| Notes |
- Livermore's History of Block Island, RI, 1877 Bridgewater, MA
Pages 268 to 286 continued
MRS. SARAH SANDS
This lady had virtues and culture which entitle her to more than
a passing notice. Although at this distant day we can give but a
few outlines of her character, yet these may indicate to some the
beauty of the portrait had it been properly delineated in due
season. There is also incidental, collateral information obtained
from the biographical fragments of her no w presented. In
speaking of Captain James Sands, one of the first settlers, his
grandson, Rev. Samuel Niles, says:
"His wife was a gentlewoman of remarkable sobriety and piety,
given also to hospitality. She was the only midwife and doctress
on the Island, or rather a doctor, all her days, with very little,
and with some and mostly, no reward. at all. Her skill in surgery
was doubtless very great, from some instances I remember she told
me of. One was the cure of an Indian, that under disgust, as was
said, he had taken at his wife or squaw, shot himself, putting
the muzzle of his gun to the pit of his stomach, and pushing the
trigger. The bullet went through him, out and opposite at his
back. He instantly fell, and one of the spectators who happened
to be in the field at the time, and heard the report of the gun,
told me, after he was fallen and wallowing in the blood, he saw
the blood and froth issue out of his back and breast as often as
he drew his breath. He was perfectly healed, and lived a hearty,
strong man even to old age; whom I afterward knew, and often saw
the scar at the pit of his stomach, as large or larger in
circumference than our ordinary dollars passing among us."
"Another signal cure she told me God made her an instrument of
making, was on a young woman that was struck with lightning
through her shoulder, so that when she administered to her by
syringing, the liquid matter would fly through from the fore part
to the hinder, and from the hinder part to the foremost, having
a free and open passage both ways, yet was cured, and had several
children, and lived to old age. I also knew her long before her
death. She had also skill, and cured the bites and venomous
poison of rattlesnakes."
Her husband, in his last will, made her the sole executrix of his
estate which, after his death, was inventoried as follows:
James Sands' Estate, March 13, 1694:
"About 400 acres of land;
Fifty-six head. of cattle, small and great:
Three horses - mare, colt, one horse:
Thirty swine, old and young:
About 300 sheep:
A negro woman - house and barn, and mill.
Sundry household goods not appraised."
Mr. Sands died. in March, 1695, and in March, 1699, Mrs. Sarah
Sands, his widow, had a lawful record made of the following
emancipation of her slaves:
"Know all men by these presents that I, Sarah Sands, of Block
Island, alias New Shoreham, in the Colony of Rhode Island,
Providence Plantations, in New England, Wife to Mr. James Sands,
of Block Island, and made sole executrix by my said husband,
James Sands, at his death, and having three Negro children born
under my roof and in my custody, being left to my disposing by my
above said. husband."
"Know ye therefore that I, the above Sarah Sands, do hereby and
voluntarily give and bestow of them as followeth, that is to say:
"First: I give to my granddaughter, Sarah Sands, daughter to my
son, Edward Sands, one of the Negro girls named Hannah: The other
Negro girl I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter, Catharine
Niles, daughter to my son-in-law, Nathaniel Niles, of Point
Judith in the colony above said - the two Negro girls I freely
and voluntarily give to my two grandchildren above named until
the said Negroes come to the age of thirty years, and then I do
by these presents declare that they shall be free from any
service, and be at their own disposal - the Negro girl given to
my granddaughter, Catharine Niles, is named Sarah. The other
negro above said being a boy named Mingo, I freely give and
bequeath to my grandson, Sands Raymond, son to my son-in-law,
Joshua Raymond, of Block Island above named, which I give freely
until that he the said Negro boy comes to the age of thirty-three
years, and then to be free and his own man and at his own
disposal forever after that he shall arrive to the age of 33
years; for I Sarah Sands do by these presents freely declare that
I have made a promise that no child whatsoever born under my
service and care shall be made a slave of any longer than is
above specified, and for the confirmation and ratification of
this my free and voluntary act, I have under set my hand, and
affixed my seal this ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
one thousand six hundred and ninety-nine."
Signed in presence of
SAMUEL NILES. SARAH SANDS.
Two years and a half passed away and Mrs. Sands, conscious of her
approaching end, in her last will, left a preamble to it that
speaks well for her character, revealing a faith which was her
brightest ornament through her long and eventful life mostly
spent among her fellow-Islanders, many of whom she had seen in
their barbarous state, and all of whom, with her devoted
companion, she had labored to improve both socially and religiously.
HER WILL.
"In the name of God, Amen. I Sarah Sands of Block Island, alias New
Shoreham, in the colony of Rhode Island, and Providence
Plantations, in New England, being aged and weak in body, but of
sound and perfect memory - Praise be given to Almighty God for
the same - and knowing the uncertainty of this life on earth, and
being desirous to see that things in order be done before my
death, Do make this my last will and Testament in manner and form
following:
"I being wife to Mr. James Sands deceased, and. made sole
executrix by my said. husband., as by will bearing date June the
18th, 1694, may plainly appear, That is to say, First, and
Principally; I commend my soul to Almighty God my Creator,
assuredly believing that I shall receive full pardon and free
remission of all my sins, and be saved by the precious death and
merits of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Christ Jesus; and my
body to the earth from whence it was first taken, to be buried in
such decent and Christian manner as to my executor hereafter named
shall be thought most meet and convenient: And as touching such
worldly estate as the Lord in mercy hath lent me, my will and
meaning in the same shall be implied....
[Things specified for each.] That they shall be equally divided.
amongst my five children, viz.: John Sands, James Sands, Samuel
Sands, Sarah Niles, and Mercy Raymond.....
Signed in presence of SARAH SANDS.
SAMUEL NILES, and
HANNA ROSE, Oct. 17th, 1703."
In Sept., 1704, she gave her negro woman to her grandson, Rev.
Samuel Niles, to be kept by him ten years, at the expiration of
which time she was to be free for ever thereafter.
James SANDS(2) was born in 1622. He died in 1695. Capt. JAMES SANDS born in England in 1622, died in America 1695. He came from Reading, Berkshire, England. He followed Ann Hutchinson in her exile on the banks of the Hudson, N. Y., and returned to Rhode Island in 1664. He m. Sarah Walker in 1645 or 1646, dau, of John Walker and Catharine Hutchinson, she d. 1709. Their children were:
John J. b. 1650, m. Sybil Ray, b. 1665, d. 1733,
dau. of Simeon and Mary (Thomas) he d. 1712.
>>>>Sarah m. 1671, Nathaniel Niles, son of John and
Jane, he b. 1642, d. 1723, she d. 1726.
Mercy m. 1683, Joshua Raymond, b. 1644, son of
Joshua and Elisabeth (Smith), she d. 1704.
Capt. James b. 1662, m. 1694, Sarah Cornell, b.
1679, dau. of John and Mary (Russell).
Samuel b. 1666, m. 1699, Dorothy Ray, dau. of
Simeon and Mary (Thomas), he d. 1730.
Edward b. 1672, m. 1693, Mary Williams, dau. of
John and Ann (Alcott), he d. 1708, she d. 1708.
Bunker, Mary Powell. Long Island Genealogies. Genealogies of early settlers of Long Island, which includes deeds, wills and records of the early Thomas Powell.
Bibliographic Information: Joel Munsell's Sons, Publishers. Albany, NY, 1895.
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Since 1784, on the division, it is in the township of North Hempstead.... Sands Point derives its name from the purchase, December 25, 1691: and deed to John Sands (son of Captain James Sands of Block Island) from Richard Cornell, of Rockaway, and his wife of 500 acres of land at Cow Bay, L. I., which included this point. Cornell held under a grant from Governor Dongan in 1686.
Mr. John Sands resided there till his death in 1712: in his house still standing: which remained in his family till about 1765, when it passed to Benjamin Hewlett with the existing family burial-lot.
Rev. Samuel Niles, in his rambling narrative (A. D. 1700) of the Indian wars, describes Block Island during his own residence there (1674-1762). After detailing the completion of his large stone house there by Captain James Sands, adds: "In 1689 the island was captured by French privateers, and on his advice, Mr. Niles. Mr. Sands and family, with some others, 'took our flight into the woods, which were at considerable distance, where we encamped that night. After which the three elder brothers, Captain John Sands, Mr. James and Samuel Sands, removed to Long Island and settled there, each leaving a farm at Block Island, which they stocked with sheep, and came over once a year, at shearing time, on Block Island, to carry off their wool and fit sheep for market at New York.'"
From: "Tristram Dodge and his Descendents in America "
Author: Robert Dodge
Call Number: CS71.D645
A comprehensive, historical and descriptive accounting of Block Island and Cow Neck, Long Island, the original 17th and 18th century settlements of Tristram Dodge and his descendants.
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In May, 1664, Arnold in his History of Rhode Island says: "The first regular assembly, as established by the Charter, met at Newport in May. The affairs of Block Island were definately settled at this session. Three messengers, James Sands, Thomas Terry and Joseph Kent, appeared from the Island to signify their obedience to His Majesty's will."
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Bibliographic Information: Pierce, Ebenezer W. Peirce's Colonial Lists. Boston: Press of David Clapp and Son, 1880
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SANDS (Sandes, Sandys), James (1622-95)
from Eng., 1638, settled at Portsmouth, R I
1640; later at Block Island; dep. Gen. Ct for
New Shoreham Co.. 1665; asst. warden, 1676 cdr
militia co. in King Philip's War; m Sarah, dau
John Walker.
ABRIDGED COMPENDIUM, Frederick Virkus A compendium of family genealogies that includes practically every name distinguished in the early history of the country, Vol. I
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The sixteen settlers entered into possession of their allotments; and here have ever since remained undisturbed by the natives, or the several wars of the colonies and States. When, in 1664, Rhode Island was chartered by Charles II., they elected to become part, and not of Massachusetts; and those settlers, by Delegates James Sands and Joseph Kent took the oaths as Freemen of Rhode Island, as appears hereby:
Rhode Island Colonial Records, 1664-77.
(Prov. 1857), printed by order of the General Assembly, vol. xxi., p. 58. "At a General Assembly of the Collony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation, assembled Rhode Island, the fourth of the third month ("May") so-called, 1664, and in the sixteenth yeare of the raygne of Charles the Second, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, etc.
"Whereas (recital that it hath pleased the King to grant a charter to the colony), wherein Block Island is expressly nominated as part of this colony.
"That by these messengers: James Sands, Thomas Terry, and Joseph Kent, the inhabitants of Block Island have declared unto this Assembly their professed obedience to his Majesty said royal pleasure. (After settling form of government, oaths of allegiance and office to be subscribed and filed), proceeds:
"Whereas Mr. James Sands, of Block Island, being freeman in this Collony or Corporation of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, etc., together with Joseph Kent, of Block Island, hath presented their humble petition to this Court, being the Generall Assembly of this Collony, in behalf of Thomas Terry, Peter George, Simon Raye, William Harris, Samuel Dearing, John Raurbone, John Davies, Samuel Staple, Hugh Williams, Robert Gutney, William Tosh, Tallman Rose, William Carhouse, Tristrome Dodge, John Clark, Joseph Kent, and William Barker; inhabitants and housekeepers at Block Island aforementioned, desiring that the forementioned inhabitants may be admitted freemen of this Collony aforesay ed, and being demanded, if they the said James Sands and Joseph Kent did know that all the forenamed persones weare men of peaceable and good behaviour, and lykly to prove worthy and hopefull members of the Collony, they answered 'Yea,' where upon the Court on caution and instructions given to the sayd petitioners, have accepted and admitted all the sayd inhabitants aforementioned, to be free of the sayd Collony, or soe many as shall give under their hands in writting according to the instructions aforementioned."
From: "Tristram Dodge and his Descendents in America "
Author: Robert Dodge
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James came from Reading in Berkshire, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, where the Pilgrims had landed 22 years earlier and in 1642, we know he was at East Chester,Westchester County, N. Y., where he was engaged in building a house
for Mrs. Hutchinson, probably his mother-in-law. He then moved to
Portsmouth, Rhode Island like so many of our ancestors.
In Portsmouth, James Sands had grants of land October 5, 1643, and Augu
29, 1644; in 1655, he was made a freeman at Portsmouth, R.I.
In just ten years, he had advanced and on May 19, 1657, he became the
Commissioner from Portsmouth at the General Court which was the legislature
at that time of Rhode Island.
Then, in 1660, in company with others, he purchased Block Island from t
Indians; in 1661, they sailed from Taunton, Massachusetts to Block Isla
(called by the Indians, Manisses) and settled there. Block Island is due south of
Rhode Island and due east of Long Island. It is part of New York. The Island
was divided into sixteen shares, his share being one-sixteenth. In Marc
1663-4, he was constable on Block Island.
In 1665, James became deputy from Block Island to the General Assembly; the
New York State legislature. He was largely concerned in settling the township,
and was one of the first who petitioned the General Assembly for a charter of
incorporation, which was obtained in 1672, under the name of New Shoreham;
in October 1670, and September 1671, he was tax rater on Block Islan
1676, he was assistant warden. There is a deed, James Sands to John Sands, his
son, dated November 15, 1690, recorded in the Hempstead New Book of
Record, on pp. 345-61 by Thos. Gildersleeve, Clerk, of the land upon which he
settled when he first came to Block Island. He was buried in the public
graveyard; the stone over his remains, a large recumbent sandstone slab, still in
a good state of preservation, bears the following inscription:
"HERE LYES IN
TVRRED THE BODY
OF MR. JAMES SANDS,
SENIOVR AGED 73
YEARS DEPARTED
THIS LIFE MARCH
THE 13, 1695."
His widow survived him until 1709.
A memoir written by Great-Grandfather James Sands' grandson, Niles, relates much about
great-grandfather's courage, great-grandmother Sarah and relations with the Indians and French privateers on Block Island. It was in part due to the depredations of the French that James Sands' sons decided to move to Cowneck.
A Narrative about James Sands I
by his Grandson
At Block Island, where I was born, some time after the
Island began to be settled by the English, there then being
but sixteen Englishmen and a boy, and about three hundred
Indians, the Indians were wont, some of them, to treat the
English in a surly, lordly manner, which moved the
English to suspect they had some evil designs in hand; and
it being in the time of Philip's war, there was a large stone
house garrisoned erected by James Sands, Esq., one of the
first settlers.
.(Note: James Sands, your 9th Great-Grandfather)
. .The before mentioned James Sands, who was the leading
man among them, entered into a
wigwam, where he saw a very fine brass gun standing, and
an.Indian fellow lying on a bench in the wigwam, probably
to guard and keep it. Mr. Sands' curiousity led him take
and view it, as it made a curious and uncommon appear-
ance. Upon which the Indian fellow rises up hastily and
snatches the gun out of his hand, and withal gave such a
violent thrust with the butt end of it as occasioned him to
stagger backward. But feeling something under his feet,
he espied it to be a hoe, which he took up and improved,
and with it fell upon the Indian. Upon which a mighty
Scuffle ensued, the English and Indians on the outside of
the wigwam closing in one with another; which probably
would have issued in the destruction of the whole English '
party.- . . . Mrs. Hutchinson, who came into this country
under a religious character, probably not very long after
the church at Boston was settled, . went farther
westward to a place called East Chester, now in the eastern
part of the province of New Pork. In order to
pursue her purpose, she agreed with the before-mentioned
Captain James Sands, then a young man, to build her
house, and he took a partner with him in the business.
When they had near spent their provisions he sent his
partner for meat, which was to be fetched at a considerable
distance. While his partner was gone, there came a com-
pany of Indians to the frame where he was at work, and
made a great shout and sat down after some time they
gathered up his tools, put his broadax on his shoulder,
and his other tools into his hands, and made signs to him
to go away. But he seemed to take no notice of them, but
continued in his work. at length one of them said, " Ye-
hah Mumune Ketok," the English of which is Come, let
us go and they went away to the water side for clams
or oysters. After some time they came back and found
him still at work as before. They again gathered up his
tools, put them into his hands as before they had done,
with the like signs moving him to go away. He still seemed
to take no notice of them, but kept on in his business, and
when they had stayed some time they said as before, "Pe-
hah Mumune Ketok and accordingly they all went away,
and left him there at his work, a remarkable instance of
the restraining power of God on the hearts of these furious
and merciless infidels, who otherwise would doubtless, in
their rage, have split his brains with his own axe. But
God had further business for him to do in this world, in
conducting the affairs on Block Island afterwards as
before is briefly related, for many years when the people
there became more numerous. and until his eldest son,
Captain John Sands, a gentleman of great port and
superior power succeeded him. He died in the 72d year
of his age, He was a benefactor;:to the poor; for as his
house was garrisoned - in the time of their fear of the
Indians, as before is
noted, many poor people resorted to it, and were supported
mostly from his liberality. He was also a promoter of
religion in his benefactions to the minister they had there
in his day, though not altogether so agreeable to him as
might be desired, as being inclined to the anabaptist
persuasion. He devoted his home for the worship of God,
where it was attended every Lord's day or Sabbath.
Sarah Sands, your 9th Great-Grandmother :
His wife was a gentlewoman of remarkable sobriety and piety, given also to hospitality. She was the only midwife and doctress on the island or rather a doctor, all her days, with very little, and with some, and mostly, no reward at all. Her skill in surgery was doubtless very great, from some instances I remember she told me of.
Mr. Sands had a plentiful estate, and gave free entertainment to all gentlemen who came to the island; and when his home was garrisoned it became a hospital, for several poor people resorted thither, as before is remarked who being driven from their habitations and improvements, could bring but little with them. I heard his wife (who outlived her husband many years) often with admiration express the singular tokens of Gods favorable providence in that time, by increasing remarkably the comforts of life on themselves and the poor that Providence had cast under their care.
I shall give but one remarkable instance more in this digression, with relation to Mrs. Sands, of whom I have been speaking. She had then but one little child, a girl, just able to run about and prattle a little. Her maid had occasion to go into the field on some business and urged that the child might go with her. The mistress denied, and withal telling the maid there was an old well in the field, which the child would be likely to fall into, or some other mischief would happen to her. The maid goes away, and the mother sits down in the doorway, to keep the child out of danger, as they had a mill-pond near the home; and as sewing linen cloth, and wanted a piece that lay on the table on the opposite part of the room, she bid the child to bring it to her. The child went to a door -that led to an inner room, where there was no other passage out, and closing the door, saying, " This, mamma, this she said, No, that, pointing to the cloth. She was busy and thought no more of her child, until one of her neighbors came and said, " The Lord give you patience; your child is drowned" The man came by the child, and saw it floating on the water" in the flume, but took no care of it, but-went up to the home -- whereas if he had taken it out, he might have been a means of preserving its life. Bnt thus it must be in Providence. The mother often lamented her presumption, in pretending to be her child's keeper.
It is time to return to Mr. Sands, where we left him, working on his frame, the Indians being gone, he gathered up his tools, and drew off, and in his way met his partner bringing provisions, to whom he declared the narrow escape he had made for his life. Resolving not to return, and run a further risk of the like kind, they both went from the business.
Captain James Sands had four sons, all living on Block Island, until the island was infested, and plundered twice by French privateers; after which the three elder brothers removed to Long Island, and settled there (from whom I had the narrative of what I am now writing), namely Captain John Sands, Mr.James and Samuel Sands, each of them leaving a farm at Block Island, which they stocked with sheep, and were wont to come once a year at their shearing time on the island, to carry oft their wool and what fat sheep there were at that time, and market at New York. Upon this design they were all coming together, sometime in the beginning of June and as near as I can remember, in the year 1702, one of them bringing a little daughter, about seven years of age, in a new vessel he had built, designing to leave the child with his mother for some time . Sarah Sands the famous doctor I spake of before, who was then living a widow; and several Indian servants were in the forecastle or fore part of the vessel, which was enclosed, but there was no bulk-head abaft, where these gentlemen were sitting together. There was also a quantity of wheat in the hold under the deck, which lay partly at the lower part of the mast as they were sailing down the Sound, as it is called, between Long Island and the mainland, under an easy, pleasant gale of wind, they observed a dark,threatening cloud gathering in the northwest. Apprehending a sudden gust of wind, they pulled down their sails, as they saw at a distance also a rippling of the water and it proved accordingly. But the cloud scattered, and the gust went over, and they hoisted their sails and proceeded in their course as before. After a short time the cloud gathered again, and being apprehensive of a like sudden gust, they lowered their sails; and it proved as they expected, and they again proceeded on their voyage with a fair and easy gale. But in a space of time the cloud gathered a third time, and appeared more terrible, threatening an extraordinary tempest; upon which they lowered their sails, as they had twice before. and it proved very terrible, with thunder, lightning rain and wind, with stress and uncommon violence. At length there came a loud clap of thunder with sharp lightning, and struck on the top of their mast; and the lightning ran down into the hold of the vessel to the step of the mast, and then suddenly started upward; and they saw apparently the wheat that lay near the mast fly each way from it, and seemed to disperse; but it soon gathered into a round solid body, as big, or bigger, than a man's fist, and in that form flew to to one side of the vessel, and then broke with an extraordinary loud noise as of hard thunder, and then seemed to scatter; but then gathered into the like form as before, and flew to the other side of the vessel, and broke with the like mighty noise, and dispersed; but gathered the third time, and flew back to the other side, where it made a hole between wind and water, and disappeared. The child, before mentioned, lay all this time asleep, while the lightning passed forward and backward over it, as has been related, without the least hurt, when her father, and uncles with him, that beheld the Lightning in its motions and operations, as plainly as to see from one side of the room to the other, concluded she was struck dead as she lay. Nor were any hurt in the vessel, except these men's eyes were so sore they scarcely could see when they came to the island where I then was, and from them received the narrative, as here is related, of this wonderful salvation God wrought for them.
Sometime in July, 1689, three French privateer vessels came to Block Island. As they were thus become masters of the island, they disarmed the men, and stove their guns to pieces on the rocks, and carried the people and confined them in the home of Captain James' Sands before mentioned, which was large and accommodable for their purpose, and not far from the harbor. This they made their prison. The French came a third time while was on the island, and came to anchor on Saturday, sometime before night; and acquainted us who they and what they intended, by hoisting up their white colors.
None of the people appearing to oppose them, and having at this time my aged grandparents, James Sands and his wife, before mentioned, to take care of, with whom I then dwelt; knowing also that if they landed they would make his house the chief seat of their rendezvous, as they had done twice before, and not knowing what insults or outrage they might commit on them, I advised to the leaving their house, and betaking themselves to the woods for shelter, till they might return under prospects of safety, which they consented to accordingly we took our flight into the woods, which were at a considerable distance, where we encamped that night as well as the place and circumstances would allow, with some others, that for the like reasons fell into our company.
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- 1709
