16xx - 1682
England - Rhode Island
The Slocum book thinks Giles is the son of Anthony and his wife Unknown Harvey. He doesn’t have absolute proof, but his arguments seem reasonable. They are as follows:
First, Anthony refers in a letter to his sons (meaning grandsons) - and no other descendants have been found than Giles’s. Second, the children of Giles ended up owning the land on which Anthony was last known to have resided.
So it could be true. One of the Rootsweb genealogies has Giles the son of Philip Slocombe and Charity Bickam, but I am a little leery by now of the Rootsweb entries. [This entry says Giles was born in Old Cleve, Somerset County before 28 Sep 1623 - which actually doesn't sound unreasonable.]
Anthony was one of the first purchasers of Cohannet, New Plymouth (now Taunton) in 1637, and most of the “first and ancient” purchasers came directly form Dorchester, MA (which had been settled starting in 1630). AND many of those first purchasers were originally from Taunton, England and vicinity.
Taunton is in Somerset.
The Slocum book thinks Giles was possibly born in Somersetshire, and that he came to America sometime before 1638, when he settled in Portsmouth, (now Newport Co), Rhode Island (and the Rootsweb entries go along with this).
“His name does not appear in the list of the nineteen persons who were he firs to settle there the 7th of First month, commonly called March, 1637/8, but additions were made to that number previous to the 13th of Third month when the first town meeting was held.” (The Slocum book, p. 36) At that meeting the town was given the name Pocasset. A number of people withdrew and moved about 6 miles south, to Newport (28th day, Second Month, 1639), leaving 29 people in Pocasset. On July 1, 1639, the name was changed to Portsmouth.
He married Joan Unknown in the early 40s. (Some Rootsweb entries have her as Joan Cook, and the marriage date as 1641.)
They had nine children:
Johanna, b. 16, 3rd mo, 1642
m. Jacob Mott, s/o Adam and Sarah
Adam and Sarah came to America in ship Defense in 1635
Jacob Mott became distinguished as a minister in the Society of Friends
7 children
John b 26, 3rd mo, 1645
m. Meribah Parker (?)
“Captain” John - moved to East New Jersey
Giles b 25, 1st mo, 1647
m. Anne Lawton
Ebenezer b 25, 1st mo, 1650
m. Mary Thurston
Nathaniel b 25, 10th mo, 1652
m Hannah Unknown
Peleg b 17th, 6th mo, 1654
m Mary Holder
Samuel, no date given - he was the first mentioned in father’s will
Mary, b 3rd, 5 mo, 1660
m Abraham Tucker
Eliezer b 25th, 10 mo, 1664 (our next ancestor)
m Elephel Fitzgerald
The author of The Slocum book transcribed several old records from the township record books:
1648 Sept 4 - Giles buys 30 acres (some of which abuts land he already has)
1650 Jan 24 - received a deed of land from John Cranston
1651 - gave a deed of land to Thomas Guinnings
1655 - he was recorded as a freeman of Portsmouth
1657 Jan 4 - received a deed of land from John Cranston
- ditto from John Randall
1657 Feb 2 - ditto from Thomas Cooke, Jr
1657 March 6 - received a grant of land from the township
1667 May 20 - received a deed of land at Navasink, New Jersey from Robert Carr
1668 Feb 23 - received a deed of land from William Brenton
1668 April 25 - his earmark (for his cattle etc) recorded
1669 Oct 15 - received a deed of 1/24 th part [I don’t really understand what comes next] town of Dartmouth
1670 Feb 28 - received one share of land in New Jersey from John Wood (this land was near the land of John Slocum, his son)
1670 April 3 - received two shares of land in New Jersey from Thomas Lawton
1672 April 1 - received a deed of two shares of land in New Jersey from Thomas Lawton
1672 April 1 - gave a deed of land in Portsmouth to son Giles
1676 Eleventh month 2nd day - gave his son John some of the New Jersey land
ditto - gave his daughter Joanna Mott some of the New Jersey land
before 1675 -sold his rights in the Township of Taunton to Nicholas White, sr.
“He made purchases and sales of land in addition to those here mentioned, but enough have been cited to show that he was a very energetic and prosperous man, and that he was possessed of the characteristic English desire for a large landed estate.” (The Slocum book, p. 39)
Giles and wife Joan were early members of the Society of Friends (son-in-law Jacob Mott was a minister with them).
Joan died in 1679 - on the 31st of the 6th month. If March was the 1st month, then that would be August 31 (phew), not June 31.
Giles died in 1682. His will:
Debts to be paid by executrix
to loving son Samuel 5 shillings
to son John 5 shillings
to loving son Gyles- all lands and housing in Portsmouth, RI - except 4 acres and a small tenement currently occupied by Will Ricketson
to son Giles - one great chest, one table, one bedstead, one great chair
to son Ebenezer - 5 shillings
to son Nathaniel - two shares of land near Shrewsbury, New Jersey
to son Peleg - a half share of land in Dartmouth, MA
to son Eliezer - one quarter share in Dartmouth
to loving daughter Johanah Mott - three quarters of a share of land near Shrewsbury, NJ
to loving daughter Mary Tucker - 4 acres of land with one small tenement in Portsmouth, currently occupied by Will Ricketson
to daughter Mary Tucker - 16 acres of land on the Island of Cononicut
to son Eliezer - two oxen, four cows, one horse
to daughter Johanah Mott - £5
to daughter Johanah Mott - my riding horse
to my loving friends the people of God called Quakers - £4
to Nathaniel, Eliezer and Johanah - all bedding to be equally divided betwixt them
to all my grandchildren - each 5 sheep apiece
all the remainder of the estate to be divided equally between 5 children - Nathaniel, Peleg, Eliezer, Johanah Mott, Mary Tucker
All legacies to be paid by executrix within 6 months of his decease
Giles to give 1 month’s time to executrix helping remove stock and household goods
Executrix - trusty and well-beloved daughter Johanah Mott to be full and sole exectrix
10th day of 8th month commonly called October in the year 1681
witnesses - John Cooper, Mary, Arthur, Margret Cooke
(the witnesses swore to the signature 12 March 1682/3 - the will was recorded 16th First mo, 1683)
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Page last updated 13 June 2006