Ralph Earle b. 1606 – Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, England founder of the Rhode Island Branch
Wikitree Profile: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Earle-82
Of the place of birth of Ralph Earle, the residence previous to emigration from England, or the ancestry of Ralph, we have no positive history.
There is a tradition among his descendants that he came from Exeter, in the year 1634, and this tradition is probably correct. There is little doubt that he was married in England, and that his wife came with him, but her maiden surname and the dates of her birth and death are unknown. Her Christian name is spelled in the old records in three different ways, viz. : lone, Jone, and Joan; we have adopted the last orthography as now the most common.
The earliest new world trace of Ralph hitherto discovered, is in the records of Newport, R. I. His name is there found under the date of “first of the eighth month” (October), 1638, in a list with fifty-eight others, arranged as:
“A catalogue of such persons who, by the Generall consent of the company, were admitted to the Inhabytants of the Island now called Aqueedneck, having submitted themselves to the Government that is, or shall be, established according to the word of God therein.”
The following is extracted from the records of Portsmouth, R. I.:
” April 30th, 1639, We, whose names are under [written, doe acknowledge*] ourselves the legell subjects of [his majestie] King Charles, and in his name [doe hereby binde] ourzelves into a civill body politicke, unto, his lawes according to matters of justice.” This declaration was signed by twenty-nine men, of whom Ralph Earle was one.
On January 7, 1640, it was ordered at a town meeting that he and his co-partner, Mr. Wilbur, ” shall serve the town with good sufficient stuff, viz: well-sawn boards at eight shillings the hundred, and half-inch boards at seven shillings, to be delivered at the pit by the waterside.”
On March 21, 1640, Ralph conveyed to William Baulstone “parcells of upland and meadow.”
In the record of a town meeting held August 26, 1647, it is stated that he was “chosen to keep an Inn to sell beer and wine, and to entertain strangers”; and at another held June 2, 1649, he was ” chosen Treasurer for this year next ensuing, and also overseer of the poor.”
At a similar meeting on the 29th of April, 1650, Ralph and five others were chosen ” for the committee for the Genei’al Assembly at Newport in May next.” On the 12th of November, 1650, it was ” voated & granted that Ralph Erl’s house wherein he now dwelleth be recorded & Inn, in e room of e former vote that he was an Inn-keeper “
On the 19th of January, 1651, he and three others were chosen “to proportion every man’s farm,” &c, for the purpose of assessing a tax for the support of a poor man; and on the 3d of June, 165 1, he was again elected town treasurer.
