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PAUL KNOWLES (1702–by 1755), son of Colonel John Knowles and Mary Sears

PHEBE PAINE (1699–1748), daughter of Thomas Paine and Phebe Shaw

Paul Knowles, the son of Colonel John Knowles, was born on 8 August 1702 in Eastham. [1][2] He died not long before 11 April 1755, probably in Truro. [3] He married first Phebe Paine on 28 February 1722/3 in Truro. [3] He married second Mercy (Purington) Harding on 12 December 1751 in Truro. [3] Mercy was the daughter of Hezekiah and Mary (Scammon) Purington. [3] She died on 29 January 1761, age 49, and is buried in the Old North Cemetery in Truro. [4] She married first Nathaniel Harding on 28 January 1730. [3]

Phebe Paine, the daughter of Thomas Paine and Phebe Shaw, was born on 11 January or February 1698/9 in Eastham. [3][5] She died on 23 June 1748 in Truro, according to the journal of her brother Moses. [3] She is buried in the Old North Cemetery in Truro. [4]

Phebe is mentioned in the 1720 will of her father. [3] She was admitted to the Truro church on 16 October 1620. [3]

Paul Knowles of Truro avoided permanent town offices, except for serving one year as selectman. However, he repeatedly headed special committees by choice of the parish or Truro proprietors. [2]

Administration on the estate of Paul, yeoman of Truro, was granted to his son Paul on 11 April 1775. Paul, Jr. of Truro was named guardian of Elisha Tichner, grandson of Paul, Sr. on 8 April 1777. On 14 April 1778 Paul, Sr.'s estate was granted to his sons Paul and Silas and they were to pay shares to Hannah (the wife of Zaccheus Higgins), Anna (the wife of Uriah Rich), Phebe (the wife of Simon Gross), the heirs of Ruth (the late wife of Elisha Tichner), the heirs of Mary (the late wife of Joshua Atwood) and the heirs of Thomas Knowles, deceased. [3]

Administration on Phebe's estate was granted to Ephraim Harding on 17 March 1761. [3]

Children of Paul Knowles and Phebe Paine: the births of the first 11 and the baptism of the 12th recorded in Truro. [3]

i. Ann Knowles was born on 24 November 1723. She died on 19 April 1785. [2][6] She married Uriah Rich on 16 February 1743/4. [2][3] Uriah, the son of Richard and Hannah Rich, was born on 17 June 1723 in Truro. [2][7] He died on 3 November 1802 in Truro. [2] Ann and Uriah are buried in the Old North Cemetery in Truro. [6]

ii. Phebe Knowles was born on 28 April 1725. She married first Joseph Collins on 16 February 1743/4. [2][3] Joseph may be the son of Benjamin Collins, baptized on 18 October 1724 in Truro. [8] He died on 27 October 1748, age 24. [2][9] He is buried in the Old North Cemetery in Truro. [9] She married second as his second wife Captain Simon Gross on 14 February 1749/50 in Truro. [2][3]][10] Simon, the son of Micah and Mary Gross, was born on 2 May 1709 in Truro. [2][10] He died on 23 February 1796, age 86, and is buried in the Old Cemetery in Lebanon, Connecticut. [9] He married first Elizabeth Treat on 24 July 1729 in Truro. [10] She died on 25 February 1749 and is buried in the Old Cemetery in Lebanon. [9]

Captain Simon Knowles served from Connecticut in the navy in the Revolutionary War. [3][9]

iii. Mary Knowles was born on 20 January 1726/7. [3] She died by 11 April 1775. She married Joshua Atwood.

iv. Paul Knowles was born on 28 November 1728.He died on 12 September 1802, age 73, and is buried in the Old North Cemetery in Truro. [11] He married Mary (Atkins) Dyer on 18 June 1738. [3] Mary, the daughter of Isaiah and Hanne (Cook) Atkins, was born on 18 June 1738 and she died on 22 August 1824. [2] She married first Caleb Dyer. [2]

Paul was a farmer in Truro. [2] All four of his sons died at sea. [2]

v. John Knowles was born on 31 October 1730. He probably died before 14 April 1778, when he was not named in the settlement of his father's estate.

vi. Thomas Knowles was born on 6 August 1732. He died before his father. [2] He married Lucy Lewis on 11 December 1760. [2][3]

vii. Hannah Knowles was born on 18 September 1734. She married first John Warren on 12 March 1752 in Truro. [2][3] She married second Jonathan Sparrow, Jr. [3] She married third Zacheus Higgins. [3] She probably married fourth Samuel Rogers. [3]

viii. Ruth Knowles was born on 12 March 1735/6. She died on 21 June 1771 and is buried in the Old Cemetery in Lebanon, Connecticut. [12] She married Colonel Elisha Tickner of Lebanon, Connecticut on 8 April 1756. [2][3] Elisha died on 22 June 1822 and is buried in the Cole Cemetery in Lebanon. [12] He perhaps married second Deborah Davis, possibly a widow. [12] She died on 19 July 1804, age 85. [12] He married, perhaps third, Martha Leonard, also possibly a widow. She died on 1 June 1823. [12] Deborah and Martha are buried in the Cole Cemetery. [12]

ix. James Knowles was born on 4 June 1737. He died on 20 July 1737 in Truro. [3]

x. Abigail Knowles was born on 30 November 1738. She died in 1799. [2] She married Sylvanus Higgens on 13 December 1764. [2][3]

Sylvanus was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. [3]

xi. Captain Silas Knowles was born on 31 December 1740. He died on 1 January 1833, age 92, and is buried in the Corinna Center Cemetery in Corinna, Penobscot, Maine. [13] He married first Mary Freeman of Truro on 6 April 1761. [2][3] She died in August 1790, age 50. [2] He married second Susanna Cobb on 17 November 1791. [2][3] She died on 1 January 1847, age 86, and is buried in the Corinna Center Cemetery. [13]

xii. James Knowles was baptized on 15 August 1742. He probably died before 14 April 1779, when he was not named in the settlement of his father's estate.

Children of Paul Knowles and Mercy (Scammon) Purington:

xiii. John Knowles was born on 16 May 1753. [3] He probably died before 14 April 1779, when he was not named in the settlement of his father's estate.

References:

1. "Eastham and Orleans Vital Records," Mayflower Descendant 8: 89.

2. Charles Thornton Libby, "The Knowles Family of Eastham, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 80 (1926), 17–19.

3. "Mayflower Families Fifth Generation Descendants, 1700–1880," digitzed books, AmericanAncestors, citing Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Descendants of the Pilgrims Who Landed at Plymouth, Mass., December 1620 (Plymouth: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1975–2015), vol. 6: 167–8.

4. "Marcy Purrington Knowles," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45012489/marcy-knowles). Her inscription says, "Here lies the Body of Mrs Marcy Knowels wife of Mr Paul Knowels who departed this life January the 29th 1761 in the 50th Year of her age." "Phebe Paine Knowles," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45012458/phebe-knowles). Her inscription says, "Here lyes ye body of Mrs. Phebe Knowles ye wife of Mr. Paul Knowles died June ye 23d 1748 in ye 49th year of her age."

5. Jonathan A. Shaw, "John Shaw of Plymouth Colony, Purchaser and Canal Builder," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 151 (1997): 419.

6. "Anna Knowles Rich," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45072307/anna-rich). Her inscription says, "In Memory of Mrs. Anna Rich wife of Mr. Uriah Rich departed this Life April 19th 1786 in the 62d Year of her Age." "Uriah Rich," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45072340/uriah-rich). His inscription says, "In Membor of Mr. Uriah Rich who died Novbr 3d 1802 in the 79th Year of his Age."

7. George Ernest Bowman, Vital Records of Truro, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Boston: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1944), 24 (birth of Uriah Rich).

8. John Harvey Treat, Truro Baptisms 1711–1800 (Lawrence: James Ward, Jr., 1886), 5.

9. "Joseph Collins," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44935099/joseph-collins). "CPN Simon Gross," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45852408/simon-gross).

10. Vital Records of Truro, 3, 22, 58.

11. "Paul Knowles, Sr.," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45012839/paul-knowles). His inscription says, "In memory of Mr. Paul Knowles, Senr who died Septr 12th 1802 in the 74th Year of his Age."

12. "Ruth Knowles Tickner," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46181389/ruth-ticknor). "Col. Elisha Ticknor," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101650039/elisha-ticknor). "Deborah Davis Ticknor," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101650023/deborah-ticknor). "Martha Leonard Ticknor," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101650065/martha-ticknor).

13. "Silas Knowles," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54402270/silas-knowles). "Susannah Cobb Knowles," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54441481/susannah-knowles).

©a. buiter

13-Jul-2020