Francis Colegrove, Sr. – The Patriarch (c. 1663-c. 1759)
The first Colegrove in America was Francis Colegrove. He was born between 1663-1667 in either Wales or England. He immigrated to Rhode Island between 1680-1688. Here is what William Colegrove wrote of him in his 1894 book, The History and Genealogy of the Colegrove Family in America:
“…the Colegrove’s in the United States are descended from Francis Colegrove, who came from London, England to Warwick, Rhode Island about the year 1683, or possibly as early as 1680. He was probably born at or near Swansea in Wales…
“…a company of Baptists came in 1663 from Swansea in Wales, and established the town of Swanzey, Massachusetts – ten miles from Providence, RI – supposing that place to be within the Colony founded by their countryman, Roger Williams.
“This seemed to afford a presumptive reason why the young Francis Colegrove, originally from Swansea in Wales, coming to America, should, as he did, settle some five miles from Pittice, and perhaps ten miles from his compatriots at Swanzey, MA.
“Francis the Patriarch, as I find it convenient to call him, did not seem very patriarchal at first, being only sixteen years old when he came; and his means were evidently small, as he is said to have paid his passage by serving as a Cabin-boy of the ship which brought him.
“He was married twice. By the first wife he had four sons; and by the second he had one son and two daughters (twins). His oldest son at an early age lost his life in the service of his country at the taking of Port Royal, Nova Scotia, in 1710, – leaving a widow and three little children…
“One son remained in Rhode Island, – and became a substantial citizen of much influence in his community, and trained up a large family. The other three sons removed to what is now the State of New York…
“The twin Daughters were named Mary and Elizabeth. Of these, Elizabeth, was married to a man named John Williams; but concerning the other no record has been found.”
Francis’s first wife was Ann or Anne or Anna. William Colegrove records the name of his second wife as Hannah. It is
assumed by many researchers that William may have mixed up information on Francis the Patriarch and his son Francis, Jr. Francis Jr’s wife was Hannah Bailey. So, either Francis, Sr remarried another woman named Hannah, as it was a common name, or else he did not remarry. Also many speculate that the twin daughters Elizabeth and Mary may have actually been Francis Jr and Hannah’s children, not Francis, Sr. We may never know.
As for Francis Sr and his wife Anne’s children –
- Eli
- Stephen
- Francis, Jr
- John
- William
“Very near the village of Oneco, not far from the State line between Connecticut and Rhode Island, is an old cemetery in which are buried [some of Stephen Colegrove’s descendants]… It is rather probable that the Patriarch Francis is also buried there; but there is no monument to show it; and no one can be found who has any knowledge of the old graves without monuments.
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