Robert Coles (settler) facts for kids

Robert Coles (c. 1600 – 1655) was an important colonist in the 1600s. He lived in New England and helped create the area that is now the state of Rhode Island. He is also known for a special punishment he received in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Coles arrived in Massachusetts Bay in 1630. He came on a ship called the Winthrop Fleet. He was one of the first people to settle in towns like Roxbury and Agawam, which is now Ipswich. He also settled early in Salem.

He faced some challenges in Massachusetts. He was given a special punishment where he had to wear a red letter "D" for a year. This was a public way to show disapproval. This event might have inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne's famous book, The Scarlet Letter, written in 1850.

Later, Robert Coles left Massachusetts Bay. He joined Roger Williams in Providence. Here, he became one of the 13 original owners of land in the new colony. He also helped start the First Baptist Church in America. In the Providence Plantations, he was among the first to settle Pawtuxet and Shawomet. These areas are now the Rhode Island towns of Cranston and Warwick.

His biggest achievement was helping to write the Plantation Agreement at Providence in 1640. This agreement was approved by both men and women in Providence. It created the first non-religious, representative democracy in America. This means people voted for others to represent them in government.

After Coles passed away, his family moved to Long Island, New York. Three of his sons later founded the city of Glen Cove, New York. Three of his daughters married into the Townsend family. The Townsends were known for standing up for the idea of separating church and state.

Robert Coles's Family Life

Robert Coles was born around 1600, likely in England. We don't know much about his early family. He and his first wife, Mary, are first mentioned in records from the Roxbury church. Mary likely passed away before Robert moved to Providence.

His second wife was Mary Hawxhurst (born around 1602, died 1656). Her father, Sampson Hawxhurst, was a vicar (a type of church leader) in England. After Robert Coles died, Mary Hawxhurst married Matthias Harvey. She then moved to Oyster Bay on Long Island.

Robert Coles had at least seven children. Four of them were under 18 when he died.

• Children with his first wife, Mary:
  • John Coles (married Ann)
  • Deliverance Coles (married Richard Townsend)
  • Ann Coles (married Henry Townsend)
• Children with his second wife, Mary Hawxhurst:
  • Daniel Coles (married Mahershalalhasbaz Gorton)
  • Nathaniel Coles (married Martha Jackson, Deborah Wright, Sarah Harcurt)
  • Sarah Coles (married Captain Thomas Townsend)
  • Captain Robert Coles Jr. (married Mercy Wright)

Robert Coles died in 1655 in Warwick, Providence Plantations. He did not leave a will. The town council of Warwick handled his finances. They paid his debts and distributed his remaining money and property to his children. This included selling a mill and some land to create a special fund for his younger children.

Family's Fight for Freedom

Three of Coles's daughters married into the Townsend family. The Townsends came to Warwick after having problems with authorities in the Dutch colony of New Netherland. These problems were about religious freedom.

Ann Coles's husband, Henry Townsend, was fined and even put in prison. This happened because he hosted meetings for Quakers and spoke out against the government. In 1657, he signed a document called the Flushing Remonstrance. This document protested the unfair treatment of Quakers and others in New Netherland. A year later, Ann Coles was also accused of supporting the "odious sect" (meaning the Quakers). The Townsends later moved to Oyster Bay, which was outside of Dutch control.

Three of Coles's sons—Robert Jr., Nathaniel, and Daniel Coles—were among the first owners of land in Musketa Cove Plantation. This area is now the city of Glen Cove, New York, close to Oyster Bay. The house that Robert Coles Jr. built there in 1668 is still standing today.

Famous Descendants of Robert Coles

Many notable people are descendants of Robert Coles. These include:

• Walter Chrysler (1875–1940): He was an industrialist who started the Chrysler Corporation, a big car company.
• Miriam Coles Harris (1834–1925): A well-known novelist.
• Robert Townsend (1753–1838) and Sarah "Sally" Townsend (1760–1842): These siblings were spies during the American Revolutionary War. They were part of a secret group called the Culper Ring.
• Jesse Coles (1757–1839): Another spy who was captured while carrying a message to General Washington.
• Robert R. Coles (1907–1985): He was the chairman of the Hayden Planetarium, a famous space museum.