Waste family history

Francis Wast

1643 - 1696

and Susanna Soule

 

Francis Wast (Francis John West)

Birth: about 1643 in Lynn, Massachusetts

Death: Jan. 2, 1696 in North Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island

 

Francis was the son of Matthew and Nicoles West. They were both born in England. His parents settled in Lynn, Massachusetts where Francis was born.

He married Susanna Soule, the daughter of George Soule of Plymouth Colony. Susannah was probably born about 1642 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Mass.

Francis had several spellings of his last name, including both Wast and West.

Feb. 2005: This just in: Here is an excellent genealogy linking Francis West to Bezaleel Waste. It goes back in time before Francis with different ancestors than presented here.

 

Plymouth Colony, New England

Click on the map above to see original hi-res version. This map of Plymouth and Duxbury, Massachusetts was originally published in the 1770's.

 

Susanna Soule

Birth: about 1642 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts
Death: about 1684 in Kings Towne, Rhode Island

Susanna's father was George Soule, born about 1593 in Eckington, Worchester, England. George arrived at Plymouth on the Mayflower as an employee of pilgrim Edward Winslow. Susanna's mother was Mary Becket, born Jan. 17, 1598 or 1599 also in Eckington. George and Mary were married before 1626 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Their children are listed here.

George was undoubtedly the most famous father-in-law in our family, as evidenced below.

George Soule, father-in-law of Francis Wast

 The house of George Soule at Plymouth, Massachusetts has been reconstructed, as seen above

 

Signature of George Soule

George came on the voyage as a teacher of Edward Winslow's children. Later, he was a Plymouth volunteer for the Pequot War in 1637. He was a signer of the Mayflower Compact. The list of signers is here.

Mayflower passenger list

George Soule was included in William Bradford's Mayflower passenger list, 2nd version includes original handwriting.

"George Soule in 17th Century Records" is an extensive listing located at the Pilgrim Hall Museum. An astonishing number of records are online there.

Mayflower Document Center page on the George Soule family, including mention of Susanna's marriage to Francis.

Here is the will of George Soule.

Some of George Soule's glassblowing work is in the Plymouth Pilgrim Museum.

George is buried next to John Alden & Priscilla at Duxbury; and near to Miles Standish. He, John Alden and others bought land for Gov. Prence.

 

 

Middleborough, Massachusetts and George Soule's descendants

 
Click on the panoramic map above for a hi-res version that shows several features connected with "George Soule", a direct descendant of the pilgrim George Soule. The map was published in 1889, more than two hundred years after the pilgrim arrived.

 

Francis and Susanna relocated to Kingstown, Rhode Island

Francis and Susanna Wast had ten children. They were all born in North Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island. The old name was Kingstown.

 North Kingston is on the western side of Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. This map shows the area many years after the time of Francis Wast. It was published in 1776.

When Gov. Andros took over the King's Province in 1687, he levied taxes on the inhabitants of Kingstown, RI., renamed Rochester. Included in the list were Francis Wast Sr., Francis Wast, Jr., and Richard Wast. Only Francis Sr., had a rate, that of 2 shillings 1 pence.

This family name has a variety of spellings in the public records: Wast, West, Waste, Weast being common variants. Of the four "West" families in Plymouth Colony only this family has its surname used in forms other than West suggesting that the original name, while phonetically similar, was distinct from West.

There were no rules for the spelling of English words in the early 17th century, and each writer did as he or she pleased, phonetically spelling the word as seemed fit – sometimes differently on a single page.

 

Follow the link above to read some of the research on Francis West. There were two men with that name at about the same time and place. It is difficult to be 100% certain exactly which Francis is being referred to at times.

More information is also available from the research of D. G. Weymouth, located here.

 

Children of Francis and Susanna Wast

(their childrens last names were sometimes spelled West)


Francis West II, born about 1660 in North Kingston,Washington County, Rhode Island. He married Sarah (Meakins) Millard on May 12, 1699 in East Greenwich, Kent, Rhode Island. She was born about 1676 in Hatfield, Hampshire Co., Mass. and died in North Kingston. Francis died in Sept., 1724 in North Kingston.

Here is a page about Francis West II.

Richard Waste (Richard Wast), born about 1664 in North Kingston, Washington Co., Rhode Island. He married Mary Samson on Oct. 26 , 1693 in Bridgewater, Mass. Later he married Elizabeth Canedy on Oct. 21, 1706 in Middleboro, Mass. Richard died Nov. 17, 1727 in Middleboro.

Here is a page about my ancestor Richard Waste.
Susanna Wast, born about 1666 in North Kingston, Rhode Island. She married Moses Barber on March 24, 1691 or 1692 in North Kingston. Their 14 children are listed here. He died in 1733. Susanna died about March, 1758 in South Kingston, Rhode Island.
Peter Wast, born about 1668 or 1669 in North Kingston, Rhode Island. His wife's first name was Patience, last name unknown.
John Wast, born about 1672 in North Kingston, Washington, Rhode Island. His wife was named Deborah, last name unknown. She was born about 1675 in North Kingston, Washington, Rhode Island. John's last name also appears as West. John died on Nov. 17, 1741.
Martha Wast, born about 1676 in North Kingston, Rhode Island. She married Thomas Card on March 24, 1692. Later she married James Card on March 4, 1702 or 1703. He died about 1706. She then married Jeremiah Fones on Nov. 9, 1710 in Jamestown, Newport Co., Rhode Island. He died in 1747 in North Kingston, RI. Martha died on Dec. 2, 1764 in North Kingston, RI.
William Wast, born May 31, 1681 in North Kingstown, Washington Co., Rhode Island. He married Abiah Sprague about 1708 in Hingham, Plymouth Co., Mass. She was born about 1708. They had four children. Abiah died before April, 1721. Later, William married Jane Tanner about 1725. She was born about 1685 in North Kingston, Washington Co., Rhode Island.Together, they had eight children. More details on all of the children are located here. William died about 1742.

Thomas Wast (Thomas Waste), born Sept. 18, 1684 in North Kingston, Rhode Island. He was the twin brother of Clement Wast. Thomas married Dorcas Rathbone on Sept. 20, 1716 in New Shoreham on Block Island, Washington Co., Rhode Island. She was born July 14, 1695 in North Kingston, Washington, Rhode Island. They had two sons, both born in New Shoreham, Block Island, Newport Co., Rhode Island. Their names were Ichabod Wast, born June 20, 1717 - 1718 and Thomas Wast, born June 26, 1720.

Thomas Wast, senior, died about 1727. His last name was spelled 3 different ways.

Clement Wast (Clement West), born Sept. 18, 1684 in North Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island. He was the twin brother of Thomas Wast. Clement married Sarah (last name unknown) about 1725 in North Kingston. She was born about 1688 in of North Kingston, Washington, Rhode Island. Clement died about 1749.

Here is a page about Clement West.

 

 Francis Wast died on January 2, 1696 in North Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island.

Francis and Susannah Wast lived 10 generations before mine.

 

 Continue to Richard Waste

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