In addition to Edward Wilcox of Portsmouth, Rhode Island and Lincolnshire, England, there was another Wilcox individual who had a presence in Rhode Island at about the same time. John Wilcox frequented an area that was to become Rhode Island, having involvement with a trading house at Cocumcussuc (later known as Wickford in North Kingstown, Rhode Island). He was closely connected with New Amsterdam and was mentioned at least thirty-five times in the Dutch Records of New Netherland from 1642 through 1648. Records show that he was an active trader in New Sweden, New Netherland, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
John Wilcox of Wickford possibly made his first of many appearances in the New Netherland court records on 16 October 1642. He probably left the New Netherland area (or died) by August 1648 or not long after. Some researchers have mentioned that John Wilcox of Wickford may have also had a presence in Virginia.
One possibility was presented in posts to an online genealogy forum by Page Nichols in 2008.[1] In her post, Ms. Nichols briefly discussed four different men named John Wilcox that she had researched in her quest to discover her ancestor by that name. She submitted information on these men [numbered to differentiate them in the discussion]: John Wilcox [1] d.1628 m Temperance Parker Burgess; John Wilcox [2] d. 1662 m. Ann Custis Yeardley; John Wilcox [3] d. abt 1707 or 1714 of Charles City Co.,Va.; John Wilcox [4] d. 1760 m Ann Jenings of Middlesex Co. The account of Ms. Nichols suggested that John Wilcox [2] was possibly the John Wilcox of Wickford.
Evidence from multiple sources states that Mr. _____ Wilcox operated one of the three early trading posts in Narragansett, with the other operaters being Richard Smith and Roger Williams (considered by many as the founder of the colony of Rhode Island and a pioneer of religious liberty). Mr. _____ Wilcox was probably Edward Wilcox or John Wilcox. Another possibility is that Edward Wilcox was the operator of a trading post and John Wilcox was involved more as a captain of ships that traded with the three trading posts.
More details on John Wilcox and the early Narragansett trading posts is included in Book 1 of The Descendants of Edward Wilcox of Portsmouth, Rhode Island and Lincolnshire, England. A preview of the book is here. Book 1 is scheduled to be available for free online viewing in early 2024.
[1] Page Nichols, www.genealogy.com, “John Wilcox, Charles City Co. VA & RI mid 1600’s,” (https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/wilcox/5031/, accessed 30 Nov. 2023), forum posts of 10/24/2008 and 11/10/2008. [Note that Lucy “Page” Nichols died in North Carolina 30 August 2018 at the age of 67.]