William HAVENS

                   Buried in Portsmouth, Newport, RIHistorical accounts place William Havens birth between 1609 and 1618 in Wales. According to tradition, William came to Americal in 1635. At that time, the Massachusetts Bay Colony had a population of several thousand. Established in 1628, the main objective of the Colony was to establish a method of government embodying a form of worship purified of Catholicism, remnants of which remained in the Church of England. The Colony strictly excluded all who failed to conform to its views. The exclusiveness of the Massachusetts Bay Colony led many liberal and independent people to leave. In 1636, Roger Williams, one such liberal, was driven out of the Colony. After many hardships, he reached the head of Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island) and began a settlement he called " Providence", named so in recognition of divine guidance.William Havens may have been one of the followers of Roger Williams. In 1638, the island of Aquidneck was purchased from the Indian Chief Aquetnet on the advice of Roger Williams. In that same year, William Havens was admitted as an inhabitant of the island of Aquidneck. The earliest historical mention of the Havens name in America occurred in the establishment of the government of Portsmouth ( Indian name, Pocasset) on the island of Aquidneck in Narragansett Bay. On April 30, 1639, William Havens and 28 others signed the following compact:We whose names are underwritten do acknowledge ourselves the legal subjects of his Majesty, King Charles, and in his name do hereby bind ourselves into a civil bodie politicke unto his laws according to matter of justice. (Only William Havens name was included in this essay).In July 1639, a regular government was formed and the upper part of the island was named Portsmouth. There were 101 registered inhabitants on the island of Aquidneck in the two towns, Portsmouth and Newport.Historical records show that in 1644, William Havens received a grant of four acres of land. William lived the remainder of his life in Rhode Island. He and his wife, Dionis, had 13 children. His last will and testament was dated March 24, 1860 and proved on September 25, 1863. His wife was named executrix and he bequeathed all his possessions to her. To each of his children, he left one shilling.Almost nothing is known of Dennis (or Dionis) except that she did not die until after 1692.This information was taken from the internet @ http:// www.mividaloca.com/havens/havens9.htmKaren Shear.