Wightman, George

George married Updike, Elizabeth about 1663 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI. Elizabeth (daughter of Den Dyck, Gysbert Op and Smith, Catherine) was born before 27 Jul 1644 in New Amsterdam, Montgomery Co., NY; was christened on 27 Jul 1644 in New Amsterdam, Montgomery Co., NY; died between 1712 and 1716 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elizabeth married Huling, Captain Alexander about 1689. Alexander (son of Huling, James and Walton, Margaret) was born about 1665 in Newport, Newport Co., RI; died on 29 Jul 1725 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI; was buried in North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Aylice married Wait, Samuel Jr. about 1696. Samuel was born about 1660 in Probably Portsmouth, RI; died in Apr 1752 in Exeter, Washington Co., RI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Valentine married Holmes, Susannah on 10 Feb 1703. Susannah was born about 1682 in Probably Newport, RI; died on 07 Apr 1728 in Groton, New London Co., CT. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Alexander married Spink, ElizabethNorth Kingstown, Washington Co., RI. Elizabeth was born about 1673 in Kingston, Washington Co., RI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Havens, Mary. Mary (daughter of Havens, Thomas and Hearing, Mary) was born in 1692; died on 30 Jun 1787. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Havens, William. William died before 12 Jun 1733. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Abraham married Stark, Susannah on 19 Apr 1737 in Lebanon Twp., New London Co., CT. Susannah was born about 1715; died in 1813 in Colchester, New London Co., CT. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• DAR Ancestor Number: A059427
• Tombstone Photo: Shaftsbury, Bennington Co., VT; Center Shaftsbury Cemetery

Notes:

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=zmottel&id=I1347
Alexander was born January 29, 1737/8 at North Kingstown, Rhode Island. He first married Susannah Brown, prior to April 9, 1762 when as Susannah Huling she gave a receipt for a legacy by the will of her grandfather, Benjamin Congdon, to her Father Ebenezer Brown. She died in 1773, having had one son, John, who was born in October, 1764. Alexander's second wife, Mary Havens [Allen] was the widow of his first cousin once removed, John Allen. They were married at North Kingstown by Elder Phillip Jenkins on March 31, 1777.

Alexander was a private soldier in the French and Indian War, and later the captain of a privateer in that same war. After the war, he was master of the sloop Lucinda, owned by John Brown. In 1777 he moved to Vermont, arriving at Bennington on August 16, 1777, where he and his son John participated in the Battle of Bennington as volunteers. He later served nine days in Captain Jonas Galusha's Company (October, 1780). Thus, however brief his service, he was a veteran of the American War for Independence.

In 1878, our ancestor George M. Huling dictated a letter to his son Edwin, which was addressed to Ray Greene Huling, containing reminiscences of his grandfather Alexander. An excerpt follows:

My father says his first remembrance of Capt. Alex was about the year 1810 or 12 (when) he was living in Shaftsbury, Vt. ... Capt. Alex soon became a cripple after I remember him but with all his suffering...he had a remarkable facility for relating anecdotes and experiences of his early life. He first served as a private soldier in the French war under Johnson. We then find him engaged in the same war as captain of a privateer. One anecdote of the cruise I clearly remember. He says he was cruising off the coast of New England; he being a man of clear eyesight was the first to discover a speck on the water. After sailing on the direction indicated a few hours the rest of the crew were able to discern it; they put on all the sail and made for it when they soon found out it was a large French man-of-war. He told his officers they had better give up the chase as he thought she carried too many guns for them. When they intimated a want of courage on his part; he then resolved to test their own courage, let the result be what it might. Keeping after the stranger, who made no effort to get out of the way, they soon came near enough to convince the whole crew she was too strong for them and they all admitted their inability to cope with them. The captain replied that they were so anxious to get a taste of the enemy's gunpowder that they should now have an opportunity. They sailed close enough to give the Frigate a broadside and receiving one themselves in turn they concluded to change their course and being faster sailer than their enemy they soon got out of reach but not without loss of life, as one of the enemy's cannon balls passed through the kitchen breaking a stone jar and cut a Negro cook in two parts. Afterward they were taken by a large French frigate and made prisoner of war. He lost all his property .... he remained prisoner but a short time when he was exchanged. After peace was declared he engaged in the service of sailing a ship for John Brown of Providence, R. I. He made several successful voyages to the West Indies, New Orleans, and other parts. (He) was engaged in Brown's service several years, but when on a homeward trip from the Indies, he experienced such terrific seas off Cape Hatteras that he expected every moment the ship would be lost. He then resolved if he ever reached port he would forever quit sailing: he kept his promise....

Another incident happened when he was sailing which perhaps would be worth mentioning, when out at sea he picked up a crew of 6 or 7 sailors in an open boat whose vessel had been struck with lightening; they were nearly famished; he kindly took care of them. They being French, fortunately he fell in with a French ship within a few days who received them and took them home in safety. Capt. Alex. being short of provisions, the French captain supplied him freely.

Capt. Alex. was a man of good habits but he would have his quart of rum every week; a habit he got accustomed to when at sea. My father frequently got it for him when a boy. (He was) honest and upright in his deal; a man of small stature but a compact and wirey frame...

Alexander died May 31, 1816 in his 79th year, and is buried in the Center Shaftsbury Cemetery, Shaftsbury, Vermont.

Alexander married Brown, Susannah on 09 Apr 1762 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI. Susannah was born in 1740 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI; died in 1773 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Alexander married Allen, Mary Havens on 31 Mar 1777 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI. Mary was born about 1742; died on 17 Jun 1818 in Shaftsbury, Bennington Co., VT; was buried in Shaftsbury, Bennington Co., VT. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Allen, Jonathan. Jonathan (son of Allen, John and Mansfield, Sarah) was born on 06 Aug 1717 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI; died on 13 Apr 1811 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., RI; was buried in NK083, Green and Allen, N.Kingston, Chimney Rock Rd. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Martha married Randall, Sylvester on 16 Nov 1757 in Norwich, New London Co., CT. Sylvester was born in 1735 in Stonington, New London Co., CT; died on 07 Aug 1808 in Colchester, New London Co., CT. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]