• John Pierce Jr
• - Born: about 1655 - probably in Wales
• - Died: before Feb 9, 1746 (about age 90) - Portsmouth, Prudence Island, RI
• - Parents: John Sr and Mary Pierce
• - Married: Mar 8, 1679 - Portsmouth, Prudence Island, RI
• - Resided: Portsmouth, Prudence Island, RI

• Martha Brayton ? or Ann Fish (Fishe) ?
• - Martha Born: 1652 - Portsmouth, Newport, RI
• - Martha Died: 1715 - Watertown, Mass
• - Martha's Parents: Francis and Mary Brayton
• - Ann Born: ???
• - Ann Died: ???
• - Ann's Parents: Thomas (Sr) and Mary Fish

John Pearce was the eldest of three children. Although there are more detailed records for
his brother Daniel, we have found little regarding John Jr. Most of what we can report is
conjecture, based on what we do know of the family and historical events of that time.

Since John Pierce Jr. was born before his parents emmigrated, he was probably born in Wales,
and was their only child at the time they came to America. It was either in Portsmouth or
Prudence Island that he grew up, married, and raised his family. Portmouth is a town located
at the north end of Newport Island, in Narragansett Bay. Prudence Island lies just west of
Newport island, was considered to be part of the settlement of Portsmouth. Exactly where
John Pearce, his parents and children lived in this settlement is not known.

As a young man John would have experienced "King Philip's War" (1675-76), the major conflict
between the colonies and the local indian population. He would have been the right age (20)
to have actually enlisted in the local militia, although we have no record of this. His father
being age 43 in 1675, may well have also been in the militia. During this war (that raged
throughout Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut, and Massachusetts) Portsmouth and Prudence
Island acted as sanctuaries, as they were protected from the indians on the mainland by water.
Never the less, each town was expected to raise a militia to contribute to the protection
of the colonies. And because Portsmouth was so close to some of the indian villages, which
were located at the north end of Narragansett Bay, they needed to raise a vigorous defence
to protect their settlement.

There is some confusion in the genealogical record as to John's wife. She is listed tentatively
in John Blodgett's records as Ann Fish, but we have not been able to substantiate this. Other
records on the internet list her name as Martha Brayton, but there are conflicting records as to
who Martha Brayton married. There is a Martha Brayton, born in Portsmouth, RI who married
a Pearce, but he is listed as being Joseph Pearce of Watertown, Mass (not John Pearce) in many
records. Other records state her husband as John Pearce (our ancestor). Because Martha was
born and raised in Portsmouth, RI, there is a good chance that John Pearce is correct. But the
fact that she died in Watertown supports the conclusion that her husband was Joseph Pearce.
We will continue to investigate this.