Thomas1 Painter lived at Hingham, Charlestown, and Rowley, Mass., between 1637 and 1644. In 1655 he was made freeman of Newport, R. I., and spent the remainder of his life there and at Westerly, R. I., where his name appears, together with that of his son Shubael, on the list of freemen. He married first Katharine -----, who died in 1641; and secondly ----- -----. Winthrop tells us in his History (vol. 2, p. 174), under date of 1644: "A poor man of Hingham, one Painter, who had lived at New Haven and at Rowley and Charlestown, and been scandalous and burdensome by his idle and troublesome behaviour to them all, was now on the sudden turned anabaptist, and having a child born, he would not suffer his wife to bring it to the ordinance of baptism, for she was a member of the church, though himself were not. Being presented for this, and enjoined to suffer the child to be baptized, he still refusing, and disturbing the church, he was again brought to the court not only for his former contempt, but also for saying that our baptism was antichristian; and in the open court he affirmed the same." For this he was whipped, and "endured his punishment with much obstinacy, and when he was loosed, he said boastingly, that God had marvelously assisted him."
