Holbrook line: Stephen Paine 1629-1677

We have at least four Stephen Paine's who are our direct ancestors and it appears that I have written about only one of them.  So here is Stephen Paine, the second.  I bless him, because he unfortunately died before his father, Stephen Paine Sr.  So this Stephen is relatively easy to figure out.  He is always referred to as Stephen Paine, Jr. and his father is Stephen Paine, until his son starts appearing in records and then he is Stephen Paine Sr., with a few exceptions when Senior is referred to as "Mr." Paine.  I hope the ones further down the line will be this easy to distinguish, especially since by then I will probably be contending with multiple descendants of Senior, with the name of Stephen!  

This Stephen Paine was born or christened September 29, 1629 at Great Ellington, Norfolk, England to Stephen and Neele Adcocke Paine.  He was a boy not quite 9 years old when his family sailed for New England on the Diligent. I hope it was a good trip, short and with good weather, because being a child cooped up for long on a ship would not have been easy.  Perhaps one of more of the four servants the family brought with them would have played with Stephen, especially when he needed to be distracted as his young sister lay dying.  But Stephen survived, and went with his family first to Hingham and then on to Rehoboth, which lay very near Rhode Island, and his land is actually part of East Providence, Rhode Island, now.  Stephen spent the rest of his life there.  

Stephen married Ann Chickering on November 3, 1652.  She was the daughter of Francis and Anne Fiske Chickering, and was about 18 when they were married.  They would have perhaps as many as nine children together.  Stephen owned land that was assigned a value of 160 pounds in 1643, under the ownership of Thomas Clifton, although I've not yet learned when he purchased the land.  I do know that Stephen was assigned choice or lot 42 out of 49 lots of meadow land apportioned in 1658, "according to means and estate", so at this point, he was not well to do.  He also acquired more meadow land in another division of land in 1668.  

Stephen answered the call of his community when he became part of the fighting body under Major William Bradford during King Philip's War in 1675 or 1676 (dates aren't entirely clear).  He was in the second group of Rehoboth men who organized, and this group apparently didn't serve a lengthy enlistment.  They would, however, have been involved in scouting and probably skirmishes with the natives, although the later enlistment meant they missed at least the first round of fighting.  The town of Rehoboth was attacked twice during the war, with many homes and barns destroyed and at least some deaths.  It looks like the town was probably abandoned before the second attack, which was more extensive than the first.  (A side note:  Major William was the son of Governor William Bradford.  He grew up in Plymouth colony and would have known our Mayflower ancestors.  It's a small world.)  

Stephen was selected as surveyor of highways in 1677, so the town must have come together again rather quickly.  He was made a freeman in 1658 but as far as I've learned so far, this was his first public office.  It was also his last, as he died January 24, 1677/78, not yet 50 years of age.  We don't have any indication of a cause of death.  His widow, Ann, married Thomas Metcalf late in 1679, after Stephen's father, Stephen Senior, had died.  

I haven't located a will or an inventory for Stephen although there must surely have been at least one of them at one time, as the children's interests would have needed to be protected.  I would love to have some idea of the value of his estate, and I'd love to know whatever his inventory would tell us about his occupation.  

I'd love to be able to share more information but this is what I have, so far.  He led an interesting life, from crossing the Atlantic to fighting for his colony, and for his family.

The line of descent is:

Stephen Paine-Ann Chickering

John Paine-Elizabeth Belcher

Stephen Paine-Sarah Vallett

Stephen Paine-Sarah Thornton

Nathan Paine-Lillis Winsor

Deborah Paine-Enos Eddy

Joseph Eddy-Susan Lamphire

Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard

Lous Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick

Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook

Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen

Their descendants