Jeffrey I CHAMPLIN

• General Notes
  • aka Geoffrey
    
    b. (Bideford, Devon, England) (or possibly the Azores) est. 1621
    poss. m. to another spouse (poss. Charlotte GARDE), who d. < 1650,
    migrated to Pocasset, RI est. Apr 1638
    granted 10 acres of land in Sep 1640 in Newport, RI
    m. Newport, RI est. 1649-1650 prob. to Eulalia Vladi GARDE
    migrated to Misquamicut region along Pawcatuck River (western RI) in 1661, purchasing the land from Chief Socoa with other settlers and founding the town of Westerly
    sold all Newport properties by 1669
    took oath of allegiance to RI on 17 May 1671
    d. Westerly, Washington, RI btwn. 1688-1695
    prob. buried in family cemetery on son William's farm (today Westerly Historical Cemetery #03)
    
    note:  PocassetI later renamed Portsmouth
    
    notes from researcher Bob CHAMPLIN:
    Jeffery Champlin, the immigrant and progenitor of the Champlin name in America, was born at Bideford (Devonshire) England circa 1621. While this date is unsubstantiated, it is likely to be fairly accurate as Jeffrey's children were born in the 1650's and he died at Westerly, RI sometime between 1688 and 1695.
    
    He emigrated between 1627 and 1638 from Portsmouth, Rhode Island. (1) It is not known how Jeffrey came to the New World (or when), although there are reports that he was in Boston as early as 1627. The first white settlement on Aquidneck* took place in March 1638 on the north end of the island at Pocasset (renamed Portsmouth in 1640). This colony was founded by Anne Hutchinson and her small group of religious libertarians. They had met in the Boston home of prominent merchant William Coddington on March 7, 1638. This small group were greatly at odds with and frequently harassed by Massachusetts' ruling Puritans. Huthinson's group calling themselves the "Bodie Politick", drew up a compact in much the same way as did the Mayflower passengers. Their sworn agreement read as follows:
    
    "We, whose names are underwritten, do here solemly, in the presence of Jehovah, incorporate ourselves into a Bodie Politick, and as He shall help, will submit ourselves, lives and estates unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to all those perfect and most absolute laws of His given to us in His Holy Word of truth, to be guided and judged thereby".
    
    This compact was signed by: Anne & William Hutchinson, William Coddington, Henry Bull, John Clarke, John Coggeshall, William Aspinwall, William Dyer, Nicholas Easton, (an illegible name), William Baulstone, John Sanford, Philip Sherman, John Walker, Samuel Wilbour, Richard Carder, and William Freeborn. Coddington purchased the island of Aquidneck* from the Indians and the group founded Pocasset in April of 1638. The following, taken from the records of that colony, show that Jeffrey was likely there from the very beginning: "On the 28th of the 2nd month 1639 Upon the complainte of Jeffrey Champlin in the behalfe of a debt due to William Cowly and himselfe from Mr. Aspinwall, warrent was granted forth, for the attachment of his shallopp till both that debt and other actions of the case be satisfied and discharged by him". (Note: under the Julian Calendar in use at the time, the 2nd month was April and 1639 would have been 1638 today).
    
    A power struggle between Coddington and Hutchinson, based on religious interpretations and applications to daily life, developed soon after the settlement began. Shortly afterward, Coddington and his supporters (John Clarke, Nicholas Easton, John Coggeshall, William Brenton, Jeremy Clarke, Thomas Hazard, JEFFREY CHAMPLIN, Henry Bull, William Dyer and Robert Jeffries) left Pocasset and migrated to the southern end of Aquidneck Island and established a new colony which became known as Newport. Jeffrey was registered as an inhabitant of Newport on November 24, 1638 and was made a Freeman there on September 14, 1640 and granted 10 acres of land. That same year, the Pocasset and Newport settlements united upon the libertarian rules of Pocasset and William Coddington was made the Colony's first governor.
    
    
    *Note: The commonly referred to State name of Rhode Island is actually short for RHODE ISLAND AND THE PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS. It is comprised, for the most part of an inverted horseshoe shaped mainland in the middle of which lies a large island known as Rhode Island. Aquidneck was the original name for RHODE ISLAND (the island); and the Providence Plantations referred to those mainland colonies or "plantations" which were founded by Roger Williams (Providence), Samuel Gorton (Shawmet) and William Arnold (Pawtucket).
    
    
    He was a Cordwainer/Property/Public Official from 1638 to 1685 in Rhode Island. (1) At Newport, Jeffrey engaged in the buying and selling of property and was thought to have become a cordwainer. Cordwainers were leather workers who made use of cordovan (a soft, colored leather usually made of sheep, goat, or dog skin, or split horse hide) to design and make custom made shoes. This was considered to be a pre-eminent profession in those days.
    
    
    In the "Colonial and Land Records" the following account of Jeffrey's acquisition of land is given: "Whereas, according to certain orders, made for the Establishing and giving Assurance of the Land, Be it known, Therefore that Geoffrey Champlin and Richard Sarle, having exhibited their acquaintances, under the Treasurer's hand, of Newport, wherein appears fully satisfaction to be given, for the number of twenty Acres of Land, Lying within the precincts of such bounds as the Committee, by Order appointed, did bound it withal, together with ten acres apiece given and granted to them gratis, by the Towne, for and in consideration of Service done by them, which number, together with the former, amounting to Forty acres, is thus laid forth. Four acres apiece for homelots, lying in the Towne, and six acres apiece, lying next to William Cowly's land and adjoined upon Thomas Hazard's land, a highway passing there-through, with half a Cow's hay in harbour Marsh lying at the first Entrance, and three acres of Marsh, lying at Sachnet, next the falls, Mr. Smith's Marsh, lying on the South East side thereof with, another parcel of Sixteen acres, more less, lying..."(remainder of entry missing - possibly burned).
    
    
    Soon after the granting of this land in 1640, Jeffrey bought out the portions belonging to Richard Searle and William Cowley and sold both to Henry Bull: "Memorandum that Geoffrey Champlin of Newport, having bought and purchased of Wm Cowley and Richard Sarle their pts and ptions of land in that feeld that lay between ye Land granted to Thomas Hazard and Edward Robinson at ye South end of ye Towne, and ye sd Geoffrey had made over and soald unto Henry Bull of ye said Towne, for a valowable consideration given and received, whereon ye sd Geoffrey doth disclaime all interest in ye sd Land and doth acknowledge full propriety to belong to Henry Bull, his heires, executors, administrators and assignes to ye world's end". This transfer took place late in 1644.
    
    
    Jeffrey purchased twenty acres located on the east side of Robert Griffin's property from Adam Mott, Sr. in 1646. He sold ten acres "Adjoining his house lot" (Newport) to William Brenton of Boston in 1657.
    
    
    In 1661, Jeffrey migrated to the region of Misquamicut along the Pawcatuck River (in the western part of what is modern day Rhode Island) with another group of dissatisfied settlers comprising 24 other families. There, they founded the town of Westerly - Jeffrey signing a document which purchased Misquamicut from Chief Socoa in 1661. About 75 people signed this document but only a few actually removed to what was to become Westerly. He took the oath of allegiance to Rhode Island on May 17, 1671 and three days later he was fined 20 shillings for refusing jury duty. Jeffrey was elected to the Westerly Town Council in 1680 and was Moderator of the Westerly Town Meetings from 1680 - 1684. He was Deputy in the Rhode Island Assembly from 1681 - 1686. In 1685, Jeffrey was assigned to survey highways".
    
    By 1699, Jeffrey had sold all of his properties in Newport - the last seeming to be a 40 acre tract (which included his home lot and dwelling) that was purchased by Walter Clarke. In the deed of transfer, Jeffrey was called a shoemaker.
    
    He died between 1688 and 1695 in Westerley, Rhode Island. (1)(2) (3) Many of the early vital records of Rhode Island were destroyed by fire during the American Revolution, while others were removed by the British and sent to New York by boat. This ship was sunk in New York harbor before its cargo could be unloaded. Eventually, the records were recovered but most were no longer readable. The last known recorded mention of Jeffrey during his lifetime was made in 1688. In 1695, his eldest son (Jeffrey) refers to Jeffrey Sr. in a document by saying: "Know all men by these presents that I, Jeffrey Champlin of Kingstown do own and acknowledge that my brother William Champlin and Brother Christopher Champlin have full power to dispose of that house and hundred akers of land which was my dissesed father's -- which Lyes in weterle for acknowledgement hereunto I have set my hand in the yeare 1695, December ye 6th".
    
    He was buried between 1688 and 1695 in Westerly , Rhode Island. His is believed to have been buried with his son William in the family cemetery located on William's farm. This burial ground is known today as the Westerly Historical Cemetery #03. The long abandoned cemetery is located in the midst of a tangled stand of bull briars along the south side of Shore Road between Westerly and Dunn's Corners. On May 5, 1995, Robert Raymond Champlin, Champlin family genealogist, located this burial ground. There were many small unmarked stones scattered throughout the all but impenetrable bull briars which made it impossible to get near most of them at that time of year. William's stone, which was made of shale, was found and a faint inscription was still readable. Other stones bore faint inscriptions too and were usually accompanied by several other stones that appeared to be nothing more than odd shaped rocks jutting out of the ground.
    
    Note: Many people contend that Jeffrey Champlin was a descendant of the French explorer Samuel de Champlain. The only relationship between the two is the similarity in the spellings of their respective surnames. Samuel de Champlain's real surname was Complain - not Champlian. He was the son of Anthonie de Complain and Marguerite LeRoy. To make matters worse for those who claim him as an ancestor, Samuel had no children! In 1610, Samuel married Helene Boulle who was 31 years his junior. Born at Paris, France in 1598, Helene was only 12 years old when she and Samuel married. Marriages to minor girls were legal but co-habitation was not permitted for another two years. Samuel and Helene probably never consummated their marriage as he sailed for Quebec shorly thereafter - founding the settlement of Place Royal (Montreal) in 1611. In 1620, Helene also sailed for Quebec and resided with her brother at Tadousac for four years. She then returned to France, became a nun and eventually founded an order of nuns.
    
    
    He was married to Eulalde (Ulalia?) Garde (daughter of John Garde and Rebecca Copp) about 1649/50 in Newport, Rhode Island. (1) The destruction of vital records has prevented us from knowing the date of this union or the certain identity of his wife - although it is believed that her name was Ulalia (or Eulalie Garde) daughter of John Garde and Rebecca Copp. It is believed by some (notably, Champlin genealogist William J. Hunter of Ottawa, Ontario) that Jeffrey may even have been married twice. He probably married first in England as there is no mention of his marrying in Rhode Island, and the laws being what they were, he would not have been granted land at Newport in 1640 if he wasn't already married. Whoever she was, Jeffrey's first wife must have died prior to 1650 as she would have been rather old to start bearing children in 1650-1656. Thus, Jeffrey probably married for a second time around 1649-50 with this wife being the mother of his children.
    
    
    Both wives may have been members of the Garde family. John Garde (son of Roger) migrated from Bideford to Fayal (Azores) and then to Rhode Island by 1638. He and Jeffrey owned land in the Pocasset area and when John Garde (1604-1665) and his wife "Harte" (born 1605) died, they were buried on Jeffrey's farm at Newport. Many years later, their bodies were removed and interred in the Newport City Cemetery by Jeffrey's youngest son, Christopher. John and Harte (-?-) Garde had a daughter, Charlotte, born in 1626. She may have been the second [first?] wife of Jeffrey.
    

Click here for details of Jeffrey I's family with Eulalia Ulalia GARDE

Click here for details of Jeffrey I's family with FNU LNU

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