Ralph 'Wheelwright' Allen, Sr., of Sandwich

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Ralph 'Wheelwright' Allen, Sr., of Sandwich

Birthdate:
Birthplace: England
Death: circa March 1698 (72-89)
Sandwich, Barnstable County, Province of Massachusetts, British Colonial America
Place of Burial: Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Immediate Family:

Son of George Allen, of Sandwich and 1st wife of George Allen
Husband of Susannah Allen
Father of Joseph Allen; Benjamin Allen; Phillip Allen; Ebenezer Allen, of Dartmouth; Patience Evans and 4 others
Brother of John Allen of Swansea; Rose Newland; Robert Allen, of Rehoboth and George Allen, Jr. of Sandwich
Half brother of Matthew Allen, of Dartmouth; William Allen; Gideon Allen of Milford; Samuel Allen and Henry Allen, of Sandwich MA

Occupation: Wheelwright, Planter, Quaker
Managed by: Gwyneth Potter McNeil
Last Updated:

About Ralph 'Wheelwright' Allen, Sr., of Sandwich

"the records clearly indicate that there were 2 adult Ralph Allens in southeastern Massachusetts in the mid-1600s. The records also indicate that one was the son of George Allen of Sandwich, and that this Ralph died about 1697-1698. The interpretation presented above suggests that it was Ralph Sr. son of George who was a prominent Quaker and persecuted for his beliefs by the Plymouth Colony authorities. This Ralph has numerous descendants through his sons and daughter."

Source: The Two Ralph Allens of Sandwich, MA, in the 1600s Prepared June 27, 1997 © Richardson B. Allen e-mail

Please Note: I am in the process of sorting out the two Ralph Allens who coexisted in Sandwich during this period. Much of the information written even in esteemed genealogical journals has mixed up information for the two of them. Therefore the information below is most likely not totally accurate. I am leaving it for now until I get it sorted out.

In general, here is what is now known:

During a short span of time, two Ralph Allens resided in Sandwich, and both of them became involved, with the Quaker movement, along with other members of the Allen family.

The Ralph who was the son of George was the one designated at Ralph Sr. in the records, and was the second one to come to Sandwich.

The Ralph who was NOT the son of George was residing in Sandwich first, and had children born there named Jedediah, Experience, Ephraim and probably Hester. Before the arrival of Ralph Sr. to Sandwich, he was just named Ralph Allen in the records, and became Ralph Jr. after the arrival of the other Ralph to the town.

Justification for assigning Ralph Sr. as the son of George:

Prior to their both living there, one Ralph was residing at Sandwich and the other was residing at Rehoboth. Before moving to Rehoboth, however, one Ralph sold thirty acres of land at Weymouth, 22 acres of which originally belonged to George Allen.

The Ralph Allen who was at Sandwich first had a son named Jedediah born there in January 1646/47. The other Ralph was still at Rehoboth where he received a division of the New Meadow in February 1646/47. So based on this alone, the Ralph who sold a piece of land at Weymouth that belonged to George originally, and was living at Rehoboth in 1646/47, was not the Ralph who was the father of Jedediah.

The Ralph who was the father of Jedediah was also found to have had children born at Sandwich named Experience, Ephraim probably Hester in 1651, 1656 and probably Hester respectively. This Ralph is also listed as being a mason by trade. This Ralph Allen died in about 1662/1663 as abstracted from Jedediah's bible. He was married to Esther Swift.

The other Ralph Allen, who moved from Rehoboth to Sandwich, died in 1698 and left a will naming all of his children. No Jedediah, no Experience, and no Ephraim were named. This Ralph did have a daughter named Mary, however, who died young in 1675. This Ralph was referred to as Ralph, Sr. in the burial record. He was also referred to in other records as being a planter and wheelwright by trade. In his will he also mentions his brother William, who is a known son of George Allen.

Although the suffix Sr. and Jr. were found in a number of cases in the records involving the two Ralphs, the definitive use of the suffix Sr. was with the Ralph Allen, who was a planter, and who died in 1698.

Several of the Society of Friends marriage certificates suggest that Ralph "Wheelwright" Allen, Sr. of Sandwich, was married to a Susanna or Susannah Allen. One of the clearest examples is the marriage of Edward Wanton of Sittuate in the colonye of New Plimouth shipwight and Mary Phillips now of the same town, said Mary Phillips came lately out of old England, 25th day of the seventh month in the year accounted one thousand six hundred seventy six, witnesses include Ralph Allen, William Allen & Jedediah Allen and their wives Susana Allen, Priscila and Elizeth (Elizabeth) Allen (men of left side and women on right side, in the order of the witnesses) [Pembroke, MA, Monthly Meeting, Births Deaths and Marriages, 1676-1853, v. 325, Family History Library, film 1335, item 6, p. 41].

The other Ralph, who was a mason by trade, was married to Esther Swift, and was the father of your Jedediah, may very well be related to George Allen somehow, but not his son. He could easily be a nephew or cousin, however.

Information on the two John Allens

There is also some confusion regarding which John Allen was the son of George, as there was a John at Sandwich, and another at Rehoboth. Circumstancial points more reasonably to the one at Rehoboth being the son of George.

Prior to George and his wife and young sons arriving in the colony, there was both a Ralph Allen and a John Allen. After George went to Sandwich, 22 acres of land sold by Ralph Allen were part of 30 acres of land originally owned by George just before he moved from Weymouth. The other 8 acres were held by John Allen. Ralph and John's lands were both owned by George before his moving to Sandwich and were located at Westerneck. When Ralph moved to Rehoboth, John moved there with him.

There was a John Allen in Sandwich starting in 1642, who was chosen to represent the town of Sandwich in the General Court for one year. This appears to be the John Allen who married Elizabeth Bacon on Oct 10, 1650. The records of the Rhode Island of the Society of Friends (Quakers) show that John and Elizabeth's first child, Elizabeth Allen was born in Jul 1651 in Newport, RI. The name John Allen next shows up in the records for Sandwich in is James and John Allen, children of George Allen (Jr.), born on Aug 5, 1658. The next mention of a adult John Allen was on Jun 1, 1658, when 14 people from Sandwich were in the court of the colony of New Plymouth for not taking oath of fidelity. Since the earlier John Allen had already moved to Newport, RI, it is probably that this was John son of Ralph. This suggests that John was old enough to be a young adult, and this was most likely the one in the Sandwich records. When John Allen son of George Allen (Jr.) reached full age, in about 1675, John son of George was listed as John Allen, Jr., while John son of Ralph was listed as John Allen, Sr.

Robert Allen as the son of George:

The Plymouth Colony records indicate that Robert Allen committed suicide in the home of his brother John at Rehoboth on May 15, 1661, and Robert still owned cattle in Sandwich at the time of his death. If the John in Rehoboth is the son of George, then so is Robert. The Ralph, John, and Robert who were at Rehoboth at the time were then most likely the sons of George. Robert was first mentioned in the inventory of William Swift, dated 29 Jan 1642, which included a debt to Robte [Robert?] Allen. A list of soldiers sent forth in the "late expedition against the Narrohiggansettes & their Confederates", including Robte Allen from Sandwich, "went forth" Aug 23, 1645.

I will write this information up in a story format as soon as I feel I have all the information there is to get. If you have anything to add, please contact me via this ancestry account or write to kat at genscraps dot com.

(My unending gratitude is extended to Jack MacDonald for having already performed all this research, and helping me sort out my Ralphs. His excellent web page on the Allen Genealogy can be found at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jacmac/allen.htm)

<nowiki>--------------------------------</nowiki> Original Story, questionable information, as well as questionable source citation

Ralph Allen, fourth son of George and Catherine Allen, was born about 1621, in England, and resided in Sandwich, where he died in 1698. He was called a planter and gave considerable land to his sons between 1663 and 1678. He was among the eleven male members of the church at Sandwich in 1644. This church did not conform to the Puritan standards, being a Baptist church, and its members were cruelly persecuted for half a century by the colonial authorities because of their determination to maintain religious freedom.

In the year 1658 members of the Allen family paid fines aggregating £250, imposed by the church authorities. In 1659 Ralph Allen, with his brothers, was taken from the jail at Boston and whipped through several towns as a punishment for his religious opinions. They subsequently became allied with the Friends, or Quakers, and were further persecuted because of this.

In 1655 Ralph Allen contributed ten shillings toward building a new meeting house in Sandwich. The family held lands on both sides of Buzzard's Bay, and soon removed from Sandwich because of the persecutions inflicted upon them.

Links

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Ralph Allen married, in 1643, Esther, daughter of William and Jane Swift, of Sandwich, and their children recorded there are: John, Joseph, Increase, Ebenezer, Zachariah and Patience. He also had children, probably of a second marriage, unrecorded, namely: Jedidiah, Jonah, Experience, Ephraim and Mary.

Be aware that this reference confuses the families of Ralph, Jr., and Ralph, Sr. The Ralph Allen who married Esther Swift was Ralph Jr., and had four children: Jedediah, Experience, Ephraim and Hester. (Richardson)

From: (This reference does not seem to be correct - needs verification)

New England families, genealogical and memorial: a record of the achievements of her people in the making of commonwealths and the founding of a nation By William Richard Cutter Published by Lewis historical publishing company, 1913 Item notes: v. 2 Original from Harvard University Digitized Sep 17, 2008 2149 pages p. 939


Ed Cooper has compiled a very large database of information on the Allen family. Part of it is on line and is known as "The Allen Family Project". All of the following was sent to me by Ed in an email dated 24 Nov 2001 09:29:31. (Be aware that this information was copied directly from a number of sources, some quite old, so some of the information has been later corrected. Richardson B. Allen)

[Ed Cooper's information begins]

According to the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Ralph Allen came to Newport, Rhode Island in 1638, probably from England, was found in Weymouth, Mass. in 1639, in Rehobeth, Mass, in 1643, and then in Sandwich, Mass.

The following is from "A Genealogical Dictionary of New Jersey" - compiled by Charles Carroll Gardiner:

The earliest entry in American records of Ralph is perhaps that at Newport, R.I., where a list of inhabitants admitted "since the 20th of the 3rd, 1638" includes the names of Samuel, George and Ralph Allen. [The author thinks they were possibly brothers, Samuel older, and George younger.] George and Ralph settled in Weymouth, Mass. where a record of town lands compiled between 1642 and 1644 shows that part of Ralph Allen's land had originally been granted to George Allen, and that one of the tracts adjoined land of Edward Poole, who had come to America as "servant" in the family of George Allen, father of the other Ralph Allen. Ralph Allen and John Allen moved to Rehoboth when that town was settled, when that town was settled, in 1643, by a band under the leadership of the pastor of the Weymouth church. Ralph had an estate of 270 pounds. He signed the compact of July 3, 1644, as well as his probable brother, George, and their names appear in lists of lots drawn. The last mention of Ralph's name at Rehoboth is in a division of meadow land in 1646/47. Ralph Allen moved to Sandwich about 1646 and was usually referred to there as Ralph Allen Jr. [George's son, Ralph, was referred to as Ralph Allen Sr.] The births of four children are recorded there. Both Allen families were active in the Quaker Society and were fined considerable amounts, for that period, on various pretexts. The last mention of Ralph in public records is 2 March 1657/58, when he was summoned to answer for tumultuous carriage at a Quaker meeting. On Oct. 2, 1658, the Town of Sandwich appointed a committee to lay out and record the bounds of every inhabitant's lands. Among the land listed in the "Proprietors Records" are nine small tracts belonging to Jedediah Allen, who was only twelve years old when the recording began in 1658/59, which would seem to indicate that his father probably died about that time and for that reason the lands were entered in the name of Jedediah. No will or record of administration on Ralph's estate is to be found."

There were two Ralph Allens in Sandwich for a number of years, which has greatly increased the difficulty of presenting a clear cut genealogical record. Both men were of about the same age, in all probability, and they were very likely related. The younger man may have been there as early as 1646, but the term "Ralph Allen, Jun'r" is first found under date of March, 1650/1, and "Ralph Allen, Sen'r" five months later. The latter was evidently George's son, while the "Junior" seems to have been earlier at Weymouth, Newport and Rehoboth.

Ralph Allen did not accompany his father to America, and whether he came earlier or later is not known. At the Boston Quarterly Court, June 4, 1639, "Ralfe Allen was fined 10s for releasing a servant before the expiration of his time." (Mass.Bay Col.Ct.Rec., 11:84). If Ralph Allen and his father had been members of Roxbury Church before moving to Sandwich, as was stated in 1750, it is quite likely that this item refers to him, and indicates that he tarried in Mass. Bay Colony for two or three years after his father moved to Cape Cod, in Plymouth Colony. At Sandwich the name of Ralph Allen appears in 1643 in a list of men aged between I6 and 60 and able to bear arms. (Freeman's Cape Cod, 2:46; Ply.Col.Rec., (;:I92). From 1651 on he is frequently called "Senior" in the town records, and in the court records of the colony, which show that he was fined for absence from church services, and for his attitude toward the church. When the Quaker movement reached these shores, in 1657, he and most of his brothers adopted this faith and for several years were persecuted and fined for their actions in connection therewith, particularly for refusing to take the oath of fidelity, any oath being contrary to Quaker principles. At one time, in 1658, he was deprived of his right to vote in town meetings. (Ply. Col. Rec., Vols. 2 and 3). Quaker historian Besse states that Ralph Allen,Sr., had 68 pounds in goods taken from him in 1658-9 for refusal to swear or for attending Friends meetings. On one occasion he was imprisoned in Boston and was released with 27 other Friends and "driven into wilderness country" shortly before June 13, 1661.(Besse's Quaker Sufferings, 1733 Ed., 1:381; 3:208). On Mar. 23, 1654, before becoming a Quaker, he and his brother-in-law William Newland were among the largest contributors to a fund to provide powder and bullets to fight the Indians, and on May 29, 1655, Ralph Allen, Sen'r. and Ralph Allen, Jun'r, each contributed 10 shillings toward the cost of erecting a place for public meetings.(Sandwich T.R.,1 :9,253). In 1658 it was ordered that a record be made of the land of each inhabitant of Sandwich, and the work was started that year, but it was probably ten or fifteen years later that the descriptions were entered in what is known as the "Proprietors' Record". Ralph Allen's holdings were 32 acres, including 20 acres of upland where his house stood, adjoining land of (his nephew) Joseph Holloway. [sic Holway]

On July 5, 1669, he was granted liberty to keep a ferry at or near Pocasset, and to transport passengers between Rhode Island and the mainland. He was also given the right to purchase 100 acres of land from the Indians, he to pay 10 pounds to the Colony. (Ply.Col.Rec.,5 :23).

The will of Ralph Allin of Sandwich, Dec. 18, 1691-July I, 1698, "being aged but of sufficiant memory and understanding for settling of my outward estate", directed that his body be buried "in my Frinds Buring place at William Allins in Sandwich", leaves son John two tables and two beds, and divides the rest of his personal estate among children Joseph, Increase, Ebenezer, Zachariah and Patience and two ch'n of son Joseph. The 1/12 of a share in the Dartmouth purchase not previously disposed of he left to grandson Joseph Allin. He named his son Ebenezer as executor, with his brother William Allen and Edward Perry as overseers. The inventory of his estate was dated Mar. 19, 1698, and certified by the executor July 1, 1698.(Barnstable Co. Wills, 2:75).

[Ed Cooper's information ends]

[The following information is from The Allen Family Home Page by Jack MacDonald:]

Ralph Allen, the son of George Allen and his first wife, is believed to have been born in about 1615 in England. Although it has not been determined when he arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, it is known that he did not travel on the same ship as his father, George. According to available records, Ralph was generally referred to as a planter and wheelwright. This was apparently to distinguish him from the other Ralph Allen residing at Sandwich who was married to a woman named Esther Swift and was a mason by trade. Although Ralph is thought to have married sometime around 1630-1635, it is not known at this time whether he married in England, or after he arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Our Ralph is believed to have been married to a woman named Susannah.

Ralph eventually settled at Sandwich in the New Plymouth Colony of Massachusetts where his father lived. In 1657, while residing at Sandwich, Quakerism began spreading throughout the Colony, and Ralph and six of his brothers and sisters were apparently among the first to be "convinced." Unfortunately, the adoption of Quakerism by the Allen?s resulted in their being persecuted and fined for many years for practicing their faith. Their persecution was particularly acute for refusing to take the Oath of Fidelity which they felt was unlawful.

During the years 1663 and 1664, Ralph purchased land at Dartmouth in the New Plymouth Colony (now within Bristol, MAachusetts), which he later conveyed to his children. Even though he was living at Sandwich at the time of his death, it is believed that he and Susannah probably resided at Dartmouth for a few years. Ralph is mentioned in several deeds as being "of Dartmouth," and in 1684 he was involved in an agreement with three others to build a gristmill there.

Ralph Allen died during the month of March 1697/98 at Sandwich in what had then become Barnstable, MAachusetts. His will, which was written on 18 December 1691, was probated before the Barnstable County Court on 1 July 1698. Ralph was subsequently buried, as directed by his will, "in the Friends Burying place at William Allen's in Sandwich."

[Jack MacDonald information ends]



PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT THE SAME RALPH ALLEN THAT MARRIED ESTHER SWIFT.

There were two Ralph Allens in Sandwich. This Ralph was a planter and wheelwright and married a woman named Susanna. The other Ralph was a mason and married Esther Swift.

Ralph eventually settled at Sandwich in the New Plymouth Colony of Massachusetts where his father lived. In 1657, while residing at Sandwich, Quakerism began spreading throughout the Colony, and Ralph and six of his brothers and sisters were apparently among the first to be "convinced." Unfortunately, the adoption of Quakerism by the Allen’s resulted in their being persecuted and fined for many years for practicing their faith. Their persecution was particularly acute for refusing to take the Oath of Fidelity which they felt was unlawful.

During the years 1663 and 1664, Ralph purchased land at Dartmouth in the New Plymouth Colony (now within Bristol County, Massachusetts), which he later conveyed to his children. Even though he was living at Sandwich at the time of his death, it is believed that he and Susannah probably resided at Dartmouth for a few years. Ralph is mentioned in several deeds as being "of Dartmouth," and in 1684 he was involved in an agreement with three others to build a gristmill there.

Ralph Allen died during the month of March 1697/98 at Sandwich in what had then become Barnstable County, Massachusetts. His will, which was written on 18 December 1691, was probated before the Barnstable County Court on 1 July 1698. Ralph was subsequently buried, as directed by his will, "in the Friends Burying place at William Allen's in Sandwich."



The following is from "A Genealogical Dictionary of New Jersey" - compiled by Charles Carroll Gardiner: The earliest entry in American records of Ralph is perhaps that at Newport, R.I., where a list of inhabitants admitted "since the 20th of the 3rd, 1638" includes the names of Samuel, George and Ralph Allen. [The author thinks they were possibly brothers, Samuel older, and George younger.] George and Ralph settled in Weymouth, Mass. where a record of town lands compiled between 1642 and 1644 shows that part of Ralph Allen's land had originally been granted to George Allen, and that one of the tracts adjoined land of Edward Poole, who had come to America as "servant" in the family of George Allen, father of the other Ralph Allen. Ralph Allen and John Allen moved to Rehoboth when that town was settled, when that town was settled, in 1643, by a band under the leadership of the pastor of the Weymouth church. Ralph had an estate of 270 pounds. He signed the compact of July 3, 1644, as well as his probable brother, George, and their names appear in lists of lots drawn. The last mention of Ralph's name at Rehoboth is in a division of meadow land in 1646/47. Ralph Allen moved to Sandwich about 1646 and was usually referred to there as Ralph Allen Jr. [George's son, Ralph, was referred to as Ralph Allen Sr.] The births of four children are recorded there. Both Allen families were active in the Quaker Society and were fined considerable amounts, for that period, on various pretexts. The last mention of Ralph in public records is 2 March 1657/58, when he was summoned to answer for tumultuous carriage at a Quaker meeting. On Oct. 2, 1658, the Town of Sandwich appointed a committee to lay out and record the bounds of every inhabitant's lands. Among the land listed in the "Proprietors Records" are nine small tracts belonging to Jedediah Allen, who was only twelve years old when the recording began in 1658/59, which would seem to indicate that his father probably died about that time and for that reason the lands were entered in the name of Jedediah. No will or record of administration on Ralph's estate is to be found."

There were two Ralph Allens in Sandwich for a number of years, which has greatly increased the difficulty of presenting a clear cut genealogical record. Both men were of about the same age, in all probability, and they were very likely related. The younger man may have been there as early as 1646, but the term "Ralph Allen, Jun'r" is first found under date of March, 1650/1, and "Ralph Allen, Sen'r" five months later. The latter was evidently George's son, while the "Junior" seems to have been earlier at Weymouth, Newport and Rehoboth.

Ralph Allen did not accompany his father to America, and whether he came earlier or later is not known. At the Boston Quarterly Court, June 4, 1639, "Ralfe Allen was fined 10s for releasing a servant before the expiration of his time." (Mass.Bay Col.Ct.Rec., 11:84). If Ralph Allen and his father had been members of Roxbury Church before moving to Sandwich, as was stated in 1750, it is quite likely that this item refers to him, and indicates that he tarried in Mass. Bay Colony for two or three years after his father moved to Cape Cod, in Plymouth Colony. At Sandwich the name of Ralph Allen appears in 1643 in a list of men aged between I6 and 60 and able to bear arms. (Freeman's Cape Cod, 2:46; Ply.Col.Rec., (;:I92). From 1651 on he is frequently called "Senior" in the town records, and in the court records of the colony, which show that he was fined for absence from church services, and for his attitude toward the church. When the Quaker movement reached these shores, in 1657, he and most of his brothers adopted this faith and for several years were persecuted and fined for their actions in connection therewith, particularly for refusing to take the oath of fidelity, any oath being contrary to Quaker principles. At one time, in 1658, he was deprived of his right to vote in town meetings. (Ply. Col. Rec., Vols. 2 and 3). Quaker historian Besse states that Ralph Allen,Sr., had 68 pounds in goods taken from him in 1658-9 for refusal to swear or for attending Friends meetings. On one occasion he was imprisoned in Boston and was released with 27 other Friends and "driven into wilderness country" shortly before June 13, 1661.(Besse's Quaker Sufferings, 1733 Ed., 1:381; 3:208). On Mar. 23, 1654, before becoming a Quaker, he and his brother-in-law William Newland were among the largest contributors to a fund to provide powder and bullets to fight the Indians, and on May 29, 1655, Ralph Allen, Sen'r. and Ralph Allen, Jun'r, each contributed 10 shillings toward the cost of erecting a place for public meetings.(Sandwich T.R.,1 :9,253). In 1658 it was ordered that a record be made of the land of each inhabitant of Sandwich, and the work was started that year, but it was probably ten or fifteen years later that the descriptions were entered in what is known as the "Proprietors' Record". Ralph Allen's holdings were 32 acres, including 20 acres of upland where his house stood, adjoining land of (his nephew) Joseph Holloway. [sic Holway]

On July 5, 1669, he was granted liberty to keep a ferry at or near Pocasset, and to transport passengers between Rhode Island and the mainland. He was also given the right to purchase 100 acres of land from the Indians, he to pay 10 pounds to the Colony. (Ply.Col.Rec.,5 :23).

The will of Ralph Allin of Sandwich, Dec. 18, 1691-July I, 1698, "being aged but of sufficiant memory and understanding for settling of my outward estate", directed that his body be buried "in my Frinds Buring place at William Allins in Sandwich", leaves son John two tables and two beds, and divides the rest of his personal estate among children Joseph, Increase, Ebenezer, Zachariah and Patience and two ch'n of son Joseph. The 1/12 of a share in the Dartmouth purchase not previously disposed of he left to grandson Joseph Allin. He named his son Ebenezer as executor, with his brother William Allen and Edward Perry as overseers. The inventory of his estate was dated Mar. 19, 1698, and certified by the executor July 1, 1698.(Barnstable Co. Wills, 2:75). [Ed Cooper's information ends]

[The following information is from The Allen Family Home Page by Jack MacDonald:]

Ralph Allen, the son of George Allen and his first wife, is believed to have been born in about 1615 in England. Although it has not been determined when he arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, it is known that he did not travel on the same ship as his father, George. According to available records, Ralph was generally referred to as a planter and wheelwright. This was apparently to distinguish him from the other Ralph Allen residing at Sandwich who was married to a woman named Esther Swift and was a mason by trade. Although Ralph is thought to have married sometime around 1630-1635, it is not known at this time whether he married in England, or after he arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Our Ralph is believed to have been married to a woman named Susannah.

Ralph eventually settled at Sandwich in the New Plymouth Colony of Massachusetts where his father lived. In 1657, while residing at Sandwich, Quakerism began spreading throughout the Colony, and Ralph and six of his brothers and sisters were apparently among the first to be "convinced." Unfortunately, the adoption of Quakerism by the Allen?s resulted in their being persecuted and fined for many years for practicing their faith. Their persecution was particularly acute for refusing to take the Oath of Fidelity which they felt was unlawful.

During the years 1663 and 1664, Ralph purchased land at Dartmouth in the New Plymouth Colony (now within Bristol, MAachusetts), which he later conveyed to his children. Even though he was living at Sandwich at the time of his death, it is believed that he and Susannah probably resided at Dartmouth for a few years. Ralph is mentioned in several deeds as being "of Dartmouth," and in 1684 he was involved in an agreement with three others to build a gristmill there.

Ralph Allen died during the month of March 1697/98 at Sandwich in what had then become Barnstable, MAachusetts. His will, which was written on 18 December 1691, was probated before the Barnstable County Court on 1 July 1698. Ralph was subsequently buried, as directed by his will, "in the Friends Burying place at William Allen's in Sandwich."

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



[source: http://jrm.phys.ksu.edu/Genealogy/Needham/d0005/I3045.html]



Dates vary according to the source.


Ralph Allen of Sandwich, MA

Born in England. Died in 1698. Son of George "the Immigrant" Allen of Sandwich, MA. Settled first in Watertown, but moved to Sandwich by 1634. Married Esther Swift, daughter of William and Joan Swift of Bocking, County Suffolk, England. He may have been married before the marriage to Esther Swift.

Children by first wife (name unknown):

  1. John
  2. Joseph
  3. Increase
  4. Ebenezer
  5. Zachariah
  6. Patience

Children by second wife (apparently Esther Swift):

  1. Jedediah
  2. Henry
  3. Benjamin
  4. Meribah
  5. David and Jonathan
  6. Experience
  7. Elisha

Sources and Notes

http://books.google.com/books?id=b4k-AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA348&dq=%22George...

Ralph, son of George Allen, of Sandwich, was born in England, died in 1698. He married Esther, daughter of William and Joan Swift, who came from Bocking, Suffolk county, England, and settled first in Watertown but removed to Sandwich, 1634, or previous to that date. William Swift died in Sandwich, in 1642, and his wife Joan died there in 1662. Esther Swift is supposed to have been the second wife of Ralph Allen. The will of Ralph Allen, of Sandwich, is on record in Barnstable probate records* datedl December 19, 1691. His children by his first wife were: John, Joseph, Increase, Ebenezer, Zachariah and Patience. His children by his second wife were: Jedediah, Henry, Benjamin, Meribah, David and Jonathan, Experience and Elisha.

(III) John, son of Ralph Allen, died in• 1706. In the copy of Barnstable county probate records owned by the New England Historical Society of Boston, in vol. ii, page 255 —original %vol. iii—there is a statement of the estate of 'John Allen, "late of Sandwich," dated May 20, 1706, and his wife, Rebecca Allen, is appointed administratrix. The items of the estate are given in vol. ii, page 275, then in vol. iii, page 54, there is an appraisal' of the estate and settlement of estate .on same page, dated February 26, 17n-12, mentions his wife now as "Rebecca Saunders, late widow of John Allen of Sandwich," and speaks of the cost of bringing up the children' which are mentioned as follows: Isaac, Benjamin, Judah.



Ralph Allen (son of George Allen and Mrs George Allen) was born Abt. 1613 in England, and died March 1698 in Swansea, Bristol Co. Mass.. He married Susanna on Abt. 1638.

Includes NotesNotes for Ralph Allen:

Ralph Allen was a wheelwright & Planter. He did not come to America with his father, but was in Boston in 1639. He became a Quaker in 1657, which led to difficulties. He was interested in Dartmouth, but lived in Sandwich. His will was dated 1691, and probated July 1, 1698. In 1654, he was a Grand Juryman for Sandwich, listed as Ralph Allen Jr., and in 1671 was a Surveyor of Highways, listed as Ralph Allen Sr. In 1680 he was again a Surveyor of Highways, but listed as Ralph Allen. He is shown on the Sandwich Company non-commissioned officers roles in August, 1643 as being between the ages of sixteen and sixty years and able to perform military duty.

More About Ralph Allen and Susanna: Marriage: Abt. 1638

Children of Ralph Allen and Susanna are:

   Joseph Allen, b. Abt. 1642, d. date unknown.
   +Ebenezer Allen, b. February 10, 1649, d. date unknown.


Birth: 1615 Leicestershire, England Death: Mar., 1698 Sandwich Barnstable County Massachusetts, USA

BASIC INFO: Ralph Allen (1615-1698) was born in England, and came to Massachusetts circa 1635. Ralph was the child of George Allen (1568-1648). In America, he worked as a planter and a wheelwright. About 1645, Ralph married Susanna in Massachusetts. Ralph first lived in the Plymouth Colony, then in Sandwich. In 1657, when Quakerism began spreading through the colony, Ralph and six of his siblings were the first to be converted. This led to the Allens being persecuted and fined for many years. Ralph Allen died in 1698 in Sandwich. CHILD: Increase Allen (1660-1723).

PROBATE: Ralph made out his will at Sandwich on 18 December 1691. This will was probated 1 Jul 1698.

BURIAL: Ralph Allen was a Quaker. At the time of his death in Sandwich, the only Quaker cemetery was the Friends Burying Place. No marker has been found, probably because it was the original Quaker custom not to mark the graves.

SOURCES: Ancestry.com has five records for Ralph: a "Family Data Collection - Births" record, a "Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s" record, a "U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900" record, a "Family Data Collection - Deaths" record, and a "Millennium File" record. Information also appears in "The Pioneers of Massachusetts," by Charles Henry Pope.

Family links:

Parents:
 George Allen (1580 - 1648)
 1st wife Allen

Children:

 Increase Allen (1660 - 1723)*


Ralph Allen, the son of George Allen who arrived in Boston, Mass Bay in 1635, appears first possibly in 1638 in Rhode Island or certainly in 1639 in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Ralph and his brother John Allen first lived in Weymouth, moved in about 1643 to Rehoboth, and Ralph moved to Sandwich in about 1650/1 while John stayed in Rehoboth or in the area later called Swansey.

Ralph may have been married in Cloford, Somerset, England on 17 Apr 1634 to Susan King (Family History Library: Parish registers for Cloford, Somerset County, England, 1561-1951, film 1526552, item 8, p. 46, Salt Lake City.) The record is listed as: Año 1634 "[Ral?]ph Allen als [alias] Cornish was married to Susan Kynge the xvii of Aprell." This is the only record in England that includes a Ralph Allen and a Susan in the early 1600's Records in Sandwich, MA, show that Ralph had a wife names Susanna in 1676. The date of the marriage, in 1634, may suggest that Ralph was born in about 1608-1609, assuming that he was about 25 when he married.

Records suggest that Ralph was the first son of George Allen, based on limited data (see start of records https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000078487291028&). When the Society of Friends (Quakers) spread to New England in 1656, Ralph was one of the children of George Allen who joined the Friends in Sandwich. He and his brother William Allen were among the leaders of the Friends in the town of Sandwich, based on Plymouth Colony records. Ralph died in 1697 or 1698, possibly at the age of about 90. He had 7 sons (John, Joseph, Benjamin, Phillip, Ebenezer, Increase and Zachariah) and 2 daughters (Patience and Mary), born between about before 1640 to 1654. His wife was first named in 1676, as Susanna, but it is not certain if she was the mother of Ralph's children.

Between 1650/1 and 1659 there were two Ralph Allens in Sandwich, generally called Sr. and Jr. or wheelwright and mason. The second source in this profile (https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000078487291031&) is a discussion of the records of the two Ralph Allens in Sandwich. Ralph Sr. or wheelwright was the son of George Allen.


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Ralph 'Wheelwright' Allen, Sr., of Sandwich's Timeline

1615
1615
1617
1617
England
1619
1619
Age 2
Weymouth, Dorset, England, United Kingdom
1636
1636
Sandwich, (Present Barnstable County), Plymouth Colony (Present Massachusetts), (Present USA)
1638
1638
Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
1642
April 1, 1642
Sandwich, Cape Cod, Plymouth Colony
1645
1645
Sandwich, (Present Barnstable County), Plymouth Colony (Present Massachusetts), (Present USA)
1649
February 10, 1649
Sandwich, Cape Cod, Plymouth Colony