JOSEPH CLARKE

• Death Notes
  • Clarke, Joseph
    Birth : 9 Dec 1618 Westhorpe, Suffolk, England
    Death : 1 Jun 1694 Newport, Newport Co, Rhode Island
    

• General Notes
  • He sailed from England in or about 1637, and settled in Aquidneck, at Newport, RI, in 1638. Three of his brothers also emigrated, Thomas, John and Carewe, but they left no decendants. His brother was Rev. Dr. John Clarke who with Roger Williams founded R.I.
    Joseph Clarke, born 9 Dec. 1618 and baptized 16 December, Westhorp, Suffolk, England. Died 1 June 1694, age 76, at Newport, or possibly, Westerly, R.I. Married Margaret Turner, who died in 1694 in Newport. He may have had a first wife. "Brother of John Clarke of the `Witter Incident', who was a founder of Rhode Island. Emigrated by 1638. A founder of the Baptist Church of Newport, 1644. He came to Massachusetts with the Puritans but he was a Baptist but soon moved on to R.I. Member of the General Court, 1640. Freeman, 1655. At Westerly in 1668. Large landowner. Commissioner in 1644 and 1657-1659. Assistant, 1658, 1663, 1678 and 1679. Member of Court of Justice of Peace, 1667. At Newport 16809 until death. A freeman of Boston 1634/5, where he was called Clerke." [Note: Earlier said emigrated by 1638. Must have meant emigrated to Rhode Island by that date.]
        John it was who brought the family bible with him which eventually, after his death, passed into Joseph's hands.
        Nothing is known about his first marriage. His second wife was one Margaret, who died at Newport in 1694.
    
    Joseph Clarke, the first of the line to emigrate; born 9 Dec. and baptized 16 Dec. 1618 at Westhorpe, Suffolk, England. Sailed from England about 1637 and settled in Rhode Island. He became an inhabitant of the Island of Aquidneck at Newport in 1638. Three of his brothers, Thomas, John and Carewe, also emigrated, but they left no descendants. Nothing is known about his first marriage; his second was to Margaret _____________, who died at Newport in 1694. He died 1 June 1694 at Newport. He was made a freeman 17 March 1641 and was an original member of the first Baptist Church at Newport, founded 1644. He performed many civic duties, and his name appeared on the Royal Charter sent to Rhode Island by King Charles II, Joseph being among those to whom the charter was granted. He was in Westerly in 1668, being named a freeman that year, and was a representative to the General Assemby as deputy in 1668-1670, 1672 and 1690. He returned to live in Newport in his declining years, and he may have died there, although it is said he died in Westerly.
    was a commissioner for Rhode Island from 1655-1659. He had 10 children, including Joseph Jr. and Sarah, who married Thomas Reynolds 11 Oct. 1683.