General Notes

American Genealogist, Vol. 20, Number 4, April 1944, page 228:
'Thomas Olney. His wife was not Marie Small but Mary Ashton; their marriage was recorded in the register of St. Albans Abbey, Herts, on 16 Sep 1629. She was baptized there on 25 Aug 1605, the daughter of James Ashton who was buried on 27 May 1651.'
=
!Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1640' Peter W. Coldham, p.128 22
Mar-11 Apr1635; The following passangers, having taken the oaths, are to be embarked in the 'Planter', Mr. Nicholas Travice, bound from London to New England.; 'With certificate from St. Albans parish, Herts.; Thomas Olney, shoemaker 35, Marie Olney 30, Thomas Olney 3, Epenetus Olney 1.
=
!'Passengers to America - Founders of New England' by M. Tepper p16-17
2 Aprilis 1635 The is vnder written namesare to be transported to New England imbarqued in the Planter Nic: Trarice Mr bound thither the p'ties have brought Certificate from the Minister of St Albons(St. Albans) in Hertfordshire, and Attestacon from the Justices of peace according to the Lords Order. Tho: Olney Shoemaker 35, Marie Olney 30, Tho Olney 3,Etenetus --
=
!BRYANT, Thomas, Descendants of
Descendants of Thomas Bryant of Chester County, Pennsylvania, narrative history

!Page 221
!THOMassachusettsS OLNEY-was born in Hertfordshire, England. in 1600, and died in Providence, R.I. in 1682.He arrived in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. 7 June 1635 on the "Planter" from London, and first settled at Salem, Massachusetts., where he was appointed surveyor and made a freeman in1636. Since he was in sympathy and supported the views of Roger Williams, he was excluded from the colony 12 Mar. 1638, and became one of the 13 original proprietors of R.I. He held many important offices in R.I.: Treasurer in 1638; 1647 commissioner to form a town government; in 1648 chosen assistant for the Province holding the position almost continuously until 1663. He was a judge of Justice Court; his name appears on the charter from Charles II, and he was one of the founders of the Baptist Church in Providence.

!When he arrived in Boston he was accompanied by his wife, Marie Small, born 1605, who died before 1679,and children Thomas, Jr., age 3, and Epenetus, age 1. They had in America other children: Nebediah, Stephen, James, Mary and Lydia. (Some sources give the wife of Thomas Olney as Marie Ashton.)

!Thomas Olney Jr., son of Thomas and Marie Olney, was born in England in 1632 and died at Providence, R.I. 11 June 1722. He was a leading citizen of Providence constantly engaged in public affairs, asassistant, member of the town council 30 years, town clerk. Ordained in 1668, he served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Providence. He married 3 July 1660 Elizabeth Marsh of Newport, who died before 1722. They had children: Thomas, William, Elizabeth, Anne and Phebe. Elizabeth, born Providence 31 Jan. 1666, died there 2 Nov. 1699; married John Sayles.
!Page 86

THOMassachusettsS OLNEY, one of the Baptists notified to depart from Massachusetts or appear at the next court, was born at St. Albans, Hertford County, England, in 1600, and came to this country in the ship, "Planter," from London, in 1635. Several years before his departure he married Mary Small [Ashton], of St. Albans, who, besides two sons, came to America with him. He was a shoemaker by trade, and settled at Salem, Massachusetts. In 1638, he and several others were licensed to depart from Massachusetts. Not going immediately they were ordered "to appear at the next court (if they be not gone before) to answer such things as shall be objected." They went. In October of the same year he had settled at Providence, where he was one of the twelve original members of the First Baptist Church, organized in 1639. His former pastor at Salem, in explaining in a letter to a brother pastor the cause of Thomas Olney's expulsion from Salem, wrote: "He wholly refused to hear the church, denying it and all the churches in the Bay to be true churches. The great censure of this, our church, was passed upon him." At Provid

American Genealogist, Vol. 20, Number 4, April 1944, page 228:
'Thomas Olney. His wife was not Marie Small but Mary Ashton; their
marriage was recorded in the register of St. Albans Abbey, Herts, on 16
Sep 1629. She was baptized there on 25 Aug 1605, the daughter of James
Ashton who was buried on 27 May 1651.'
=
Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1640' Peter W. Coldham, p.128 22
Mar-11 Apr 1635; The following passangers, having taken the oaths, are to
be embarked in the 'Planter', Mr. Nicholas Travice, bound from London to
New England.; 'With certificate from St. Albans parish, Herts.; Thomas
Olney, shoemaker 35, Marie Olney 30, Thomas Olney 3, Epenetus Olney 1.
=
'Passengers to America - Founders of New England' by M. Tepper p16-17
2 Aprilis 1635 Theis vnder written names are to be transported to New
England imbarqued in the Planter Nic: Trarice Mr bound thither the p'ties
have brought Certificate from the Minister of St Albons (St. Albans) in
Hertfordshire, and Attestacon from the Justices of peace according to the
Lords Order. Tho: Olney Shoemaker 35, Marie Olney 30, Tho Olney 3,
Etenetus --
=
BRYANT, Thomas, Descendants of
Descendants of Thomas Bryant of Chester County, Pennsylvania, narrative
history

Page 221
THOMassachusettsS OLNEY- was born in Hertfordshire, England. in 1600, and died in
Providence, R.I. in 1682. He arrived in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. 7 June 1635 on the
"Planter" from London, and first settled at Salem, Massachusetts., where he was
appointed surveyor and made a freeman in 1636. Since he was in sympathy
and supported the views of Roger Williams, he was excluded from the colony
12 Mar. 1638, and became one of the 13 original proprietors of R.I. He
held many important offices in R.I.: Treasurer in 1638; 1647 commissioner
to form a town government; in 1648 chosen assistant for the Province
holding the position almost continuously until 1663. He was a judge of
Justice Court; his name appears on the charter from Charles II, and he was
one of the founders of the Baptist Church in Providence.

When he arrived in Boston he was accompanied by his wife, Marie Small,
born 1605, who died before 1679, and children Thomas, Jr., age 3, and
Epenetus, age 1. They had in America other children: Nebediah, Stephen,
James, Mary and Lydia. (Some sources give the wife of Thomas Olney as
Marie Ashton.)

Thomas2 Olney, son of Thomas and Marie Olney, was born in England in 1632
and died at Providence, R.I. 11 June 1722. He was a leading citizen of
Providence constantly engaged in public affairs, as assistant, member of
the town council 30 years, town clerk. Ordained in 1668, he served as
pastor of the First Baptist Church of Providence. He married 3 July 1660
Elizabeth Marsh of Newport, who died before 1722. They had children:
Thomas, William, Elizabeth, Anne and Phebe. Elizabeth, born Providence 31
Jan. 1666, died there 2 Nov. 1699; married John Sayles.

References:
"Williams & Allied Families" in Americana, Vol. 29;
Arnold, Vital Records of R.I;
Austin, Genealogical Dictionary of R.I.;
Charles Banks, Planters of the Commonwealth (1930, Repr. ed., Baltimore:
Genealogy Publ. County, 1961)
=
Thayer and Burton Ancestry

Bibliographic Information: Thayer, Geo Burton. Thayer and Burton Ancestry.
Hartford Conn: Press of the Plimpton MFG. County 1894

Page 86
THOMassachusettsS OLNEY, one of the Baptists notified to depart from Massachusetts or
appear at the next court, was born at St. Albans, Hertford County,
England, in 1600, and came to this country in the ship, "Planter," from
London, in 1635. Several years before his departure he married Mary Small
[Ashton], of St. Albans, who, besides two sons, came to America with him.
He was a shoemaker by trade, and settled at Salem, Massachusetts. In 1638, he and
several others were licensed to depart from Massachusetts. Not going immediately
they were ordered "to appear at the next court (if they be not gone
before) to answer such things as shall be objected." They went. In October
of the same year he had settled at Providence, where he was one of the
twelve original members of the First Baptist Church, organized in 1639.
His former pastor at Salem, in explaining in a letter to a brother pastor
the cause of Thomas Olney's expulsion from Salem, wrote: "He wholly
refused to hear the church, denying it and all the churches in the Bay to
be true churches. The great censure of this, our church, was passed upon
him." At Providence he was twice chosen treasurer of the town, was six
times appointed commissioner, was nine times chosen assistant, four times
deputy, and was for eight years a member of the town council. His
homestead was south of the present state house, Arsenal Lane now running
through it. In 1643 he bought land and settled at Warwick. In 1656 he was
chosen judge to try cases where the amount involved did not exceed forty
shillings.

Thomas Olney was a first-class surveyor, and it is said that as he entered
upon the surrounding lands with his field book, chain and compass, and
mystic words, with the peculiar dignity of official characters of that
day, he may well have inspired the Indians with profound awe and led them
to feel [Page 86, Page 87] that no Indian could henceforth dwell upon that
part of their tribal property again. He died at Providence in 1682. During
the early settlement of New England it was claimed in Connecticut that if
a man was too bad to live with in  Massachusetts they sent him to Rhode
Island, and when they found one a little too good, they sent him to
Connecticut, while the remainder of tolerable and average orthodoxy and
respectability were allowed to remain undisturbed.

=
Correspondence from Mel Olney:
The Genealogy of Thomas Olney by James Olney gives the wife of Thomas
Olney as Marie Small. I have seen other places where his wife is given as
Mary Ashton.
Kay Martin of Oak Grove, Missouri has provided me with the following. "The
information on Mary Ashton comes from Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of
Rhode Island - or rather a correction to what was originally in that book.
The source is The American Genealogist, Vol. 20, Number 4, April 1944,
page 228: "Thomas Olney. His wife was not Marie Small but Mary Ashton;
their marriage was recorded in the register of St. Albans Abbey, Herts, on
16 Sep 1629. She was baptized there on 25 Aug 1605, the daughter of James
Ashton who was buried on 27 May 1651." Kay continues, "I don't know that
that constitutes "proof", but that's what we're going on."
Another bit of similar information came later on from Mary E. Kelchner of
Okeechobee FL. Hers took the form of photo copies of another of issue The
American Genealogist, Vol. 10 Number 2. The page numbers are 88, 89 and
90.
In October I received a letter from Winston J. Olney, of Oceanside, California.
His very interesting letter says, "In 1977 we spent a month driving around
England, Scotland and Wales, staying in B & B's all the way. At St. Albans
Cathedral, Hertsfordshire I was shown the original hand written entry in a
huge book of the marriage of Thomas Olney and Marie Ashton on Sep't 12,
1631."
In a December letter, Winston enclosed a copy of a letter he had received
from the St. Albans Cathedral which says in part, "the correct entry is :
MassachusettsRY ASHTON SEPTEMBER 16th 1629"



Thomas Olney, born in England before 1605 and died Providence,  Rhode Island between
16 June 1682 when his
son is called "Jr." and 9 October 1682 when his inventory was taken. He
was a shoemaker by trade.
This is borne out by his inventory, which included considerable numbers of
shoemaking materials. He
was married at St. Albans Abbey, Hertfordshire, England 16 September 1629
(parish register) to
Marie Ashton, the daughter of James and Alice (____) Ashton. She was
baptized in St. Albans on 25
August 1605 and died probably between 1645 (birth of last known child) and
15th of the 7th month
1659 when Thomas refers to persons who might claim thirds in a piece of
land he was selling.

Thomas Olney, his wife, Marie and their small sons, Thomas and Epenetus,
immigrated to the New
World on the ship Planter in April, 1635. His age then was called
thirty-five, wife Mary thirty, son
Thomas, three, and son Epenetus, one. He had a certificate from the
minister of St. Albans to show
before taking his departure.

They settled in Salem, Massachusetts where their third son, Nebabiah, was baptized in
1637. In that year there
were five persons in Thomas Olney's family and he received three acres in
the Salem land grant. He
was also made Freeman that year. Thomas' ability and competence were soon
recognized, for by 27
4mo 1637, he was selected as a member of the jury to hear cases in the
Essex Quarterly Courts.

The family's sojourn in Salem was short; they were among those invited to
leave the Massachusetts Bay
Colony, and they moved to Providence,  Rhode Island in 1638, where Thomas rose to a
position of importance in
the tiny colony. His clear, concise hand is seen on countless deeds and
other official documents. From
the Rhode Island Colony Records, we find a substantial record of his
considerable service to the
community, frequently under the title of respect, "Mr."

Thomas Olney was a signer of the first compact (undated, but probably
between 13 July 1638 and 27
July 1640) and received a homelot in Providence. He was one of the twelve
persons to whom Roger
Williams deeded land that he had bought of Canonicus and Miantonomi on 8
October 1638. That year
Thomas Olney was also the first Treasurer for the town of Providence.

However, Olney is much better known in his role as Court Assistant, Town
Councilman and Clerk.
Thomas was one of the original members of the Baptist church in
Providence, but in 1653/4 he and
some others withdrew from the Six-Principle group under Wickenden's
leadership to found a second
church. Olney became lay pastor for this small congregation until his
death in 1682. Thomas Olney
was made a member of a sub-committee to consider a way of preventing the
sale of ammunition to the
Indians. He was named assistant to the General Court of Tryalls many times
between 12th 3rd month
of 1652 and 1670. Several times he was chosen to be next in line as
Assistant or actually Assistant to
the Governor in Providence. He was Commissioner for Providence 6 March
1655/6, 22 May 1662
and 4 October 1662. In addition to his duties as Assistant and
Commissioner, he was several times
named a Justice of the Peace and tax collector for Providence.

Thomas Olney was a major player in the controversy over the boundaries
between Rhode Island and
her sister colonies, Connecticut and Massachusetts. He was chose, with
others, to run the northern
line of the colony and labored long on these questions. On 31 May 1666,
Thomas Olney, Sr. was
fourth on the list of Providence men who swore allegiance to King Charles
II. Thomas Olney was
added to the Town Council to make up the number in 1667.

As he entered his late sixties, Thomas provided small parcelts for his
children, but reserved the bulk
of their portions for bequests in his will. Thomas wrote his will about
three years before his death.



Be it knowne unto all people by these presents That I Thomas Olney Senior
of Providence in the
Colloney of Rhode Island & providence plantations in New England, being
weake of Body, but yet of
sound & perfect memory, Doe make, ordaine & appoynt this my last will and
Testament.

Item. I doe give & bequeath unto my Son Epenetus Olney my sixty acrs of
land which was to me from
ye towne of Providence upon my owne Right. I doe also give unto my son
Epenetus Olney a percell of
low swampie land lieing on ye north side of Wanasquatucket River, begining
at ye Swampe formerly
Called Wallers Swampe, & so reaching Westward to a deepe place in ye said
River called ye deepe
hole, together with all ye peeces of Marsh, or meadow to ye said land
adjoyneing. As also unto said
son Epenetus Olney I doe give my fifteene acrs of land on the south side
of the said
Wanasquatuckett River, together with all my peeces, or percells of meadow
or marsh on ye same
side ofye River. The which said fifteene acres of land, is three five acre
shares, one in my owne
Right, one in the Right of William Field, & on in ye Right of Thomas
James. Also unto my said son
Epenetus Olney, I doe give & bequeath all the Right of land & Comoning
which I bought of John
Joanes. All which aforementioned lands & meadowes & Every aprt & percell
thereof shall be to my
said son Epenetus Olney his owne true proper Right & lawfull inhiritance
for Ever, for him & his
heirs to use, possesse, Rent out, bargaine, sell, give away or any
otherwise despose as he at any time
shall see cause.

I doe also give unto my son Epenetus Olney one of my Cowes, & my Smiths
vice, & my Bible.

Item. I Doe give & bequeath unto my son in law John Whipple to posesse
dureing his Naturall life,
my Right in the house lott, or home share of land whereon he now dwelleth,
the which formerly
belonged to John Clawson; The which said two acres, & five acrs of land
shall after the decease of
my said son in law John whipple, Revert and belong unto John whipple the
son of my said son in law
& my Daughter Mary; But in Case my said Cousin John Whipple doe dye before
he come to ye age
of twenty one years, or without Issue, Then shall ye said land belong to
ye Eldest sirviveing Daughter
borne of ye body of my aforsaid Daughter Mary formerly the wife of my said
son in loaw John
whipple.

Item. I Doe Give, & bequeath unto my son Thomas Olney my dwelling house,
with all other my out
houseing what Ever, together with my house lot or home share of land where
on it standeth with all
the appurtenances thereunto belonging, together with all my other lands of
what sort so Ever, both
upland, meadowes, & marshes, or lands of any other sort not befor desposed
of unto my son
Epenetus Olney, & unto my son in law John Whipple; I say, all sorts of
landes & meadow, salt, or
fresh lieing upont he aforsaid Wanasquatuckett River, or upon Moshausuck
River, or leiing & being
in any other place within ye libertyes of the Towne of Providence
aforsaid. As also all landes, Rights,
claimes, Intrests, Titles or Heriditaments in any other parts, or palce to
me belonging together with
all the aformentioned landes, & houseing & meadowes & Every part, &
percell thereof to beunto my
aforsaid son Thomas Olney To have & to hold both hinselfe, his Heirs,
Exsecutors, Administrators &
Assignes as his, or Either of theire true, proper & lawfull Right and
Inhiritance for Ever. And that it
shall be lawfull for my said son Thomas Olney to posesse, improove, sett
to lease, bargaine, Sell,
Give away, or otherwise despose of, from time to time, or at any time all
the said lands, houseing &
meadowes & Every part & percell thereof as he shall see Cause.

I doe also Give unto my son Thomas Olney all my Bookes & writeings of what
sort so Ever, saveing
only one bible before desposed of unto my son Epenetus.

Item. I doe Give & bequeath unto my son in law Joseph Williams all my part
in the yoake of oxen
which is now betweene us. Item. All my Cattell which are not before
desposed of, together with all my
mooveable goods after ye Cost of my buriall is discharged, shall Equally
be devided into three parts.
One part whereof I doe give unto my son Thomas Olney. Another part thereof
I doe giveunto my so
Epenetus Olney. And the other part I doe give unto my daughter Liddea
Williams. And I Doe hereby
make, Ordaine & appoynt my son thoams Olney to be my true & lawfull
Exsecutor who shall have all
my debts, & see to pay all my debts, And to see my Body Descently Buried,
And to Execute &
performe this my will according to ye true meaneing & intent thereof. And
I doe desire, & appoynt
my loveing friends & neighbours Thomas Harris senior, & Joseph Juinkes
Senior the overseers of
this my last Will. And that I doe hereby, all & any former will, or wills
at any time by me made the
same make Null and Voyd & this only to stand in force. In wittnesse of the
premises I doe hereunto
sett my hand & seale the twenty one day of March in the yeare one Thousand
Six hundred Seventy
nine.

Thomas Olney, senior.

Thomas Field and Nathaniel Waterman appeared before the Council 17 October
1682 and proved the
will.



The Inventarey of ye Estate of Thomas Olney senr: of Providence in ye
Colloney of Road Island &
Providence plantations, Deceased, Taken & Made ye 9th day of October in
the yeare 1682.

Imprimis, In ye Parlor

weareing apparrill, & 2 hatts 3 [pair] of Stockins & i [pair] of shooes
4 bedd blanketts
3 small bedd blanketts
1 brancht Coverlidd
2 fringed Coverlidds
2 old Ruggs
i feather bedd of Inglish ticken
i feather bed
i flock bedd
3 feather pillowes
i feather bolster
i feather bolster
2 old feather bolsters
i Teaster bedstud
i sett of Old Curtains & vallians
linnen Capps, handkircheirfs & bands
i shirt
10 Table napkins
2 small Table Cloathes
2 pillow Cases
3 Coarse towells
3 Coarse Sheets
i Sheete
2 brushes
i Trunke with a lock upon it
i Brisse kittle
i Brasse Kittle patcht
i Brasse Kittle
i little Iron Kittle
i Iron pott
2 [pair] of pott hookes
Grid Iron
i hand Cleaver
i fryeing pann
i spitt
i [pair] of Tongs
i [pair] of And Irons
i Trammill, & saw palte turned for a tramill
i old dripping pann
i [pair] of old Bellowes
i Paile & i Tray
2 old pewter Chamber potts
i brasse skillett & a Chafeing dish
old IRon morter & pestle
i qurt, Glasse bottle, a halfe pint Glasse bottle & a Cann
i stone Jugg
i old Case & 3 Square bottles
Shoomakers tooles, & a hammer
i Table Napkin
2 boxes
2 old joynt Chaires, & a joynt stoole
i smale Table
i Great Chaire
i fourme

In ye hall chamber

3 Brasse Candlesticks, one brass Skimmer, & one small brasse Skillett
without a frame
Peuter potts, platters, spoones & Cupps, & a bedd pann, all old
i dosen of Trenchers
i Chest
3 [pair] of sheets
i [pair] of sheets
3 Coarse old sheets
3 pillow Cases
i shirt
i [pair] of drawers, a trusse, & one towell
i Chest with a lock
i old hoggshead, & one old Barrill


In ye old bed Roome in ye dwelling house

2 yards & 3 quarters of Carsey
10 yardes & a halfe of blanketing
4 yardes of woolen homeSpun Cloath
2 yardes & halfe of home made Cloath
Almost 2 yardes of white full'd Cloath
i bed blankett
i old blankett
i dublett
i Chest

In ye shopp

i Smiths vice
2 Curriors shaves
a sett of hoops for Cart wheeles
Shoomakers lasts
hempe & ye box it is in

In ye orchard

i old Tubb & a barrill

In ye Cellar

2 tubbs

In ye Parlor

3 Cart boxes, in lince pinn & a washer
Lead
hempe teare
Dry hides in all ye places where they lye, at Tho: Olney junrs: house in
ye towne, & what Tho:
Olney tooke to tann, & what be Else where in out housen formerly belonging
to Tho: Olney
deceased

At ye Kittchen

one Bible
3 old peeces of Bibles in ye Parlor

Att Tho: Olneys house

3 Bookes, namely Ainsworths Anotations, A Concordance, & fishers Ashford
Dispute
i Mortizeing Axe
i fann
In money, 2 pounds, 14s.
4 Cowes, in ye deceased Tho: Olneys yard

This Inventory was made ye yeare & day aforsd by us

Tho: Olney

Thomas harris senr

Thomas Field

Severall things, which were afterwards thought on,

In ye shopp, i Hetchell
In ye Kittchen i Gunn
2 Axelltree pinnes
Att Epenetus Oleys house I old broad Axe
i old Ads
i Tennant saw
i wedge
Att Tho: Olneys house, i wooden bottle
i old Small drawing knife
i hand Saw
i stone hammer, or small Sledge
i Tennant Saw
i last knife
Att Mr Jinks his house, one wooden Bottle
Att Tho: Olneys house, i Table, old & shattred

Tho: Olney

Thomas Harris senr:

Thomas Field:

The sum totall of this Inventory amounts to 78 pounds, 9s., 5d. If no
mistake be in Casting up.