Pardon TILLINGHAST, REVEREND

                   He was a Cooper. He sailed from Alfriston, England in 1643. He enteredthe
Providence Plantation Colony by way of Connecticut in 1645.  He wasadmitted
as Freeman in 1658. He was 6th. Pastor of the 1st. Baptist Church in
Providence, Rhode Island, and served 37 years.
In the government of the colony Pardon served continually as listed;
1687-Overseer of the Poor
1672-1680-90-94-97 and 1700-Deputy of The  Providence General Colonial
Assembly.
1688-91,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,1700-1707-Town Councilman.
1707-1711-Town Treasurer.
In addition to his activities as a Cooper, he was a merchant,shipowner and
trader. He was also active in the real estate and loan business. Hebuilt the
first wharf in Providence and constructed an adjacent warehouse.
He was an earnest co-worker with Roger Williams who founded the firstBaptist
Church in Providence in 1636. In 1639 Williams withdrew from thechurch to
become a Seeker. The Seekers were a Puritan group founded early inthe 7th.
Century and referred to as the Scattered Flock. They held that thetrue
religion has not yet been revealed. Religion service, when abandonedby Roger
Williams, was carried on by the remaining members.
They met in fair weather in a grove and in inclement weather in thehomes of
members. In 1700, Pardon requested of the Town Council the right to upa piece
of land 30 feet square on which to build a meeting house. This meetinghouse,
which was built in the shape of a hay-cap with a chimney in themiddle, was
deeded to the members in 1711.
While not an ordained minister, Pardon became the sixth Pastor of theBaptist
Church. He served without pay from 1681 until 1718, a period of 37years.
In 1719, the Rev. Ebenezer Jenekes, an ordained minister, took thepastorate.
Sources; The Pardon Elisha Tillinghast II connection was documented byJohn G.
Hunt, American Genealogist, 1961, Volume 37-38, page 34.