Roger Williams, the man, the nonconformist, the visionary.   Banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony for his strong views contrary to Puritan New England governance and beliefs, Roger Williams was firmly committed to the place where he could practice and share liberty-infused “new and dangerous” concepts – concepts we now hold as inalienable rights as Americans.  Roger Williams was a man rooted in liberty.

In his own words:  
"What are all the contentions and wars of this world about but for greater dishes and bowls of porridge? But here all over this colony a great number of weak and distressed souls, scattered, are flying hither. The Most High and only Wise hath provided this country and this corner as a shelter for the poor and persecuted according to their several persuasions. And as to myself in endeavoring after your temporal and spiritual peace, I humbly desire to say, if I perish I perish. It is but a shadow vanished, a bubble broke, a dream finished. Eternity will pay for all." -Roger Williams

An excellent short biography can be found at the National Park Service's ROGER WILLIAMS NATIONAL MEMORIAL website.

OUR RHODE ISLAND ROOTS #2: "First Families" Connections

Pedigree Chart of Charles Winsor, 
5th Great Grandfather  
The chart below illustrates some of our lineal connections with 17th Century founding "First Families" of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations:

Winsor/Olney immigrant ancestry

The 16 great-great grandparents of Charles Winsor were all English immigrants who arrived in America's "New England" during the era known as The Great Migration.  (1620s-1640s)
Among these ancestors was the founder of Rhode Island, theologian Roger Williams.  The chart reveals that Charles was related to Roger Williams through both his mother (Freeborn Olney, granddaughter of Roger's son, Daniel Williams) and his father (Joshua Winsor, grandson of Roger's daughter, Mercy Williams.)

In this series, I hope to shine a light on some of our inspirational -and sometimes confrontational- pioneer "First Families" of Rhode Island.  I chose Charles' ancestry to begin with since its American roots clearly lead back to the very beginnings of Rhode Island and to our shared ancestors who followed Williams to Providence where his vision of religious and political tolerance was formed, exercised and defended.

The following "First Family" branches of my 9th great grandparents' Rhode Island "roots" will be examined in this series:

• JOSHUA WINSOR
• ROGER WILLIAMS/MARY BARNARD 
• JAMES BARKER/BARBARA DUNGAN
• WILLIAM JEFFERY
• THOMAS OLNEY/MARIE ASHTON 
• JOHN WHIPPLE
• ZACHARIAH RHODES/JOANNA ARNOLD 

OUR RHODE ISLAND ROOTS #1: "A Lively Experiment"

WINSOR Colonial Rhode Island Family Connections

1663 Royal Charter

“...It is much in their hearts (if they may be permitted), to hold forth a livelie experiment, that a most flourishing civill state may stand and best bee maintained, and that among our English subjects, with a full libertie in religious concernements; and true pietye rightly grounded upon gospell principles, will give the best and greatest security to sovereignetye, and will lay in the hearts of men the strongest obligations to true loyaltye...”

– King Charles II Charter of 1663

Named in the1663 Royal Charter of Rhode Island & Providence Plantation are a number of our ancestors, including 9th GGF Roger Williams, founder of Providence:

detail of people named in the royal charter

John Clarke (1609 - 1676) my 1st cousin 13x removed [if Bartlett to Watson lineage is verified]

Benjamin Arnold close relation to Governor Benedict Arnold (1615 – 1678) Gov. Benedict was son of 10th great grandfather William Arnold 

William Baulston  Innkeeper (1601 - 1679)husband of aunt of wife of 1st cousin 11x removed (to Whitney to Dart)

John Smith "The Miller" Smithfield namesake (1595 - 1648) great grandfather of wife of 6th great grandfather (to Joshua Winsor II)

Samuel Gorton RI Warwick founder (1592 - 1677)  father-in-law of 9th great grand uncle (to Coles to Townsend)

Roger Williams Founder of Providence (1603 - 1683) twice 9th great grandfather (through his children Mercy and Daniel)

Thomas Olney Jr., Shoemaker (1600 - 1682)
9th great grandfather

Gregory Dexter, Printer (1610–1700) [see MI Dexter/Winsorlineage]
John Coggeshall, Jr., brother of Joshua Coggeshall (1623-1688) who was father-in-law of brother-in-law of great aunt of wife of 6th great grandfather (to Greene/Sayles/Winsor)

Joseph Clarke, brother of John Clarke  (1618 – 1694) 1st cousin 13x removed [if Bartlett-Watson lineage is verified] 

Randall Holden (1612 - 1692), husband of 9th great grand aunt Frances Dungan (1632-1697)  [daughter of "The Falconer's Daughter"]

John Greene, Capt. Deputy Governor (1620 - 1708) father-in-law of 1st cousin 9x removed

William Field (1635-1665) 3rd great grand uncle of husband of 3rd great grand aunt

James Jr. Barker Deputy Governor (1617 - 1702) son-in-law of Frances Latham, "The Falconer's Daughter" and 9th great grandfather [grandfather of Joshua Winsor b. 1682]

William Dyer (1609-1672) husband of Quaker martyr Mary Barrett Dyer and paternal grandfather of husband of 1st cousin 9x removed 

Plat of original home lots in Providence, Rhode Island