The Ancestors of Henry Clay Anthony [Descendants of John Anthony of England] File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Susan W. Pieroth, (© 1997 Susan W. Pieroth) USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages are for the use of indivisual researchers, and may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ___________________________________________________________________ The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations: Biographical, by the American Historical Society, Inc., 1920. For an unknown reason there are two copies of the book with the same title page, but with different contents. Pages 243 - 245 of the smaller volume ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Henry Clay Anthony Henry Clay Anthony has for many years held an almost unique position among the agriculturists of Rhode Island, his splendid nurseries and farms, distributed throughout the Portsmouth section of the State, are models of their kind, and Mr. Anthony has built up one of the largest businesses connected entirely with agricultural pursuits in the United States. The Anthony family is of English origin and had its seat at Hempstead, near the city of London, where John Anthony, the founder of the line in America, was born, in 1607. Members of the family have occupied distinguished positions in many different callings throughout the entire period of American history, and no name is more closely associated with the growth and development of Rhode Island, both as a colony and State, than is this. (I) John Anthony was a young man when he sailed from his native country on board the baroque "Hercules," in 1634, and it was but six years later that we find the first record of him as a resident of Portsmouth, R. I., where his descendants have made their home ever since. One year later (1641), he was made a freeman of Portsmouth and shortly afterwards became a corporal in the military company of the settlement. He was the recipient of a grant of land a "Wading River" in 1644, and on May 25, 1655, had authority granted him to keep a house of entertainment at Portsmouth. He was commissioner in 1661, and a deputy to the General Court from 1666 to 1672. He married Susanna -----, and both he and his wife died in 1675. They were the parents of the following children: John, born in 1642; Susanna, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Abraham, of further mention. (II) Abraham Anthony, son of John and Susanna Anthony, was born at Portsmouth, and resided at that place during his entire life. He was a freeman in 1672, and was deputy in 1703-04-05-07-08-09-10-11, and was Speaker of the House of Deputies in 1709-10. His death occurred October 10, 1727. He married, December 26, 1671, Alice Wodell, born February 10, 1650, a daughter of William and Mary Wodell. Mrs. Anthony’s death occurred in 1734. They were the parents of the following children: John, born Nov. 7. 1672; Susanna, born Aug. 29, 1674; Mary, twin of Susanna; William, of further mention; Susanna, born Oct. 14, 1677; Mary, born Jan. 2, 1680; Abraham, Jr., born April 21, 1682; Thomas, born June 30, 1684; Alice, born Jan. 22, 1686; James, twin of Alice; Almy, born Jan. 30, 1688; Isaac, born April 10, 1690; and Jacob, born Nov. 15, 1693. (III) William Anthony, son of Abraham and Alice (Wodell) Anthony, was born October 31, 1675, at Portsmouth, and became prominent in the affairs of that place. He married, March 14, 1694, Mary Coggeshall, a daughter of John Coggeshall, and they were the parents of the following children: William, born Mar 14, 1695; Abraham, of further mention; Elizabeth, born May 2, 1698; Mary, born Dec. 8, 1699; John, born Sept. 12, 1702; Alice, born May 22, 1705; Anna, born May 17, 1707; John, born Nov. 16, 1708; Amey, twin of John; William (2), born Oct. 26, 1709; James, born Nov. 9, 1712; Job, born April 10, 1714; Benjamin, born June 10, 1716; and Daniel, born May 19, 1720. (IV) Abraham (2) Anthony, son of William and Mary (Coggeshall) Anthony, was born September 26, 1696, at Portsmouth, but made his home at Swansea, Mass., during a large portion of his life. He returned, however, to Portsmouth eventually, and it was there that his death occurred. He married, at Swansea, Mass., February 7, 1716-17, Elizabeth Gray, and they were the parents of the following children, nine of whom were born at Swansea and the remainder at Portsmouth: Abraham, Jr., born Dec. 9, 1717; Mary, born Feb. 9, 1718-19; Edward, born May 2, 1720, and died Feb. 6, 1821; Thomas, born Oct. 19, 1721; Philip, born April 11, 1723, died September 8, 1777; Elizabeth, born April 24, 1725; Isaac, of further mention; Sarah, born Jan. 12, 1734; Peleg, born Nov. 30, 1735; and Daniel, born Sept. 1, 1738. (V) Isaac Anthony, son of Abraham (2) and Elizabeth (Gray) Anthony, was born March 7, 1727, at Swansea, Mass., but removed as a child with his parents to Portsmouth, where the remainder of his life was spent, and where his death occurred. He married (first) at Portsmouth, February 15, 1753, Ruth Russell, a daughter of Seth and Hannah Russell, of Dartmouth, Mass. He married (second) November 19, 1760, Hannah Slocum, daughter of Giles and Ann Slocum, of Portsmouth, R. I. Mr. Anthony probably had a third wife, Rebecca ----, though the records are not quire clear on this point. His children by his first wife were as follows: Hannah, born Nov. 15, 1753; Isaac, born Sept. 26, 1755; and Seth, born Feb. 15, 1759, who died in infancy. The children of the second marriage are as follows: Giles, born Oct. 20, 1761-62; Ruth, born July 31, 1765; Seth (2) of further mention; and Rebecca, who was born March 30, 1771. There were two children who were probably born of the third marriage, as follows: Alice, born June 10, 1773; and Isaac (2), born March 13, 1774. (VI) Seth Anthony, son of Isaac and Hannah (Slocum) Anthony, was born July 27, 1767, at Portsmouth, and resided there during his entire life. He married, November 17, 1791, Abigail Clarke, born May 25, 1772, and they were the parents of the following children: Hanna Slocum, Elizabeth, born April 7, 1795; Samuel, born March 25, 1797; Joseph, born Sept. 2, 1799; Seth Russell, of further mention. (VII) Seth Russell Anthony, son of Seth and Abigail (Clarke) Anthony, was born August 9, 1812, at Portsmouth, R. I. Mr. Anthony followed the occupation of farming at Portsmouth, where he resided during his entire life, and where his death occurred March 2, 1873, in his sixty-first year. He was prominent in the life of the town, serving in the Town Council an was overseer of the poor. In politics he was a Republican, and in religion a member of the Society of Friends. He married (first) March 21, 1835, Abby Freeborn, born September 12, 1815, a daughter of William Freeborn. She was a direct descendant of William Freeborn who came from Ipswich, England, in the ship "Francis," with his wife, Mar, and two children, Mary and Sarah, and after stopping for a time at Boston, settled in Portsmouth, where he was a signer of the compact in 1638. Mr. and Mrs. Anthony were the parents of the following children: Henry Clay, with whose career we are here especially concerned; Sarah E., born Mary 1, 1854, and became the wife of Charles H. Dyer, of Portsmouth. Seth Russell Anthony married (second) March 23, 1869, Henrietta Slocum, of Smithfield, Providence county. There were no children by this union. (VIII) Henry Clay Anthony, son of Seth Russell and Abby (Freeborn) Anthony, was born at Portsmouth, June 10, 1852, in the old family homestead, where his forebears had resided for so many generations. As a lad he attended the local schools and later Scoffield’s Commercial College, at Providence, where he was prepared for business life. During his childhood and earl youth Mr. Anthony lived on his father’s farm, where he aided the latter in the work there, and there received a very thorough training for the pursuit which he has followed ever since. Early in life he became interested in the raising of seed for the farmers of the surrounding region, and since that time has developed this line to a very high state of perfection, having devoted his thoughts and energies to the perfecting of the best methods. At the present time he is the largest seed grower in New England, and has a market for his product extending far beyond the limits of his home locality. He has also devoted much time to the growth of vegetables and garden crops, and operates a number of farms throughout this region. He is the owner of upwards of eight hundred acres of land in Rhode Island and in addition rents an area as great in different parts of Massachusetts. He enjoys a reputation for producing the highest type of garden and farm seeds, which extends to many parts of the United States and Canada, and at present does an enormous business in this line. Mr. Anthony makes his home on "Elm Farm," which overlooks Narragansett bay and the Sakonnet river, and commands a splendid view of this beautiful country. Mr. Anthony, in 1902, incorporated his business under the laws of the State of Rhode Island as The Henry C. Anthony & Sons Company, his wife, and three sons. William B., Ralph H., and Joseph G. Anthony, being the other members of the concern. Mr. Anthony sets a splendid example of industry and energy not only to his family, but to the community-at-large, working as he does for over sixteen hours a day. In addition to his agricultural labors, Mr. Anthony has always taken an active part in the affairs of the community of which he is so valued a citizen, and although in no sense a politician, has held a number of offices in the gift of the town. In 1899 he was elected to represent Portsmouth in the State Legislature and has served in this capacity ever since, making an enviable record for himself as a capable and disinterested public servant. For several years he was chairman of the committee on fisheries and has also been a member of other committees of importance. He has also been a member of the Town Council of Portsmouth, and has done much to promote the general interests of the place. In politics he is a staunch Republican, and in religion an Episcopalian. He and his family, attend St. Paul’s Church of this denomination at Portsmouth. He is a member of Eureka Lodge, No. 22, Free and Accepted Masons, of Portsmouth, of which hi is past master; Aquidneck Chapter, No. 9, Royal Arch Masons, of Portsmouth; Washington Commandery, N. 4, Knights Templar, of Newport; and Palestine Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shine of Providence. Besides these Masonic bodies, he is a member and past grand of Seaside Lodge, No. 32, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Henry Clay Anthony was united in marriage, December 27, 1876, with Eldora Jane Wilcox, a daughter of Joseph and Jane Walker (Barnett) Wilcox, of Attleboro, Mass., a lady who has ably seconded him in his business enterprise and is now a partner thereof. Mr. and Mrs. Anthony are the parents of the following children: 1. William Barnett, born Nov. 19, 1877, and educated at the schools of Portsmouth; he is now in business with his father, and is prominent in local affairs, being a staunch supporter of the principles and policies of the Republican party; he married Eliza Coggeshall, a daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth Coggeshall, of Middletown, by whom he has had four children: Elizabeth Barnett, Seth Russell, William Lloyd, and Hope Coggeshall. 2. Ralph Henry, born Aug. 12, 1879, and educated at the schools of Portsmouth; he is a member of his father’s corporation, and is well known in the general life of the community; he married, in October, 1905, Angeline Congdon, of East Providence, by whom he had one son, Irving Joseph, who died at the age of seven months, and a daughter, Gertrude Alice. 3. Joseph Garfield, born May 13, 1881; he met his death on July 22, 1906, when he, with his wife and two children, were crossing Narragansett bay in a small boat. The craft was overturned and Mr. Anthony succeeded in placing the oars under the baby carriage, which was thus washed ashore with the child unhurt, while he and the remainder of the family were all drowned. The son Warren Wilcox Anthony, is now living with his aunt, Mrs. Frederick Webb. He married Louise Sherman, daughter of Warren Sherman, of Portsmouth, and they were the parents of two children. 4. Jennie Louise, born Jan. 17, 1884, and was educated in the public schools of Portsmouth and the Fall River Business School. She later studied at the State Normal School, at Providence, from which she was graduated with the class of 1906, and is now engaged in teaching. 5. Alice Wilcox, born March 24, 1886, and educated at the public schools of Portsmouth, and the Shoemaker and Clark Business College of Fall River, Mass. 6. Henry Clay, Jr., born Oct. 23, 1895, was educated at Mrs. Dennis’ School at Portsmouth. He married Nellie F. Stafford, of Newport, R. I., and they have one child, Henry Charles Anthony.