Thomas Olney, Sr

Thomas Olney

• Birth: June 6 1600 - St Albans, Hertfordshire, England
• Death: 1682 - Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States
• Parents: Thomas Olney, [Mary Small]
• Wife: Marie Ashton
• Children: Thomas Olney, Epenetus Olney, Nedabiah Olney, Stephen Olney, Stephen Olney, James Olney, Mary Olney, Lydia Olney

  ---

Will & biography

• Event: Citizenship English, arrived on the "Planter, 1635 1
• Event: Life's Work Shoemaker 1
• Note: One of the founders of Providence, Rhode Island. First treasurer of the Colony.

Thomas Olney, born in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England, which city formed a part of St. Alban Parish, the seat of one of the most ancient monasteries and long celebrated in English history as the center of spiritual influence. Of his early life we know nothing.

He received a "Permit to Emigrate to New England" April 2, 1635 and came to Salem, Massachusetts by the ship Planter. He was appointed surveyor in January 1636, and granted 40 acres of land at Jeffrey Creek, now known as Manchester, near Salem. He was made freeman the same year and early associated with Roger Williams. With a number of others, he was excluded from the colony. They formed a new settlement at the head of Naragansett Bay which they named Providence in grateful remembrance of their deliverance from their enemies. They thus became the "Original 13 Proprietors of Providence" having purchased their rights from the Indians. In July 1639, he and his wife and their companions were excluded from the church at Salem, "because they wholly refused to hear the church, denying it, and were re-baptized."

His prominence in the Colony is shown by the various duties he was called to perform:

• In 1638, he was chosen the first treasurer.
• In 1647, was chosen to form a town government.
• In 1648, was chosen assistant for Providence and held the office continuously until 1663.
• In 1665 with Roger Williams and Thomas Harris, he was chosen a judge of the Justices Court.
• In 1656 was chosen to treat with Massachusetts Bay about the Pawtuxet lands.
• In 1663, the name appears among the grantees of the Royal Charter of Charles II.

He was one of the founders of the First Baptist Church in Providence, and at one time acted as pastor. He was the leader of a schism in the church upon the question of "laying on of hands" about 1652-1654.

He was evidently a man of stern and decided opinion, who did not hesitate to advance his views among his neighbors. Of him, in his occupation as surveyor, it is said, "as he entered upon the surrounding lands with his field book, chain, and compass, and mystic words, with the peculiar dignity of official characters of that day, he may well have inspired the Indians with profound awe, and led them to feel that no Indian could henceforth dwell upon that part of their tribal property again."

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Olney

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   *****

   NEHGS Online

   Salem Quarterly Court Records and Files

   Court, 27: 4: 1637

   Court, 3: 8 mo.: 1637

   Twice a member of the jury

   **********

   NEHGS Online

   Historical Catalog of the Members of the First Baptist Church Prov, Rhode Island

   THOMAS OLNEY 1638-1718 Pastors

   THOMAS OLNEY 1638, B About 1652 L Signed compact of 1640 Called the third pastor. Formed a new church. Died, 1682. Church Members mo

   Mrs. Mary (Small)Olney 1638, B Not known W. of Thomas. Church Members more

   Thomas Olney [3d] Church Members

   ***************

   from: A Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas Olney an Original Proprietor of

   Providence, RI, Who Came From England in 1635. by James H. Olney of Providence,

   RI, 1889.

   Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1640' Peter W. Coldham, p.128 22 Mar-11 Apr 1635; The following passangers, having taken the oaths, are to be embarked in the 'Planter', Mr. Nicholas Travice, bound from London to New England.; 'With certificate from St. Albans parish, Herts.; Thomas Olney, shoemaker 35, Marie Olney 30, Thomas Olney 3, Epenetus Olney 1.

   'Passengers to America - Founders of New England' by M. Tepper p16-17

   2 Aprilis 1635 Theis vnder written names are to be transported to New England imbarqued in the Planter Nic: Trarice Mr bound thither the p'ties have brought Certificate from the Minister of St Albons (St.

   Albans) in Hertfordshire, and Attestacon from the Justices of peace according to the Lords Order. Tho: Olney Shoemaker 35, Marie Olney 30, Tho Olney 3, Etenetus --

   ***********************************************

   Shoemaker. THO: OLNEY 35

   The Original Lists OF PERSONS OF QUALITY

   [Regi]ster of the names of all ye Passinger wch Passed from ye Port of London for on whole yeare Endinge at Xmas 1635.

   MARIE OLNEY 30

   The Original Lists OF PERSONS OF QUALITY

   [Register of the names of all ye Passinger wch Passed from ye Port of London for on whole yeare Endinge at Xmas 1635.

   THO: OLNEY 3

   The Original Lists OF PERSONS OF QUALITY

   [Register of the names of all ye Passinger wch Passed from ye Port of London for on whole yeare

   Endinge at Xmas 1635

   EPENETUS OLNEY 1

   The Original Lists OF PERSONS OF QUALITY

   [Register of the names of all ye Passinger wch Passed from ye Port of London for on whole yeare Endinge at Xmas 1635.

   *****************************************************

   The American Genealogist, Vol. 20, Number 4, April 1944, page 228: 'Thomas Olney. His wife was not Marie Small but Mary Ashton; their marriage was recorded in the register of St. Albans Abbey, Herts, on 16 Sep 1629. She was baptized there on 25 Aug 1605, the daughter of James Ashton who was buried on 27 May 1651.'

   **************************

   Thayer and Burton AncestryGenealogy Library Online:

   ANCESTORS OF ADELBERT P. THAYER, FLORINE THAYER MCCRAY, AND GEO. BURTON THAYER,

   CHILDREN OF JOHN W. THAYER AND ADALINE BURTON.

   COMPILED BY GEO. BURTON THAYER.

   ALSO, REMINISCENCES OF A CHRISTMAS EVE AT WINDERMERE AND SOME EARLY EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE WRITER.

   EDITION LIMITED TO FIFTY COPIES.

   PRESS OF THE PLIMPTON MFG. CO., HARTFORD, CONN., 1894. IN HONOR OF MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER AND IN MEMORY OF OUR HOME AT WINDERMERE, AND OF OUR OLD DOG, "BRUISER,"

   THIS WORK WAS DONE.

   Bibliographic Information: Thayer, Geo Burton. Thayer and Burton Ancestry. Hartford Conn: Press of the Plimpton MFG. Co. 1894

   [Thomas Olney]

   ...He died at Providence in 1682. During the early settlement of New England it was claimed in Connecticut that if a man was too bad to live with in Massachusetts, they sent him to Rhode Island, and when they found one a little too good, they sent him to Connecticut, while the remainder of tolerable and average orthodoxy and respectability were allowed to remain undisturbed.

   ************************************************************************************

   http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~sam/tolney.html

   The Will of Thomas Olney

   References:

   The Ancestry of Emily Jane Angell 1844-1910, Dean Crawford Smith, New England Historic Genealogical

   Society, Boston, MA, 1992, pp. 190 & 437 - 448.

   The Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island, John Osborne Austin, Genealogical Pub. Co., Baltimore, MD, 1969, (previously pub. 1887), pp. 352 - 354.

   TAG - The American Genealogist, Vol. 20, No. 4, Additions & Corrections to Austin's Genealogical

   Dictionary of RI, G. Andrews Moriarty, Demorest, GA, April 1944, p. 228.

   Contributed by Sam Behling; I'd be happy to exchange family information. Please send e-mail to Sam Behling.

   Thomas Olney, born in England before 1605 and died Providence, RI between 16 June 1682 when his son is called "Jr." and 9 October 1682 when his inventory was taken. He was a shoemaker by trade. This is borne out by his inventory, which included considerable numbers of shoemaking materials. He was married at St. Albans Abbey, Hertfordshire, England 16 September 1629 (parish register) to Marie Ashton, the daughter of James and Alice (____) Ashton. She was baptized in St. Albans on 25 August 1605 and died probably between 1645 (birth of last known child) and 15th of the 7th month 1659 when Thomas refers to persons who might claim thirds in a piece of land he was selling.

   Thomas Olney, his wife, Marie and their small sons, Thomas and Epenetus, immigrated to the New World on the ship Planter in April, 1635. His age then was called thirty-five, wife Mary thirty, son Thomas, three, and son Epenetus, one. He had a certificate from the minister of St. Albans to show before taking his departure.

   They settled in Salem, MA where their third son, Nebabiah, was baptized in 1637. In that year there were five persons in Thomas Olney's family and he received three acres in the Salem land grant. He was also made Freeman that year. Thomas' ability and competence were soon recognized, for by 27 4mo 1637, he was selected as a member of the jury to hear cases in the Essex Quarterly Courts.

   The family's sojourn in Salem was short; they were among those invited to leave the MA Bay Colony, and they moved to Providence, RI in 1638, where Thomas rose to a position of importance in the tiny colony. His clear, concise hand is seen on countless deeds and other official documents. From the Rhode Island Colony Records, we find a substantial record of his considerable service to the community, frequently under the title of respect, "Mr."

   Thomas Olney was a signer of the first compact (undated, but probably between 13 July 1638 and 27 July 1640) and received a homelot in Providence. He was one of the twelve persons to whom Roger Williams deeded land that he had bought of Canonicus and Miantonomi on 8 October 1638. That year Thomas Olney was also the first Treasurer for the town of Providence.

   However, Olney is much better known in his role as Court Assistant, Town Councilman and Clerk. Thomas was one of the original members of the Baptist church in Providence, but in 1653/4 he and some others withdrew from the Six-Principle group under Wickenden's leadership to found a second church. Olney became lay pastor for this small congregation until his death in 1682. Thomas Olney was made a member of a sub-committee to consider a way of preventing the sale of ammunition to the Indians. He was named assistant to the General Court of Tryalls many times between 12th 3rd month of 1652 and 1670. Several times he was chosen to be next in line as Assistant or actually Assistant to the Governor in Providence. He was Commissioner for Providence 6 March 1655/6, 22 May 1662 and 4 October 1662. In addition to his duties as Assistant and Commissioner, he was several times named a Justice of the Peace and tax collector for Providence.

   Thomas Olney was a major player in the controversy over the boundaries between Rhode Island and her sister colonies, Connecticut and Massachusetts. He was chose, with others, to run the northern line of the colony and labored long on these questions. On 31 May 1666, Thomas Olney, Sr. was fourth on the list of Providence men who swore allegiance to King Charles II. Thomas Olney was added to the Town Council to make up the number in 1667.

   As he entered his late sixties, Thomas provided small parcelts for his children, but reserved the bulk of their portions for bequests in his will. Thomas wrote his will about three years before his death.

   ***

   Be it knowne unto all people by these presents That I Thomas Olney Senior of Providence in the Colloney of Rhode Island & providence plantations in New England, being weake of Body, but yet of sound & perfect memory, Doe make, ordaine & appoynt this my last will and Testament.

   Item. I doe give & bequeath unto my Son Epenetus Olney my sixty acrs of land which was to me from ye towne of Providence upon my owne Right. I doe also give unto my son Epenetus Olney a percell of low swampie land lieing on ye north side of Wanasquatucket River, begining at ye Swampe formerly Called Wallers Swampe, & so reaching Westward to a deepe place in ye said River called ye deepe hole, together with all ye peeces of Marsh, or meadow to ye said land adjoyneing. As also unto said son Epenetus Olney I doe give my fifteene acrs of land on the south side of the said Wanasquatuckett River, together with all my peeces, or percells of meadow or marsh on ye same side ofye River. The which said fifteene acres of land, is three five acre shares, one in my owne Right, one in the Right of William Field, & on in ye Right of Thomas James. Also unto my said son Epenetus Olney, I doe give & bequeath all the Right of land & Comoning which I bought of John Joanes. All which aforementioned lands &

   meadowes & Every aprt & percell thereof shall be to my said son Epenetus Olney his owne true proper Right & lawfull inhiritance for Ever, for him & his heirs to use, possesse, Rent out, bargaine, sell, give away or any otherwise despose as he at any time shall see cause.

   I doe also give unto my son Epenetus Olney one of my Cowes, & my Smiths vice, & my Bible.

   Item. I Doe give & bequeath unto my son in law John Whipple to posesse dureing his Naturall life, my Right in the house lott, or home share of land whereon he now dwelleth, the which formerly belonged to John Clawson; The which said two acres, & five acrs of land shall after the decease of my said son in law John whipple, Revert and belong unto John whipple the son of my said son in law & my Daughter Mary; But in Case my said Cousin John Whipple doe dye before he come to ye age of twenty one years, or without Issue, Then shall ye said land belong to ye Eldest sirviveing Daughter borne of ye body of my aforsaid Daughter Mary formerly the wife of my said son in loaw John whipple.

   Item. I Doe Give, & bequeath unto my son Thomas Olney my dwelling house, with all other my out houseing what Ever, together with my house lot or home share of land where on it standeth with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging, together with all my other lands of what sort so Ever, both upland, meadowes, & marshes, or lands of any other sort not befor desposed of unto my son Epenetus Olney, & unto my son in law John Whipple; I say, all sorts of landes & meadow, salt, or fresh lieing upont he aforsaid Wanasquatuckett River, or upon Moshausuck River, or leiing & being in any other place within ye libertyes of the Towne of Providence aforsaid. As also all landes, Rights, claimes, Intrests, Titles or Heriditaments in any other parts, or palce to me belonging together with all the aformentioned landes, & houseing & meadowes & Every part, & percell thereof to beunto my aforsaid son Thomas Olney To have & to hold both hinselfe, his Heirs, Exsecutors, Administrators & Assignes as his, or Either of theire true, proper & lawfull Right and Inhiritance for Ever. And that it shall be lawfull for my said son Thomas

   Olney to posesse, improove, sett to lease, bargaine, Sell, Give away, or otherwise despose of, from time to time, or at any time all the said lands, houseing & meadowes & Every part & percell thereof as he shall see Cause.

   I doe also Give unto my son Thomas Olney all my Bookes & writeings of what sort so Ever, saveing only one bible before desposed of unto my son Epenetus.

   Item. I doe Give & bequeath unto my son in law Joseph Williams all my part in the yoake of oxen which is now betweene us. Item. All my Cattell which are not before desposed of, together with all my mooveable goods after ye Cost of my buriall is discharged, shall Equally be devided into three parts. One part whereof I doe give unto my son Thomas Olney. Another part thereof I doe giveunto my so Epenetus Olney. And the other part I doe give unto my daughter Liddea Williams. And I Doe hereby make, Ordaine & appoynt my son thoams Olney to be my true & lawfull Exsecutor who shall have all my debts, & see to pay all my debts, And to see my Body Descently Buried, And to Execute & performe this my will according to ye true meaneing & intent thereof. And I doe desire, & appoynt my loveing friends & neighbours Thomas Harris senior, & Joseph Juinkes Senior the overseers of this my last Will. And that I doe hereby, all & any former will, or wills at any time by me made the same make Null and Voyd & this only to stand in force. In wittnesse of the premises I doe hereunto sett my hand & seale the twenty one

   day of March in the yeare one Thousand Six hundred Seventy nine.

   Thomas Olney, senior.

   Thomas Field and Nathaniel Waterman appeared before the Council 17 October 1682 and proved the will.

   The Inventarey of ye Estate of Thomas Olney senr: of Providence in ye Colloney of Road Island & Providence plantations, Deceased, Taken & Made ye 9th day of October in the yeare 1682.

   Imprimis, In ye Parlor

   weareing apparrill, & 2 hatts 3 [pair] of Stockins & i [pair] of shooes

   4 bedd blanket

   3 small bedd blanket

   1 brancht Coverli

   2 fringed Coverlid

   2 old Rug

   i feather bedd of Inglish tick

   i feather b

   i flock be

   3 feather pillow

   i feather bolst

   i feather bolst

   2 old feather bolste

   i Teaster bedst

   i sett of Old Curtains & vallia

   linnen Capps, handkircheirfs & ban

   i shi

   10 Table napki

   2 small Table Cloath

   2 pillow Cas

   3 Coarse towel

   3 Coarse Shee

   i Shee

   2 brush

   i Trunke with a lock up

   i Brisse kitt

   i Brasse Kittle patc

   i Brasse Kitt

   i little Iron Kitt

   i Iron po

   2 [pair] of pott hook

   Grid Ir

   i hand Cleav

   i fryeing pa

   i spi

   i [pair] of Ton

   i [pair] of And Iro

   i Trammill, & saw palte turned for a tramill

   i old dripping pa

   i [pair] of old Bellow

   i Paile & i Tr

   2 old pewter Chamber pot

   i brasse skillett & a Chafeing di

   old IRon morter & pest

   i qurt, Glasse bottle, a halfe pint Glasse bottle & a Cann

   i stone Ju

   i old Case & 3 Square bottl

   Shoomakers tooles, & a hamm

   i Table Napk

   2 box

   2 old joynt Chaires, & a joynt stoo

   i smale Tab

   i Great Chai

   i fourme

   In ye hall chamber

   3 Brasse Candlesticks, one brass Skimmer, & one small brasse Skillett without a frame

   Peuter potts, platters, spoones & Cupps, & a bedd pann, all old

   i dosen of Trenche

   i Che

   3 [pair] of shee

   i [pair] of shee

   3 Coarse old shee

   3 pillow Cas

   i shi

   i [pair] of drawers, a trusse, & one towell

   i Chest with a lo

   i old hoggshead, & one old Barrill

   In ye old bed Roome in ye dwelling house

   2 yards & 3 quarters of Cars

   10 yardes & a halfe of blanketi

   4 yardes of woolen homeSpun Cloa

   2 yardes & halfe of home made Cloa

   Almost 2 yardes of white full'd Cloa

   i bed blanke

   i old blanke

   i duble

   i Chest

   In ye shopp

   i Smiths vi

   2 Curriors shav

   a sett of hoops for Cart wheel

   Shoomakers las

   hempe & ye box it is in

   In ye orchard

   i old Tubb & a barrill

   In ye Cellar

   2 tubbs

   In ye Parlor

   3 Cart boxes, in lince pinn & a wash

   Le

   hempe teare

   Dry hides in all ye places where they lye, at Tho: Olney junrs: house in ye towne, & what Tho: Olney tooke

   to tann, & what be Else where in out housen formerly belonging to Tho: Olney deceased

   At ye Kittchen

   one Bib

   3 old peeces of Bibles in ye Parlor

   Att Tho: Olneys house

   3 Bookes, namely Ainsworths Anotations, A Concordance, & fishers Ashford Dispute

   i Mortizeing A

   i fa

   In money, 2 pounds, 14

   4 Cowes, in ye deceased Tho: Olneys ya

   This Inventory was made ye yeare & day aforsd by us

   Tho: Olney

   Thomas harris senr

   Thomas Field

   Severall things, which were afterwards thought on,

   In ye shopp, i Hetche

   In ye Kittchen i Gu

   2 Axelltree pinn

   Att Epenetus Oleys house I old broad A

   i old A

   i Tennant s

   i wed

   Att Tho: Olneys house, i wooden bott

   i old Small drawing kni

   i hand S

   i stone hammer, or small Sled

   i Tennant S

   i last kni

   Att Mr Jinks his house, one wooden Bottle

   Att Tho: Olneys house, i Table, old & shattred

   Tho: Olney

   Thomas Harris senr:

   Thomas Field:

   The sum totall of this Inventory amounts to 78 pounds, 9s., 5d. If no mistake be in Casting up.

   ***************************

   OLNEY, THOMAS

   State: MA Year: 1637

   County: Massachusetts Colony Record Type:

   Township: Freeman 17 May Page:

   Database: MA Early Census Index

   ***************************************************************

   PERiodical Source Index

   Thomas Olney family, RI

   Surname: OLNEY Record Type:

   Volume: 2 Number: 4 (April 1884)

   Periodical Title: Narragansett Historical Register

   <nowiki>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------</nowiki>

   Thomas Olney, early RI settler

   Surname: OLNEY Record Type:

   Volume: 13 Number: 2 (June 1987)

   Periodical Title: Rhode Island Roots

   <nowiki>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------</nowiki>

   Thomas Olney, St. Albans, Eng.; Prov., RI

   Surname: OLNEY Record Type:

   Volume: 10 Number: 2 (October 1933)

   Periodical Title: American Genealogist

   <nowiki>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------</nowiki>

   Thomas Olney-Mary Small fam., RI

   Surname: OLNEY Record Type:

   Volume: 3 Number: 3 (January 1883)

   Periodical Title: Newport Historical Magazine

Marriage 1 Marie ASHTON b: ABT 25 AUG 1605 in St. Albans Abbey, Hertfordshire, England

   * Married: 16 SEP 1629 in St. Albans Abbey, Hertfordshire, England 1 4

   * Marriage Beginning Status: Unknown

Children

  1. Has Children Thomas OLNEY II b: ABT 6 JAN 1632 in St. Albans Abbey, Hertfordshire, England

  2. Has Children Epenetus OLNEY b: BEF 14 FEB 1634 in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England

  3. Has No Children Discovered OLNEY b: ABT 1635

  4. Has No Children Nedabiah OLNEY b: 27 JUN 1637 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts

  5. Has No Children Stephen OLNEY b: ABT 1640 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island

  6. Has Children Mary OLNEY b: 1643 in Providence, Rhode Island

  7. Has No Children James OLNEY b: ABT 1644 in Providence, Rhode Island

  8. Has Children Lydia OLNEY b: 1645 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island

Sources:

  1. Title: World Family Tree Vol. 7, Ed. 1

     Author: Brøderbund Software, Inc.

     Publication: Release date: October 17, 1996

     Note: Customer pedigree.

     Repository:

     Media: Family Archive CD

     Page: Tree #3182

     Text: Date of Import: Mar 17, 1999

  2. Title: The Ancestry of Emily Jane Angell, 1844--1910; Dean Crawford Smith, edited by Melinde Lutz Sanborn; Boston, NEHGS; 1992

     Page: p. 437

     Text: born England before 1605

  3. Title: The Ancestry of Emily Jane Angell, 1844--1910; Dean Crawford Smith, edited by Melinde Lutz Sanborn; Boston, NEHGS; 1992

     Page: p. 437

     Text: died Providence, RI between 16 June 1682 when his son is called "Jr." and 9 October 1682 when his inventory was taken. (ERP) [Early Records of the Town of Providence]

  4. Title: The Ancestry of Emily Jane Angell, 1844--1910; Dean Crawford Smith, edited by Melinde Lutz Sanborn; Boston, NEHGS; 1992

     Page: p. 437

     Text: married St. Alban's Abbey, Hertfordshire 16 September 1629 (parish register) 

---

Source 1:

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=dhanke&id...

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Pierson/Hanke Family Ties

Entries: 207855 Updated: 2009-06-14 22:39:44 UTC (Sun) Contact: Douglas

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1. ID: I39021
2. Name: Thomas OLNEY
3. Given Name: Thomas
4. Surname: OLNEY
5. Sex: M
6. _UID: 0F3C8643EF86EE489892DB70AABA7D90A569
7. Change Date: 14 SEP 2001
8. Note:

   American Genealogist, Vol. 20, Number 4, April 1944, page 228:

   'Thomas Olney. His wife was not Marie Small but Mary Ashton; their marriage was recorded in the register of St. Albans Abbey, Hertsfordshire,England on 16 Sep 1629. She was baptized there on 25 Aug 1605 , the daughter of James Ashton who was buried on 27 May 1651.'

   =

   Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1640' Peter W. Coldham, p.128 22

   Mar-11 Apr 1635; The following passengers, having taken the oaths, are to be embarked in the 'Planter', Mr. Nicholas Travice, bound from London to New England.; 'With certificate from St. Albans parish, Hertsfordshire, England; Thomas Olney, shoemaker 35, Marie Olney 30, Thomas Olney 3, Epenetus Olney 1.

   =

   'Passengers to America - Founders of New England' by M. Tepper p16-17

   2 Aprilis 1635 Theis vnder written names are to be transported to New England imbarqued in the Planter Nic: Trarice Mr bound thither the p'ties have brought Certificate from the Minister of St Albons (St. Albans) in Hertfordshire, and Attestacon from the Justices of peace according to the Lords Order. Tho: Olney Shoemaker 35, Marie Olney 30, Tho Olney 3, Etenetus --

   =

   BRYANT, Thomas, Descendants of

   Descendants of Thomas Bryant of Chester County, Pennsylvania, narrative history

   Page 221

   THOMAS OLNEY- was born in Hertfordshire, Eng. in 1600, and died in Providence, R.I. in 1682 . He arrived in Boston, Mass. 7 June 1635 on the "Planter" from London, and first settled at Salem, Mass., where he was appointed surveyor and made a freeman in 1636. Since he was in sympathy and supported the views of Roger Williams, he was excluded from the colony 12 Mar. 1638, and became one of the 13 original proprietors of R.I. He held many important offices in R .I.: Treasurer in 1638; 1647 commissioner to form a town government; in 1648 chosen assistant for the Province holding the position almost continuously until 1663. He was a judge of Justice Court; his name appears on the charter from Charles II, and he was one of the founders of the Baptist Church in Providence.

   When he arrived in Boston he was accompanied by his wife, Marie Small, born 1605, who died before 1679, and children Thomas, Jr., age 3, and Epenetus, age 1. They had in America other children: Nebediah, Stephen, James, Mary and Lydia. (*Some sources give the wife of Thomas Olney as Marie Ashton.)

   Thomas2 Olney, son of Thomas and Marie Olney, was born in England in 1632 and died at Providence, R.I. 11 June 1722. He was a leading citizen of Providence constantly engaged in public affairs, as assistant, member of the town council 30 years, town clerk. Ordained in 1668, he served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Providence. He married 3 July 1660 Elizabeth Marsh of Newport, who died before 1722. They had children: Thomas, William, Elizabeth, Anne and Phebe. Elizabeth, born Providence 31 Jan. 1666, died there 2 Nov. 1699; married John Sayles .

   References:

   "Williams & Allied Families" in Americana, Vol. 29;

   Arnold, Vital Records of R.I;

   Austin, Genealogical Dictionary of R.I.;

   Charles Banks, Planters of the Commonwealth (1930, Repr. ed., Baltimore: Genealogy Publ. Co. , 1961)

   =

   Thayer and Burton Ancestry

   Bibliographic Information: Thayer, Geo Burton. Thayer and Burton Ancestry. Hartford Conn: Pre ss of the Plimpton MFG. Co. 1894

   Page 86

   THOMAS OLNEY, one of the Baptists notified to depart from Massachusetts or appear at the next court, was born at St. Albans, Hertford County, England, in 1600, and came to this country in the ship, "Planter," from London, in 1635. Several years before his departure he married Mary Small [Ashton], of St. Albans, who, besides two sons, came to America with him. He was a shoemaker by trade, and settled at Salem, Mass. In 1638, he and several others were licensed to depart from Mass. Not going immediately they were ordered "to appear at the next court (if they be not gone before) to answer such things as shall be objected." They went. In October of the same year he had settled at Providence, where he was one of the twelve original m embers of the First Baptist Church, organized in 1639. His former pastor at Salem, in explaining in a letter to a brother pastor the cause of Thomas Olney's expulsion from Salem, wrote : "He wholly refused to hear the church, denying it and all the churches in the Bay to be true churches. The great censure of this, our church, was passed upon him." At Providence he was twice chosen treasurer of the town, was six times appointed commissioner, was nine times chosen assistant, four times deputy, and was for eight years a member of the town council. His homestead was south of the present state house, Arsenal Lane now running through it. In 1643 he bought land and settled at Warwick. In 1656 he was chosen judge to try cases where the amount involved did not exceed forty shillings.

   Thomas Olney was a first-class surveyor, and it is said that as he entered upon the surrounding lands with his field book, chain and compass, and mystic words, with the peculiar dignity of official characters of that day, he may well have inspired the Indians with profound awe and led them to feel [Page 86, Page 87] that no Indian could henceforth dwell upon that part of their tribal property again. He died at Providence in 1682. During the early settlement of New England it was claimed in Connecticut that if a man was too bad to live with in Massachusetts, they sent him to Rhode Island, and when they found one a little too good, they sent him to Connecticut, while the remainder of tolerable and average orthodoxy and respectability were allowed to remain undisturbed.

   =

   Correspondence from Mel Olney:

   The Genealogy of Thomas Olney by James Olney gives the wife of Thomas Olney as Marie Small. I have seen other places where his wife is given as Mary Ashton.

   Kay Martin of Oak Grove, Missouri has provided me with the following. "The information on Mary Ashton comes from Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island - or rather a correction to what was originally in that book. The source is The American Genealogist, Vol. 20, Number 4, April 1944, page 228: "Thomas Olney. His wife was not Marie Small but Mary Ashton; their marriage was recorded in the register of St. Albans Abbey, Hertsfordshire, England, on 16 Sep 1629. She was baptized there on 25 Aug 1605, the daughter of James Ashton who was buried on 27 May 1651." Kay continues, "I don't know that that constitutes "proof", but that's what we're going on."

   Another bit of similar information came later on from Mary E. Kelchner of Okeechobee FL. Hers took the form of photo copies of another of issue The American Genealogist, Vol . 10 Number 2. The page numbers are 88, 89 and 90.

   In October I received a letter from Winston J. Olney, of Oceanside, CA. His very interesting letter says, "In 1977 we spent a month driving around England, Scotland and Wales, staying in B & B's all the way. At St. Albans Cathedral, Hertsfordshire I was shown the original hand written entry in a huge book of the marriage of Thomas Olney and Marie Ashton on Sep't 12, 1631."

   In a December letter, Winston enclosed a copy of a letter he had received from the St. Albans Cathedral which says in part, "the correct entry is : MARY ASHTON SEPTEMBER 16th 1629"

1. _TMPLT:
2. FIELD:
3. Name: Page 1
4. _TMPLT:
5. FIELD:
6. Name: Page 2
7. Birth: 6 JUN 1600 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England
8. Death: 1682
9. _SDATE: 1 JUL 1682 in Providence, Providence Co, RI
10. Burial: Providence, Providence Co, RI

Father: Thomas OLNEY b: ABT 1574 in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England

Mother: Mary SMALL b: 1576 in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England

Marriage 1 Marie (Mary) ASHTON b: BEF 25 AUG 1605 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England c: 25 AUG 1605 in St. Albans Abbey, Hertsfordshire, England

   * Married: 16 SEP 1629 in St. Albans Abbey, Hertsfordshire, England

Children

  1. Has No Children Lydia OLNEY b: 1645 in Providence, Providence Co, RI

  2. Has Children Thomas OLNEY b: 6 JUN 1632 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England c: 6 JAN 1632 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England

  3. Has No Children Epenetus OLNEY b: 14 FEB 1634 in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England c: 14 FEB 1634 in St. Albans Abbey, Hertsfordshire, England

  4. Has No Children Stephen OLNEY b: 1639 in Providence, Providence Co, RI

  5. Has No Children Nedabiah OLNEY b: 27 JUN 1637 in Salem, Essex Co, MA c: 27 AUG 1637 in Salem, Essex Co, MA

  6. Has No Children James OLNEY b: OCT 1676 in Providence, Providence Co, RI

  7. Has No Children Mary OLNEY b: 1643 in Providence, Providence Co, RI

Sources:

  1. Abbrev: Ancestral File (R)

     Title: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (R) (Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January 1998)

     Name: Footnote

     Name: ShortFootnote

     Name: Bibliography

     Repository:

           Name: Family History Library

           Salt Lake City, UT 84150 USA

  2. Abbrev: Laverne Edward Olney

     Title: Laverne Olney - GEDCOM file imported on 1 Sep 2000 - <leolney@earthlink.net> <lolney@charter.net> - 2729 Berkshire LN, Kingsport, TN 37660-4769, (423) 288-2668 - info also at: http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=olney...> <lolney@charter.net> - 2729 Berkshire LN, Kingsport, TN 37660-4769, (423) 288-2668.net> <lolney@charter.net> - 2729 Berkshire LN, Kingsport, TN 37660-4769, (423) 288-2668.

     Name: Footnote

     Name: ShortFootnote

     Name: Bibliography 

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Thomas trained as a tanner/shoemaker in St. Albans. He and his wife formed an attachment to the Baptist Church and wanting to freely follow their religious beliefs, he applied and received a permit to emigrate to New England 2 April 1635. He, his wife and two small children landed at Salem, MA, 7 June 1635 from the ship, "Planter." By 1636 he was a Freeman (able to vote) and had 40 acres of land near the present Manchester, MA. Because of diagreements with the Baptist Church in Boston. He, along with Roger Williams and 11 others established the Rhode Island Colony. He participated in government and with Williams they founded the First Baptist Church in America in Providence. Rev Olney served as acting pastor when Roger Williams retired. In 1638 he was first Treasurer of the Colony; 1647 commissioner to form a town government; and 1655 a judge of the Justices Court. He was the possessor of a large real and personal estate and occupied one of the better houses in the Plantations.

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THOMAS OLNEY, one of the Baptists notified to depart from Massachusetts or appear at the next court, was born at St. Albans, Hertford County, England, in 1600, and came to this country in the ship, "Planter," from London, in 1635.

Several years before his departure he married Mary Small, of St. Albans, who, besides two sons, came to America with him. He was a shoemaker by trade, and settled at Salem, Mass.

In 1638, he and several others were licensed to depart from Mass. Not going immediately they were ordered "to appear at the next court (if they be not gone before) to answer such things as shall be objected." They went.

In October of the same year he had settled at Providence, where he was one of the 12 original members of the First Baptist Church, organized in 1639. His former pastor at Salem, in explaining in a letter to a brother pastor the cause of Thomas Olney's expulsion from Salem, wrote: "He wholly refused to hear the church, denying it and all the churches in the Bay to be true churches. The great censure of this, our church, was passed upon him."

At Providence he was twice chosen treasurer of the town, was 6 times appointed commissioner, was 9 times chosen assistant, 4 times deputy, and was for 8 years a member of the town council. His homestead was south of the present state house, Arsenal Lane now running through it. In 1643 he bought land and settled at Warwick. In 1656 he was chosen judge to try cases where the amount involved did not exceed 40 shillings.

Thomas Olney was a first-class surveyor, and it is said that as he entered upon the surrounding lands with his field book, chain and compass, and mystic words, with the peculiar dignity of official characters of that day, he may well have inspired the Indians with profound awe and led them to feel that no Indian could henceforth dwell upon that part of their tribal property again. He died at Providence in 1682.

During the early settlement of New England it was claimed in Connecticut that "if a man was too bad to live with in Massachusetts, they sent him to Rhode Island, and when they found one a little too good, they sent him to Connecticut, while the remainder of tolerable and average orthodoxy and respectability were allowed to remain undisturbed [Thayer and Burton Ancestry, pp. 86-87].

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came from England in 1635

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From St. Albans, Herefordshire, who came to Massachusetts Bay on the "Planter."