LITTLE COMPTON FAMILIES Published by LITTLE COMPTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY From records compiled by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WILBOUR Little Compton, RHODE ISLAND 1967 THE PEARCE FAMILY 1. RICHARD1 PEARCE, born near Waltham Abbey, Essex County, England, died in Portsmouth, R.I., in 1678. He married in Waltham Abbey 5 May 1642 SUSANNAH WRIGHT, daughter of John and Mary (Dell) Wright. baptized 5 Aug. 1627 in Waltham Abbey, died in Portsmouth, R.I., in 1678. For further information on the Pearce and Wright families in England, see an article by Benjamin F. Wilbour in the New England Genealogical and Historical Register, volume 84, page 427. In his will, made 22 April 1677 and proved 28 Oct. 1678 in Portsmouth, he left to his son Richard his dwelling house and land, one pair of oxen with a cart and wheels, etc. To his six sons and four daughters, he left one shilling each. Children, given in Austins Rhode Island Dictionary: i. Martha, b. 13 Sept. 1645; d. 24 Feb. 1744; m. Mahershallahasbaz Dyer. ii. John, b. 8 Sept. 1647; d. 5 Dec. 1707; m. Mary Tallman, daughter of Peter and Ann Tallman. iii. Richard, b. 3 Oct. 1649; m. Experience () iv. Giles, b. 23 July 1651; d. 19 Nov. 1698; m. Elizabeth Hall, daughter of William and Mary Hall. v. Susannah, b. 20 Nov. 1652; d. 24 Dec. 1743; m. 4 Dec. 1673 George Brownell. vi. Mary, b. 6 May 1654; d. 4 May 1736; m. in 1678 Thomas Brownell. vii. Jeremiah, b. 17 Nov. 1656. viii. James, b. 6 Dec. 1658. ix. (?), b. 7 July 1661. 2. x. George, b. 10 July 1662 xi. William, b. 22 Dec. 1664. 2. GEORGE2 PEARCE (Richard1), born in Portsmouth 10 July 1662, died in LC in September 1752. He married first in LC 7 April 1687 ALICE HART of Portsmouth, daughter of Richard and Hannah Hart, born in 1669, died in LC 11 March 1718. He married second in LC 22 March 1721 TEMPERANCE KIRBY, daughter of Richard and Patience (Gifford) Hart, born 5 May 1670, died 5 Feb. 1761 in LC. His will, recorded in Taunton and proved 3 Oct. 1752: To ... wife Temperance 100 pounds and all household goods. To son James 30 pounds. To son George Pearce 1/2 my... 30 acre lot bounded southerly on Moses Butts. To grandson George Thurston 72 pounds. To daughter Mary Simmons 60 pounds. To three children James, George and Mary, rest and residue... I confirm deeds of gift to sons James and George Pearce... Children by first wife, recorded in LC with the exception of Samuel: i. Susannah, b. 21 Aug. 1688; d. 5 Aug. 1711; m. in LC 19 Dec. 1706 Edward Thurston. 3. ii. James, b. 4 Sept. 1691, iii. Samuel, b. 3 Feb. 1695; d. 29 Jan. 1705. iv. George, b. 2 March 1697. v. Mary, b. 16 May 1700; d. 3 Jan. 1755; m. in LC 3 Dec. 1721 William Simmons. 3. JAMES3 PEARCE (George2, Richard1), born in LC 4 Sept. 1691, died there 24 Sept. 1755. Residence: LC. He married first in LC 5 March 1712 MARTHA WILBORE, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Palmer) Wilbore, born in LC 22 Oct. 1690, died there 2 Sept. 1760. His will, recorded in Taunton, made Feb. 1755 and proved 7 Oct. 1755: ... To wife Martha 100 pounds old tenor, my Negro woman named Ann and all household goods and use of the best room in my dwelling house. To son William all land I bought of Samuel Crandall, John Church, William Wilbor, son of Joseph, east of Cole Brook, where he now lives, and the housing. To son Giles land I bought of Thomas Gray and Edward Gray among the 24 acre lots in LC and part of 24 acre lot I bought of William Wilbor lying west of Cole Brook and part of the 20th lot among the 24 acre lot called Ward Lot and 700 pounds. To daughter Susannah bed and furniture. To daughters Martha Tompkins, Mary Woodman and Alice Luther 50 pounds apiece... To daughter Phebe one bed and 120 pounds... Children, recorded in LC: 5 i. William, b. 19 Jan. 1713. ii. Susanna, b. 24 May 1714 (?); d. unmarried. iii. Martha, b. 14 Aug. 1717; m. 20 March 1741 in LC Joseph Tompkins. 6 iv. James, b. 24 Sept. 1719. 7 v. Giles, b. 23 March 1722. vi. Mary, b. 17 Oct. 1724; m. in LC 23 March 1749 William Woodman. 8 vii. George, b. 12 Sept. 1727. viii. Alice, b. 7 June 1730; m. in LC Jan. 1749 Jabez Luther. ix. Phebe, b. 21 Sept. 1731; d. 20 Sept. 1755; unmarried. 9 x. Samuel, b. 29 Jan. 1734. 4. GEORGE3 PEARCE (George2, Richard1), born in LC 2 March 1697, died there 22 Feb. 1764. Residence: LC. He was married in LC 20 Feb. 1717 by Richard Billings, justice, to DEBORAH SEARLE, daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah (Rogers) Searle, born in LC 17 Nov. 1695, died there 16 May 1776. His will, made 23 Nov. 1763 and proved 6 March 1764: ... To wife Deborah one hundred pounds of old tenor bills. and my Negro woman Phillis. To son Jeptha Pearce, one half of 15 acre lot, the 5th in number in the westerly tier of lots. To son Nathaniel Pearce all my homestead farm that I now live on, also my Negro man and my Negro woman named Cate, said Nathaniel to be the executor of my will. To son Richard one half of a 30 acre lot, the 32nd in number, he to have the south side of said lot and all right I have in a 24 acre lot. To daughters Alice Dwelly. Temperance Seabury, Sarah Sawyer, Ruth Horswell, Antrace Tabor, Deborah Pearce, 100 pounds apiece in bills of public credit... Her will, made 8 Oct. 1770 and proved 4 June 1776: ... To son Jepthah Pearce... To son Nathaniel my iron trammell. To son Richard my desk. To daughter Alice Dwelly the bed and furniture that belonged to my honored mother. To daughter Sarah Sawyer my great looking glass. To daughter Ruth Horswell... To daughter Deborah Manchester my tea kettle and teaspoons. To my six daughters my wearing apparel. To four daughters Sarah, Ruth, Deborah and Alice my gold beads and rest and residue. My Negro woman named Phillis is to be free of all my children and any other person at my decease... Children, recorded in LC: i. Alice, b. 4 Nov. 1718; d. 28 March 1796; m. (--) Dwelly ii. Sarah, b. 11 Nov. 1720; d. 20 July 1721. 10. iii. Jepthah, b. 20 Feb. 1722 iv. Temperance, b. 20 Jan. 1724; d. 16 March 1793; m. (1) 9 Oct. 1745 Thomas Gibbs; m. (2) Ichabod Seabury. v. Jeremiah, b. 22 Dec. 1725; d. in London, England, 13 Oct. 1750. 11. vi. Nathaniel, b. 13 Oct. 1727. vii. Sarah, b. 14 Jan. 1729; d. 28 Aug. 1780; m. in Tiverton in 1746 Josiah Sawyer Jr. viii. Ruth, b. 20 Oct. 1731; m. in LC 24 Oct. 17 50 John Horswell Jr. ix. Antrace, b. 12 Nov. 1733; m. in Tiverton 24 June 1753 Thomas Tabor Jr. x. Deborah, b. 23 Feb. 1735; d. 25 April 1795; m. Christopher Manchester. xi. Richard, b. 19 April 1736; d. in Tiverton 15 March 1817. 5. WILLIAM4 PEARCE (James3, George2 Richard1). born in LC 19 Jan. 1713, died leaving no will. Residence: LC. He married first in LC 2 Nov. 1735 ELIZABETH WOODMAN, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Briggs) Woodman of LC, born there 10 Sept. 1713. He married second ANNA (--). Children by first wife, recorded in LC: i. John, b. 30 Jan. 1736. 12. ii. James, b. 9 Oct. 1740. 13. iii. Richard, b. 26 May 1744. iv. Elizabeth, b. 14 Sept. 1749; d. young. Children by second wife: v. Peter, b. 10 Nov. 1752. vi. Elizabeth, b. 23 Aug. 1755. vii. Thomas, b. 5 April 1758. viii. Susannah, b. 2 Aug. 1759. ix. John, b. 3 Aug. 1760. Linda & Warren Pearce Colorado Springs CO 80919-4821