Stricker Family Tree - Roger Williams, Part 1, Reformer

Roger Williams Part 1, Reformer

Family Connection - 9th Great-grandfather of Roy Ellsworth Stricker

Roger Williams Statue, Roger Williams Park, Providence, Rhode Island

Roger Williams was born to a middle-class family in the Smithfield District of London, around 1603. The Smithfield district was an area of London full of livestock markets, Dutch traders, the Newgate Prison, and the Smithfields Execution Site. James 1 was King, Protestantism (The Church of England) was the official religion of England, and non-conformers were often burned at the stake at the Smithfield Execution Site. Roger's date of birth is an estimate because his family's parish church, St. Sepulcher-without-Newgate, was partially burned during the Great Fire of London and the parish records were destroyed. 

Young Roger Williams was mentored by Edward Coke, one of the most important legal minds in London. He sponsored Roger's enrollment at the Charterhouse School. Roger then attended Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge on scholarship. 

After graduation from Cambridge, Williams was ordained as an Anglican priest, and was assigned to be a private chaplain to Sir William Masham and his family at Otes Manor. While there, he met and married Mary Bernard at All Saints Church, Laver, Essex County on December 15, 1629. 

Williams soon found his personal religious beliefs disagreed with the "official" Anglican faith tradition. His views became more aligned with the Puritans. The Puritans in England at that time tried to separate the practice of their faith from anything that resembled Catholic tradition or practice. Williams wanted to practice simple religion and a personal connection to God. Priests who deviated from the official Anglican church practices were imprisoned, and some were executed. Williams and his wife decided to leave and seek refuge in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. 

They came to Boston on February 5, 1631 on the ship Lyon. However, his views on religion were too radical for the Massachusetts Bay Colony churches. He believed the churches had not distanced themselves enough from the Church of England in belief and practice. He and his family moved briefly to Salem, then to Plymouth Colony. 

In Plymouth, Williams' religious views were causing conflict within the local church, so the leaders asked him to leave. He and his wife returned to Salem in the cold of late autumn with a newborn baby. 

Once back in Salem, a growing number of people were hearing and agreeing with Williams' views. He spoke out in support of local indigenous tribes. He spoke out about needing royal permission to settle new land. Since Salem was a part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, all men aged 15 years or older were required to swear an oath of fidelity to the colony. The oath was "in God's Name", so Roger refused to swear, saying that being forced to swear the oath was in effect forcing religious practice upon all men of the colony. He quit attending the Salem church, and others followed suit, but his wife continued to attend. 

Many Puritan leaders tried to reason with Williams, but he refused to change his beliefs, so in October 1635, the General Court of Massachusetts (the legislature) banished Roger Williams from the Colony of Massachusetts for his "dangerous" opinions. It was the middle of winter, so the court delayed his banishment until spring provided he quit spreading his beliefs. He refused to stop, so an order was signed for his arrest. He was tipped off, and escaped to the local Ninnimissinuok camp, where he spent the winter. 

Note: It is hard to explain today how Williams' religious beliefs caused so much turmoil. Basically, he believed that Anglican practices and worship contained too much pageantry, too much ritual, and were too much like Catholicism, which he considered heresy. He also strongly opposed any connection between Church and Government - he believed in what we now call "the separation of church and state" which was not the practice in England or in the colonies.. His beliefs were also in conflict with the Puritan churches of the time, also often related to their active role in local governance. The local laws were based on the teachings of the church. To become a Freeman in a colonial town also required men to be in good standing with the local Church.  He also believed that Native peoples should be compensated for their land and should be treated with respect. 

Part 2 will be posted next week. 

Roger Williams > Mercy Williams > Samuel Windsor > Anan Windsor > George Washington Windsor > Ora Windsor > Lucy M. Windsor > Lillian May Grover > Gertrude Myra Newland > Roy Ellsworth Stricker