John Albro, Quaker Pioneer

July 7, 2015 — #ancestors #archetypes # insight #history, Ipswich, John Albro, Quaker, Quaker John, Rhode Island, William Freeborn

monument

My 9th great-grandfather sailed to America in 1634 when he was only 17. He lived a long and productive life in Rhode Island.

John* (Quaker John) Albro was born 14 JAN 1617 in Warwickshire, England and died 17 DEC 1712 in Portsmouth, Newport Co. Rhode Island at the Quaker settlement (date of death given as November 1, 1712 in “The Greene Family and Its Branches” by Lora S. LaMance, Chapter XXXV, page 220)

John Albro came on the ship “Francis” in 1634 from Ipswich to New England under the care of William Freeborn. His age was called 14, which was not exact but as near as was often the case in making returns to the officials. In 1638 he accompanied William Freeborn to Rhode Island. In 1639 John Albro was a granted a lot if he would build in one year. In 1644 he was made a corporal, rising successively in after years to the office of Lieutenant, Captain and Major. Sometime in 1649 he was made a member of the Town Council, and served frequently as Moderator of town meetings, even into old age.

In 1655, John became a freeman, and a commissioner from 1660-61. On August 24, 1676, he was a member of the court martial held at Newport for the trial of certain Indians. (From the Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island) He is an ancestor of Gilbert Stuart (painter of George Washington).

John Albro (1617 – 1712)
is my 9th great grandfather
Elizabeth Albro (1646 – 1720)
daughter of John Albro
Benjamin Congdon (1676 – 1756)
son of Elizabeth Albro
William Congdon (1711 – 1755)
son of Benjamin Congdon
Frances Congdon (1738 – 1755)
daughter of William Congdon
Thomas Sweet (1765 – 1844)
son of Frances Congdon
Valentine Sweet (1791 – 1858)
son of 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

Major John Albro was one of the most active and influential settlers of Portsmouth, RI. He came from Ipswich, Eng., in the ship Francis, sailing from Ipswich Apr 30, 1634. He was born in England in 1617. He came under the care of William Freeborn and was only seventeen years of age. They landed at Boston and four years later (1638) came to Portsmouth RI. John then being 21 yrs. of age. His fellow townsmen soon began to give him much to do with the affairs of the community. In 1649 he was a member of the town council and he often served as moderator of the town meetings. even into old age. In 1686 King James appointed him as a member of Sir Edmund Andros’ Council for New Eng. and he attended the first meeting of this council in Boston, Dec. 30th of that year. He served as one of the commissioners of the Colony to lay out the W/Eastern? line of the Colony in 1678. During King Phillip’s War he was one of the commissioners to order, watch and ward the the island. He died at Portsmouth, Dec. 14, 1712, and in the 95th years of his age. The Friends’ Records, in recording the death of this useful man state that he “was buried in his own orchard”.