Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/731

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BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES.
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Bowen. Like his father he was captain of a militia company in Barrington. He was a man very much respected and held many offices in town, being a representative and a member of the Town Council. He died Aug. 28, 1840, aged 58 years; children, Benjamin, Sarah A., Joseph B.

Benjamin Martin. Oldest son of Capt. Samuel R. Martin; was born in Barrington, Aug. 28, 1815; m. Julia R. Drown, dau. of Jeremiah S. Drown. Mr. Martin was captain of a militia company, and like his ancestors for three generations was known as Captain Martin. He was a member of the Congregational Church for over 39 3'ears, having joined with his wife in May, 1856, and was for many years deacon of the church. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives in 1854 and senator in 1855 and 1862; at the age of twenty-five he was elected a member of the Town Council, and when he retired from office had been a councillor over 30 years. He was for a number of years Assessor of taxes and member of the school committee. He died Dec. 12, 1895, aged 80 years and four months; his wife died Dec. 26, 1885, aged 73 years; children, Charles E., Samuel R., Sarah E., Jeremiah D., Julia M.

Joseph B. Martin. Son of Samuel R. and Sally (Bowen) Martin; b. at the Martin homestead, April 28, 1823; m. Mary A. Drown, dau. of Solomon, April 15, 1847. Mr. Martin was a member of the Town Council in 1860 and '61 and assessor of taxes for some years; he has also held' the office of highway surveyor; children, Mary E., William R., John E., Harry A., Clara A. Mrs. Martin died April 22, 1894, aged 70 years and 3 months. In 1842 Mr. Martin went to the Dorr War in the Barrington Company.

William R. Martin. Oldest son of Joseph B. and Mary A. Martin, b. April 25, 1852; occupation, mason and contractor; m. Ella A. Baggs of Hopkinton, R. I. In May, 1867, he joined the Congregational Church. His only military experience was in 1870, when for a few weeks he was a member of the Barrington Centennial Escort under command of Capt. George L. Smith. He was elected a member of the Town Council in 1888 to 1892, and 1898, and has served the town on various committees, and minor offices. He is a member of Sowamset Lodge, No. 2, A. O. U. W. of Warren, and Barrington Council, No. 3, O. U. A. M.

The Barnes Family, from Thomas and Prudence Barnes, who were in Swansea as early as 1669; was ordained as a minister in 1693, and died in 1706. Children, Lydia, Thomas, Sarah, Elizabeth; Anne, m. Thomas Allin; John, m. Mercy Allin; Peter, Samuel, Hannah. For full record see Austin's Gen. Dictionary and Arnold's Vital Records of Bristol County.

The Vialls are from John Viall, born in England about 1619; was in Boston, 1639, and joined the first church of that town, 1641; was a vintner and kept the "Ship Tavern" from 1662 to 1679; m. (1) Mary——; m. (2) Elizabeth Smith; moved to Wannamoisett (Swansea) 1619, and bought 600 acres of land of Thomas Willett. In his will he names