Gaspee
Virtual ArchivesResearch Notes
on Captain Samuel Godfrey (c1743-1831)
The Gaspee Days Committee at www.gaspee.COM
is a civic-minded nonprofit organization that operates many community
events
in and around Pawtuxet Village, including the famous Gaspee Days Parade
each June. These events are all designed to commemorate the burning of
the hated British revenue schooner, HMS Gaspee, by Rhode Island
patriots in 1772 as America's 'First Blow for Freedom'®. Our
historical research center, the Gaspee Virtual Archives at www.gaspee.ORG
, has presented these research notes as an attempt to gather further
information
on one who has been suspected of being associated with the the burning
of the Gaspee. Please e-mail your comments or further questions
to webmaster@gaspee.org.
This web page presents research notes on Captain Samuel
Godfrey.
None of the information is considered authoritative at the present
time.
Evidence implicating Captain Samuel Godfrey:
From The Rhode Island American,
August
13, 1825 XVI:91 p1: "Providence: Olden Times" was apparently a
retelling of the Gaspee Affair, probably in celebration of the 50th
anniversary of the start of the Revolution, and quoting Paul Allen, Jr,
(the son of Gaspee raider Paul Allen)
in his recently published History of
the Revolution:
"There are still surviving some
of our most respected citizens, who were actively engaged in the
affair: Colonel Ephraim Bowen, Captain
Samuel Godfrey, Colonel John Mawney, and Captain Benjamin Page."
Paul Allen, Jr was not only the son of a Gaspee raider who had heard
the stories during his upbringing--he was an established historical
author, and was editor-in-chief of the Baltimore Morning Chronicle .
One assumes that a man with these credentials is to be believed.
We also get the following snippet from the July 6th, 1827 edition of
the [Providence] American and Gazette,
published a full year
after the death of Captain Caleb Godfrey as listed in the obituaries.
The article on page 2 describes the Providence 1827 Fourth of July
parade floats:
"Behind these
[contingent of Revolutionary War veterans] was the barge
"Independence," a finely modelled boat, hung lightly upon a carriage,
drawn by six horses, manned by six American sailors, neatly dressed,
bearing their oars erect. In the stern sat two of the oldest
captains of this port, Pardon Sheldon and Samuel Godfrey. The
boat was tastefully painted, and decorated with flags, with thirteen
stars upon each gunwale. The flag, commemorating the burning of
the Gaspee, was borne in the bow, and the American Jack waved from the
stern. The device was very happily executed and formed a neat and
appropriate emblem of Independence and Commerce. Five youths in
white uniform followed, bearing banners inscribed with the names of
Revolutionary worthies. After these came a long procession of
more than 400 young men."
It would seem to beat the odds against both a Caleb and Samuel
Godfrey
that were both Captains, lived in Providence, and burned
the Gaspee. Besides,
there's no Samuel Godfrey in at least the genealogical files that list
Caleb Godfrey.
So the question becomes...is this a mistaken refrernce to Captain Caleb
Godfrey, or is this Captain Samuel Godfrey a separate and distinct
person? What, if any relationship he had with Caleb Godfrey is subject
to conjecture, but based on Caleb’s obituary, he is also established as
a Gaspee raider in his own right. The point not to missed is
that, based on Paul Allen, Jr’s writings, Capt. Samuel Godfrey is now
firmly established as a Gaspee raider.
It seems that we have proven here that Captain Samuel Godfrey was a
separate and distict man from Captain Caleb
Godfrey. Their riding together in a
float of honor to the burning of the Gaspee indicates that both
Captains Samuel Godfrey and Pardon Sheldon
must have participated in
the attack on the Gaspee in 1772.
From the October 18, 1825 Rhode
Island American and Providence Gazette is found a notice from
Samuel Godfrey and other heirs of the estate of the late Caleb Godfrey
appointing Samuel Pearson as administrator of the estate. This would
assumably prove a blood relationship between Samuel and Caleb Godfrey.
What exact relation Samuel Godfey held to fellow Gaspee raider Caleb Godfey is still to be educidated,
but the fact that many of the Gaspee raiders were related to each other
makes this no surprise.
Unlike the previous 1826 parade, we do not know the specific
words used on the banner alluding to the Gaspee. In 1826 (see http://gaspee.COM/EarlyCelebrations.htm
) the four ‘surviving’ Gaspee raiders (Page, Mawney, Bowen, and Smith)
had their names on a banner depicting the burning, yet these four and
their banner are not mentioned in the 1827 parade. One
explanation is that Pardon Sheldon and Sam Godfrey ‘came out of the
closet’ so to speak once they saw that they had missed out on all the
platitudes extended the other Gaspee raiders the year before.
Perhaps something similar motivated Ezra
Ormsbee to add into his 1832 pension application the passage about
his role in the burning of the Gaspee.
Biographical and Genealogical
search notes on Samuel Godfrey:
A search of the Gaspee Virtual Archives reveals only the
same incidences of "Godfrey" that are listed in our bio on Caleb Godfrey:
According to Field, Edward, State of
Rhode
Island and Providence Plantations at the End of the Century: A
History. Boston, Mason Publishing Co. 1902, Vol II,
pp424-430 "List of Privateersmen from Providence", James Godfrey was
a master of
Providence-based privateer, Lady
Washington, and others. As noted in the The Green Groves Of
Erin genealogical web site, this
was probably the uncle of our Caleb Godfrey, but there is no distinct
occurance of a Samuel Godfrey.
According to the 1770
List of Providence
Taxpayers, a Richard Godfrey owned property at Chace IIIB4.
This Godfrey must have been of some standing; his lot is located right
next to the Town Parade in the center of Providence, and lots
owned by most of the important merchants of the day, many of who were
Gaspee burners.
From the NEHGS
website we get reference to an 1831 probate record for a Samuel Godfrey
in Providence, RI. We also get 1790 Federal census records that
indicate that there was a Samuel Godfrey living as head of a household
in the South district of Providence. On the same census page,
denoting close proximity, are listed fellow Gaspee raiders Christopher Sheldon, Pardon Sheldon, and Joseph Tillinghast. who all lived in
the South Main Street area nearby the Sabin Tavern.
From the NEGHS site link to the Early American Newspapers collection we
find reference in the January 25, 1783 edition of the Providence Gazette that: "Capt.
Samuel Godfrey, in a Brig from this port, was taken by a British ship
of 64 guns, on his passage from Cape Francois to North Carolina, and
ordered for New York." The Brig was retaken by Americans, but the
hapless captain was kept prisoner aboard the British man-o-war.
Mrs. Patience Godfrey, wife of Captain Samuel Godfrey died in January
1786, and Miss Eunice Godfrey, daughter of Capt. Samuel Godfrey died in
February 1796, and Mrs. Patience Carpenter, daughter of Capt. Samuel
Godfrey died at age 26 in May 1813. We note he was advertizing in 1804
a large brick apartment on the South end of Providence, and in 1807
through 1819 he owned a wharf, renting space to both ships and shops.
In 1812 he was appointed administrator of the estate of one Adam Brown,
(a black man), and in 1814 of Levi Hall, Esq.
This is at St. John's Cemetery, possibly indicating that he was a
member of the Anglican/Episcopalian faith. Plugging these dates
into the LDS site, we get that a Samuel Godfrey was baptised at Trinity
(Episcopal) Church in Newport, RI 21Sep1743. Captain Samuel
Godfrey was first married to Patience
Sabin born c1745 on 30July1769. After her death in 1786,
he married an Elizabeth on 1Aug1793, but this is after her death so
some error must have been made. He third married a Lydia Macomber
Chaffee on 29Dec1812. All are buried at St. Johns:, and
unfortunately we can tract no further offspring.
GODFREY, PATIENCE 1751c - 24 JAN 1786 PV011 GODFREY, ELIZABETH 1755c - 29 JUL 1793 PV011 GODFREY, LYDIA 1754c - 25 OCT 1836 PV011
The
Gaspee Days Committee recognizes
Captain Samuel Godfrey as a
Gaspee
raider, and therefore, a true American patriot.
That's all the evidence we have for now folks. If
you know more, please e-mail us at webmaster@gaspee.org.
Thanks!
Gaspee
Virtual Archives
