Family of Brian Pendleton

(This person can be viewed within the Melton/Sharp Ancestry Chart by clicking here)

1. MAJ. BRIAN⁴ PENDLETON (EDWARD³, EDWARD², THOMAS¹) was born 1599 in Manchester, Lancashire, England, and died April 03, 1681 in Portsmouth, Rockingham Co. NH. He married ELEANOR PRICE April 22, 1619 in St. Martin, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. She was born Bef. April 22, 1599 in St. Martin, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, and died July 23, 1689 in Portsmouth, Rockingham Co., NH.

Notes for MAJ. BRIAN PENDLETON:

1. Brian is the progenitor of the Stonington Pendleton family. He first settled in Watertown, Litchfield County, Connecticut. He was made freeman in Watertown September 3, 1634 and was Deputy for six years to the General Court. He moved to Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts where he helped settle the town. He then removed to Ipswich, Issex County, Massachusetts and was a member of the famous artillery company of Boston. He later removed to Strawberry Bank, Portsmouth, Rockingham County, Hew Hampshire about 1651 and was Deputy there for 5 years. Even later he removed to Winter Harbor, Saco, Hancock County, Maine where he purchased 200 acres of land. Finally he removed back to Portsmouth where he died. He was a very prominent civil and military man holding many offices and the highest rank of major.

More About BRIAN PENDLETON and ELEANOR PRICE:

Marriage: April 22, 1619, St. Martin, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England

Child of BRIAN PENDLETON and ELEANOR PRICE is:

i. CAPT. JAMES PENDLETON ¹, b. Abt. 1628, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England; d. November 29, 1709, Westerly, Washington Co., Rhode Island; m. (1) MARY PALMER, October 22, 1647, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; m. (2) HANNAH GOODENOW, April 29, 1656, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; b. November 28, 1639, Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA; d. April 05, 1688, Sudbury, Middlesex Co., MA.

Notes for CAPT. JAMES PENDLETON:

HISTORY OF STONINGTON Ct, by Wheeler, page 532, 533.

Was first at Watertown MA, then at Sudbury MA, and came to Westerly RI in 1669. He was in the early Colonial wars. He was admitted to the First Church of Stonington, CT, Nov 7, 1680.

His will is dated Feb. 9, 1702, but does not mention his son James, by the first wife, nor daughters Sarah or Patience by the second wife. They probably died young or without children.

BRIAN PENDLETON AND HIS DESCENDANTS, 1599-1910, Compiled by Everett Hall Pendleton, Privately Printed MCMX, found in the DAR Library, Washington, DC. Page 1-77.

Capt. James Pendleton, was born in England about 1627, or 1628, ans indicated by the facts that he was admitted freeman at Watertown, Mass., 10 May 1548, and that on the 26th of July 1672, he testified at Portsmouth, NH, he was forty-four years of age.

On the 21st of Oct 1650, James Pendleton and Mary, his wife, of Watertown, Mass., sold to George Parkhurst, "Same towne" five or six acres known as "crocked meadow" (Middlesex Co., Mass., Deeds, I, 17). Shortly afterwards he removed to Sudbury, Mass., where he served on a coroner's jury in May, 1654.

In 1671, James began to dispose of the property he had accumulated at Portsmouth and vicinity, with his wife, Hannah, he sold land and buildings at Portsmouth to Thomas Thatcher.

On the 25th Jany. 1688, James Pendleton bought of Nathaniel Lynde 1,000 acres on the sea-coast of Westerly, including Watch Hill. He sold a small part of this land and the rest he willed to his sons, Joseph, Edmund, and Caleb.

His death occurred in Westerly on the 29 Nov, 1709. Like his father he was active in public affairs until the time of his death and like his father too, wherever he went he became at once one of the leading citizens.

The will of James-2 Pendleton, names wife, Hannah, sons: Joseph, Edmund and Caleb, daughters Ann Borwn, Eleanor Pendleton and Dorothy Pendleton, "children by my present wife, Hannah," and daughters Mary and Hannah "had by my former wife."

No reference is made by Capt. James Pendleton to his sons, James-3 and Brian-3, named in his father's will in 1677, or to any heirs of these sons, and as no mention of any such has elsewhere appeared, it would seem indisputable that James-3 and Brian-3 died without issue. James-3 had died previous to 1698, but we have nothing to show what became of Brian-3.

Researching this line is Jean Reid, 106 Beal's Court, Tama, Iowa 52339

Researching this line is Nancyann Norman at exis.net

Sources: History of Stonington by Wheeler, Genealogical and Biographical

Record of New London County, Conn., by Beers; Westerly and Its Witnesses

(974.59, H2d); Early New England Pendletons by Everett Hall Pendleton; Babcock and Allied Families; National Society, Daughters of Colonial Wars; AF; R.I. Genealogical Register, v4, #4, p355; NEHGR, v7, p 357; v12, p238, and v17, p255.

Went to Watertown, Mass., with parents from England. They moved to Sudbury, and he was given 140 acres of land by his father. Moved to Portsmouth, N.H., where he was in business with his father. There he was a selectman, 1663 to 1668; town clerk, 1663 and 1664; one of the commissioners (local magistrates) to determine small actions from 1667 to 1671, and captain of the Portsmouth military company from 1666 until 1674, his last year in Portsmouth. He owned property on the Great Island and continued in business after his father moved to Winter Harbor (Saco), Maine, in 1665.

He moved to Stonington, Conn., being granted land, and also had some 700 acres of land given him by his father. Those 700 acres are in what is now Westerly, Rhode Island, but both Connecticut and Rhode Island once claimed the Westerly area. (The land was given him in trust, with instructions it be passed on to his children by his second wife.)

James, a staunch Puritan, favored Connecticut over the more liberal Rhode Island, but he eventually lost that fight. He continued his business activities and was affluent enough to be referred to as "Esquire" and "Gentleman."

He was a selectman in both Stonington and Westerly, sold intoxicants, imported sugar from Barbados and had dealings with tobacco planters in Maryland. Dealing in liquor was not considered reprehensible in those days, and a man could engage in that business, as well as in politics, and still be a community leader and a pillar of the church.

About the time he moved to Stonington, the King Philip's War broke out, and Capt. James took part. He also may have participated in the great Narragansett fight. He was awarded land in Voluntown for his services during the war. He also obtained captive Indians whom he sold into slavery. Eventually, James obtained more property in Rhode Island, buying 1,000 acres at Watch Hill in Westerly. His Watch Hill home still stands. It is unclear when he moved from Stonington to Westerly.

There is a great deal more information in Early New England Pendletons.

Westerly: Capt. James Pendleton, among Westerly freemen named in 1727. Page 151.

Babcock and Allied Families: James Pendleton, born in England in 1627 or 1628. He resided in Watertown and Sudbury, MA; Portsmouth, N.H., and Westerly, RI. Made a captain of the Portsmouth military company 2 Oct. 1666. Served in King Phillip's War from Connecticut, receiving land in Voluntown, CT, for his services. [Much more info on pages 81-83.] Colonial Wars: James Pendleton, born 1627/8 in London, England; died Westerly, R.I., 29 Nov. 1709. Married (2) Hannah Goodenow 2 April 1656/9 in

Sudbury, Mass. "Captain in the Portsmouth (N.H.) Military Company, 10 Oct. 1666 by Court." Also saw active service in King Philip's War on 17 May 1676; in Cedar Swamp Lot Drawing 1701, Connecticut Colony. [See pages 645 and 646 for children and grandson.]

RIGR: Westerly Town Council and Probate, Vol. 2 (1), 1699-1719. Capt. James Pendleton of Westerly, being aged. Will dated 9 Feb. 1702/3 and codicil, proved 21 Dec. 1709, pgs 104-6, 108. Mentions father Brian Pendleton, deceased, testate; Unnamed former wife; present wife Hannah; daughters Mary and Hannah (no surnames) that I had by former wife, 5 pounds each, no more because they received land in Wells, Maine, from testator's father, Brian Pendleton. [Note: pg 108: Nicholas Mowrey signed a receipt for 5 pounds due me from Capt. James Pendleton's will, dated Freetown 7 Sept. 1716--suggesting that Nicholas Mowrey married one of the two daughters, Mary and Hannah.]; sons of present wife Hannah, Joseph, Edmond and Caleb Pendleton; daughters of present wife Hannah, Ann Brown, Eleanor Pendleton and Dorothy, no surnamed. [Note: pg 108: 9 Jan. 1709/10 We John Lewis, Nocholas Cottrell Jr. and Caleb Pendleton, husbandmen, and Hannah Pendleton, widow, all of We stand bound unto the town council for 250 pounds re will of James Pendleton--suggesting that possibly John Lewis and Nicholas Cottrell Jr. married the daughters Eleanor and Dorothy. Further note the will dated 1745 of Caleb Pendleton (the last son this will, without doubt, since he had the same child as the son...]

Ancestral File records list two other death dates: Nov. 20 and 29, 1709.

NEHGR: Cited in Sudbury, Mass., records as father of Brian and James Pendleton. From Vol. 7 article, "Early Settlers of Essex and Old Norfolk":

James Pendleton, Portsmouth (New Hampshire), 1668; wife Hannah. Vol. 12, listed as a free inhabitant of Westerly 3 March 1679/80.

_______________________________________

Will: 9 FEB 1701/02 does not mention his son James, Jr., by his first wife, nor the daughters Sarah and Patience by his second wife. These children probably died young or were without children.

Reference Number: 5669

Note: 1. James was first at Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts where he was admitted freeman May 10, 1648, then at Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts where he received in 1656 a deed of gift to his father's homestead and other property and was chosen selectman, keeper of the town books in 1662 and 1663 and town clerk until March, 1665 He apparently removed to Rhode Island where he was admitted freeman in September 11, 1666, chosen Captain of the Portsmouth Military Company October 2, 1666 and granted land in 1667 becoming one of the founders of a school in March 1670 and ordered the school house built, forming the first church in Portsmouth with the Rev. Joshua Moody in 1671, and continued living there until 1673 when he removed to Stonington, New London County, Connecticut where he was admitted to the First Church of Stonington November 7, 1680 and was Justice of the Peace 1686-1689. . Records indicate he was in Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island before, after and even while in Stonington where he purchased 1,000 acres from Nathaniel Lynd on the seacoast of Westerly and chosen as a town council man of Westerly in 1689 and other offices there until 1709. He served in the early Colonial wars.

_____________________________________________________

More About JAMES PENDLETON and MARY PALMER:

Marriage: October 22, 1647, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts

More About JAMES PENDLETON and HANNAH GOODENOW:

Marriage: April 29, 1656, Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Endnotes

1. Wheeler, Richard Anson, History of Stonington, New London Co., CT from 1649-1900, (New London, CT Press of the Day Publishing Co., 1900).