NINTH GENERATION

494. Rev. Valentine WIGHTMAN ⁽⁶⁰³⁾ was born on 16 Apr 1681 in Kings Town, RI. He died on 9 Jan 1747 in Groton, New London Co., CT. On 4 May 1700 "he was summoned by Assembly to answer charge in court of being engaged in a riot." In 1705 in Groton, CT, "He organized the First Baptist Church, of which he became pastor, and was presented with a house and twenty acres on his arrival at that place. He remained pastor of the Groton church till his death." In 1712 "He organized a church in New York... His son Timothy was ordained as pastor of the Groton Church a few years after his father's death, and continued his pastorate till his own death in 1796, and his son John Gano Wightman became pastor in 1800."
In the material furnished by Sondra Lord is a copy of page 968 of THE WIGHTMAN ANCESTRY which states at the top of the page, "See page 532 of THE WIGHTMAN HERITAGE.*" The asterisk refers to a note at the bottom of the page which states, "All Wightmans/Whitmans that have Valentine (2) Wightman for an ancestor are a cousin to Abraham Lincoln, our sixteenth president of the United States of America." In a subsequent e-mail Sondra adds that The Wightman Heritage book was written by, and available from, Wade Wightman, 7202 North Chipman, Henderson, MI 48841. Sondra also states, "The Wightman Family Assoc. is updating GEORGE WIGHTMAN AND DESCENDANTS OF QUIDNESSETT, R.I. by Mary Whitman. Contact Wade with your Wightman information. Wade's book at he Library of Congress is Loc. 929.2W, #90-82121. He also has information of how we are related to Benedict Arnold through the Wightmans." (S.Lord e-mail 19 May 2000) He was married to Susannah HOLMES on 17 Feb 1703.

495. Susannah HOLMES ^(604)(605) was born about 1682 in Newport, Newport Co., RI. She died on 7 Apr 1726 in Groton, New London Co., CT.⁽⁶⁰⁵⁾ Children were:

i. Daniel WIGHTMAN⁽⁶⁰⁶⁾.
ii. Valentine WIGHTMAN⁽⁶⁰⁷⁾.
iii. Abraham WIGHTMAN⁽⁶⁰⁸⁾ was born on 15 May 1711 in Groton, New London Co., CT. He died on 3 Feb 1800 in Bozah, New London Co., CT. He married in Lebanon, New London Co., CT, 19 Apr 1737, Susannah Stark, who died in 1813 in Colchester, New London Co., daughter of John and Martha (Walworth) Stark. Abraham and Susannah had 10 children, the 3rd, Sarah, was the first wife of Caleb Tennant.
Abraham "was a farmer in that part of Norwich set off in 1786 as Bozah. ... He later owned land in Lebanon and in Herkimer County, N. Y."
247 iv. Susannah WIGHTMAN.
v. Isaac WIGHTMAN⁽⁶⁰⁹⁾ was born on 12 Aug 1715.
vi. Jacob WIGHTMAN⁽⁶¹⁰⁾ was born on 1 Jul 1717.
vii. Rev. Timothy WIGHTMAN⁽⁶¹¹⁾ was born on 20 Sep 1719.
viii. Sarah WIGHTMAN⁽⁶¹²⁾ was born on 5 Jun 1721. Died unmarried.
ix. John WIGHTMAN⁽⁶¹³⁾ was born on 8 Jun 1723.
x. Rev. John WIGHTMAN⁽⁶¹⁴⁾ was born on 17 Apr 1726. Notes indicate "(second marriage)" but this is not explained nor is it clarified as to who's second marriage this refers to.
xi. Amey WIGHTMAN⁽⁶¹⁵⁾ was born on 22 Aug 1729. "In 1748 Amey Wightman was a witness to a receipt for a legacy coming from her father's estate; and in 1754 Amey Williams, 'wife of David Williams, Jr.,' acknowledged her own inheritance under Rev. Valentine's will (probate papers, Estate of Valentine Wightman, File No. 5711, Prob. Dept., Conn. State Lib., Hartford)."

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