Susanna West (1666-1756) is #763 on my Ahnentafel List, my 7th great-grandmother, who married #762 Moses Barber (1652-1733) in 1692 in Kingstown, Rhode Island.
I am descended through:
* their daughter #381 Anna Barber (1717-a1800), married #380 Sylvester Kenyon (1710-1800) in 1740.
* their son #190 John Kenyon (1742-1831), married #191 Anna Kenyon(?) (c1742-1824) in 1764.
* their daughter #95 Nancy Kenyon (c1765-b1833), married #94 Joseph Champlin (1758-1850) in 1785.
* their daughter #47 Amy Champlin (1798-1865), married #46 Jonathan Oatley (1790-1872) in 1813.
* their daughter #23 Amy Frances Oatley (1826-1864), married #22 Henry Arnold White (1824-1885) who married in 1844.
* their daughter #11 Julia E. White (1848-1913), married #10 Thomas Richmond (1848-1917) in 1868.
* their daughter #5 Alma Bessie Richmond (1882-1962), married #4 Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942) in 1900.
* their son #2 Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983), married #3 Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002) in 1942.
* their son #1 Randall Jeffrey Seaver (1943-living)
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1) PERSON (with source citations as indicated in brackets):
* Name: Susanna West[1–3]
* Alternate Name: Susannah Wait[6]
* Alternate Name: Susanna Barber[1,5]
* Sex: Female
* Father: Francis West (1640-1692)
* Mother: Susanna Soule (1642-1684)
2) INDIVIDUAL EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):
* Birth: about 1666, Kingstown, Kings, Rhode Island, British America[1]
* Distribution: 17 December 1733 (about age 67), husband's will proved; South Kingstown, Kings, Rhode Island, British America[4]
* Death: before 4 April 1756 (before about age 90), Charlestown, Kings, Rhode Island, British America[1,5]
* Probate 4 April 1756 (about age 90), inventory taken; Charlestown, Kings, Rhode Island, British America[5]
3) SHARED EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):
* Spouse 1: Moses Barber 1652-1733
* Marriage 1: 24 March 1691/2 (about age 26), Kingstown, Kings, Rhode Island, British America[1-3.6]
* Child 1: Dinah Barber 1692-1774
* Child 2: Lydia Barber 1694-1728
* Child 3: Samuel Barber 1695-1760
* Child 4: Susannah Barber 1697-1755
* Child 5: Thomas Barber 1699-1762
* Child 6: Joseph Barber 1701-1779
* Child 7: Martha Barber 1703-1773
* Child 8: Ruth Barber 1705-1755
* Child 9: Benjamin Barber 1707-1792
* Child 10: Mercy Barber 1709-1790
* Child 11: Ezekiel Barber 1711-1782
* Child 12: Abigail Barber 1713-
* Child 13: Daniel Barber 1714-1805
* Child 14: Anna Barber 1717-1800
4) NOTES (with source citations as indicated in brackets):
Her maiden name appears in various forms in the records - Susannah Waist, Susanna Wast, Susanna West, Susannah Wait. This spelling variation lead some to believe she was the daughter of Samuel Waite (NEHGR 73:293). But Ruth Wilder Sherman argues for West after a comparison of earlier records with later published records (Ruth Wilder Sherman, "North Kingston Records," in ''The American Genealogist,'' 52:101).
From Mayflower Families in Progress: George Soule, #31[1]
"Susanna West, daughter of Francis West and his wife Susanna Soule (daughter of Mayflower immigrant George Soule) was born 1671 or after. The location of her parents at the time of her birth is not clear. She may have been born in Duxbury, Massachusetts or the areas of Kingstown, Rhode Island. Kingstown as a political jurisdiction did not occur until 1674. An undocumented birth of 23 Oct 1677, Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island is given in some Ancestry trees. Her three youngest siblings were recorded in (North) Kingstown, but there is no record of Susanna's birth."
Susanna West married 24 March 1691/2, Kingstown, Rhode Island to Moses Barber (before 1652-before 13 Dec 1733) as his second wife[1-3,6]. There was a fire which somewhat destroyed the legibility of the early records. Apparently J. O. Austin interpreted this marriage to Susanna Wait. However, it was later discovered that a copy was made into the South Kingstown records which clearly give her name as Susanna Waist (West)[1].
Susanna West and Moses Barker had 14 children, all of them recorded in the Kingstown town records[1-3]:
* Dinah Barber (1693-1774), married 1716, Edward Wilcox (1693-1779).
* Lydia Barber (1695-1728), married 1714 Benjamin Mowry (1680-1728).
* Samuel Barber (1695-1760), married 1719 Anne Cory (1697-c1760).
* Susannah Barber (1697-1755), married 1727 Benjamin Perry (1677-1749).
* Thomas Barber (1699-1762), married 1725 Avis Tanner (1699-1777).
* Joseph Barber (1701-1779), married 1724 Rebecca Potter (1701-1753).
* Martha Barber (1703-1773), married 1727 Thomas Parker (1700-1773).
* Ruth Barber (1705-1755), married 1724 George Bentley (1705-1802).
* Benjamin Barber (1707-1792), married 1730 Mary Tefft (1705-1782).
* Mercy Barber (1709-1790), married 1727 Samuel Tefft (1703-1789).
* Ezekiel Barber (1711-1782), married 1736 Hannah Webster (1713-1786).
* Abigail Barber (1713-????).
* Daniel Barber (1714-1805), married 1739 Deliverance Tefft (1722-1799).
* Anna Barber (1717-a1800), married 1740 Sylvester Kenyon (1710-1800).
Her husband, Moses Barber, Moses Barber Sr. of South Kingstown wrote a will dated 29 March 1728, which was proved on 17 December 1733[4]. Susanna was named as executrix along with their son Benjamin Barber. Susanna was bequeathed:
"The use of the Rest of my Movable Estate I Give and bequeath to Susanah my Wife So Long as She Remains my Widow as also the use of my Homested farm and House with all the priviledges and profits therewith belonging and further my Will is that at the Decease of my wife Susannah that then all the Remaining part of my said Estate Shall be Equally Divided between the Daughters of my said Wife or their Children."
Susanna Barber died between 29 Sept 1755 (date of her written will) and 3 April 1756 (date that inventory was submitted to the town council), in Charlestown, Kings County, Rhode Island.
The will transcribed from the Charlestown (RI) Probate and Town Council Records reads[5]:
"In the Name of God Amen This 21th Day of September in the 29th year of his Majesties reigne Georg the Second King over Great Briton AD 1755 - I Susannah Barber of Charlestown in Kings County and Colony of Rhodeisland widow Beeing in Helth of body and of Perfect mind & memory Thanks bee Given to almighty God. Therefore Calling to mind the mortality of my body & Knowing that it is appointed for men Once to Die do make and ordain this my Last will and Testament That is to Say Principally and first of all I Give & Recommend my Soul into the Hands of Allmighty God that gave it and my body I Recommend to the Earth to bee buried in Christian Decent Buriel at the Descrestion of my Executor Nothing Doubting but at the General Resurection I Shall Receive the Same again by the Mighty Powr of God and as Touching Such Worldly Estate Wherewith it Hath Pleased God to to Bless me with in this Life I Give Demise and Dispose of the Same in the Following manner and forme."Imprimus My will is and Hereby Order my Executors to pay all my Just Debts and Funeral Charges out of my Estate"Item I Give and Bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Anne Kinyon My Great Bible Whose name is written in Said Bible and to be Delliverd to her by my Executor Before my Other Estate to my Children hereafter Named."Item I Give and bequeath to my beloved Daughters (viz.) Dinah Wilcocks & the heirs of Lyda Mory and to Susannah Perry widow to Martha Parker to Ruth Bently Marey Teft and Ann Kinyon all the Remainder of my Estate to bee Equally Devided between them them to them and theire Heirs for Ever."Lastly I Constitute make and ordain my beloved Son Benja Barber to be my whole and Soul Executor to this my Last Will and Testament and the Reason I Know make this will is because I Ca???? ?? Have my former Will when Requested hereby Revoking Disallowing and Diaannulling all other former Wills Legacies and Bequeaths by me before maid Ratifying & Confirming this and no other to bee my Last Will and Testament With?? Where of I Have Herewith Set my hand & Seal the Day and year first before Written Signed Sealed Published Pronounced and Declared by the said Susannah Barber as her Last Will and Testament the presence of we the Subscribers herSusannah S BarberTimo Perce markJos ParkBenja ParkJos WillcockJoseph Crandal"
"Personally appeard in Councill Benja Park Jos Crandal Jos Willcocks and Declard on oath that they Saw Susannah Barber Deceasd Seign Seal Publish pronounce and Declare the Will as they Seignd as witnesses to bee her Last Will and Testament and She was in her perfect mind and memory at the Same time according to the Best of theire Judgment. The above Evidances (viz.) Benja Park Joseph Crandall Jos Wilcocks further Declard oath that they Saw Timothy Perce Josep Park Seign as Witnesses at the same time with them. Before Banja Hoxie President of the Council The above ???? ???? ???? Kings County and Coloney of Rhodeisland."By Vertue of Power Granted to the Town Councill of Charlestown in the County of Kings County and Coloney of Rhodeisland for the Probate of Wills and of Granting of Letters of Administration within sd Town ????"To all people to whome these presence Shall Come Greeting wee the Town Councill of the Town of Charlestown aforesaid according to the Power by Law Invested in us Do hereby Give Grant and fully Impower Mr. Benja Barber of Hopkinton in the County & Coloney abovesaid Executor to the Last Will and Testament of his mother Susannah Barber Late of Charlestown Deceased to administer on all and Singulart the Estate Goods Chattels and Credits of his mother & to act and Do what Power is Needful Nessary & propper to bee done Recaling the promises agreeble with the Law of this Coloney in Such Cases maid & provided &c."In testamoney of which and in Confirmation of the Promises & by order and in behalf of the Towne Councill I Have Given forth the Powr of Administration under my hand and seal in said Charlestown Apr the 4th AD 1756 Hoxsie C Clerk.""An inventory of all and Singular the Goods Chattels Rights and Credits of Susanna Barber Late of Charlestown Deseased Taken by us the Subscribers Aprill the 3 Day AD 1756..."
The inventory is three columns long and is quite detailed. The personal estate of Susannah Barber totaled 1,351 pounds, 10 shillings 0 pence. Joseph Crandall and Stephen Sanders were the appraisers. The Inventory was approved by the Charlestown Town Council on the last day of April 1756.
The will mentions son Captain Benjamin Barber; daughters Dinah Wilcock (wife of Edward Wilcox), Lydia Mory (presumably deceased since her unnamed heir, possibly Isaac Dayton, received), Susannah Perry, widow, Martha Parker (wife of Thomas Parker), Ruth Bently (wife of George Bentley), Mary Tifft (wife of Samuel Tifft), and Ann Kenyon (wife of Sylvester Kinyon). The witnesses were Timothy Perce, Joseph Park, Jr., Benjamin Park.
5. SOURCES
1. Anne Borden Harding (editor), Mayflower Families Through Five Generations : Volume 3: George Soule (Plymouth, MA : General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1980), page 28, #31, Susannah West/Wast family sketch.
2. Lois J. (Barber) Schroeder, Moses Barber of South Kingstown, Rhode Island and Many Descendants, 1652-1984 (Decorah, Iowa, Amundsen Publishing Company, 1984), accessed on FamilySearch Digital Library (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/543817-moses-barber-of-south-kingston-rhode-island-and-many-descendants-1652-1984), pages 1-9, Moses Barber family sketch.
3. Alden G. Beaman, Ph.D., "A Line of Descent from Moses Barber of Kingstown," Rhode Island Genealogical Register, Volume I, number 2 (October 1978), pp 112-120.
4. South Kingston (R.I.) Town Clerk, "Town Council Records, 1704-1943," (South Kingston, R.I.), digital microfilm, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), on 8 microfilm reels (Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah), Volume 2, Pages 238-245 (on FHL Microfilm 0.931,833), Moses Barber will written 1728, proved 1733.
5. Charlestown [RI] Probate and Town Council Records, 1738-1916, digital microfilm, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), Family History Library (on FHL US/CAN Microfilm 2,319,104, Items 1-5), Volume 2, pages 292-295, Susanna Barber estate papers.
6. James N. Arnold, Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636-1850, First Series, Births, Marriages and Deaths : a Family Register for the People (Providence, R.I.: Narragansett Historical Publishing Co., 1891-1912), "Vol. 05: Washington County: Births, Marriages, Deaths," North Kingstown Marriages, page 8 (image 17 of 523), Moses Barber and Susannah Wait entry.
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52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks on the No Story Too Small blog in 2014. I have extended this theme in 2023 to 520 Ancestors in 520 Weeks.
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