Person:Arthur Fenner (10)

BIOGRAPHY: The Fenner Family Fourth Edition Descendants of Captain Arthur Fenner (1619-1703) with additional Fenner lines in The United States, Germany, and Switzerland. http://www.fennertree.com/ Arthur was baptized at St. Bartholomew's in Horley, Surrey,England. He had been a Lieutenant in a troop of horses in Cromwell's army before coming to Providence on 27 Feb. 1649. On March 10, he bought equal rights into the Providence Plantations for 30 shillings. He served as Constable for the town of Providence in 1651, and was Assistant to the Town Council in 1651, 1659, 1665-1668, 1672-1676, 1679-1686 and 1690. He also served as Commissioner to the General Court, Moderator, Treasurer, and Deputy, among other jobs. He reportedly received some of his land from Indian Chief Massasoit and held land in 4 counties. Arthur's home was dubbed "Fenner Castle" because of its large chimney and served as a garrison during Indian uprisings. There is an oil painting of Fenner Castle in the Historical Society of Providence, RI. King Philip's warriors burned it to the ground in 1676; it was rebuilt the following year around the chimney, which survived the fire. It eventually collapsed from neglect in 1887. A second house which Arthur built for his son Thomas in 1677 still stands in Cranston, RI.

1. ↑ Holman, Mary Lovering. The Fenner, Browne and Tully Ancestry. American Genealogist (D.L. Jacobus). (Oct 1938, Jan 1939)
   15:81-85.