PAUL L. TRIPP SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Paul L. Tripp grew up in Michigan. He now lives in Cedar Hills, Utah, where you can reach him by mail at 9785 N Harvey Circle, Cedar Hills, Utah 84062. He recently traveled to China to teach English. He may again travel, and can be emailed at okaycreativepaul@yahoo.com.
It was from Michigan he began his personal family history research in 1955. He has research experience in many source documents, including US and Canadian Censuses, state censuses, military records, vital records like birth, marriage and death records, cemetery and church records, court records, wills, land records, federal National Archives, and other documentary records.
JOHN THE FOUNDER NOTES BY PAUL L. TRIPP
I attach, below, ALL my notes on John the Founder, as found in my PAF file, which I named ALLFAM.PAF. PAF is Personal Ancestral File, an extensive family history software manager, available as a free download at www.familysearch.org.
I have a smattering of additional notes, not here below, on John the Founder. Some may be valuable, although they are mixed among some 10,000 pages of my life’s research notes in 76 volumes, which I name PLT ARCHIVES. I recently completed a limited index, some 645 entries, to these pages, contained in an EXCEL file, now named BookmarksIndexPLT Archives.xls, now available free from me. [Ask me at my email address, above.]
The original papers of PLT ARCHIVES, my 50 year collected set of research volumes I refer to, are archived at New Bedford Public Library, New Bedford, Massachusetts, it being the closest historic (genealogical) library to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the New World home of John The Founder.
I recently converted these same papers to electronic format, now contained in 76 files in PDF format, maintained by me on my Apple laptop. PDF format can be read by many programs, principally, Adobe Acrobat Reader, the world’s most common document reader.
I think you and your web site browsers will find my notes on the life of John the Founder interesting.
In particular, Note 2 presents my transcription of the AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN TRIPP, along with my interpretive notes about the affidavit. Reference #1 and Reference #2.
Note 4 discusses John’s baptism date in the Horkstow Parish Register.
Note 5 cites the marriage of John’s parents, John Tripp and Esable Moyses, 30 July 1609, in Horkstow, some 25 months before John’s baptism, September 8, 1611. John was possibly their oldest child, but there could have been another first.
Three issues, in particular, confront us:
1. A hundred-year-error that John was born in Northumberland county, now clearly dispelled by the Horkstow Parish Register and John’s Affidavit.
2. A recent error he was born in Skirbeck, Lincoln county.
3. Historic calculated or approximated dates of birth. While the Horkstow Parish Record and Horkstow Bishop’s Transcript give no date of birth for John, each gives the date of baptism (or, christening, as is often cited) as 8 September 1611.
It is the marriage record of John and Esable, along with the baptism record of John, plus the Affidavit of John, in combination, that provide firm evidence John the Founder was born in Horkstow and is indeed the son of John and Esable.
1. In the Affidavit John names his parents, John Tripp and Isabel Moses. John also states his birthplace, Horkstow, Lincolnshire.
2. The marriage record names John Tripp and Esable Moyses, married 30 July 1609.
3. The baptism record connects “John” the son of “John Trippe,” and names the baptism date, 8 September 1611.
John the Founder’s birthplace is represented in certain documents in the LDS Family History Library and its sister website, www.familysearch.org as Skirbeck, Lincoln, England. Likely there is a John Tripp born in Skirbeck, but in my experience it is impossible it could be John the Founder. Skirbeck is 30 miles southeast of Lincoln, while Horkstow is 25 miles north of Lincoln.
After over 50 years of research on the Tripp family [admittedly, most on Tripps closer to me], I have a strong desire to help the millions of descendants of John the Founder to have as accurate a picture of him and his pastoral English and Colonial America setting as possible.
Whatever you can do in your presentation of information about John the Founder to offer accurate information will be pleasing to all of us, as his descendants. That is why I have reviewed my research on him, and offer my notes-with-sources as an assist to you in presenting accurate information.
SYLVANUS TRIPP OF MAINE
I had earlier thought the case with Sylvanus was settled. It seemed others and I had concluded Sylvanus was a son of John the Founder. It seemed logical, although I had not done any research on Sylvanus. Still haven’t.
I have reviewed the AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN TRIPP (1611), however, and conclude it is no longer correct to show Sylvanus as the son of John. Note 10, therein, is a discussion of the Sylvanus subject. This is good news, because it points us to other alternatives and new research. It is bad news, because we had Sylvanus comfortably slotted. Descendants of Sylvanus, take heart: My Note 10 suggests Horkstow and Lincoln research ideas.
COLUMN ON JOHN THE FOUNDER
I notice one of your websites contains reference to my recent column on John the Founder. Thank you. The column contains both text and pictures. The text talks about the experience of John coming to Boston, the persecution he experienced, then his group’s expulsion to Portsmouth. The pictures are edited excerpts [in JPG format] from the Horkstow Parish Register and from the Affidavit of John. This is your authority to extract this column from my website, ancestryfinders.com, and place the document with its pictures at your respective websites, with the request you keep the text, pictures and my authorship intact.
Paul L. Tripp’s Notes:
1. ” Original founder and proprietor of Portsmouth, RI, in 1638; aged 49 in 1660 sworn in court. Deputy RI Assembly 1648,1654-58,1661-64,1666-69,1672; Commissioners Court, 1665, Assistant or member Governor’s Council 1670, 1673-75. His wife, “Mary(d1687) daughter of Anthony Paine m. Rose Potter”. PLT ARCHIVES, V16, which cites Abridged Compendium of Immigrant Ancestors, Verkus, V3, p687, 1928.+ 4.1) 4/91: “One of the proprietors and founders of Portsmouth 6 mo 23d 1638”, per Leonard, Tripp Chapter, New Bedford Library, 929.1 L556L V2, p 1d.
2. In research, March 1991, in the New Bedford Library, (curator Mr. Cyr), I found:
a. THE AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN TRIPP (1611-1677): “The Relation of John ye said John Tripp concerning the plases of his aboad First I was born in Horstow in Lincolne Sheire 3 miles from Barton Humber and my father name was John Tripp and my mother name was Isabel Moses before she was marryed my father when she was a maid and they had about 12 children and much kindred we had and when I grew in yeares I was put an apprentice to a sheipt carpendist carpender whose name was John Baats of Thorsbe 3 miles of from Alford in Lincone Shire afore said where I served 7 yiare and somtime after wrought with him and after that I bound myself to one Frances East for 4 pounds a year for 4 years who sould me after I had served him and his asign for about a year and a half hee sould me to Robert Jafra then living in Boston and Boston Church members persecuting som to the ofending of others my master came to Rhod Island with the said persacuted people and I with him and his wife being sickly and they could not git their maid to com to Rhod Island with them because Boston members cried out against Rhod Island people whom the said members had expeled from them therefore my master was forsed to sel me to Randal Houlding of porth mouth one Rhod Island and I served a xxxx while and after bought out the rest of time of him and after a while I married a wife whose maden name was Mary Paine I being about thirty or twenty eight years old or thereabouts and the Lord hath given us Eleven Children of which one is ded the eldest is 29 yeares old and upward this 17 of the second month 1670 prased be the our Rock who hath been help and unto us at all times gives what thou plesest it is marcy from the to receive anything for the Earth and See is all thine and the fulness thereof.”
b. This is a commentary by me on the AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN TRIPP: The document is a handwritten single page narrative by John by which I estimate his birth date as 1611 [later research, Horkstow Parish Register gives baptismal date as 8 September 1611] and birthplace as Horkstow, Lincolnshire, his parents having “about 12 children”, his apprenticeship of 7 years [c. 1625-1634] as a ship carpenter in Thoresby, Lincolnshire under John Baats (Bates?). He then [c. 1634] “bound” himself to Frances East for four years @ 4 pounds/year. After 1 1/2 years [c. 1635/6], East sold the contract to Robert Jafra “then living in Boston”. [John doesn’t make it clear whether he immigrated at the commencement of the contract w/ East [c.1634], or at the time his contract was sold to Jafra of Boston[c.1636]. [Finding East in Boston about 1634 would prove John’s immigration then.] Jafra and his “sickly” wife departed Boston due to persecution of “some to the offending of others”. John explains Jafra “came to Rhode Island with the said persecuted people and I with him and his wife”. Curiously, John says Jafra was forced to sell the contract because he couldn’t get his maid to come out of Boston with them, for “Boston members cried out against Rhode Island people” [July, 1999: Column of Paul L. Tripp on John the Founder, at internet site ancestryfinders.com] after they had “expelled” them. [Valentine, likely quoting an earlier writer, says John came to Portsmouth on the same boat with William Hall. [Two of William’s children married John’s children: William Hall married Alice Tripp and Deliverance Hall married Abiel] For this to jive with John’s RESOLUTION, it could be that (1) William Hall was part of the expelled Boston people, and (2) Jafra, Hall and John Tripp, and all the “persecuted people” traveled from Boston to Portsmouth by ship, not overland, which is logical, considering there were probably no roads and threat of hostile Indians.] Jafra was “forced to sell me” to Randal Houlding of Portsmouth [c. 1638] “After a while” John “bought out the rest of time with him” and “after a while I married…Mary Paine I being about thirty or twenty eight years old and the Lord hath given us eleven children [see note about Sylvanus Tripp, below] of which one is ded; the eldest is 29 years old and upward [one] this 17 on the second month 1670 [17 April 1670?]”. [Mr. Cyr of New Bedford Library pointed out the method of writing the date, sans name of month, is Quaker, growing out of the belief use of names of the months, viz., January, February, etc., was forbidden because most such names represent pagan gods].
c. This is the most valuable document by John I know of. Finding out who contributed a photocopy of it to New Bedford Library, and when, would be helpful. And what event in 1670 caused John to make it? Citizenship, or the right to hold an office? And just which of his 11 children had died before 1670? I have only 10, all living beyond 1670. point. PLT.
d. Bibliography– From a visit to the New Bedford Library, March, 1991, I increased my respect for George Randall, the most prolific original chronicler of Tripp records in history. More should be done to learn about Randall. An article, a column, a tribute to George, I believe. In addition to his two published books [Descendants of John, Jr., and Descendants of James, both the sons of John the Founder] his unpublished manuscripts, at New Bedford Library, include:
i. Descendents of Abiel Tripp. 33pp, typescript, indexed.
ii. Descendents of Joseph Tripp, 146pp, typescript, indexed.
iii. Descendents of Peleg Tripp, 55pp, typescript, unindexed.
iv. Descendents of Sylvanus Tripp, 37pp, typescript, unindexed.
v. Ancestors and Kindred of Enoch Bartlett Tripp, 67pp, unindexed. @
e. Bibliography– Other books or manuscripts in the New Bedford Library:
i. Descendents of Sylvanus Tripp, 25pp, ed. by Steven Tripp, 1991, earlier compiled by Benjamin F. Tripp.
ii. Genealogical record of Augustus Tripp of Lanesboro, Mass, by George A. Tripp, Chicago, 13pp, 18 Nov 1914.
iii. A chapter on “Tripp”, about 40pp, from a two volume collection of New Bedford area vital statistics, by Leonard, c.1890. @
iv. And a book, thick but meaningless, “Tripp-Wilcox and Allied Families”, 1943.
3. In Portsmouth, in March 1991, I learned there is a little-functioning historical society (that was closed when I was there), a Society of Friends with cemetery dating from earliest times, town hall with civil records, and a wharf under the Bristol bridge, on the east side, which may well have been “Abiel’s Wharf” from which he launched his ferry boats to Bristol. Comical, I asked a florist across the street, whose business name is “Bristol Ferry Florist” if that was the wharf for the Bristol Ferry. “I didn’t know there was a Bristol Ferry,” he replied. The cemetery for the Friends church was loaded with names of those who married the Tripps, but no Tripps. I conclude John may well be buried there, however, because they tell me the church had been on that spot continuously since 1654, 23 years before John’s death. “The earliest burials here were without tombstone, which was the practice of the early Quakers”, I was told. The Portsmouth Friends records are in the Newport Historical Society, I was told. Another early cemetery, nearly across from the State Police barracks on Main, had many related names, including many Coggleshalls.
4. June, 1992: Research in FHL, per Horkstow Parish Register, FHL# 1450458 and PLT ARCHIVES, VOL 55, I find John’s baptism record, “John the sonne of John Trippe bapt Sept 8”, the year in the record is “Anno 1611”. I wonder what source Randall (it IS Randall, isn’t it?) gives for citing John’s birthplace as Northumberland County, England, which all researchers seem to have formerly accepted. And, recently, I find someone gives his birthplace as Skirback, Lincoln, England. I haven’t looked at this one, but there must be a John Tripp there [not surprising!], born about the same time. I’d like to see Skirback scuttled or there’ll be a replication of THAT error.
5. Marriage of John [the father of John the Founder] to Esable Moyses per Bishop’s Transcript Horkstow Parish Register, FHL #0504248, PLT ARCHIVES, V66 p.43. (Paul’s comment on this document); and to Elizabeth Moyses, per Horkstow Parish Register, FHL# 1450458 and PLT ARCHIVES, VOL 55. Both dates are 30 July 1609. PLT<This note by Paul L. Tripp, Desc of John the Founder, © 1999>
6. Valentine gives a detailed documentary record of John, p61-67, showing him to be industrious, civic, a leader. She cites “no less than 80 references to John”. He appeared in Portsmouth in 1638, in Providence 16 May 1648. He had come over “in the same ship” with William Hall in 1635. Three of John’s children married William’s children. Valentine, p61-67. [Dr. Carolyn Valentine, author and descendant of John the Founder, “Tripp Wills, Deeds and Ways”, Valentine Studios, Washington, DC, 1932. Carolyn Valentine is a descendant of John the Founder. Note – you may download this book courtesy of Paul Tripp, but it is s very large file over 22 MB of data. Her mother was born in Wayne County, NY, and I think Carolyn was too. She is a great-granddaughter of James Tripp and Margaret Green, pioneers of Seneca County, NY. Bill Dean, Seneca County family historian, says “What a woman! At about age 30 she was President of the all-male Natural History Society in Galen. She was a photographer, raised fancy poultry in her later years. She had a Genealogy service in Washington, DC. She wrote for Harpers Bazaar and the Rural New Yorker.”.]
7. Valentine concludes, “John was most surely a man of keen mind and great personal integrity, for his name comes into prominence in every essential matter.” and, John was a Quaker it seems Valentine believed, “at this period every privilege that high authority could offer was for members of the established church–the church of England, and that every indignity and tax that could be conceived was visited upon non-members, under many colonial governments.” John, she suggests, was part of the suffering group–Quakers. Valentine, p66.
8. Death date of John, per “A History of Rhode Island Ferries”, Augusta and Chapin, HE5783RHC41925, p163; per research of Mark Fields, 2/91. 6)April, 1991:
9. Will 6 Dec 1677, probated 28 Oct 1678, per Leonard, Tripp Chapter, New Bedford Library, 929.1 L556L V2, p 1d.
10. July, 1999: A note about Sylvanus Tripp of Maine: Earlier I accepted the conclusions of others, placing Sylvanus Tripp of Maine as the eleventh and last child of John. I was also influenced by Randall’s manuscript of Sylvanus’ descendants which I saw as an extension of his other manuscripts which trace selected sons of John the Founder. I realize now, however, Sylvanus is not a son of John the Founder. From the 1670 Affidavit of John the Founder, John therein counted his children as 11, with one “ded”, as he states in the Affidavit. With John’s ten children who lived well past 1670, this leaves no room for Sylvanus, then about 8 years old. At least we know Sylvanus has a father elsewhere, although it was nice the descendants of Sylvanus for a while had a place to call home and hang their hat. I’ll bet Sylvanus is in the Horkstow Parish Register, or another nearby, in Lincoln. A descendant of Sylvanus could become famous, as I have with John, by finding the English roots of Sylvanus. I say this because I do not think it is unconnected coincidence that John arrived in the new world in 1635, and another Tripp, Sylvanus, arrived, as I calculate at about his age 25, which would be about 1687, at Maine. Anyway, I think Sylvanus followed John The Founder. John may have sent letters to his kin in Horkstow. Rather than a son, Sylvanus may be John’s nephew. That’s why I say, check the Horkstow Parish Register, about 1662, Sylvanus’ calculated birth year. Oh, say, how about this? Sylvanus is a grandson of John. Born in 1662, he could easily be a son of John Jr., Peleg or Joseph. I know, Randall doesn’t show a Sylvanus as son of these. That would be too easy. Of these two choices, I’d check out Horkstow and surrounding Parish Records. Horkstow is in the Family History Library, and so also, I suppose, are the nearby others. PLT
A second entry in the IGI gives SPdate of 28 May 1981 ALBER.