Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Stukely Westcott

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Descendants of Stukely Westcott

Generation No. 1

1. Stukely⁴ Westcott (Mr.³, Edward², Thomas¹) was born 1592 in Somersetshire, England, and died January 12, 1677 in Portsmouth, Newport Co, Rhode Island. He married Juliana Marchant October 5, 1619 in Yeovil, Somersetshire, England. She was born August 8, 1591 in England, and died 1670 in Rhode Island.

Notes for Stukely Westcott:
On August 8, 1638, nearly five months after Stukely Westcott had been ordered to leave Salem, Roger Williams "freely admitted twelve loving friends and neighbors" into equal ownership with himself of lands he had first purchased from the indians in 1636. On that list of stalwart men first appears the name of Stukely Westcott, and second, the name of William Arnold, both ancestors of the Westcotts of Cheshire and Milford, NY. The eighth name on the list is that of William Carpenter, who with Westcott and Arnold, made the crossing together from England. Others were John Greene, Thomas James, Robert Cole, William Harris, John Throckmorton, Thomas Olney, Francis Weston, Richard Waterman and Ezekiel Holliman--all thirteen men of names that have been perpetuated down through the years of nealy three centuries by deeds of public spiritedness. Roger Williams was an ancestor of the Westcott line, his progeny allied in nearly every generation.
All but Arnold, Greene and Carpenter, the former being from Hingham, Ma. were from Salem. Including Roger Williams, all became ancestors, through marriage, in the second to fifth generations, of the the descendants of Stukely Westcott.
When the whole number of settlers, including the original thirteen, had reached fifty-two, they made a first division between them of a portion of the lands upon which the city of Providence and its immediate suburbs, including Cranston, are located, allotting to each a "home lot," so called, and any outlying six-acre lot. The "home lots" each contained about five acres, and according to an old map of Providence, were located in the following order from north to south: Gregory Dexter, Mathew Waller, Thomas Painter, Edward Manton, John Greene Jr, Benedict Arnold, Francis Wickes, William Arnold, Thomas James, John Greene Sr, John Smith, Widow Reeve, Joshua Verin, Roger Williams, John Throckmorton, William Harris, Alice Daniels, John Sweet, William Carpenter, Robert Cole, Thomas Olney, Thomas Angell, Francis Weston, Richard Waterman, Ezekiel Holliman, STUKELY WESTCOTT, William Reynolds, Daniel Abbott, Chad Brown, John Warner, George Rickard, Richard Scott, William Field, John Field, Joshua Winsor, Thomas Harris, Adam Goodwin, William Borrows, William Mann, William Wickenden, Nicholas Power, Widow Tiler, Widow Sayer, Thomas Hopkins, Edward hart, Matthew Weston, John Lippitt, Hugh Bewit, Robert West, William Hawkins, Christopher _____nthank and Robert Williams.
The first Baptist Church to be organized in America, the old First Baptist Church of Providence, was founded March, 1639, by Roger Williams, Ezekiel Holliman, William Arnold, William Carpenter, Robert Cole, John Greene, William Harris, Thomas James, Thomas Olney, Richard Waterman, STUKELY WESTCOTT and Francis Weston, all but John Throckmorton of "the thirteen proprietors," becoming members. This venerable church was for the first century and a half of its existence of the Six-Principle Baptist sect. The six principles, or doctrines, held by the church, may be found in Hebrews 6:1-2 (new testament).
May 12, 1642, Stukely Westcott was a party to the agreement for the division of Pawtuxet from Providence. The Arnolds settled at Pawtuxet Falls. (History and Genealogy of Stukely Westcott, Vol. 1, Pgs. 15-16, 1932)

1635 June 24: Arrives in America, Salem, MA (8 people).
1636: Made a freeman.
1637 December 25: 1 acre granted to "Stuky Wesket" (8 people).
1638 March 12: General Court allows him to leave Salem, MA.
1639 January 5: Published in the church at Dorchester.
1639: Excommunicated from church.
(History and Genealogy of Stukely Westcott, Vol. 1, 1932)

Immediate Ancestry of Stukely Westcott
Assuming the son of Guy de Wescote was Thomas de Wescote, the student of genealogy may in the future years find the following lineage at least, suggestive of the immediate ancestry of Stukely Westcott. However, beyond the four generations first named, the compiler Roscoe L. Whitman, disclaims responsibility for its accuracy.

1. Thomas de Wescote married Elizabeth Littleton
2. Guido de Wescote married Alice Granville
3. Thomas Wescott [sic] married first Mary Wescott (his first cousin)
4. Thomas Wescott [sic] married second Alice Walker
5. Edward Wescote, son of Thomas and Mary, flourished in 1541 to 1551. Was his wife Damaris Stucley, daughter of Christopher and Mary Stucley??
6. unknown lineage
7. Did Stukely Westcott, 1592-1677, who married 1619, Juliana Marchant, name their first daughter Damaris for his grandmother from whom he derived his own Christian name?? But who were his parents?? [Rebecca's Note: using genealogy name patterns, one could assume his mothers maiden name was Stucley, however, evidence is not forthcoming. October 7, 1999]

Marriage of Stukely Westcott in 1619
Continued research has, hoever, definitely located Stukely Westcott in Ilmister, Somerset, in the autumn of 1619, at which time he was about twenty-seven years of age. This was sixteen years before he came to New England. He was married October 5, 1619, to Juliana Marchante. The marriage is recorded in the parish register of the ancient St. John the Baptist Church at Yeovil, Somerset; also the baptism of their tow oldest children. The record reads:

"Stucklie Westcott of Ilminster, and Julian Marchant of Yeovil, married 5 October, 1619."
"Damaris, daughter of Stukeley Westcott, baptised 27 January, 1621."
"Samuel, son of Stuckeley Westcott, baptised 3 March, 1623."

A careful examination of the ancient register from its origin in 1563 to the time Westcott left for New England, by a trusted representative of E. Dwelly, a leading genealogist and an acknowledged antiquarian of ability in England, having revealed only the above records, further effort to trace the immediate ancestry of Stukely Westcott must be directed in other sources.
(Book of Appendices, Stukely Westcott, Vol. 2, Pg. 7, 1939)

Who were the parents of Stukely Westcott? It is regretable that no positive answer tho this question has been found. However, it has been learned that Edward Westcote, son of Thomas Westcote and Alice Walker and direct in the family line, and his wife, Damaris Stucley, daughter of Christopher Stucley, were his grandparents. From the family name of his grandmother, Stukely derived his own unusual Christian name. He gave his grandmother's name to his eldest daughter, Damaris, who later was to be come the First Lady of Rhode Island.
Did Edward and Damaris Stucley Westcote have a son whom they named Guy? No documentary evidence to this effect has been found, so here the lineage chain remains broken. From two Westcott sources, however, comes the statement, unsupported by documentary authority, that the parents of Stukely Westcott, were Guy and Mary Stucley Westcott -- that Mary was a granddaughter of Sir Lewis Stucley, born in 1529, and his wife, Dorothy Hill. There is record of this Sir Lewis Stucley, but with only one child, Lewis, Jr. This Lewis Jr. was knighted by James I in 1603, and in 1617, was appointed guardian of Thomas Rolf, infant son of John Rolf and his wife, the American Indian Princess, Pocahontas. (Westcott Genealogical Bulletin, Nos. 29-30, March, 1944, written by Roscoe L. Whitman, author of the Westcott Genealogies, Volume 1, 1932 and Volume 2, 1939)

More About Stukely Westcott and Juliana Marchant:
Marriage: October 5, 1619, Yeovil, Somersetshire, England

Children of Stukely Westcott and Juliana Marchant are:

Damaris⁵ Westcott, born January 1621 in Yeovil, Somersetshire, England; died 1679 in Newport, Newport Co, Rhode Island ¹. She married Gov. Benedict Arnold, Sr. December 17, 1640 in Providence, Providence Co, Rhode Island; born December 21, 1615 in Lemington, England; died June 20, 1678 in Newport, Newport Co, Rhode Island.

Notes for Damaris Westcott:
Damaris was buried in the family burial ground of her husband in Newport, Rhode Island, her grave being next south of his, near Pelham Street, in a lot three rods square, forever dedicated by her husband as a family burial lot. (History and Genealogy of Stukely Westcott, Vol. 1, Pg. 127, 1932)

Damaris Westcott Arnold became the "First Lady of the Colony" when her husband succeeded Roger Williams in 1644 as President of the Colony and again in 1663, when he was named Governor under the Charter granted by King Charles II. (Book of Appendices, Stukely Westcott, Vol. 2, Pg. 76, 1939)

More About Damaris Westcott:
Burial: Gov. Benedict Arnold Graveyard, Newport, Newport Co, Rhode Island¹
Christening: January 27, 1621, St. John the Baptist Church, Yeovil, Somerset, England ²

Notes for Gov. Benedict Arnold, Sr.:
William Arnold, father of Benedict, came with Stukely Westcott, father of Damaris, to America from England in 1635. The burial lot is a few rods westerly from the old "mill," which, for many years, has excited so much of antiquarian interest, and which belonged to and which he referred to in his will as my "mill." After accompanying his parents to Hingham, Massachusetts and then to Providence, Rhode Island, where he remained until November 1651 or 1653, Benedict removed to Newport, Rhode Island. He is said to have been one of the wealthiest men in the colony, as well as one of its most eminent citizens. He owned large tracts of land in and around Newport, also owned the southern part of the large island in Narragansett Bay (Quonaniquot) Canonicut, now forming the town of Jamestown and one-seventh part of Pettiquanscut purchase, now South Kingstown, Rhode Island. In 1645, having acquired a knowledge of the Indian language, he was employed by the colony as its interpreter in its negotiations witht he Indian tribes. In 1670, he was chosen by the General Assembly as the agent of the colony to go to England, to protest its rights under the Charter against the claims of Connecticut. In 1654 and 1660, he was chosen one of the Governor's "Assistants." In 1657, 1662 and 1663, he was chosen President of the colony, the highest office under the first Charter of 1643. In 1663, he was named in the second Charter as Governor, and was afterwards elected by the people to that office in 1663-64-65-66, 1669-70-71-72, 1677 and in 1678 died in that office. The original seal of Governor Arnold, with a mahogany handle, bearing the letters B. A. and an anchor, is now in the archives of the Rhode Island Historical Society. The official chair he occupied when, in 1663, he received the Royal Charter from England, is in the possession of the Redwood Library at Newport. (History and Genealogy of Stukely Westcott, Vol. 1, Pg. 127, 1932)

Benedict died in office June 19, 1678, his wife surviving him. They removed from Providence to Newport, Rhode Island on November 19, 1651, where they died and are buried. (Book of Appendices, Stukely Westcott, Vol. 2, Pg. 76, 1939)

Was the richest man in the colony and by thorough acquaintance with the manners as well as language of the indians became the most effective in all negotiations with them. In 1653 he removed to Newport, was chosen Assistant next year and in 1663 made by the royal charter President and by annual election so continued for eight years and died 1678. His will of December 24, 1677, with codicill of June 10, 1678, was proven July 1, 1678. Both Godsgift, and Freelove, are by different authors made to marry Edward Pelham and, possibly he had two wives; Penelope is said to have married Roger Goulding; and Damaris married John Bliss. See Rhode Island History Coll. II. 51, and III. 294; Callender; Winth. and Knowles. (Genealogical Dictionary of New England Settlers, Vol. 1, Pg. 67)

A question was raised as to two Mary Wards. Investigation showed that they were both descendants of James Ward and Officer in Cromwells army, Sion Arnold, brother to Benedict, 3rd, married Mary Ward, daughter of Thomas Ward of Newport, Rhode Island, in February 1700. Sion died in 1753 and was buried in the common burying ground at Newport. Next to his grave is that of Mary Arnold, his wife, who died in 1754. Benedict, 3rd first married Patience Coggeshall on January 23, 1705. She died February 2, 1719; married, second, Mary Ward, daughter of Thomas Ward of Middletown, Connecticut. At Hartford State Historical Library are records from Middletown, Connecticut, which show land conveyances by Benedict Arnold, 3rd and the will of Thomas Ward, Sr. which makes a bequest to his daughter Mary, the wife of Benedict Arnold of Newport. (Arnold, Benedict by Ethan L. Arnold; via email from Sandra Zak, May 1998)

Governor Benedict Arnold, son of William Arnold, the colonist (see p. 15), was born December 21, 1615, and died June 10, 1678. He signed the agreement of 1640 for a form of government. Removed to Newport November 19, 1651, and was made Freeman of that town; was a Commissioner, 1654 to 1663; Assistant, 1655 to 1656, 1660 to 1661; President of the four towns, 1657 to 1660, 1662 to 1663, and the first Royal Governor of Rhode Island, 1663 to 1666, 1669 to 1672, and 1677 to 1678. He was on a council with fifteen others, appointed by the General Assembly, to advise with the Assembly. In the will of Benedict Arnold, probated in Newport in 1677, the testator says: "I devise that my body shall be buried near the path leading from my dwelling house to my stone windmill in the town of Newport, and that the lot shall forever be reserved for my kindred." He left the stone windmill to his wife, with lands and mansion house, for life. At Governor Arnold's funeral nearly a thousand persons were present. He married, December 17, 1640, Damaris, the daughter of Stukeley Westcott, of Warwick; she died 1678.
Their son, Caleb Arnold, was born December 19, 1644, and died February 9, 1719. In 1671 and 1680 he was Deputy. August 24, 1676, was of the court-martial at Newport for the trial of certain Indians charged with being engaged in King Philip's designs. He was at this time called Captain, having served through the Indian war of 1676. In 1684 he was elected Deputy from Portsmouth, but refused to serve on account of his profession (physician), and another was elected in his place. In 1707 he was again elected from Portsmouth, which established his residence in that place. He styled himself "Practitioner of Physic." In old public documents he is called "Doctor." At the time of his death he had considerable landed estate. His father left him one-fourth of all his land in Newport and one hundred and sixty acres in Canonicut to be held until his eldest son was of age, when he should possess it.
His marriage to Abigail, the daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Porter) Wilbur, took place June 10, 1666. She died November 17, 1730. Their daughter Penelope, to whom in his will he left a silver tankard and ten shillings, married George Hazard I. (Ancestral Records and Portraits Vol 1, Ancestry.com)

More About Gov. Benedict Arnold, Sr.:
Burial: Newport, Newport Co, Rhode Island

More About Benedict Arnold and Damaris Westcott:
Marriage: December 17, 1640, Providence, Providence Co, Rhode Island

	3	ii.	Samuel Westcott, born March 31, 1622 in Somersetshire, England; died c 1638 in Salem, Essex Co, Massachusetts.
+	4	iii.	Robert Westcott, Sr., born c 1624 in Yeovil, Somersetshire, England; died December 19, 1676 in Kingstown, Washington Co, Rhode Island.
+	5	iv.	Amos Westcott, Sr., born 1631 in Yeovil, Somersetshire, England; died January 1686 in Warwick, Kent Co, Rhode Island.
	6	v.	Mercy Westcott, born c 1632 in Yeovil, Somersetshire, England; died August 24, 1700 in Warwick, Kent Co, Rhode Island. She married Samuel Stafford, Sr. 1660 in Warwick, Kent Co, Rhode Island; born 1636 in Portsmouth, Newport Co, Rhode Island; died March 20, 1718 in Warwick, Kent Co, Rhode Island.

More About Mercy Westcott:
Burial: Stafford Family burial ground near Conimicut Point, Rhode Island

Notes for Samuel Stafford, Sr.:
Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Stafford, b-1636, d-Mar 20, 1718. Thomas Stafford, father of Samuel, b-Warwickshire, England, abt 1605, of Plymouth, Mass., as early as 1626, of Portsmouth or Newport, RI, Mar 1638, then of Providence, where he constructed the first grist mill at the mouth of the Moosausick river. He removed to Old Warwick from Providence 1650 and at the head of Mill Cove built a grist mill for the settlers. He was admitted freeman in 1638. It is related of him that he died at Warwick in 1677, "aged and worn out with labor, but industrious and prosperous." A desc., Thomas Stafford Drowne, D.D., of Garden City, LI had in his possession about 1886, the original family Coat of Arms, carved in wood, brought from England, bearing the inscription: "The Family of Stafford,of Warwickshire." Samuel, husband of Mercy, was admitted freeman 1669, chosen one of Governor's "Assistants" in 1674, which he declined to serve, and was elected deputy from Warwick to the Colonial Assembly, 1679-82-86 and 1705. He is said to have been a man of much influence and greatly esteemed. His sisters, Sarah and Deborah, were the wives of Mercy's brother, Amos. Both Mercy and her husband, and many of their earliest descendants, are buried in the old Stafford family burial ground near Conimicut Point. (History and Genealogy of Stukely Westcott, Vol. 1, Pg. 144, 1932)

More About Samuel Stafford and Mercy Westcott:
Marriage: 1660, Warwick, Kent Co, Rhode Island

vi.

Jeremiah Westcott, Sr., born 1633 in Yeovil, Somersetshire, England; died 1686 in Warwick, Kent Co, Rhode Island.

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