Knowles, Henry 1609

(based on research & publications by Stanwood Knowles Bolton, John Osborn Austin and Bradley N. Knowles*)

Y-DNA Profile (Allele Values) for
Henry Knowles & his Direct Line Male Descendants

RHODE ISLAND PROGENITOR #01 (Kent Co.) Henry Knowles (1609 - 1670)
Marker #	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Haplo
DYS #	393	390	19	391	385a	385b	426	388	439	389-1	392	389-2	DYS #
Modal	13	25	14	11	11	13	12	12	12	13	14	29	R1b1

NOTE:

1) Test results for Rhode Island PRO #01 (above) participants produced a near perfect match (11 for 12) at the 12-marker level with participants for New York PRO #02B. However, the 25-marker results for these two progenitors are only a 21 for 25 match (genetic distance of 4), so the participants for these two progenitors who are near matches at the 12-marker level do NOT share a common Knowles ancestor.

2) A recent study conducted at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, found that a striking percentage of men in Ireland (and quite a few in Scotland) share the same Y chromosome, suggesting that the 5th-century warlord known as "Niall of the Nine Hostages" may be the ancestor of one in 12 Irishmen. Niall established a dynasty of powerful chieftains that dominated the island for six centuries. The Y-DNA profile for Knowles Rhode Island Progenitor #01 is a close match with the profile established for NIALL.

Henry Knowles immigrated to New England on the the ship Susan & Ellen in 1635 at the age of 25. The Susan and Ellen sailed from London soon after the middle of May, 1635, and crossed the Atlantic in 6 to 8 weeks. She carried 96 passengers and was commanded by Edward Payne.

Many of those on board the Susan and Ellen including Richard Saltonstall, Simon Crosby, and Ralph Hudson had come from Yorkshire. Hudson, a draper at Hull, brought his wife, three children, and five "servants" with him. Two of these "servants" were Henry Knowles, aged 25, and Benjamin Thwing, aged 16. Hudson settled in Boston, where he made his will in September 1638. At that time Thwing was still his apprentice but as Knowles is not mentioned in the will, he had no doubt come to terms with Hudson for his passage and had been released from any contract he may have made.

John Thwing of Kingston-on-Hull, Yorkshire, mentioned in his will his son-in-law Ralph Hudson, the draper. His wife, Ellen or Helen mentioned her daughter Marie and her son-in-law Ralph Hudson. This suggests Hull as the possible business home of Hudson and also of his "servants", Benjamin Thwing and Henry Knowles. Hudson is probably the person mentioned in the "Visitation of Yorkshire" of 1612, as aged 21 in 1612, the son of William and Ann (Tankard) Hudson of Normandy, Yorkshire, a town some twenty miles north of Hull. It is probable, therefore, that this Henry Knowles was related to other Knowles' who were living in Yorkshire at the time of Henry's immigration to New England. It may be worth mentioning that a William Knowles was mayor of Hull, 1525-1534, that a John Knowles was sheriff in 1543, and that in 1554 Sir William Knowles presented to the Corporation of Hull a gold chain, to be worn by the mayor every Sunday.

"Hen Knol" was on a grand jury in Newport 3 December 1643 and "Knolls" was a member of a grand jury at the Portsmouth court 7 March 1644. Henry Knowles was ordered 27 May 1644 to cut shorter his lot in Portsmouth. In the winter of 1648, he was one of 50 men who attested their submission to the government of Oliver Cromwell. He was a juryman in 1650. On 21 January 1654/55 Henry Knowles of Portsmouth sold to Thomas Lawton (Scranton?) "my nowe dwelling house," with three house lots adjoining, the fruit trees [etc] , "sittuate in portsmouth, the sayed land being by estimation nyne ackers more or lesse." In 1655 Henrie Knowles was placed on the "Roule of ye Freeman of ye Colonie of Warwicke". Warwick was a more recently settled town than Portsmouth, and he had moved from the northern end of the island on which Newport now stands westerly across Narrangansett Bay to the mainland. On 20 November 1657 he sold a house and lot to Thomas Scranton. In 1660, a six acre lot was laid out to him, on land adjoining his own.

During the winter of 1661/62 Knowles seems to have been in constant trouble. He was not an educated man, for he made his mark in place of a signature. But he was to be authorized in a few years to keep a tavern; therefore, he must have been something of "a man about town."

In Jan 1661/2 Randall Holden accused Henry Knowles of trespass. The case came before a local jury, and he was declared not guilty, receiving damages of two pence from Holden. About the same time he served on a jury for other cases in Warwick. In March, Eleazer Collins brought suit to collect ten pounds from Knowles. A compromise was effected, and the suit was withdrawn. Francis Derby of Warwick also brought a suit in April. The case was put over to a later court, and was withdrawn in August. The record here given is for one winter and spring. If other years were anywhere nearly as active, Henry Knowles must have lived a busy life.

On 23 March 1664/65 Knowles and three others were authorized by the town to keep ordinaries (a tavern) for the entertainment of strangers during the time the King's commissioners held court in Warwick. In January 1666/67 he was on a jury which reported that a dead Indian came to his end by being beaten.

In his will of 2 January 1670/71, Henry Knowles gave to his wife (whose name was not mentioned), for life, the northeastern half of the house in Warwick, which his son John was to fit conveniently for his mother's use, the meadow in front of the house, which John was to mow annually, certain other land for life, two cows and a hog, and 40s. annually. To his daughter Mary, 15 pounds, of which she was to receive 5 pounds from her brother John three years after the death of the testator and 5 pounds annually afterwards. To his daughter Martha, 20 pounds, of which 5 pounds was to be paid by John 2 years, and 5 pounds annually after that. To his son John half of the house and the rest of the lands and meadows at Warwick and Potowomut, etc., and on the decease of the testator's wife, her part of the lands "of my now dwelling" (at Kingstown?) and a calf. To his son William, the other half of these lands. To his sons William and Henry, the rest of all lands equally, "as Robert Hazard and John Albro shall divide it for their convenience." The rest of the cattle and hogs and a mare were to remain to the farm, but were eventually to be divided as his wife should see cause, the best bed at Warwick, however, to be for his wife and the other one for John, and , of "those which are here," the best was to be for Henry and the other for Martha. He charged William to be careful over Henry until the latter came of age, and then to give him full and quiet possession of the house and half of all appertaining, for two years after Henry should come of age, and William having half the nursery to plant if he should see fit. He appointed his son William executor. The will was apparently written at Kingstown, but was proved in Warwick.

It was testified by witnesses that they heard deceased say, after signing his will, that, if his son John did not take what he gave him, he was to have his brother William's right, and William was to have John's share, except the executorship, and whoever should enjoy the Warwick estate was to provide sufficient wood for their mother during her life. The 40s. was to be paid by William to his mother until Henry should come of age, and then he was to pay 20s of it.

The abstract of this will was published by Austin in his "Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island, P 334. Austin states that Henry Knowles was apparently living in Kingstown when he made his will, although it was proved at Warwick 20 January 1671.

Henry was the first of the Knowles' to become a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers). It is not known when he first joined, but the first Society of Friends was established in Newport about 1643. As the house, in which the records of their meetings were deposited, was burnt in 1676, the first regular account which is preserved, bears date in this year; but the record books of marriages, births, and deaths, are in being, and the first date which occurs in the first, in Newport, is Wednesday, 4th day, 15th 9th month, 1643; the second is Friday, 6th day, 19th 2d
month, 1644; and the third is Thursday, 5th day, 30th 7th month, 1647. These dates are after the old style. Their meetings did not at first assume the regularity for which the Society has been distinguished since the ministry of George Fox was begun in 1648; nevertheless, the records as above referred to indicate great order and devotedness to the principles which the body has adhered to uniformly since the ministrations of that man of God, performed at a Yearly Meeting, held at the dwelling-house of Gov. Coddington, in Newport, the second week in June, 1672. It is reported that their first house was built on Farewell street, about 1680; but there is a record of a marriage performed at their public meeting-house, 3m., 16th 1677.