From: The Hazard Family of Rhode Island 1635-1894 by Caroline E. Robinson. 1895. pp. 3-5

THE HAZARD FAMILY

Second Generation

Robert Hazard 2 (Thomas, I) was born 1635; he died 1710. In 1665 he was admitted freeman of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. From this time until 1698 his name often appears in the Colonial records as chosen to fill some important position. In 1658, he sold John Roome, of Portsmouth, all his interest in Conanicut and Dutch Island. In 1667, the court at Plymouth ordered, in reference to a controversy between the English and the Indians about bounds in Dartmouth, that in caseRobert Hazard, of Rhode Island, could be procured, he should run the lines, etc. In 1670, he was juryman. In 1671, he bought five hundred acres of land in Kingstown, of the Pettaquamscutt purchasers.
In 1676, he and three others of Portsmouth were a committee ordered by the Assembly to appoint their own men as keepers of Indians above twelve years of age.
The Indians were to have "a sufficient place of security." Any master offending was to pay a fine of ú5. In 1676, Robert Hazard was on a committee to procure boats for the colony’s defence "for the present, and there to be four boats with five or six men each." At the same date he and three others were empowered to take exact account of all the inhabitants on the island, “English, Negroes and Indians, and make a list of the same, and also take exact account how all persons are provided with corn, guns, powder, shot and lead." A barrel of powder was put in charge of himself and three others, and two great guns in the yard of the late William Brenton, were to be impressed into the country’s service and carried to Portsmouth, and placed, one "in the Ferry Neck and one near the house of John Borden." Robert Hazard and three others were to see that the guns were set on carriages and fitted for service.
In 1676, also, he was appointed as commissioner to take care of and order the several watches and wards on the island, and appoint the places.
In 1687, he was taxed 11 s 7d in Kingstown. Not long after this date, he built his house in Kingstown, which was still standing in the early part of the present century. It was on the site where now stands the house owned and occupied by the daughters of William Watson, Esqr., in the village of Mooresfield. The old house was very large, ---- possibly the largest in the town, not only at that time but for many years after. A well authenticated story is told of Dr. William Shaw, who, being called in to attend a sick person in the house, drove into the back yard, and entered the house by the kitchen door. When he went out, he asked if the family always walked from the front door to the rear of the house, or did they have some conveyance? The ell was longer than the main body of the house, and in this ell was a capacious chimney. Inside the chimney were two stone seats, where, tradition says, the little slave children were wont to sit; the heat from the big oak-logs being no bad substitute for the hot sands of Africa.
In 1695, Robert Hazard gave to his son George the larger part of his Pettaquamscutt purchase. The deed runs: " I, Robert Hazard, late of Portsmouth, now of Kingstown, alias Rochester, for the natural affection that I have unto my son George .. Have given to him all my whole right and interest in or to the farm I live on now, by virtue of a deed from the whole Company of Purchasers, as may appear by a deed given under their hand. Said farm contains five hundred acres of land, more or less, bounded as in my original deed from aforesaid purchasers. Only I, said Robert Hazard, do reserve one hundred and twenty acres, and my now dwelling-house." The boundaries mention big rock in the boundary line, about ten feet high. This rock is still to be seen in a substantial stone wall, and gave rise to the familiar name of his grandson Robert, who was called “Roc" Robert. This was also his signature, Robert Roc [his mark] Hazard.
In 1710, a short time before his death, Robert sold the remaining part of his farm, with " my manor house where I now live," to his son Robert (for ú300, current money), who, in 1718, gave it by will to his son Robert, after his mother's death; making three Roberts who has successively owned and occupied the old house. The last, upon the death of his mother in 1739, sold to his uncle George the remaining part of the farm. He in his turn gave the whole farm to his son, Col. Thomas Hazard, by will, in 1743. Col. Thomas, in 1748, sold it to John Rose. And thus, after sixty years, the old homestead passed out of the possession of the Hazard family.
Previous to the deed of gift to his son George, Robert had, in 1692, given to his son Stephen "all rights and interests in land belonging to Point Judith Neck, being ye seventh part of yesame, excepting one hundred acres and Little Neck, so called, next Boston neck."
In 1695, he also gave his son Jeremiah two hundred acres of land in Tiverton; and that his eldest son Thomas had land given to him by his father, is proved by the fact that in his will he says, " land that came to me by inheritance from my father, Robert Hazard."By these deeds it would seem that Robert Hazard owned more than one thousand acres of land.
Robert married Mary Brownell, daughter of Thomas and Anne Brownell. She was born in 1639, and died in 1739, being exactly one hundred years of age. In an old copy of the Boston Gazette, dated Feb. 12 1739, is found the following notice: "Newport, Feb. 9. Mrs. Mary Hazard, widow of Mr. Robert Hazard, of South Kingston, and Grand Mother to the deceased George Hazard, Esq., late Deputy Governor of Rhode Island, departed this life the 28th day of January last, in the Hundredth Year of her age, who was decently interr'd the Wednesday following. She had 500 Children, Grand Children, and Great Grand Children, and left behind her now living two hundred and five of the aforesaid number. She was accounted a very useful Gentlewoman both to the Poor and Rich on many accounts, and particularly amongst Sick Persons for her Skill & Judgement, which she did Gratis."