Roger Williams, Part 2
Family Connection - 9th Great-grandfather of Roy Ellsworth Stricker
In the previous post, Roger Williams had been tried by the Massachusetts General Court in October 1635, convicted of sedition and heresy, and banished from the Colony. He spent the winter with the Native Americans until spring 1636.
In the spring of 1636, Williams and some of his followers began to build a settlement along the Seekonk River, near present-day Rumford, Rhode Island. However, the Plymouth Colony asserted that land was under their jurisdiction, so Williams could be re-arrested and sent back to Massachusetts for trial. So Williams and his companions abandoned their settlement, crossed the Seekonk River and built a new settlement they named Providence.
Roger Williams and his followers created Providence according to their "radical" ideals. First, they purchased their land from the Narraganset peoples. He gave up any special property or political rights as the leader of the town - all settlers received the same size lots, and each (male) settler had an equal vote in town governance. His house was small - a one-and-a-half story dwelling with a singe all-purpose room with fireplace and stone chimney and a loft above. Early 20th century archeological excavations determined the size of the single room to be about 16 ft. by 17 ft.
Providence became a haven for those "distressed of conscience" - people who did not conform to the belief systems of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The concept of the separation of church and state and religious liberty were foundations of the settlement.
Because Williams had good relationships with the Narraganset native American people, the leadership of Massachusetts Bay Colony asked him to help when the Pequot War broke out in 1637. He persuaded the Narragansets from joining the Pequots. Instead, the Narraganset joined with the colonists to defeat the Pequot tribes in 1638.
In July 1644, Williams received the charter from the British Parliament for what was then called Providence Plantations. By this point, there were settlements in Portsmouth, Newport, and Warwick, and they joined with Providence to form the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It became a haven for many who faced persecution for their religious beliefs - Baptists, Jews, Quakers, and others.
In 1675, King Phillip's War broke out, and the Colony's relationship with the Narragansets fractured. Nearly all of Providence was burned by the Narragansetts on March 29, 1676.
Roger Williams died in early 1683. He was buried on his own property.
In 1860, the residents of Providence wished to raise a monument in Williams' honor. They planned to disinter his remains so they could be buried under the monument. All they found were teeth, fingernails, and bone fragments. They also found a tree root in the shape of a body which they believed grew around Williams body. That root is still on display at the John Brown House in Providence.
The bone fragments were buried under the memorial to Williams in Prospect Terrace Park.
The Roger Williams National Memorial in Providence is part of the U.S. National Park system. The Park includes a small but informative museum about Roger and the history of Providence. From there, one can hike up a steep hill through the streets of a lovely neighborhood to Prospect Terrace Park.
Roger Williams > Mercy Williams > Samuel Windsor > Joseph Windsor > Anan Windsor > George Washington Windsor > Ora Windsor > Lucy M Windsor > Lillian May Grover > Gertrude Myra Newland > Roy Ellsworth Stricker
Roger Williams can be found on chart S-H.
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