Joseph Reynolds

From http://www.geneajourney.com/reynldj.html

Children of James Reynolds and Deborah were:

Joseph Reynolds [b] b 27 Nov 1652, Plymouth, MA, d aft 24 Jun 1739, North Kingstown, Washington, RI.

He md [1] Unknown abt 1671, and [2] Mercy abt 1706. Mercy was b abt 1678.

By his first wife, whose identity is not known, he had 11 children, Joseph (md Susannah Babcock, (2) Deborah (md Job Babcock), Robert (md Deliverance Smith), James (md Sarah), Benjamin (md Experience Hull), Hannah (md Samuel Crandall), John (md Hannah Hull), Mercy (md Jeremiah Jones), Samuel (md Rosanna), Mary (md Thomas Bentley), and Clement (md Jane Bentley).

Children of Joseph Reynolds and Mercy were:

• Sarah Reynolds b 21 Oct 1709, North Kingstown, Washington, RI; md Joseph Clarke 15 Nov 1727.
• Susannah Reynolds b 1711.
• Alice Reynolds b abt 1715.
• Robert Reynolds b abt 1720, North Kingstown, Washington, RI; md [1] Anna Gardiner Jul 1742, [2] Hannah Bentley 15 Jul 1753.

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b. He was about 12 years of age when his father petitioned for land in King's Province. Tradition states that he settled on the "Great Plan" (a plateau of land near Wickford and then a wildnerness) before the advent of King Philip's War. After the war, when the land had been vacated by the Indians, we find that on 3 Jun 1709, the Colony agents sold "Joseph Reynolds, Sr., Joseph Reynolds, Jr., Robert Reynolds, and William Bentley" 727 acres "as platted...North by the new highway, South by the Pettaquamscot Northwest Line, East by the road running to East Greenwich, and West by vacant lands." Joseph held 255 acres of the southeastern portion of the above 727 acres. He and his sons were literally the first white settlers of this territory. By his first wife, whose identity is not known, he had 11 children, Joseph (md Susannah Babcock, (2) Deborah (md Job Babcock), Robert (md Deliverance Smith), James (md Sarah), Benjamin (md Experience Hull), Hannah (md Samuel Crandall), John (md Hannah Hull), Mercy (md Jeremiah Jones), Samuel (md Rosanna), Mary (md Thomas Bentley), and Clement (md Jane Bentley). His second wife, Deborah, whose surname is not known, was said to have close in age to James' eldest surviving son.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132836174/joseph-reynolds

Joseph Reynolds was born on November 6, 1652 in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts. His parents were James and Deborah Potter Reynolds. He was married in 1672 in Rhode Island to a woman named Mary. Her name was possibly Mary Elizabeth Greene, daughter of James Greene and Elizabeth Anthony, Mary died sometime before 1700. She was the mother of his first ten children. He took his family to settle in the great plain west of North Kingston, Rhode Island, some years before King Phillip's War. Supposedly, they were warned by friendly Indians at the beginning of the war and left. When they returned to their homestead after the war, the property was covered with feathers, the Indians having ripped open their bedding. His first wife Mary died, and he married again, around 1700, a woman named Mercy.

In July of 1679, he signed a petition to the King. His name is on a tax list in 1687. In 1713 and 14, he and wife Mercy deeded land to his sons. He was called "Big Joe", due to his strength. He left a will, which was damaged by fire in 1870. Joseph died in June 1739, probably in Exeter, Rhode Island. The only known Reynolds Cemetery located within the 727-acre purchase that Joseph made in what is now Exeter, Rhode Island, is the Joseph Reynolds Lot, Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Exeter #48.

Will

The Will of Joseph Reynolds

June 24, 1730, I, Joseph Reynolds, being aged and weak of Body but of perfect mind and memory, Thanks be given to God therefore and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make this my Last Will and Testament, That is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul unto the hands of God that gave it and my Body to the earth to be buried in Decent Christian Burial and as touching such Estates wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give Devise and dispose the same in the following manner and form:

I Give and Bequeath to Mercy, my dearly beloved wife, all the use Benefit and profit of my now Dwelling house and orchard and all the rest of my land that is remaining now in my Possession Being in all 40 acres to be and remain unto my said wife all the time that she do and shall Remain my widow, but after my said wife's Decease or marriage, said house and lands to be and Remain unto my son John Reynolds his heirs and assigns.

I Devise and Bequeath unto my said Wife the whole profit and benefit of my onmovable estate during the whole time of her Widowhood to me and after her decease or marriage, the same to be disposed of as hereafter mentioned.

I Devise and Bequeath unto my Grandson Joseph son of my son Joseph Deceased ..... .....

I Devise and Bequeath unto my son James Reynolds, Benjamin Reynolds, John Reynolds, Samuel Reynolds and Clement Reynolds to each one shilling they having had considerable of my estate already.

I do give unto my two daughters Sarah Clark and Susanna Clark to each of them one pound and unto my daughter Mercy Jones I give to her five pounds, and unto my Daughter Alice I give and Bequeath eighteen pounds but should my Daughter Alice happen to Die before she shares the eighteen pounds, then my will is that the eighteen pounds shall be given to my Daughter Mercy Jones her daughters the same to be Equally Divided between all them that shall be living.

I give and Bequeath unto my son Robert Reynolds surviving all that my fourty-seven Acres I purchased of my son John by my agreement purchase, said land to be and remain unto my son Robert and his heirs and assigns should he attain to the age of twenty-one years but should my son Robert chance to Dye Before becoming of age, not having issue, then my Will is that all I do hereby give unto my said son Robert. both real and personal Estate, shall be divided equally between all his own sisters who are by my now wife Mercy; unto my Daughter Mary Bentley and Sarah Clark, I give and bequeath them Sixteen pounds and ... shillings; unto my Daughter Mercy Jones ..... pounds and ... shillings; unto my Daughter ..... ..... pounds and eight shillings ..... . of my money given as a Legacy of credit of some of the Coloneys out of the two-hundred and fourty pounds which my son John Reynolds shall pay at the time when he comes into the Possession of my dwelling house and fourty acres of land ajoyning. The Rest of the two-hundred and fourty pounds above mentioned. if I do not make use of the same in my lifetime. or so much Thereof as shall be Remaining after my decease, I Bequeath unto my son Robert Reynolds for Building a house and all the remaining .......... Estate which shall Remain after my Wife's Decease or marriage again, I give and Bequeath unto all the children of my now Wife Mercy, who shall be then surviving to be equally Divided among said children, and I do constitute and appoint my said Wife my Executrix and my son John Reynolds my Executor of this my Last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly Disallow and Disannul all and any other former made Wills, Legacies, Bequests and ..... ways before named Wills and Bequeasts ..... confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament, I witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seal, the day and year above written.

JOSEPH REYNOLDS

• Witnesses:
• WILLIAM HALL,
• BENJAMIN .....NELLY,
• JACOB MARSHALL.