Person talk:Daniel Knowles (2)

What is the source for the marriage of Daniel Knowles and Deborah Reynolds? Was this a first marriage? Daniel Knowles was born about 1679 and did not marry Hannah Hazard until 1721 when he was over 40 years old. So he could have been married earlier. Did he and Deborah Reynolds have children? --Bill Wright 09:18, 5 October 2008 (EDT)

Daniel Knowles married Deborah Carpenter 24 Mar 1744 in SK. She was the widow of Samuel Carpenter. I have found 3 children for Daniel Knowles and Deborah: John, Deliverance and Reynolds Knowles.

Susan

The marriage of Daniel Knowles to Deborah Carpenter on 24 Mar 1744 in SK is listed in Arnold, Vital Records of Rhode Island, Vol 5:South Kingstown:21. This does not show that Deborah Carpenter was a widow.

In 1744, Daniel Knowles, son of William Knowles and Alice Fish was 65 years old if his estimated birth in 1679 is correct. Helen Clarke Knowles Toolis, Rhode Island Genealogical Register I:68, Oct 1978, in an article "A Line of Descent from Henry Knowles of Warwick," lists the Daniel Knowles, born 1724, who married Deborah Carpenter as the son of Daniel Knowles and Hannah Hazard.

Toolis lists 8 children: Amy, born 1722; Daniel, born 1724; Robert, born 1728; Mary, born 1730; Hazard, born 1736; Deliverance, born 1739; Reynolds, born 1740; and Deborah, born 1742. All of these births occurred before the marriage of Daniel Knowles and Deborah Carpenter.

I don't find a marriage for Samuel Carpenter and Deborah Reynolds listed in Arnold, Vital Records of Rhode Island.

Deborah Carpenter widow of Solomon Carpenter, Jr, married Mr. Knowles being mentioned in the probate records for 1745 in South Kingstown, 4A:103,110. Alden G. Beaman, Rhode Island Vital Records, New Series, 1978, 5:68. Beaman, Rhode Island Genealogical Register, 12:110, "Abstracs of South Kingstown Wills, (South Kingstown Town Council and Probate, 4:103-105, has the will of Solomon Carpenter, Jr, of South Kingstown, dated 7 Sep 1743, proved 14 Nov 1743, naming a wife Deborah Carpenter and two sons under 21 and a daughter under 18. On 8 Apr 1745, Deborah Knowles admx estate of her former husband Solomon Carpenter Jr late of South Kingstown, deceased appeared.

This website http://theusgenweb.org/ri/washington/SKTC2.html says: May 4, 1759, p. 69, Deborah KNOWLES widow appeared in council and refused to take Letters of Administration on late husband Daniel KNOWLES estate ... July 1759, p. 70, Robert KNOWLES appeared and refused Letters of Administration on estate of his father Daniel KNOWLES. p. 72, ... Robert POTTER given Letter of Administration on Estate of Daniel KNOWLES ... August 20, 1759, p. 73, Benjamin REYNOLDS called to appear to answer complaint by Sylvanus GREENMAN ... ... estate of Daniel KNOWLES insolvent ...

This entry on the same website may be the source of Deborah's maiden surname, Reynolds. March 9, 1761, p. 107, ... that Charles HULL, Deborah KNOWLES and Jos CLARKE of Richmond be sited (sic) to appear before the Town Council to declare upon oath what they have of ye Estate of Benjamin REYNOLDS in their hands.

http://theusgenweb.org/ri/washington/SKTC.html. March 11, 1744/5, p. 66, Deborah CARPENTER Administratrix of the Estate of her husband Solomon CARPENTER cited to appear ... April 8, 1745, p. 71, ... that John REYNOLDS Town Sergt be appointed guardian to Samuel, Joseph and Elizabeth CARPENTER infant children to Solomon CARPENTER jr ... Whereas Jeremiah CLARKE & Daniel CARPENTER Sureties for Deborah CARPENTER Administratrix upon the Estate of Solomon CARPENTER late of this town decd appeared before this Town Council and desired that Daniel KNOWLES who lately maryed sd Administratrix should be brought under bond ... June 10, 1745, p. 73-74, Whereas Deborah CARPENTER ... married with Daniel KNOWLES ... to give bond.

We may not want to talk about this one, but maybe this is the son Daniel. From previous website: December 19, 1752, p. 221, ... Ann BRISCO a transient with Bastard child, when born likely to be chargeable ... Daniel KNOWLES appeared and offered to give bond ...

Daniel Knowles and Hannah Hazard had moved to Westerly by November, 1724. http://members.aol.com/picknell/deeds/westerly1.html Pages 137-38, Daniel Knowles and Hannah his wife, late of South Kingstown, to Robert Knowles, late of the town of Providence, 131A in Westerly bounded: John Kinyon, Samuel Lewis, Nov. 19, 1724. Witnesses: Solomon Carpenter, Francis Colegrove Jr.

I found a rootsweb tree that showed Daniel Knowles born 1691. This may be a better guess than the 1679 by Toolis. It is Hannah's age and to his being made a freeman in South Kingstown in the 1720s.

Thanks for providing the impetus for doing some more digging. --Bill Wright 22:38, 5 October 2008 (EDT)

Hi Bill,

I provided the information that appears on the Washington County GenWeb site when I took over as coordinator after Arlan resigned. The Westerly deeds are also my extraction from the micofilm records.

Deborah Reynolds was a very interesting lady who out-lived 4 husbands. I published my research about her in Rhode Island Roots Vol. 25, No. 4, Dec. 1999.

The various town council records clearly trace her from her first marriage to Elihu Palmer in January 1727, to Solomon Carpenter in 1732, to Daniel Knowles in 1744, and finally to Oliver Babcock in 1761. Oliver had been a neighbor to Elihu and Deborah (Reynolds) Palmer. Deborah was mentioned in her father's will and was probably born about 1708. In my mind there is no possibility that she was the wife of Daniel Knowles jr.

Susan

Thank you Susan. I agree that Toolis interpreted the marriage record incorrectly. I will take a look at your article. --Bill Wright 15:18, 6 October 2008 (EDT)

Excellent article. Thanks for the reference. --Bill Wright 15:57, 6 October 2008 (EDT)