Paul, William 1615

 Family Group Sheet

Name:   William Paul

Birth:  1615

Place:  Scotland

Death:  9 Nov 1704

Place:  Berkley, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Burial:  

Father:  

Mother:  

Spouse:  Mary Richmond

Marriage:  1656

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Children:

Name:  James Paul

Birth:  7 Apr 1657

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Death:  14 Jan 1723/1724

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Spouse:  Mary _____

Name:  John Paul

Birth:  10 Jul 1660

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Death:  23 Mar 1718

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Spouse:  Dorothy Walker

Name:  Edward Paul

Birth:  7 Feb 1664

Place:  Bristol County, Massachusetts

Death:  

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Spouse:  Esther Bobbit (Babbit)

Name:  Mary Paul

Birth:  8 Feb 1667

Place:  Bristol County, Massachusetts

Death:  9 May 1738

Place:  Dighton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Spouse:  Thomas Jones

Name:  Sarah (Sara) Paul

Birth:  5 Jul 1668

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Death:  26 Apr 1718

Place:  Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island

Spouse:  Henry Tew

Name:  Abigail Paul

Birth:  13 May 1673

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Death:  15 Jan 1743

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Spouse 1:  Joseph Wood

Spouse 2:  John Burt

Name:  Ebenezer Paul

Birth:  Abt 1677

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Death:  

Place:  

Spouse:  Sarah _____

Name:  Benjamin Paul

Birth:  1681

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Death:  12 Jan 1757

Place:  Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Spouse:  Ruth Dyer

Notes:

William Paul arrived in America on the "Truelove" in 1637.  There is a cave on the river near Taunton where William lived for an unknown length of time.  Some have tried to establish his relationship to Richard Paul, who also lived in Taunton, but there is no evidence they were related.  William was eventually banished from Taunton for "distemper of spirits."  William's headstone puts his age at death at 80, but the headstone is a replacement of the original and other evidence indicates he was 89.

Edwin Paul

From "The History of Taunton:"

[William] was a Scott and sailed to America on the "True Love" - possibly from Edinburg.  There was a Richard Paul with him, but if this was a father or brother, it is uncertain.  Richard was the local Innkeeper in Taunton before that town was incorporated.

One source states that he arrived in 1638 on the ship Truelove.  This may indicate, based upon his 1656 marriage to Mary Richmond, that he may have been a young boy when he arrived, perhaps coming with his family, but the author has found no information to prove not disprove this.  He is statedto have been born in Scotland, a manufacturer or weaver by vocation, and arrived at Taunton in 1643.  This same source also states that he died 9 November 1704 in Middleborough, Mass.  His marriage to Mary Richmond is proven by the will of her father, John Richmond, dated 14 Dec 1663, in which he states "my son in law William Paul and his wife Mary" and later, "my daughter Mary the wife of William Paul...";  this will is shown on the Richmond family page.

There is an interesting article in the latest issue of TAG [Vol. 73, No. 4, pg. 312] concerning the Paul family of Taunton.  The title is "Who was the mother of James Paule [1657 - 1724] of Taunton, MA?"  The author presents a hypothesis that James Paul was born to a Katherine [_____] Innes wife of Alexander Innes, because she and William Paul were charged with adultery two months before James was born.  It is a very interesting article.  I am aware that William Paul was whipped for adultery and eventually bannished from Taunton for distemper of spirits, but the case of adultery that I am aware of the woman was married and her husband was also punished - put in stocks for leaving his wife and putting her in a place of temptation.  I seriously question if a mother in Puritan Massachusetts would give her son the name of a man she wasn't married to.  It will take more evidence than someone making wild guesses to convince me.  However, since I am a descendant of James, I may be prejudiced.

Ed Paul - from GenForum

From A GENEALOGICAL DICTIONARY OF THE FIRST SETTLERS OF NEW ENGLAND, SHOWING THREE GENERATIONS OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE MAY, 1692, ON THE BASIS OF FARMER'S REGISTER

by James Savage, originally pub. 1860

WILLIAM, Taunton, perhaps br. of Richard, had James, b. 7 Apr. 1657;  John, 10 July 1660;  Edward, 7 Feb. 1665;  Mary, 8 Feb. 1667;  Sarah, 5 July 1668;  and Abigail, 15 May 1673;  and he d. 9 Nov. 1704.