1325:  It is of record that a Tripp of 1325 held right to a coat of arms; but the date of its conferment is missing. Sir Charles Tripp, who bore it, was a well-known lawyer of the Middle Temple, London, whose arms are both shown and described . He was son of that English John Trippe, Gentleman, who lived both in the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries. His father (and probably he, himself) saw life as it was keenly lived in France as well as in England. For the father, according to the English heralds, was John Trippe, Vice- Marshal of Calais. A very gorgeous John Tripp, Gentleman , in crimson and gold, executed the city ordinances of Hull, as its Mayor, in 1669. We find him under the heading "John Tripp, 1660" in a most quaint old English book of notables who had been schoolmates in Lincoln county or elsewhere. This John was Chamberlain; then Sheriff; then Mayor of Hull, 1669. John Tripp, Gentleman, Pioneer At Work.

1638:  John the Founder's appearance in Portsmouth, was in 1638; in Providence, under date of May 16, 1648.  He had come over in the same ship with William Hall in 1635. His name appears on the organization list of Portsmouth as John Trippe. On this list appeared the names of eleven families with whom the Tripps were to intermarry.  One of these was that of Anthonie Paine, John's father in law; another, that of William Haule (Hall), three of whose children later became "in laws" to John Tripp. Thus, the founding of Portsmouth seems rather a family affair.

1643 Mar 1.  He was granted 3 acres of land next to Thomas Gorton.

The remnant of the earliest records of Portsmouth now available contains no less than 80 references to John Tripp, the Founder of the New England line of English Tripps. The indexers agree that the spellings Trip, Tripe, and Tripp belong also to the family of Trippe.

1649 Oct 27: John Tripp and wife Mary gave receipt to Rose Weeden, widow of Anthony Paine, for legacy from will of the latter.

In 1649, we find John serving on a jury; as also in 1650, 1653, etc. By this time, three fourths the recorded names are of those related, or to be related by marriage to the first John Tripp, and to assist in carrying on his family line.

In 1651, he is clerk of "the wayghts and measures."  In the same year he makes an agreement with Ralph Earle concerning a line fence. This precise paper fills one and one half pages of the records, as printed. It was signed in the presence of four witnesses, one of whom was Benedict Arnold. The meat of it was that each signer should play fair with the other, as to reciprocity on stones and in the work of building the stone fence; a chief object being to "make there sayed landes several to each of their private uses."  John was between two fires, in that Ralph Earl's land joined him on both the north and the south sides . One point of the agreement read thus: "From yeare to yeare, so long as those sayd lots ly open together, Earl's to Tripp's aforenamed, that they will not on either of these said lots damnify each other by Cattell there put by their order."  This agreement was considered so important that the heirs of both signers are included in its terms, and a forfeit of twenty pounds sterlng is laid on the failure; to be "payed by the Ptie defective, unto the other Ptie engaged therein."  Formal seals completed the document, when signed.  It was a wise move to block trouble with bounding neighbors. 

Having served his town freely and well whenever needed, John Tripp came to the honor of being chosen Committeeman for the Generall Court. This was an important term, for this committee was authorized to meet with those of the other towns, "at the day Nuport neighbors shall apoint, with as full power to act as if the towne were present."  The same "Meetinge of the Inhabitants of Portsmouth" that chose John Tripp as representative, voted also, "that Assamequin shall have his coate payed him forthwith for his rent of the medows on the maine land, on the north side of Roade Ilande."

In 1655, John Tripp was chosen "commissioner of the Colony, to transact the business of the Generall Court to be held at Providence at the usuall tyme." .  He here appears as "Mr. John Tripp." Serving with him were John Roome, John Briggs, Thomas Lauton and Mr. Thomas Brownell.   He was both a Freeman and Commissioner in 1655. 

 Portsmouth, by this time, was becoming important.  John lived in Portsmouth.  He was a carpenter.

1655: Commissioner

1655: Freeman

1657 Nov 30: He had a grant of land on Hog Island for term of 7 years..

1660 Feb 6: He called himself abt 49 years old, gave testimony that he had heard his uncle Robert Potter say he had sold a certain house and land to John Anthony. (p. 285 of Evelyn Dexter letters. from Genealogical Dict of RI, by John Osborne Austin.)

1661:  Serving frequently on the Town Council, John was chosen also in 1661, with five others, to serve as a "Court of Comitioners" at Portsmouth. The following year he was chosen to serve on the next General court of Commissioners to be held at Warwick. The report of the town meeting for February, 1663 notes that four "Comitioners or deputyes" were chosen to serve at a General Court to be held at Newport.  Of these, was Mr. John Tripp.  Another was his brother in law Mr. Lott Stange; who had married Alice Paine, sister to John Tripp's wife Mary. In the meantime, John's family is increasing and maturing.

1665 Sep 8:, John deeded son, Peleg one-quarter of a section of land in Dartmouth that he had purchased from JOHN ALDEN.

1666:  Even among this goodly people, thieves were abroad, it seems; who, if they could but remove cattle from the island, could then snap their fingers at all authority. The ferries became increasingly important.  Thus, in August of the year 1666, the town meeting appointed John Tripp, his son-in-law's father, William Hall and two others "to survaie and view all cattell that shall be henceforth transported off the Iland and to take the names of all such as transport cattell, the day of the month when, the number of the Generall Cattel, with there severall ear marks and if any have cattel that have not their own eare marke or that have other markes than the rowen the survayers are hereby required to make stop of them, unless thay give satisfaction to the survayers how they cam by those Cattel, so differently marked. and the survayeers are to see the Cattell boated and if any carry cattell off the Land in the night, though survayed before, shall have a survayer to see them at ther going off shore or shall forfeit tenn pounds and stand to further sensuer of the toune."  

The year 1666 sees John appear on the records as "Mr. John Tripp senior."  He serves this year on the Grand Jury.  A new duty--of Rate making is laid upon him in 1666.  He is chosen for the Grand Jury (with two others). He is kept, as in most years, in the post of Surveyor of Cattle, and is again chosen deputy to the General Assembly.   He served on the Town Council seventeen years as deputy to the General Assembly and four years as assistant from Portsmouth.

1666 Dec 8: "Whereas, Mary Tripp, wife of John Tripp, Sr., some 25 years ago bought of Richard Searle for a pint of wine 3 acres of land, (located just above the town ferry) the said Richard Searle living then in Portsmouth, she being then unmarried, about which time Searle removed but left no deed to Mary."-  ("the sale taking place at the house of William Baulstone, where apparently Mary was a barmaid but at the time of sale no deed was drawn so the Court of Commissioners confirmed the sale on 8 Dec 1666." ) "John Tripp later ran the ferry to Bristol from this site."            INTERESTING!!!

In 1667, the town chooses him to serve, with Albro, Cooke, Aly, William Hall and Sanford, to devise a method of preventing "the destruction of wood and timber of this township" and some method of redress for the town. In June of 1667, John Tripp is once more chosen as one of the four Portsmouth "deputies for ye next Generall Court, as deputy.

In 1669, he serves again in the General Assembly, held at Newport in May of that year.

1670-73-74-75: Assistant -- John was an influential man in the community, occupying many offices of importance in his town and in the colony. He served on the Town Council, seventeen years as deputy to the General Assembly and four years as assistant from Portsmouth.

1671 May 3; He deeded son Joseph, one quarter of a section of land in Dartmouth, formerly bought of JOHN ALDEN.

 In 1672 he serves in the April Assembly, and also in that of October.  John Tripp, the Founder, is now aging. He has but six more years in which to prove his value.  But during these years he is allowed no surcease of work.

1672:  In this year, he becomes moderator of the Portsmouth meeting; to which office he is chosen each year therafter up to and including 1675.  As rate maker; as surveyor of cattle; as keen eyed representative of his town in many capacities, he does his unhurried and faithful duty.

As moderator, he is hampered by rules hitherto unknown to the presiding officers; since, in the last previous meeting, the town council voted that for the future, "noe Towne meetinge shall have power to act in affaires Relatinge to the Towne Except there be at least the number of fifteene prescent at the Said meeting.  And further ordered that for the future, noe Moderator of the Towne Meeting Shall presume to desolve Such Said Meeting without the Major vote of the said Meetinge. And if any Moderator shall from the meeting withdraw himself, without the leave of the major part of the meeting, it shall be in the power of that meetinge to elect another to the place of Moderator."

In 1675, Mr. John Tripp was chosen by the town council for three several offices besides that of moderator. One of these was that of prover and sealer of weights and measures, "accordinge as the law of this Collony hath provided." in 1676, 1677 and 1678 he is still filling important town offices.

This last year sees his last appearance on the records.

1677 Dec 6: Mary Tripp survived her husband, being sole executrix of his will, dated December 6, 1677, and proved December 6, 1677,. To Mary, all estate, lands, goods and chattels, movable and immovable, during her natural life, "only my old house excepted, or north end of my building which I have given to my son, John Tripp, formerly." To son, John, house and lot, and 10 acres in the Clay Pit field, meadows at Hog Island, all fencing, houses, orchards, "excepting my new house or south end of my building." To son, Abiel, south end of building last mentioned with lot adjoining and other land. To son, Peleg, five pounds. To son, Joseph, ten pounds. To son, James, one-eighth of a share of land at Dartmouth and rights in Narragansett and Westerly. To daughter, Martha, twenty pounds. To granddaughter, Elizabeth Wodell, ten pounds. To each of his grandchildren, he left five shillings "to buy bibles for them."

1678 Oct 28:  Death of John Tripp (age 68.)

1678 Dec 28:  John Tripp's will proved, Portsmouth, Newport Co, Rhode Island.

1679:  In April of the year 1679, "the widow Mary Tripp" receives from the Town Council" a License for one year to Sell Victuals and drink to Travelers and to afford them entertainment as may bee needful and Conveient.

1682 Apr 4:  His widow Mary (Paine) Tripp  (age 67) remarried Benjamin Engell in Portsmouth.

1685 Jan 15: "Stephen Manchester and Elizabeth gave receipt for 10 pounds legacy from will of John Tripp to his granddaughter Elizabeth Wodell, who Stephen had married; the said John Tripp's widow and executrix Mary, having married Benjamin Engell and these two last named having delivered the 10 pounds to Peleg Tripp, uncle to Elizabeth for her use. Receipt was now given for same Elizabeth, to both her uncle Peleg and Benjamin Engell and Mary. (Ibid p. 285 of E.D letters.)

1686/87 Mary PAINE b 1815, daughter of Anthony PAINE and Alice POTTER, died 12 FEB 1686/87 at Portsmouth, Newport Co, Rhode Island.

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Note: (American Fami lies 2; Newport Historical Magazine 4 [1883]:50-7;