Thomas Sweet of Rhode Island, Blacksmith

June 23, 2015 — ancestors, blacksmith, family tree, Rhode Island

Rhode Island native

My 5th great-grandfather was born in Rhode Island. He was a blacksmith by trade, which is fascinating to me because items he made may still be buried in Rhode Island and New York.  We will never know.  He was in the militia during the Revolution, but his son served in his place for most of his time.  He sold his shop and moved to upstate New York in 1779, where his granddaughter would meet and marry Daniel Rowland Morse.  The rest is history.

Thomas Sweet (1732 – 1813)
is my 5th great grandfather
Thomas Sweet (1765 – 1844)
son of Thomas Sweet
Valentine Sweet (1791 – 1858)
son of Samuel Thomas Sweet
Sarah LaVina Sweet (1840 – 1923)
daughter of Valentine Sweet
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Sarah LaVina Sweet
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse

Thomas Sweet, son of James and Mary Sweet was a blacksmith, born in North Kingston, RI.
South Kingston, RI Deed Book 5 p. 639 dated 4-21-1757 states Daniel Stedman yeoman of S. Kingston for 160 pounds in bill of old tenor deeded 2 acres of land in So. Kingston to Thomas Sweet, blacksmith. April 1766 Thomas Sweet freeman of So. Kingston, RI Book 6 p. 383 Indenture 6-19-1766 between Thomas sweet blacksmith of S. Kingston and John Robinson for 150 pounds paid by Robinson – mortgages land in So. Kingston which dwelling house, blacksmith shop and Cole house. Paid in full, signed by John Robinson in 1769.
In 1779 Thomas Sweet sold the land, house and blacksmith shop to Thomas Champlin, Jr. for 1050 pounds. He moved to Albany Co. NY which became Rensselaer County. “Thomas Sweet, a Blacksmith, settled early at South Berlin” and “A blacksmith shop was opened by Thomas Sweet on the east side of the road, a short distance north of Sweet’s Corners”.
He was in the Militia of Rhode Island during the Revolutionary War period, but his son William substituted for him in all but one month in Newport, when William stated in his pension application that his father went for himself. His service is accepted by the DAR, my application approved, A819
Thomas served as a Corporal from RI in the Militia, under Capt. Samuel Potter. RI State Archives Index of Mil. & Nav. Recs. He resided in South Kingston, Washington Co., RI during the war.
He married first possibly Hannah Congdon by 1757, had one child, Thomas Jr., prior to his marriage to Frances Congdon in 1760, in RI.
He died in Rensselaer Co., NY March 26, 1813, in an accident by a falling tree in Little Hoosick, NY.
References:
Declaration of service for Revolutionary War of his son William Sweet.
Compendium of American Genealogy Vol. Vii p. 508
1790 US Census; NY; Albany Co;, StephenTown; p. 286; 1 male over age 16 in household
1800 Census NY, Rensselaer Co., Hoosick p. 16A
History of Rensselaer Co., town of Berlin
DAR Patriot Index Centennial Edition p. 2867.