• John Pierce Sr
• - Born: about 1632 - Wales
• - Died: before April 26, 1692 (about age 60) - Portsmouth, Prudence Island, RI
• - Parents: Not Known
• - Married: Wales
• - Resided 1st: Wales
• - Resided 2nd: Portsmouth, Prudence Island, RI

• Mary ???
• - Born: ???
• - Died: before Oct 15, 1711
• - Parents: Not Known

John Pierce Sr, a mason, came to Rhode Island from Wales sometime around 1660. He settled
in either Portsmouth, RI (on the north end of the island of Newport) or on Prudence Island, RI
(an island right next to Newport island) in Narragansett Bay. His and the next two generations
of the Pearce family would make Portsmouth and the adjoining island of Prudence Island their
home for the next 100 years.

John Pearce's name is first mentioned in the proceedings of a town meeting held in Portsmouth
on Jan 5, 1666. That record states the following: "John Pearce, admitted this day,
a free inhabitant of this town". From 1668 to 1683 he is referred to as John Pearce (Mason)
to avoid confusion, because another Pearce in town (Richard Pearce) had a son named John
who came of age in 1668. After 1683 (when the other John moved away) he became known
as John Pearce senior.

Portsmouth town (and other) records showing entries for John Pearce are as follows:
- Apr 14, 1668, John Pearce [mason] bought a dwelling house and 38 acres of land
from Wm Corry.
- Sep 29, 1668, John Pearce [mason] took a lease of Wm Corey of 68 acres for a period
of seven years.
- May 04, 1675, John Pearce [mason] was made a freeman of the colony of Portsmouth.
- Oct 31, 1677, John Pearce [mason] was included in the list of grantees to the lands
of East Greenwich.
- Jun 12, 1678, John Pearce [mason] was allowed to dispose of his East Greenwich rights
to Henry Mathewson.
- Mar 16, 1685, John Pearce [mason] drawn in a jury of "Tryalls" at Newport.
- Mar 05, 1686, John Pearce, senior, a member of a coroner inquest held at the house of
James Sweet Jr. on Prudence Island.
- Feb 23, 1690-1 Major John Green deeds lands in Nanick to "John Pearce [mason],
inhabitant in Prudence".
- Aug 23, 1691, John Pearce and Mary, his wife, deed this land to their loving son Daniel.

John Pearce Sr's will was made on Sept 23, 1689 and proved in Portmouth on Apr 16, 1692.
In it he makes his wife Mary executrix and leaves his estate to her, after giving small
portions to each of his three children.

Mary Pearce's will was made Sept 17, 1711 and proved Oct 15, 1711. In it she first left:
"...40 shillings to the poor bretheren of the Church of Christ to whom I doe belong."
She then divided the remainder between her three children.