Edward THURSTON

                   RESEARCH NOTE:
    Edward's parentage is unknown, as is his immigration information. He was a quaker, and one of the first on the list of Quakers at Newport, and is the first of that name to live in Rhode Island.    



From: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~havens5/p1387.htm

Birth: 1617 Edward was born in 1617 at England. 
   
Immigration: 1633? When and how? What ship? Which children? Some say he came to this side of the pond about 1640.
   
Marriage: June 1647 Edward Thurston married Elizabeth Mott, daughter of Adam Mott Sr and Elizabeth Creel, June 1647 in Newport, Newport, RI.
    
It appears that they had the following children:
Sarah, Elizabeth , Edward, Ellen (Eleanor), Mary , Jonathan , Daniel, Rebecca, John , Content, Thomas and Samuel.

Sarah THURSTON b: 10 MAR 1648 
Elizabeth THURSTON b: FEB 1650  may have died young as there is another Elizabeth
Edward THURSTON b: 1 APR 1652 m Susanna or Priscilla Jefferies in 1675, died 7 Dec 1690.
Elizabeth b: 1654  also called Ellen; m. George HAVINS.  followed further.
Ellen THURSTON b: MAR 1655 Likely the same as the Elizabeth above.
Mary THURSTON b: FEB 1657  m. Ebenezer Slocum in 1677 and d. 16 Nov 1732 in Jamestown, Newport, RI
Jonathan THURSTON b: 4 JAN 1659  m Sarah Giles ca 1662,  died before 15 April 1740.
Daniel THURSTON b: APR 1661 m. Mary Easton in 1684, died ca 1712.
Rebecca THURSTON b: ??
John THURSTON b: DEC 1664 m Elizabeth (?) ca1667, died 22 Oct 1690
Content THURSTON b: JUN 1667   Male or female???
Samuel THURSTON b: 24 OCT 1669  m. Abigail Clark 1695, d 27 Oct 1747
Thomas THURSTON b: 8 OCT 1671  m Mehitable Tripp 23 July 1695 in Newport, died  22 Oct 1730. Or he died 22 Mar 1728/1729 in Freetown, Bristol Co., Massachusetts

It is possible that the daughter than married George Havins/Havens was Ellen rathur than Elizabeth.  And it is possible that Ellen was really Eleanor.

Timeline:
-1650 Edward Thurston may have lived in Portsmouth, Rhode Island at one time.4 
-1655 Edward Thurston was the first person of that name in the Colony of Rhode Island. He was the third on the record of the "Society for Friends" at Newport and therefore a Quaker.
-1655, Freeman
-1663, Commissioner
-1667, 1671, 1674 and 1680 - 1686, Deputy
-1675, 1686 and 1690 - 91, Assistant.5 
-26 August 1686 On August 26, 1686 he signed an address with the other Quakers to the King in regard to the Writ of Quo Warranto. They desired to be excused from bearing arms, being a peaceable people and willing to pay all just rates and duties for carrying on the Commonwealth affairs.5 
-30 Jan 1690 On January 30, 1690, he, with five other assistants and Deputy Governor Greene, wrote a letter to William and Mary congratulating them on their accession to the crown, and informing them that since the deposition of Sir Edmund Andros, the former Government under the Charter had been resumed, mentioning also the seizure on Andros in Rhode Island on his flight from confinement in Massachusetts, and his return to Massachusetts on demand of that Colony.5 
   
Will: 11 Jan 1704 Edward Thurston left a will dated 11 January 1704. An abstract of his will is in "R. I. Gen. Reg." vol 14 pg 38  says that much  of the will was lost but says Jonathan was eldest son, other sons Edward, deceased, Samuel and probably Thomas, two sons-in-law, Ebenezer Slocomb and Weston Clark.
   
Death: 1 March 1706/7 Edward died on 1 March 1706/7 at Newport,  Newport,  Rhode Island..6   He is buried in Coddington burial grounds on Farewell Street in Newport, RI.  In July of 2009, Dee Gartman (Email address available on request.) visited this cemetery and took pictures which can be seen here.  The date of Edward's STONE is  Feb 28, 1706, giving rise to the idea that all the death and probate dates should read 1706.  
   
Will Proved: 12 March 1707 His will was proved on 12 March 1707.5  Again, this is likely 1706.