The Earle family : Ralph Earle and his descendants

Gen.] GENEALOGY. 2*]
49-3. Benjamin Earle, h. May 25, 1691 ; m. Rebecca Westgate.
50-4. Mary Earle, b. June 1, 1693; living, unmarried, in 1769.
51—5. Rebecca Earle, b. Dec. 17, 1695.
52-6. Elizabeth Earle, b. Sept. 6, 1699; m. 1st, George Westgate
; 2d, Capt. John Adams, of Warren, R. I.
[8-2] . Ralphs Earle, Jr. (Ratyh* Ralph 1
), of Dartmouth,
son of Ralph and Dorcas (Sprague) Earle, was b. 1660;
m. 1692, Dorcas, dau. of Henry Dillingham; and d. in
1718. Dorcas died on "the 23 d of the month called
January, 1742, in the eightieth year of her age."
Ralph had taken the oath of fidelity, or freeman's oath, before
March 24, 1686.
In 1693 he conveyed to his brother William, then in Dartmouth,
" one half part of all and Singular my Island, as my father Ralph
Earle hath given it to mee, which said Island is called Elizabeth
Island." He had lived at one period on this island.
Ralph's will, executed April 2, 1718, and entered for probate May
8, 1718, mentions his wife Dorcas, his brother Joseph, his daughters
Deborah, Hannah and Meribah, and his son Barnabas, to each of
whom he left a legacy. The inventory was £1,862. 5s. 5d., and his
wife Dorcas was executrix.
The children of Ralph and Dorcas (Dillingham) Earle
were :
53-1. Deborah Earle, b. Sept. 2, 1693; m. Adam Hunt.
54-2. Barnabas Earle, b. Feb. 3, 1698; m. 1759, widow Parnel
Chase. No issue.
55-3. Hannah Earle, b. Dec. 21, 1701 ; m. Aug. 27, 1719,
William Brown.
56-4. Meribah Earle, b. Jan. 29, 1703.
Barnabas was on the petit jury in 1725; constable in 1741 ;
" tything-man " in 1766. At the town meeting of August 9, 1762, he
was chosen Moderator. It appears that he had a liberal estate for
the times and place in which he lived. He received, by bequest, his
father's homestead and various other lands. He also had an interest
in the common lands of Dai'tmouth, and his name, among others, is
signed to requests for calls of meetings of the ' ; Proprietors and Pur-
chasers," in several years from 1743 to 1773-