Some Rhode Island Records

56 Some IRbobe Asiano IRecoròs Anna Hodgson. The following extracts from an ancient book of Records will speak for themselves, and need little introduction, further than to say, that George Fox, in the course of his travels in America, went, in 1672, to Rhode Island, where he attended the Yearly Meeting for New England ; here, as at other places, he encouraged the establishment of meetings for discipline, "that all might be kept clean," and "to take care of the poor and other affairs of the church, and to see that all who profess Truth, walk according to the glorious gospel of God." The outward evidence of his care still exists on Rhode Island (or did exist, fifteen years ago), in the form of sundry thick folio volumes, containing the ancient records of the Society there. The book for recording marriages contains the following memorandum written on the inside of the cover:— "Friends "two books bought at Boston cost 20 shillings, the biggest for births and "Deaths, and the lesser book for mariages only, so ordered at the mans "meeting of frends at the House of William Coddington in the towne of "New Port in Road Island in the veare 1672, the 22th day of the 8-m "1672." It is evident, in examining the "Record of the Death of Friends and their Children," that although this book was not published till 1672, the Recorder and other Friends began with using the memoranda of former days. The first page is as follows :— CoddingtonMary Coddington, the wife of William Coddington of 1647Newport in Rhode Island in New England. She dyed in said town of Newport and was buried in the burying place of Friends that was given to Friends by William Coddington, her husband. CoggeshallJohn Coggeshall President of the Colony of Rhode 1647Island and Providence Plantation in New England Being one of the first English Planters of said Island he lived to the Age of Eight & Forty years & then Dyed and was buried at Newport in the said Island in his own Land on the Right hand of the way that goeth from the Town to his House upon the 27 day of the Ninth [month] in the year 1647. 57 BullElizabeth Bull the wife of Henry Bull of Newport 1665She Dyed the first day of the Eighth month in the year 1665 and was buried in said Town of Newport EastonChristian Easton the wife of Nicholas Easton of New1665port in Rhode Island she dyed at Newport and was buried in the burying place that Wm Coddington gave to friends out of his Lott at the Town of Newport upon the Twentieth day of ye Twelf Month in the year 1665 ClarkeJeremiah Clarke one of the first English planters of 1651Rhode Island he dyed at Newport in said Island and was buried in the Toumb that stands by the street by the water side in Newport upon the ----- day of the 11 mo 1651* EastonPeter Easton (the son of Peter Easton of Newport 1653and of Anne his wife) he being about the age of Three years . . . EastonWait Easton the daughter of Peter Easton and Anne 1657his wife. She dyed aboute the age of half a year old ... . CodingtonNoah Coddington the son of Wm Coddington and 1658Anne his wife he dyed at Newport 12 da 10 mo 1658 MartyrsWilliam Robenson and Marmaduke Stevenson Two 1659whome the world in scorn called Quakers Suffered Death at Boston by the Cruelty of the Chief Ministers & Rulers of ye said Town for witnissing of a good Constiance before God upon the Twentieth day of ye Eighth month in ye year one Thousand Six hundred Fifty Nine 1659 Mary Dyer the wife of William Dyer of Newport in Rhode Island she was put to death at the Town of Boston with ye like Cruel hand as the Martyers were in Queen Mary's time) and there buried upon ye 31 day of ye 3rd mo 1660. [This was the month that we now call the Fifth.] t Anne Coddington the Daughter of William Coddington and Anne his wife she dyed at Newport the 26 of ye 4 mo 1660 Dyer a Martyre 1660 Coddington * Jeremiah Clarke was the father...