Family talk:Peter Wells and Elizabeth Sweet (2)

Do not merge this page with Family:Peter Wells and Elizabeth Sweet (1).

Source:The Gardiners of Narragansett : being a genealogy of the descendants of George Gardiner, the colonist, 1638, p. 249, Beside the Peter Wells who was son of Peter and Ann (Watson) Wells and who m. 11 Dec 1733 Elizabeth Sweet, d/o William, there was living at the same period, another Peter Wells who was a son of Jonathan and Sarah (Sweet) Wells, and who m. 2 Jul 1746 another Elizabeth Sweet, d/o Richard of West Greenwich.

Source:Whitman, Roscoe L. History and Genealogy of the Ancestors and Some Descendants of Stukely Westcott, p. 374-5, says "Peter Wells, 3rd", s/o Peter 2nd and Ann Watson, b. May 4, 1715, m 1 Feb 1736 Elizabeth, d/o Stephen Arnold, dwelled in Warwick, RI where she d. 1739. Children: Anna, Arnold, Elizabeth. Then Peter m. (2) Elizabeth, d/o Elder Richard Sweet of Baptist Church at Stoney Lane, North Kingston, RI. children: John, Peter [labeled Peter Wells the 4th, m. Ruth, d. Ebenezer Slocum], Samuel Penelope, Dora.

Here are some records from Vital Record of Rhode Island:
Wells, Peter, [of Peter Jr. and Ann born] May 4, 1713 South Kingstown.
Wells, Peter, and Elizabeth Sweet, of William, Dec. 11, 1733 East Greenwich.
Wells, Peter, and Elizabeth Arnold, of Stephen, Feb. 1, 1736-7 Warwick.
Wells, Elizabeth, wife of Peter, died Sept. 29, 1739 Warwick.
Slocum, Ruth of Ebenezer and Peter Wells, Nov. 23, 1740, Warwick.
Wells, Peter, of Jonathan, of East Greenwich, and Elizabeth Sweet, of Richard, of West Greenwich July 2, 1746 East Greenwich.
Wells, Peter [of Peter and Elizabeth], b. Oct. 21, 1748 West Greenwich.
Wells, Elizabeth, wife of Peter died Sept. 13, 1757 East Greenwich.
Wells, Peter and Jemima Mott, Feb. 15, 1768 Newport.
Wells, Peter, of Peter, of East Greenwich, and Margaret Cleveland, of Palmer, of Exter Nov. 19, 1769 Exeter

Comparing to the VR, there appear to be obvious errors in the Whitman book:

1. The birthdate is off by two years
2. Clearly the Peter Wells who married Elizabeth, d/o Richard Sweet, was the son of Jonathan, so was not "Peter 3rd".
3. If the Peter that married Elizabeth, d/o Richard Sweet, was the same Peter that married Elizabeth Arnold, she was his third wife and the book left out his second wife Ruth Slocum (obvious from being in Warwick and following closely on death of first wife)
4. Peter 4th could not have married Ruth Slocum, having been born in 1748.

There are many records whose presence in the VR would be of great use, but they are not be found, so no confident conclusion can be drawn. In all probability, it appears there are three different Peter Wells here, and the Whitman book has mashed parts from all of them into one big composite.

• Peter, s/o Peter, m. 1733 Elizabeth Sweet, of West Greenwich.
• Peter, unknown parentage, m. 1736 Elizabeth Arnold, then 1740 Ruth Slocum, of Warwick, then Berkshire County.
• Peter, s/o Jonathan, m. 1746 Elizabeth Sweet, of East Greenwich

--Jrich 18:14, 8 May 2009 (EDT)