Bell 3924 & 3925

3924. Richard Borden & 3925. Joan Fowle {England … RI}


2/22/1596 [Juilian calendar], Richard christened in Headcorn Church, co. Kent, England; s/o 7848. Matthew Borden & 7849. Joan Reeder. [Headcorn, co. Kent, is about 40 miles southeast of London and about 20 miles southwest of Canterbury. The church still stands.]
2/15/1604, Joan christened in Marden, Kent, England, d/o 7850. Richard Fowle & 7851. Mary ?.
9/26/1620, Richard named in his father’s will: “To my son Richard my two houses and land in Hedcorn, in the tenure of George Brett and Robert Marrante.” Richard also named an executor.
10/27/1620, Richard proved his father’s will.
9/28/1625 in Headcorn Church, Kent, England, Richard married Joan. (S) Bishop’s Transcripts & Parish Registers of Headcorn, Kent, England.
In Joan’s father’s will, he wills his little house to his grandchild Richard “Borthen”, and to Joane “Borthen”, his daughter, an annuity of 40 shillings a year out of my lands in Frittenden.
1628, they moved to Cranbrook, co. Kent.
10/8/1632, Joan, by the will of her uncle, Francis Fowle of Cranbrook, clothier, was to receive his “messuages” in Cranbrook, after the death of his widow, Elizabeth Fowle.
10/10/1633, “Ecclesiastical cause papers: Plaintiff: Rich Borden exor; Defendant: Eliz Fowle rel; Clemence F als Fitch, (blank) Fowle als Payne sists; Rich Fowle, Joan F als Borden, …” (S) UK National Archives.
5/1635, they sailed on the ship Elizabeth & Ann to New England, arriving in Boston neck near Roxberry, MA. Richard’s brother John and his family were also on the ship.
5/1638, Richard and Joan settled in Portsmouth, RI.
6/10/1638, Richard was admitted as inhabitant of the Island Aquidneck (North end of the island of Rhode Island), having submitted himself to the government that shall be established. He was a man of education having been taken under the protection of his uncle who was Dean of the Cathedral Church at Rochester.
11/2/1638, Richard, a surveyor, was contracted to survey and map or plot “all lands near about”.
3/16/1641, Richard signed the Freeman’s Oath.
9/6/1651, Richard bought 60 acres, Shadrach Manton Land of Providence, near Newtokonkonut Hill.
5/18/1653, Richard was appointed to a committee to “treat” with the Dutch.
1653–1657, Richard was treasurer of the United Colonies. He owned works in R.I. and in Monmouth Co., East Jersey.
1667, Richard Deputy from Portsmouth to the General Assembly of Rhode Island.
1667, Richard one of the original purchasers of lands in New Jersey.
1670, Richard Deputy from Portsmouth to the General Assembly of Rhode Island.
5/25/1671, Richard gave an oral will to Joan and other witnesses which was approved by the Town Council 5/31/1671.
Bef. 5/31/1671 Richard died; buried in “the burying place that Robert Dennis gave Friends” in Portsmouth.
7/15/1688, Joan died in Portsmouth, RI.
(S) Certain Comeoverers, 1912, Crapo, P254.

Family notes:
• Richard’s will: 31 May 1671, as made by the Town Council of Portsmouth, R.I. on testimony concerning the wishes of the deceased. Ex. Son Mathew Borden. To widow Joan the old house and fire room, with leanto and buttery adjoining, and the little chamber in new house, and porch chamber joining to it; half the use of great hall, porch room below, cellaring and garret of new house for life. To her also firewood yearly, use of thirty fruit trees in orchard that she may choose, liberty to keep fowls about the house not exceeding forty, and all household goods at her disposal. She was to have thirty ewe sheep kept for her, with their profit and increase; fifty other sheep kept to halves, three cows kept and their profit, and to have paid her yearly a good well fed beef, three well fed swine, ten bushels of wheat, twenty bushels of Indian corn, six bushels of barley malt and four barrels of cider.
To son Thomas all estate in Providence, lands, goods and chattels except horse kind, he paying his mother Joan yearly a barrel of pork and firkin of butter. To son Francis, lands in New Jersey. To son John all land about new dwelling house of said John Borden, etc. To son Joseph, £40, within two years after the death of his mother. To son Samuel £40, half in six months after death of father and half in six months after death of mother. To son Benjamin £40 within four years after death of mother. To daughter Mary Cook, £5. To daughter Sarah Holmes, £40, within six months after death of mother. To daughter Amy Borden, £100 at age of twenty-one. To granddaughter, Amy Cook, £10 at age of eighteen. To son Matthew, whole estate after payment of debts and legacies, and if he die without issue said estate not[?] to remain to any brother older.
• Richard’s Inventory: £1572, 8s. 9d., viz: 200 sheep, 100 lambs, 4 oxen, 9 cows, 4 three-years, 5 two-years, 7 yearlings, 5 calves; horseflesh in Providence, £60. Four mares on the island, £20, horse £7, 10s; 6 colts, and other horseflesh at New London, £8. Thirty swine, 11 pigs, negro man and woman, £50; 3 negro children, £25; turkeys, geese, fowls, Indian corn, rye, wheat, oats, barley, pease, 2 cheese presses, 6 guns, pewter, 2 swords, 2 feather beds, 2 flock beds, hat case, silver bowl, £3; cider, £2; money, £11; goods, £16; tables, form, settle, chairs, warming pan, books, £10.

Children of Richard and Joan: [12 children]

ii. Thomas Borden, christened 10/3/1627 in Headcorn, Kent, England.
1/20/1663 in RI, Thomas married Mary Harris, d/o William and Susanna.
11/25/1676, Thomas died in Providence, RI.
3/22/1718, Mary died in Portsmouth, RI.
Children:
Richard Borden, born 12/1663 in RI.
8/1/1692, Quit Claim record: Richard Borden of Providence, RI, eldest son of Thomas Borden of Providence, dec’d, signs quit claim deed. Mentions grandfather Richard Borden of Portsmouth, grandmother Joan Borden, wife of said Richard Borden, father Thomas Borden of Providence dec’d, Uncles Mathew Borden and John Borden of Portsmouth and Francis Borden of Shrewsbury. Refers to testimony of witnesses and grandmother to oral will of grandfather approved by Town Council on 5/31/1671.
9/17/1724 he died.

vi. Matthew Borden ( 1962), born 5/16/1638 in RI.

v. John Borden, born 9/1640 in RI.
John, of Quaker Hill, Portsmouth, married Marl Earle, d/o William.
1687, John one of the “Overseers of the Poor”. (S) Civil and Military List of RI, Smith, 1901, P-VI.
6/4/1716, John died.
6/1734, Mary died.
[John’s ggg-gs Gail Borden III, 1801-1874, invented condensed milk and founded the Borden Milk Co.]
[John’s ggggg-gd Lizzie Borden, 1860-1927, ax-murderer of parents in Fall River, MA.]
Children:
Thomas Borden, born 12/8/1697 in RI.
1721, he married Mary Gofford.
1739, he died.