by Joanne Lahr-Kreischer

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Note from Joanne Lahr-Kreischer to Weldon Whipple, Wed, 10 Feb 1999:

While going through e-mails, I came across some questions that Ward had regarding the two William Whipples (grandsons to John). He indicates that the reverse of what I submitted seems to the more correct. He cited [...?]

Here is what I have in defense of William who married Elizabeth Sprague being the son of David and not William.

1. National Society of Daughter of Founders and Patriots of America. The information submitted by Gladys Marie Crouse (National number 7251) states

   William Whipple (May 27, 1685 - ) m c1713 Elizabeth Sprague (May 26, 1694 - c1735) was the son of David and Hannah Tower. Her sources are as follows:

   1. Colonial Families of the United States by George W. MacKenzie (Vol 6)
   2. New England Historical & Genealogical Register
   3. Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy by F. A. Vikers
   4. Vital Records of Rhode Island by J.N. Arnold
   5. Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island published by J.H. Beers & Co.
   6. Vital Records, Central Falls, RI and
   7. family records

2. Abstracts of Bristol County, Mass Probate Records (1687-1745) lists the following:

   Appt. of William Whipple, husbandman of Attl., as Adm. of Est. of his mother Hannah Whipple of Att. Mentions son Israel Whipple who dec before his mother. Dtd. 8 Feb 1722
   
   Will of Hannah Whipple of Att., widow, ?being aged and Weak.? Dtd. 8 May 1720, prob. 8 Dec 1722. Chldn: Joseph Cornell (or Cowell?), Jeremiah Whipple, Israel Whipple, William Whipple, Deborah Tower and Sarah Razey. Witns: Anthony Sprague, Sarah Whiteman & Lydia Sprague.
   
   Div of Est. of Anthony Sprague of Attl. dcd. intest. btwn. his chldn: Anthony Sprauge (eldest son), Sarah Whitman, Elesabeth Whiple, Mary Whiple, Pheba Sprauge, Lydiah Harris & Mercy Jencks, dtd. 24 May 1731.
   
   NOTE: Anthony Sprague (son of Anthony Sprague was brother to Elizabeth Sprague who married William Whipple) was the witness to Hannah Whipple's will.
   
   Question: If William Whipple who married Elizabeth Sprague was not the son of David Whipple who married Hannah Tower, why would Hannah have Elizabeth's brother witness her will?

3. Inquiries Relating to the Ancestors and Descendants of Job Whipple by Frank V. McDonald 1881

   Greenwich, March 22,1881 F. V. McDonald:

   MY DEAR COUSIN, - You remember, no doubt, my alluding to two ladies, sisters, Lydia and Marian Whipple, living at Diamond Hill, R.I. The following is a copy of their letter:
   
   Diamond Hill, March 21
   MRS. MASTERS, - Yours of March 9, asking of my early history, was received. My Great-Grandfather was Daniel Whipple; he had eight children. My grandfather's name was Simon Whipple, his wife's maiden name Lavinia Staples; they had two children. My father's name was Amasa Whipple. My mother's maiden name, Sabra Smith. My mother's people are Friends, and I received my name from one of their preachers, Lydia Shrove.
   
   I visited Mrs. Jacobs, the oldest person in our vicinity, whose grandmother's maiden was Elizabeth Whipple, of Smithfield. She remembers Freelove Whipple as a visitor of her grandmother, and that they both visited my grandfather's people, saying they were cousins. One of my great-aunts, Dorcas Whipple, married a Mr. Cook, and always lived at Cumberland Hill, and kept a record of all the deaths and births of the people that she knew. I have looked them over, but find no Job Whipple.
   
   One of my father's brothers married an Olive Whipple, who had an uncle Job Whipple, and his wife's maiden name was Freelove, but did not live at Cumberland Hill. There are two maiden sisters of Jeremiah Whipple now living at Cumberland Hill, - Sarah and Nancy Whipple. Perhaps you could some information from them.
   
   Yours Sincerely,
   Lydia S. Whipple
   
   

   She then adds by way of postscript:

   There has been a man in this evening who says he is a descendant of William Whipple of Lime Rock, brother of Jeremiah. The said William had seventeen children, and when the youngest was twenty-one, he had them all home to dinner, and he is quite sure that he has seen a deed with Job Whipple and Freelove Whipple's name, and Freelove's maiden name was Freelove Carpenter. If he is correct, I think you might get some information by writing to Mr. Wm Carpenter, Cumberland Hill. The town clerk of Smithfield, at Greenville, is Oscar A. Tobey.

   While the above source was more concerned about Job Whipple, in this letter of 1881 William Whipple who had 17 children was a brother to Jeremiah Whipple. William son of Capt. John did not have a son named Jeremiah.

   Just an observation - the names of the children of William who married Elizabeth Sprague are more in line with those of David's children than William who married Mary (?).

I feel strongly that the information I supplied was correct based on the above, however if you still need additional proof, just let me know, and I'll dig deeper.