I've moved this over from 'About the Straight Surname' as this is a better fit--wjs
A huge number of contemporary North American Straight/Straits are descended from Henry Straight of R.I. He has been represented as having been b. ca 1651/2 in England or the colonies (nobody is sure). But his DoB is based on the year of his apprenticeship, 1677, when he voluntarily apprenticed himself to Gershom Waddell. Serious consideration of the matter suggests that he was actually older than the normal age for apprenticeship and may have actually been b. ca 1645 or thereabouts (in which case he may be the same as the Henry Straight b. ca Sep 1645 in Caddington, Bedfordshire, England.) In any event, he was a wheelwright and had at least 2 children, Henry (ca 1676-1732) and John (my ancestor, ca 1678-1759); & possibly a 3rd, Mary (1680-?). He lived at various times in both East & West Greenwich, RI, as well as Portsmouth RI, He was m. at least twice: m1 ?Hannah (LNU)--mother of his children; & m2 Mary Long. He d. 4 jun 1728 in East Greenwich, RI.--W.J. Straight