Individual Details

I have estimated a birth of perhaps 1625 since his daughter Margaret was age 14 in 1647.

Although the old references state that Anne Comstock, widow, married John Smith the Mason, I believe she married his son John Smith, instead. The John Smith, referred to as "Mason" in the Providence Town Records had sons named Leonard, John, Joseph, and Benjamin; he left a will dated 26 March 1687 which names his widow Elizabeth. Joseph Smith was administrator (Jun 1677) of the estate of his brother John who had been executor for the brother Leonard. Benjamin was "incapable of caring for himself, insane" and had to be provided for. There were likely sisters as Eleazar Arnold and Thomas Hopkins took into custody their aged mother-in-law, Elizabeth Smith in Jan of 1706. The son of John Smith, Mason, and brother to Joseph was also known as "Jameco".

In the Early Town Records, Vol. VIII which is made up of scraps of paper and the volume called "Town Meetings No. 3", there is a notation on page 15: "9th 9th was buried John Smith son of John Smith Mason" No year is given and the note is placed following a notice dated 7 Nov 1676. [9th month would be November in the old style dating] As most of the dated notices from 1676 have a complete date and there are scattered notes dated as the John Smith note that have no year, I believe this is possibly one of the scraps of paper - the compilers did their best to place these in context but I believe this one is about 15 years off.

Vol III, p.3 Entry from same day that the widow Ann Smith asked the town to secure inheritance for her son John. Apparently John Smith had also been married previously and Ann could not or would not take responsibility for his daughter by the first marriage.
"Bee it Knowne unto all men by these presentes that I Robert Colwell of Providence in the Naragansett Bay of New England, doe bind my self, my heirs, Exsecutors, and Aministrators, in the sum of Tenn Poundes Sterling: to save and keepe harmelese the Towne of Providence from any Charge of Trouble that may arise, or fall out by A little Child named Margarett Smith, the child of the deceased John Smith, and I the foresaid Robert Colwell doe bind myselfe in the som abovesaid, and my heires exsecutors and Administrators aforesaid; to free the said Child Margaret from being Chargable unto the said Towne of Providence untill the said Child margaret be fforteene yeares of Age, In Wittnesse whereof I Have here unto set my hand the Twentye seaven of Aprill in the yeere 1661. The marke of X Robert Colwell. Singned And dd unto the Towne in the face of the Court as Wittneseth. Thomas Olney Senior, Duputye. Thomas Olney Junion, Clarke."

Birth	Ca 1625
Marriage	Abt 1645	Unkown
Marriage	Ca 1658	ANNE ?TUCKER
Death	Bef Apr 1661

Spouse	ANNE ?TUCKER (1630 - )
Child	John Smith (1661 - )

Spouse	Unkown ( - )
Child	Margaret Smith (1647 - )

Father	John Smith [Mason] ( - 1687)
Mother	Elizabeth [Smith] ( - 1706)
Sibling	Leonard Smith ( - 1689)
Sibling	Eleanor Smith ( - 1722)
Sibling	Joseph Smith ( - )
Sibling	Benjamin Smith ( - 1707)
Sibling	Mary Smith ( - 1724)