Benjamin Congdon, Sr

Find A Grave Memorial
Benjamin Congdon apparently arrives in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, prior to 1670. In 1671 he marries Elizabeth Albro, the daughter of Major John Albro, a prominent early settler of Rhode Island. Also in 1671, he purchases 230 acres of land in Narrangansett. In 1672 he is accepted as a freeman in Portsmouth. It appears he may have had some type of shop in Newport for a period of time. In 1679, Benjamin acquires an additional 200 acres of land in Narragansett. He moves his family there, establishes a farm and resides there the remainder of his life. In 1683 he sells the 230 acres of land he purchased in 1671. In 1710, he is one of 18 individuals that purchase 7,000 acres ordered sold by the Assembly. Benjamin and Elizabeth Congdon, as is evident from the will, had six children; four boys and 2 daughters. They were:

William Congdon, born about 1672, died January 1761
John Congdon, born about 1674, died May 12, 1743
Benjamin Congdon, born about 1676, died in 1756
Susanna Congdon, born about 1678, died after 1725
Elizabeth Congdon, born about 1682, died in 1732
James Congdon, born April 19, 1686, died September 27, 1757

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Congdon-101

The Congdon family of Rhode Island is of old and honorable standing.

Family tradition states that the American progenitor, Benjamin Congdon. immigrated with his brother John. Their father is believed to have been also a John Congdon, of Pembrokeshire. Wales, who was said to have married the ('aughter of the Earl of Pembroke.

Comment: his mother was not Lady Mary Herbert, who died unmarried. Ref: http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/pembroke1551.htm

The coatof-arms claimed by the Congdons bears the following inscription : "The ancient family of Congdon of Willerby in Yorkshire, descended out of Wales, now of Rhode Island, Anno 1611."

(I) Benjamin Congdon, born about 1650, probably in Pembrokeshire, Wales, near St. David's, died June 19, 1718, and is buried with his wife in the Congdon burial-ground at Congdon Hill, near Wickford, Rhode Island.

He is recorded first at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, September 20, 1671, when he bought two hundred and thirty acres of land in Narragansett, in Kingstown, but did not remove thither for some years. He wa~ made a freeman in 1677.

In 1683 he styled himself as a planter, late of Portsmouth. He was in 1710 one of the eighteen purchasers of 7,000 acres of vacant lands at Narragansett. He married Elizabeth Albro. died November 15, 1720, daughter of John and Dorothy Albro.

Children : William, Benjamin, John, James, of whom further; Elizabeth, Susannah. They resided in different parts of Rhode Island, William in South Kingstown, John in North Kingstown like his brother Benjamin, and from all of them have descended a worthy race of people, who have become representative Rhode Islanders.

(II) James Congdon, son of Benjamin Congdon, was born April 19, 1686, died September 27, 1757. He resided in Kingstown, Providence and Charlestown, Rhode Island. He became a freeman in 1720; was a member of the town council in 1731-32-33-34; moderator of town meetings in 1745-55 5 deputy in 1745-47-48-49-50; ratemaker in 1746-48; and a member of the town council again in 174748. His third marriage took place in Charlestown, where he probably moved about that time. He married (first) Margaret, daughter of Samuel and Martha (Knovvles) Eldred; (second) November 15, 1729, Dorcas, daughter of Benjamin and Bethiah (Gardiner) Westcott; (third) Mary (Taylor) Hoxsie, daughter of Robert and Deborah Taylor, and widow of Joseph Hoxsie, of Charlestown.

Children by first marriage:

James, born November 27, 1707; Penelope; Benjamin, born 1711; Samuel; William; John, married (first) Mary Reynolds, (second) Naomi Tew, (third) Abigail Carr, and had eleven children; Elizabeth; Martha ; Margaret.

Children by second marriage: Ephraim, born March i, 1732, died April 13, 1794; Joseph, of whom further; Dorcas.

Children by third marriage: Robert, Susanna, Phebe.

Source:

New England families, genealogical and memorial: a record of the achievements of her people in the making of commonwealths and the founding of a nation, Volume 2

New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, William Richard Cutter

Editor William Richard Cutter

Publisher Lewis historical publishing company, 1914

Original from Harvard University

Digitized Feb 1, 2008

• Birth: One Hundred and Sixty Allied Families by John Osborne Austin p. 71 s
• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/c/h/Beverly-J-Schonewo...

Source:

New England families, genealogical and memorial: a record of the achievements of her people in the making of commonwealths and the founding of a nation, Volume 2

New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, William Richard Cutter

Editor William Richard Cutter

Publisher Lewis historical publishing company, 1914

Original from Harvard University

Digitized Feb 1, 2008

Birth: One Hundred and Sixty Allied Families by John Osborne Austin p. 71.

Links

• https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=AHN&db=jonsaunders&id=I3...
• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/c/h/Beverly-J-Schonewo...

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GEDCOM Note

Deleted two sons (William and James) because they were unneeded. Susanna stayed because she married into the family by way of a 2nd or 3rd cousin.

Benjamin's birth year varies in data from 1636 to 1650 in England or Wales.

Husband of Elizabeth Albro.

Father of:
1. William Congdon born 1672, North Kingstown, RI, died February 9, 1761, North Kingstown, Washington, RI. He married Mary Brownell on March 3, 1698, RI. Children: William, Joseph, Margaret, Elizabeth and Abigail. Mary died in 1718. He married Margaret Brownell (Mary's sister) who died in 1754.

2. John Congdon born 1674, RI, died May 12, 1743, New London, CT. He married Mary Smith about 1700. She was born 1680, died 1709. Children: Jeremiah, Mary, John and James.

3. Benjamin Congdon born about 1676, RI, died October 11, 1756, North Kingstown, Washington, RI. He married Frances Stafford in 1701. She was born about 1679, Warwick, RI. Children: Benjamin, Frances, Joseph, John, Sarah, William, James, Elizabeth, Mary, Susannah and Stukeley Congdon.

4. Susanna Congdon born about 1678, North Kingstown, RI, died about 1725, RI (according to Northup family data). She married David Northup about 1701. Children: Stephen, Benjamin, David Jr, Elizabeth, Capt. Robert and Ann Tibbets Northup.

5. Elizabeth Congdon born 1682, North Kingstown, RI, died 1732, North Kingstown. She married John Wells 1700-1701, RI. Children: John, Benjamin, Mercy Whitford, Elizabeth Sweet, Susanna Wells and an unknown female Wells. John was born 1676 Jamestown, RI, died 1732, North Kingstown, RI. "He is buried on his farm in Kingstown." Descendants of Peter Wells of the Line of Joshua Wells" by A.J. Wright.

6. James Congdon born April 19, 1686, Kingstown, RI, died Sept. 27, 1757, Charlestown, RI. He married 3 times. He married Margaret Eldred (daughter of Samuel and Martha Knowles). They had 9 children: James, Penelope, Benjamin, Samuel, William, John, Elizabeth, Martha and Margaret Congdon. After Margaret died in 1728, James remarried. He married Dorcas Westcott: daughter of Benjamin and Bethiah (nee: Gardiner) Westcott. Children: Ephraim, Dorcas and Joseph. He married Mary Taylor Hoxsie/Hoxie (daughter of Robert and Deborah and widow of Joseph Hoxsie) on November 15, 1739, at her residence in Charlestown. Mary was born 1703, died ?. Children: Robert, Susannah and Phebe Congdon.

"The first notice found of Benjamin Congdon is in the Records of Portsmounth, R.I., under date of June 16th 1670, where he is proposed to become a freeman (or voter). He married Elizabeth Albro, the daughter of Major John Albro; she received as a bequest from her father 50 shillings in English money, 1 bolster case, 1 pair of sheets and 2 pewter platters. Benjamin Congdon bought land of the original proprietors (the Indians) at Potaquamscut, R.I., Sept. 22nd 1671. In his will, which is dated July 2, 1715, he mentions his wife, Elizabeth Congdon and his loving sons William, John, Benjamin and James. His daughters were Elizabeth Wells and Susannah Anthony" (Congdon family data).

His burial in Congdon Hill Cemetery appears in Family data taken from the "The History of Montville" (CT), Congdon families. "The old Congdon Burial Ground is at Congdon Hill, near Wickford; and here are laid this ancestor of the race in America, his wife and many descendants." UNMARKED GRAVES

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 29 2024, 23:10:56 UTC