Thomas Angell

Thomas Angell (c.1616-1694) was one of the four men who wintered with Roger Williams at Seekonk, Plymouth Colony, in early 1636, and then joined him in founding the settlement of Providence in what became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Though he was a minor at the time of his arrival, his name appears on several of the early documents related to the settlement of Providence. In the early 1650s he became active in the affairs of the town, serving as commissioner, juryman, and constable. In 1658 he began his service as the Providence Town Clerk, and held this position for 17 years. He wrote his will in 1685, dying almost a decade later in 1694, leaving a widow and many grown children. Angell St., on Providence's East Side, is named for him.

Life

Thomas Angell was one of the four men who probably spent part of the winter (the early part of 1636) with Roger Williams at Seekonk in the Plymouth Colony (later Rehoboth, Massachusetts), before settling the upper reaches of the Narragansett Bay, where they established the settlement that Williams named Providence in the late spring.^[1][2] Angell was a minor at the time, but the adult men in the group brought their wives and children with them.^[3] Angell was probably a relative of Roger Williams and related to William Angell, a citizen and baker of the City of London, whose daughter married a first cousin of Williams.^[4]

After reaching legal age, he and 12 other men signed a civil compact dated 20 August 1637, desiring civil equality with older men in the town.^[1][5][6][7] On 27 July 1640, he was one of 39 inhabitants of Providence who signed a document for a form of government, he signing by mark.^[1]

In 1652 Angell became involved in civic affairs, being selected as a commissioner, and in 1655 he was a juryman and also served as constable.^[1] Also in 1655, his name appears on a list of freemen within the colony.^[1] Angell's greatest service to the town began in 1658, when he became the Providence Town Clerk, and he served in this capacity for 17 years, until 1675, just prior to King Philip's War.^[1] His name last appears on a public record in 1685 when he and his son James were taxed.^[1] Angell wrote his will in May 1685, but he lived until 1694, when his will was proved in September of that year.^[1]

Family

Angell married Alice Ashton, the daughter of James Ashton of Saint Albans in Hertfordshire, England.^[4] Alice's sister, Mary, married Thomas Olney, another Providence settler, and her brother James also came to New England. Thomas and Alice had eight children. Their daughter Alice married Eleazer Whipple, the son of John and Sarah Whipple, and brother of Colonel Joseph Whipple, and their daughter Margaret married Jonathan, another son of John and Sarah Whipple.^[1] Their son James married Abigail Dexter, the daughter of colonial President Gregory Dexter.^[1]

See also

• List of early settlers of Rhode Island
• Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

References

Bibliography

• Arnold, Samuel Greene (1859). History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Vol.1. New York: D. Appleton & Company. OCLC 712634101. 

• Austin, John Osborne (1887). Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island. Albany, New York: J. Munsell's Sons. ISBN 978-0-8063-0006-1. 

• Bicknell, Thomas Williams (1920). The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Vol. 1. New York: The American Historical Society. p. 158. 

• Chapin, Howard M. (1916). Documentary History of Rhode Island. Providence: Preston and Rounds Company. pp. 8–16. 

• Field, Edward (1902). State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the End of the Century: A History 1. Boston: Mason Publishing Company. 

• Moriarity, G. Andrews (January 1945). "Additions and Corrections to Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island". The American Genealogist. 21(3): 206. 

External links

• Rhode Island History from the State of Rhode Island General Assembly website. See Chapter 2, Colonial Era.

Original proprietors of Rhode Island's first settlements First settlers of Providence with Roger Williams (1636) Roger Williams William Harris John Smith (miller) Francis Wickes Thomas Angell Joshua Verin William Arnold Benedict Arnold William Carpenter William Mann Thomas Hopkins Original proprietors of Providence (signers of "initial deed," October 1638) Roger Williams Stukeley Westcott William Arnold Thomas James Robert Cole John Greene John Throckmorton William Harris William Carpenter Thomas Olney Francis Weston Richard Waterman Ezekiel Holyman Pawtuxet Claimants (Settled 1638; under Massachusetts jurisdiction 1642-1658) William Arnold Benedict Arnold William Carpenter Robert Cole Founders of Portsmouth (signers of Portsmouth Compact, 7 March 1638) William Coddington John Clarke William Hutchinson John Coggeshall William Aspinwall Samuel Wilbore John Porter John Sanford Edward Hutchinson, Jr. Thomas Savage William Dyre William Freeborn Philip Shearman John Walker Richard Carder William Baulston Edward Hutchinson, Sr. Henry Bull Randall Holden Thomas Clarke John Johnson William Hall John Brightman Founders of Newport (Signers of initial agreement, 28 April 1639) William Coddington (Judge) Nicholas Easton (Elder) John Coggeshall (Elder) William Brenton (Elder) John Clarke (Elder) Jeremy Clarke (Elder) Thomas Hazard (Elder) Henry Bull (Elder) William Dyre (Elder; clerk) Founders of Warwick (Original purchasers, 1643) Randall Holden John Greene John Wickes Francis Weston Samuel Gorton Richard Waterman John Warner Richard Carder Samson Shotten Robert Potter William Wodell Nicholas Power Italics: The names of Clarke, Johnson, Hall, and Brightman at the end of the Portsmouth list were crossed out, and it is uncertain if they came to Portsmouth, though most, if not all, of them did appear on Aquidneck Island. Sources for template: Arnold, Samuel Greene (1859). History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Vol.1. New York: D. Appleton & Company. pp. 97,100,132,176. OCLC 712634101. ; Chapin, Howard M. (1916). Documentary History of Rhode Island. Providence: Preston and Rounds Company. pp. 8–27.