West, Francis Homestead, 1681, North Kingston, Rhode Island
Susanna Soule West Home1948, North Kingston, Rhode Island
Picture was taken from a painting by Brennan in 1948. The picture was by Clarence C, Cole. The house was torn down in 1952. This home, built about 300 years ago.
Soule HouseGeorge Soule Mayflower pilgrim
George Soule was a passenger on the Mayflower and another direct-line ancestor of ours. George made the voyage as a teacher of Edward Winslow's children, and later married Mary Buckett in Plymouth sometime before 1627. He was a Plymouth volunteer for the Pequot War in 1637 and was a signer of the Mayflower Compact. The list of signers is here. On the compact he is listed as an "Adventurer" not as one of the Pilgrims. He died in Duxbury sometime between when he updated his will (20 September 1677) and when his inventory was taken (22 January 1679-1680). Upon his death, he provided in his will that our ancestress (and his daughter) Susannah would be left with a whopping twelve pence. Now, you may be thinking, 'Oh, but in those times that could have been a lot!' Until you realize that he left enormous lots of land to his children Nathaniel, George, Elizabeth and Patience. My guess is that either he wasn't terribly fond of our Susannah, or he perhaps didn't like her husband. (Which is funny, given the rebellious nature of Nathaniel and Elizabeth, whom were both found guilty of fornication in the village - Elizabeth twice with a Nathaniel Church and her brother Nathaniel for "lying with an Indian woman". 3 He "was centanced to be whipt att the post, which accordingly was inflicted; likewise, the woman was publickly whipt att the post for this fact. And the said Soule is ordered by the Court to paye ten bushells of Indian corne to the said Indian woman towards the keeping of the child." Yeah, seems this lot's blood ran a little hot for those pesky Puritans.) Of course, this is speculation on my part, but according to the Plymouth Colony Archival holdings at the University of Virginia, Susannah's husband Francis West (sometimes spelled Wost, Wast, etc.) stole a hog and a firearm from a Native American and was told by the courts to pay the man thirty shillings for the hog and to return the gun.(1 June 1669 [PCR vol. 5, p. 22]) Which, hey, to me? Doesn't say much for his "sterling" character, if you get my drift.
Besides the fornicating madness and various small land disputes, I also find it amusing that George's son Nathaniel (mentioned above) was summoned to court for "his abusing of Mr John Holmes, teacher of the church of Christ att Duxburrow, by many false, scandulous, and approbriouse speeches"see here, and George's wife Mary was brought (along with many others) to court for "frequently absenting themselues from the publicke worship of God, were sentanced by the Court to pay, according to order of Court, each ten shillings". Sounds like they were no fan of the church there, or at least its ministry. Geez, what a bunch of hellions!
found on ancestry.com
Francis West (1620-1687) Immigrant and wife Susannah Soule (1642-1716)
1600s , England and Massachusetts and Rhode Island
The Boston Transcript speaks of a written record about her family left by Susannah Soule (1642-1716), wife of Francis West (1620-1687). It says that Francis West came from England "soon after the first settlement" and lists the names of their seven sons and two daughters.
In the George Soule Mayflower Families source, Samuel West wrote in a diary of Great Grandfather Francis West that he "came to America soon after the first settlement at Plymouth and married a daughter of George Soule and that his sons were Francis, Thomas, Peter, William, Richard, Clement, and John and daughters Martha (who married a Fones) and Susanna (she married a Barber).
George Soule was a passenger on the Mayflower and another direct-line ancestor of ours. George made the voyage as a teacher of Edward Winslow's children, and later married Mary Buckett in Plymouth sometime before 1627. He was a Plymouth volunteer for the Pequot War in 1637 and was a signer of the Mayflower Compact. The list of signers is here. On the compact he is listed as an "Adventurer" not as one of the Pilgrims. He died in Duxbury sometime between when he updated his will (20 September 1677) and when his inventory was taken (22 January 1679-1680). Upon his death, he provided in his will that our ancestress (and his daughter) Susannah would be left with a whopping twelve pence. Now, you may be thinking, 'Oh, but in those times that could have been a lot!' Until you realize that he left enormous lots of land to his children Nathaniel, George, Elizabeth and Patience. My guess is that either he wasn't terribly fond of our Susannah, or he perhaps didn't like her husband. (Which is funny, given the rebellious nature of Nathaniel and Elizabeth, whom were both found guilty of fornication in the village - Elizabeth twice with a Nathaniel Church and her brother Nathaniel for "lying with an Indian woman". 3 He "was centanced to be whipt att the post, which accordingly was inflicted; likewise, the woman was publickly whipt att the post for this fact. And the said Soule is ordered by the Court to paye ten bushells of Indian corne to the said Indian woman towards the keeping of the child." Yeah, seems this lot's blood ran a little hot for those pesky Puritans.) Of course, this is speculation on my part, but according to the Plymouth Colony Archival holdings at the University of Virginia, Susannah's husband Francis West (sometimes spelled Wost, Wast, etc.) stole a hog and a firearm from a Native American and was told by the courts to pay the man thirty shillings for the hog and to return the gun.(1 June 1669 [PCR vol. 5, p. 22]) Which, hey, to me? Doesn't say much for his "sterling" character, if you get my drift.
Besides the fornicating madness and various small land disputes, I also find it amusing that George's son Nathaniel (mentioned above) was summoned to court for "his abusing of Mr John Holmes, teacher of the church of Christ att Duxburrow, by many false, scandulous, and approbriouse speeches"see here, and George's wife Mary was brought (along with many others) to court for "frequently absenting themselues from the publicke worship of God, were sentanced by the Court to pay, according to order of Court, each ten shillings". Sounds like they were no fan of the church there, or at least its ministry. Geez, what a bunch of hellions!
found on ancestry.com
Francis West (1620-1687) Immigrant and wife Susannah Soule (1642-1716)
1600s , England and Massachusetts and Rhode Island
The Boston Transcript speaks of a written record about her family left by Susannah Soule (1642-1716), wife of Francis West (1620-1687). It says that Francis West came from England "soon after the first settlement" and lists the names of their seven sons and two daughters.
In the George Soule Mayflower Families source, Samuel West wrote in a diary of Great Grandfather Francis West that he "came to America soon after the first settlement at Plymouth and married a daughter of George Soule and that his sons were Francis, Thomas, Peter, William, Richard, Clement, and John and daughters Martha (who married a Fones) and Susanna (she married a Barber).
Francis West lived at Plymouth Colony for about 20 years, but he is never on record as owning land there.
In a 29 October 1668 Taunton court record, Francis West was tried for stealing a hog and a gun from an Indian. He was ordered to pay 30s for the hog and to return the gun.
Francis West left Plymouth Colony in the 1670s and relocated to Kingstown, Rhode Island. His older children were born in Plymouth and the younger children (at least the last 3) were born in Kingstown. Francis West was on the 06 September 1687 tax list for Kingstown, Rhode Island to pay 2s 1p.
Sources: A Contribution ... Soule by G. T. Ridlon, 1926; Boston Transcripts; Mayflower Families, George Soule by R. S. Wakefield, 1992
found on ancestry.com
Susanna Soule
v. SUSANNA SOULE , born about 1642, Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts; died after 1684, Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island; married FRANCIS WEST, about 1661, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts; born about 1635, Europe; died after September 6, 1687. Notes for SUSANNA SOULE: The only proof that she married Francis is the diary of Samuel West. He wrote that his great-grandfather Francis West came to America soon after the first settlement at Plymouth and married a daughter of George Soule. Notes for FRANCIS WEST: The October 29, 1668 court record states that Philip, the sachem of Pocanokett, requested justice against Francis Wast because Francis took a gun from one of his men. The case was referred to the Selectmen of Taunton. On June 1, 1669 the court ordered Francis to pay 30 shillings to the Indians for a hog he took and return the gun to them.
found on ancestry.com
Notes
Susanna2 Soule (George1) born probably Duxbury, about 1642, died probably Kings Towne, Rhode Island in or after 1684. She married place and date unknown Francis Wast/West and resided with him in that part of Kings Towne Rhode Island which became North Kingstown in 1722/3. The place or date of birth, date of death or parentage have not been found for Francis. When Govenor Andros took over the King's Province in 1687, he levied taxes on the inhabitants of Kingstown Rhode Island - renamed Rochester. Included in the list were Francis Wast, Sr., Francis Wast, Jr., and Richard Wast. Only Francis, Sr., had a rate, that of 2 shillings 1 pence. The children of this family have been difficult to trace. Francis, Susannah, and Martha remained in the Kingstown Rhode Island area; William removed to Newport, Rhode Island probably after the death of his first wife; Clement moved to Charlestown, Rhode Island and then disappears from Rhode Island records, perhaps moving to Dutchess County, New York; Richard returned to Plymouth and Bristol County, living in Middleboro and Taunton. Have not found Peter, John nor Thomas. This family name has a variety of spellings in the public records; Wast, West, Waste, Weast being common variants. Some of Susanna's children are identified in the Samuel West Memorandum Book pub. in the Mayflower Descendant.
found on ancestry.com
George soule is my 10th great grandfather, and I come from his daughter Susanna's line.
ReplyDeleteWas very excited when ancestry connected me with somebody from the Mayflower. Love finding out more and more.
I appreciate you for providing the information for me to keep exploring.
*Cj Theresa thorsos