Person:Geoffrey Champlin (2)

Geoffrey Champlin
  • HGeoffrey ChamplinAbt 1621 - 1695
  • WEulalde Garde1632 - 1656
m. Abt 1650
  1. Jeffrey ChamplinAbt 1650 - Bef 1717/18
  2. William Champlin1654 - 1715
  3. Christopher Champlin1656 - 1732
Facts and Events
Name Geoffrey Champlin
Alt Name Jeffrey Champlin
Gender Male
Birth? Abt 1621 Bideford, Devon, England
Marriage Abt 1650 Newport, Rhode Islandto Eulalde Garde
Death? 1695 Westerly, Washington, Rhode Island
Burial? Westerly, Washington, Rhode IslandWesterly Historical Cemetery

admitted inhab. Newport, 24 Jan 1738/39 & admitted Freeman in 1640. Was of Portsmouth, RI, in 1638. moved to Westerly 1661 Jeffery Champlin, the immigrant and progenitor of the Champlin name in America, was born at Bideford (Devonshire) England circa 1621. While this date is unsubstantiated, it is likely to be fairly accurate as Jeffrey's children were born in the 1650's and he died at Westerly, RI sometime between 1688 and 1695.


He emigrated between 1627 and 1638 from Portsmouth, Rhode Island. (1) It is not known how Jeffrey came to the New World (or when), although there are reports that he was in Boston as early as 1627. The first white settlement on Aquidneck* took place in March 1638 on the north end of the island at Pocasset (renamed Portsmouth in 1640). This colony was founded by Anne Hutchinson and her small group of religious libertarians. They had met in the Boston home of prominent merchant William Coddington on March 7, 1638. This small group were greatly at odds with and frequently harassed by Massachusetts' ruling Puritans. Huthinson's group calling themselves the "Bodie Politick", drew up a compact in much the same way as did the Mayflower passengers. Their sworn agreement read as follows:


"We, whose names are underwritten, do here solemly, in the presence of Jehovah, incorporate ourselves into a Bodie Politick, and as He shall help, will submit ourselves, lives and estates unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to all those perfect and most absolute laws of His given to us in His Holy Word of truth, to be guided and judged thereby".


This compact was signed by: Anne & William Hutchinson, William Coddington, Henry Bull, John Clarke, John Coggeshall, William Aspinwall, William Dyer, Nicholas Easton, (an illegible name), William Baulstone, John Sanford, Philip Sherman, John Walker, Samuel Wilbour, Richard Carder, and William Freeborn. Coddington purchased the island of Aquidneck* from the Indians and the group founded Pocasset in April of 1638. The following, taken from the records of that colony, show that Jeffrey was likely there from the very beginning: "On the 28th of the 2nd month 1639 Upon the complainte of Jeffrey Champlin in the behalfe of a debt due to William Cowly and himselfe from Mr. Aspinwall, warrent was granted forth, for the attachment of his shallopp till both that debt and other actions of the case be satisfied and discharged by him". (Note: under the Julian Calendar in use at the time, the 2nd month was April and 1639 would have been 1638 today).


A power struggle between Coddington and Hutchinson, based on religious interpretations and applications to daily life, developed soon after the settlement began. Shortly afterward, Coddington and his supporters (John Clarke, Nicholas Easton, John Coggeshall, William Brenton, Jeremy Clarke, Thomas Hazard, JEFFREY CHAMPLIN, Henry Bull, William Dyer and Robert Jeffries) left Pocasset and migrated to the southern end of Aquidneck Island and established a new colony which became known as Newport. Jeffrey was registered as an inhabitant of Newport on November 24, 1638 and was made a Freeman there on September 14, 1640 and granted 10 acres of land. That same year, the Pocasset and Newport settlements united upon the libertarian rules of Pocasset and William Coddington was made the Colony's first governor.


  • Note: The commonly referred to State name of Rhode Island is actually short for RHODE ISLAND AND THE PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS. It is comprised, for the most part of an inverted horseshoe shaped mainland in the middle of which lies a large island known as Rhode Island. Aquidneck was the original name for RHODE ISLAND (the island); and the Providence Plantations referred to those mainland colonies or "plantations" which were founded by Roger Williams (Providence), Samuel Gorton (Shawmet) and William Arnold (Pawtucket).


He was a Cordwainer/Property/Public Official from 1638 to 1685 in Rhode Island. (1) At Newport, Jeffrey engaged in the buying and selling of property and was thought to have become a cordwainer. Cordwainers were leather workers who made use of cordovan (a soft, colored leather usually made of sheep, goat, or dog skin, or split horse hide) to design and make custom made shoes. This was considered to be a pre-eminent profession in those days.


In the "Colonial and Land Records" the following account of Jeffrey's acquisition of land is given: "Whereas, according to certain orders, made for the Establishing and giving Assurance of the Land, Be it known, Therefore that Geoffrey Champlin and Richard Sarle, having exhibited their acquaintances, under the Treasurer's hand, of Newport, wherein appears fully satisfaction to be given, for the number of twenty Acres of Land, Lying within the precincts of such bounds as the Committee, by Order appointed, did bound it withal, together with ten acres apiece given and granted to them gratis, by the Towne, for and in consideration of Service done by them, which number, together with the former, amounting to Forty acres, is thus laid forth. Four acres apiece for homelots, lying in the Towne, and six acres apiece, lying next to William Cowly's land and adjoined upon Thomas Hazard's land, a highway passing there-through, with half a Cow's hay in harbour Marsh lying at the first Entrance, and three acres of Marsh, lying at Sachnet, next the falls, Mr. Smith's Marsh, lying on the South East side thereof with, another parcel of Sixteen acres, more less, lying..."(remainder of entry missing - possibly burned).

References
  1.   Noyes. http:/noyes.rootsweb.com/wga44.html number I12595. (Seems well researched).
  2.   MISC:
    -May 8, 1671 Jeffery Champlin beinge by the Towne of Westerly chossen to serve on the petty Jurry and not attending that service is fined Twenty shillings. [RI General Court of Trials 1671-1704, by Jane Fletcher Fiske, 1998, p. 5]