Robert Field I ²⁰⁹⁶

   FamilySearch ID: LZXJ-G7C. Find a Grave ID: 183862538.

  General Notes:

99. ROBERT FIELD (William, Christopher, John, Christopher, John, Richard, Thomas, Adam, Richard, Roger), bap. Halifax Parish, in Sowerby, England; March 9, 1605; m, in Halifax, Nov. 23, 1624, Ruth Fairbank of Hipperholme. She d. and he m. 2d at Bradford, May 18, 1630, Elizabeth Taylor. She d. and he m. 3d, Charity__________, who was living as his widow in 1673. In the reign of Charles I., in consequence of civil war and the persecutions of Protestants, during the interval between A. D. 1629 and A. D. 1640, upward of twenty thousand liberty-loving Englishmen emigrated to, and found homes, in the then new world. Among them was Robert Field, whose name we find first recorded in America at Newport and Portsmouth A. D. 1638, then co-operating with Roger Williams (who was banished A. D. 1635, and who founded an asylum in Rhode Island), in forming society and establishing civil and religious liberty A. D. 1638-41. Then, during an interval of three years, his name in public affairs is not mentioned, and does not occur again until A. D. 1644. Robert Field is at that time reported as having arrived from England - he with his family probably came in the same ship with Roger Williams, who, returning the second time to America, landed at Boston in that year. He then settled at Flushing, Long Island, A. D. 1645, and became the ancestor of the Fields of that place. He had a son, Anthony, b. in England, A. D. 1638. He d. before 1673. Res. Halifax, England; Newport, R. I. and Bayside, Flushing, Long Island.

McCracken has a long discussion on the English origins of Robert Field, the emigrant, and concludes that there is no evidence that he was of Sowerby or that he married first Ruth Fairbank of Hipperholme and secondly, in Bradford, Elizabeth Taylor. The theory that he had the two marriages was proved doubtful to Osgood Field, upon whom Pierce drew but repeated as true. In the end Osgood Field stated only that Robert¹ Field had married Charity____ at an unknown time and place. "In this respect, he can hardly be wrong." In addition McCracken points out "the names characteristic of the Flushing family, except for Robert, are not to be found in the Sowerby family."

From the Great Migration Newsletter (see source for Land and Immigration):
"Robert Field: One of twelve men granted land at Portsmouth on 23 August 1638 [RICR 1:59], (Most of these men were from Newbury, so this man may well be the "Robert Field of Yealing, laborer," who sailed for New' England in 1635 from Southampton on the James, a ship that carried many Newbury settlers [GM 2:2:522].) Admitted freeman at Newport, 17 December 1639 [RICR 1:95]. In 16 March 1640/1 combined list of freemen of Portsmouth and Newport [RICR 1:111], Not traced further." ^2096,2100

  Research Notes:

For a discussion in 1959 of the English origins and following that the genealogy of the family see "The Fields of Flushing, Long Island" in NEHGR beginning at page 197 by George McCracken, Drake University:
https://www.americanancestors.org/DB202/i/11596/197/0
goes through Elnathan to page 216 and is continued on page 267 which starts with Nathaniel, son of Robert (Robert¹) and concludes on page 289.

  Events

• Immigration: from Southampton on ship James, 1635, Newport County, RI. ^2101,2102

• Land: granted, 23 Aug 1638, Portsmouth, Rhode Island. ²¹⁰¹

• Freeman, 17 Dec 1639, Newport County, RI. ²¹⁰¹

• residence: named in original patent of Flushing, 19 Oct 1645, Flushing, NY. ²⁰⁷⁸

• Land: conveyed to brothers Robert and Anthony, 12 Feb 1653/54, Flushing, NY. ²⁰⁷⁴ Both brothers would have been of age, giving them birth years by 1633.

• Biography: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Field-766. extensive well done examination that uses McCracken

• Religion: Quaker who signed the "Flushing Remonstrance," 27 Dec 1657, Flushing, New York. ²⁰⁷⁸ For a transcription of the Remonstance see
https://flushingfriends.org/history/flushing-remonstrance/
Background and references see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flushing_Remonstrance

Robert married Ruth Fairbank 23 Nov 1624 in Halifax, Yorkshire, England.²⁰⁹⁶ (Ruth Fairbank was born in Hipperholme, West Yorkshire, England and died before 1630.)

Robert next married Elizabeth Taylor 18 May 1630 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England.²⁰⁹⁶

Robert next married Charity By 1632 in Flushing, Long Island.²⁰⁹⁷ (Charity died after 1673.)