Martha HAZARD

Martha married Thomas WILCOX in 1686 in Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut. Thomas (son of Stephen WILCOX and Hannah HAZARD) was born on 18 Feb 1663 in Kington, Washington Co., Rhode Island; died in 1728 in Exeter, Washington Co., Rhode Island. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Robert WILCOX was born in 1705 in Washington Co., Rhode Island; died in 1735 in South Kingstown, Washington Co. Rhode Island.
2. Hannah WILCOX was born in 1710 in North Kingstown, Rhode Island; died on 26 Aug 1801 in Foster, Rhode Island.

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ROBERT HAZARD was born 1635; he died 1710. In 1665 he was admitted freeman of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. From this time until 1698 his name often appears in the Colonial records as chosen to fill some important position. In 1658, he sold John Roome, of Portsmouth, all his interest in Conanicut and Dutch Island. In 1667, the Court of Plymouth ordered, in reference to a controversy between the English and Indians about bounds in Dartmouth, that in case Robert Hazard, of Rhode Island, could be procured, he should run the lines, etc. In 1670, he was juryman. In 1671, he bought five hundred acres of land in Kingstown, of the Pettaquamscutt purchasers. In 1676, he and three others of Portsmouth were a committee ordered by the Assembly to appoint their own men as keepers of Indians above twelve years of age. The Indians were to have "a sufficient place of security." Any master offending was to pay a fine of L5. In 1676, Robert Hazard was on a committee to procure boats for the colony's defence "for the present, and there were to be four boats with five or six men in each." At the same date he and three others were empowered to take exact account of all the inhabitants on the island, "English, negroes and Indians, and make a list of the same, and also to take exact account how all persons are provided with corn, guns, powder, shot and lead." A barrel of powder was put in charge of himself and three others, and two great guns in the yard of John Borden." Robert Hazard and three others were to see that the guns were set on carriages and fitted for service. In 1676, he was taxed 11s. 7d. in Kingstown.

Not long after this date he built his house in Kingstown, which was still standing in the early part of the present century. It was on the site where now stands the houe owned and occupied by the daughters of William Watson, Esq., in the village of Mooresfield. The old house was very large,---possibly the largest in the town, not only at that time but for many years after. A well authenticated story is told of Dr. William Shaw, who, being called in to attend a sick person in the house, drove into the back yard, and entered the house by the kitchen door. When he went out, he asked if the family always walked from the front door to the rear of the house, or did they have some conveyance? The ell was longer than the main body of the house, and in this ell was a capacious chimney. Inside the chimney were two stone seats, wehre, tradition says, the little slave children were wont to sit; the heat from the big oak-logs being not bad substitute for the hot sands of Africa.

In 1695, Robert Hazard gave to his son George the larger part of his Pettaquamscutt purchase. The deed runs: "I, Robert Hazard, late of Portsmouth, now of Kingstown, alias Rochester, for the natural affection that I have unto my son George,....have given to him all my whole right and interest in or to the farm I live on now, by virtue of a deed from the whole Company of Purchasers, as may appear by a deed given under their hand. Said farm contains five hundred acres of land, more or less, bounded as in my original deed from aforesaid purchasers. Only I, said Robert Hazard, do reserve one hundred and twenty acres, and my now dwelling-house." the boundaries mention a big rock in the boundary line, about ten feet high. This rock is still to be seen in a substantial stone wall, and gave rise to the familiar name of his grandson Robert, who was called "Roc" Robert. This was also his signature, Robert Roc (his mark) Hazard. In 1710, a short time before his death, Robert sold the remaining part of this farm, with "my manor house where I now live," to his son Robert ( for L300, current money), who, in 1718, gave it by will to his son Robert, after his mother's death; making three Roberts who had successively owned and occupied the old house. The last, upon the death of his mother in 1739, sold to his uncle George the remaining part of the farm. he in his turn gave the whole farm to his son, Col. Thomas Hazard, by will, in 1743. col. Thomas, in 1748, sold it to John rose. And thus, after sixty years, the old homestead passed out of the possession of the Hazard family.

Previous to the deed of gift to his son George, Robert had, in 1692, given to his son Stephen "all rights and interests in land belonging to Point Judith Neck, being ye seventh part of ye same, excepting one hundred acres and Little Neck, so called, next Boston Neck."

In 1695, he also gave his son Jeremiah two hundred acres of land in Tiverton; and that his eldest son Thomas had land given to him by his father, is proved by the fact that in his will he says, "land that came to me by inheritance from my father, Robert Hazard." By these deeds it would seem that Robert hazard owned more than one thousand acres of land.

Robert married Mary BROWNELL. Mary (daughter of Thomas BROWNELL and Ann BOURNE) was born in 1639 in Portsmouth, Newport Co., Rhode Island ; died on 12 Jan 1739 in Newport, Rhode Island. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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In an old copy of the Boston Gazette, dated Feb. 12, 1739, is found the following notice: "Newport, Feb 9. Mrs. Mary Hazard, widow of Mr. Robert hazard, of South Kingston, and Grand Mother to the deceased George Hazard, Esq., late Deputy Governor of Rhode Island, departed this life the 28th day of January last, in the HUNDREDTH year of her age, who was decently interr'd the Wednesday following. She had 500 Children, Grand Children, and Great Grand Children, and left behing her now living two hundred and five of the aforesaid number. She was accounted a very useful Gentlewoman both to the Poor and Rich on many accounts, and particularly amongst Sick Persons for her Skill & Judgement, which she did Gratis."