Thomas Clarke
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Thomas Clarke (abt. 1599 - 1697)

Thomas Clarke aka Clark [uncertain]
Born about in Englandmap
Son of [uncertain] and [uncertain]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married before 1634 [location unknown]
Husband of — married after 1664 [location unknown]
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 98 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Province of Massachusetts Baymap
Profile last modified | Created 11 Jun 2010
This page has been accessed 15,528 times.
The Puritan Great Migration.
Thomas Clarke migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See Great Migration Begins, by R. C. Anderson, Vol. 1, p. 375)
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This profile represents Thomas Clarke, born 1599, possible son of John Clarke and Mary Morton. Please do not merge Clarke-680 Thomas Clarke born 1605 to Thomas Clarke and Rose (Kerrich) Clarke, into this profile.

Contents

Biography

Thomas Clarke was born circa 1599, based on his age at death[1] [2] [3] [4]

  • He may, or may not, have been "Thomas son of John Clarke of Ratliff" who was baptized 8 March 1599/1600 at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, Middlesex[5] , but this theory has not been proven[2]. See research notes on disputed father below.
  • He may, or may not have been the son of John Clarke, the pilot of the Mayflower[5] [3], but this theory has not been proven[2]. See research notes on disputed father below.

He arrived in New England in July 1623 on the Anne[6] [2] [5] [3] [4], and was admitted as a freeman on January 1, 1632/3[7] [2]

Thomas Clarke was referred to as a carpenter, merchant, yeoman, and gentleman, and pursued various business and land development interests in Plymouth, Boston and Barnstable[5]. He also served as Constable, Highway surveyor and Deputy. Court proceedings show that he was literate and had an interest in legal matters[2].

Before July 1631, he married Suzanna Ring.[2] [5] [3] [4] [8] This marriage date is derived from her mother's will, which referred to her as my daughter Suzanna Clark.[9]

1638 Member, Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts

Their children included: [5][2] [4]

  1. William, born about 1634, who married Sarah Wolcott and Hannah Griswold
  2. James, born about 1636, who married Abigail Lothrop
  3. Suzanne, born about 1638, who married Barnabas Lothrop
  4. John, born about 1640, whose wife was Sarah Unknown
  5. Nathaniel, born about 1642, who married Dorothy (Lettice) Gray, daughter of Thomas Lettice and widow of Edward Gray
  6. Andrew, born about 1644, who married Mehitable Scotto

Suzanna's death date is not known, but it is reasonable to assume she died before her husband remarried.

On January 20, 1664/5, Thomas married Alice (Hallett) Nichols, daughter of Richard Hallett, and widow of Mordecai Nichols.[2] [5] [3] [4] [10] No further children are noted in these sources.

The family moved from Plymouth to Boston by 1660, then returned to Plymouth in 1678, and may have lived in Barnstable on occasion.[2]

Thomas Clarke died March 24, 1697, at age 97.[1][2] [5] [3] [4], and is buried on Burial Hill[11] [12] [13]

Research Notes

Possible Father

Some sources give John Clarke born 1575, the pilot on the Mayflower, as Thomas' father.

Points to consider:

  • There is a record for a marriage between a John Clarke and a Mary Morton in the St. Dunstan's Church, Stepney Parish, Middlesex dated 1598. [citation needed]
  • There is a record for a baptism "Thomas son of John Clarke of Ratliff" dated 8 March 1599/1600, also at St. Dunstan's (see Anderson, above). This was soon after the marriage and could be our John.
  • The headstone for Thomas places his date of birth around 1599, consistent with the baptism record.
  • John sailed back to Virginia aboard the Providence, arriving in April 1623 (and died in Jamestown shortly thereafter). Thomas arrived in Mass. July of 1623 aboard the Anne. He could have been following his father.
  • The Clarke family genealogy (incorrectly) attributes Thomas as being the Mayflower Pilot. This is family lore that was passed down through the generations. It might have been a simple matter to confuse father John with son Thomas. The fact that there's some connection in the family account at least lends credence to the idea.
  • Thomas' grandson Nathaniel was widely known to espouse the theory in his later years
  • Donald Lines Jacobus, a noted genealogist, accepted the theory[3]
  • Robert Charles Anderson later called the theory "very attractive, but unproven."[2]

Incorrect Attribution as Ship's Pilot

Despite a mistaken account in an early Clark Genealogy[14], and a history of the town of Plymouth,[15] which confused Thomas Clarke with his possible father, Thomas Clarke could not have been the Pilot of the Mayflower. He would have been 12 years old when beginning his career as a Pilot to the New World, and 21 years old at the time of the 1620 Mayflower sailing. Master's Mates were second in command of the ship - a position of great responsibility - and the job of Pilot was bestowed only after years of experience and voyages. It is well established that John Clarke was the Pilot of the Mayflower.[16] [2] [3]

Incorrect Wife

Some sources claim Thomas married a third time, Elizabeth Crow on 12 February 1689/90,[citation needed] however this is accepted to be an error. Elizabeth Crow's spouse was a deacon, and this Thomas Clarke was not. Further, Thomas was ninety years old at the time of this marriage, and had been living as a widower for nearly twenty years.[2] [3] [17]

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 Plymouth, Volume 1, page 135 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016), which states Mr. Thomas CLARKE decd. 24th March 1697 in his 98th year
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, page 377 (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010), (Originally Published as: New England Historic Genealogical Society. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols., 1995).
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Thomas Clarke of Plymouth and Boston in the line of Nathaniel3 in Connecticut by Donald Lines Jacobus, published in Volume 47, page 3 of The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 )
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Genealogical notes of Cape Cod families by Brownson, Lydia B.; Norton, Doris V.; Held, Grace V.; Publication date 1967; Publisher Lydia B. Brownson; This open source shows information that is otherwise found behind a paywall See Vol. 11 (Christie to Coan) page 213 for Thomas
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 The Widow Mary Ring published in Volume 42 of The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009), see pages 198 and 201 for Thomas Clarke who married Suzanna Ring
  6. Records of the colony of New Plymouth, in New England by New Plymouth Colony; Massachusetts]. General Court; Shurtleff, Nathaniel Bradstreet, 1810-1874, ed; Pulsifer, David, 1802-1894, ed; Boston : Press of W. White (1855). See Volume 12, pages 5-6 for the list of Plymouth residents who received land grants on the basis of their arrival on the Anne in 1623
  7. Records of the colony of New Plymouth in New England : printed by order of the legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by New Plymouth Colony; Shurtleff, Nathaniel Bradstreet, 1810-1874; Pulsifer, David, 1802-1894; Publication date 1855-1861; PublisherNew York : AMS Press. See Volume 1, page 4 for the list of freemen, and you can search for other references
  8. Torrey's New England Marriages to 1700 Volume 1, page 327. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015, which suggests the following sources CLARK, Thomas (1599, ?1605-1697, ae 98) (ae 59 in 1664) (called bro by Gov. Thomas PRINCE) & 1/wf Susanna [RING] (1609, 1610?-); ca 1634; Plymouth/Boston/Harwich {Bridgewater 365, 385; Briggs Anc. 123-4; MD 16:63, 34:83; Cape Cod Lib. 45:1+; Reg. 4:254, 47:142; Thom Anc Chart 4, 184, 185, 187; Crapo 837; Clapp Anc 52; Crary-Dunham 14; Winslow 1:94; Rich 24; Shurtleff 7, 51; Foster Anc. 95; French Anc. 10; Lathrop 41; Litchfield 91; Pilgrim notes 4:6; Thompson (#2) 15; Perrine Anc. 170; Avery Anc. (1925) 74}
  9. Transcript of the will of Mary (Durrant) RIng, Pilgrim Hall Museum
  10. Torrey's New England Marriages to 1700 Volume 1, page 328. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015, which suggests the following sources CLARK, Thomas (-1697) & 2/wf Alice (HALLETT) NICHOLS, w Mordecai; m cont 20 Jan 1664; ?Boston/Plymouth {Barnstable Fam. 474; Bridgewater 365; Sv. 1:400; Crary-Dunham 14; Foster Anc. 951; French Anc. 10; Gen. Bulletin 1:72; Litchfield 91; Clark; Briggs Anc. 124, Crapo 73}
  11. The Handbook of Old Burial Hill
  12. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 March 2021), memorial page for Susanna Ring Clark (1611–unknown), Find A Grave: Memorial #34826812, ; Maintained by Kevin Avery (contributor 47024642) Unknown.
  13. A short video of his memorial grave site
  14. William Wallace Johnson's Clarke-Clark Genealogy
  15. History of the town of Plymouth (pg. 24 in text, pg. 36 of PDF) by James Thatcher
  16. Mayflower Historian biographies of the Mayflower crew
  17. Thomas Clarke -- Some Extra Bits and Pieces by Jean Rumsey, published in Volume 49, page 143 of The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .)

See also:





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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Thomas by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Thomas:

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Comments: 21

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This profile has two connected sons both called Thomas, neither of whom died young:

This is indicative of a mis-merge and conflation of discrete family groups. Shall we disconnect the unproven or un-proveable connected relationships?

posted by Isaac Taylor
edited by Isaac Taylor
Both Thomas Clarks removed, I edited 26805 to reflect what is actually known about him although I doubt the man who married Martha and had children in Scituate, MA was the same man who died over 100 miles away at Coventry, CT apparently outlived by his widow Ann. Not my ancestors so I'm not going to pursue him further. 74833 has been submitted for a cleanup merge.
posted by Brad Stauf
Is there a reliable source for son Thomas? He isn't shown in either Anderson's Great Migration, or in TAG volume 4 by Jacobus. I will add a maintenance category for checking th relationship
posted by S (Hill) Willson
Clarke-74 and Clark-74830 appear to represent the same person because: same names, place, wife and children
posted on Clark-74830 (merged) by D. Selinger
Has anyone seen this though appears confusing because dates on Thomas Clarke are different and there were two different Find A Grave memorials but they have been merged and not sure they should have been but dates and info has been known to be wrong but this is what they have for one of the Thomas Clarkes: Thomas Clarke and Rose Kerridge (Kerrich or Keridge) were married on May 11, 1600 in Westhorpe, Suffolk.

Thomas Clarke was born in October, 1570 in Westhorpe, Suffolk, England, and baptised at St. Margaret's there on November 1. He was the son of John Clarke and Katherine Cook. He married Rose Kerrich at All Saints Church in Saxtead, Suffolk, on May 11, 1600. They returned to Westhorpe and settled there. When his father died, Thomas probably took his father's lands in Westhorpe because he resided there when his children were born. His brothers John, Carew and Christopher must have taken their father's lands in Finningham, as subsidies were levied on them at Finningham in 1597. Thomas and Rose had eight children at Westhorpe. Thomas died July 29, 1627 and was buried in the churchyard of St. Margaret's Church at Westhorpe on the 30th. Information from NEHGR 75:279; "The 'Clarke' Families of Rhode Island." G. A. Morrison Bio provided by Ken Smith. Thurston (Tristram) was attached to this family and does not belong here unless his birth date estimate is wrong which is ten years prior to the marriage of Thomas and Rose. He as well was not recorded among the eight children that were recorded in the parish registed. Hugh being the exception. The children of Thomas Clarke and Rose Kerridge as recorded in the Parish register of Westhorpe, Suffolk, England. Margaret Clarke born February 1, 1600 baptized February 19, 1600 and buried October 12, 1608. Carewe Clarke born February 3, 1602, baptized February 17, 1602 and died July 13, 1658 Newport, RI married Dorothy (Datrie) Drury onm November 10, 1629 in Rushbrook, Suffolk, England. Thomas Clark baptized March 31, 1605 and died on December 2, 1674 in Newport, RI. Mary Clarke baptized July 17, 1607 and died about 1648 in Newport, RI. Married John Peckham on May 20, 1638 in Newport, RI. Margaret Clarke baptized October 12, 1608 and died about 1646. Married Nicholas Wyeth about 1630 in Saxtead, Suffolk, England. John Clarke Rev. baptized October 8, 1609 and died April 20, 1676 in Newport, RI. Married Jane Fletcher on February 1, 1671 in Westhorpe, Suffolk, Englnd. William Clark (Clarke) baptized February 11, 1611 and died on March 15, 1682 in Woburn, MA. Joseph Clarke born December 9, 1618,baptized December 16, 1618 and died on June 1, !694 in Westerly, RI. Married Margaret Turner on November 16, 1664 in Newport, RI. Hugh Clarke, not recorded in the parish record was born about 1612 in Westhorpe, Suffolk, England and died July 20, 1693 in Roxbury, MA Married Elizabeth about 1640 in Watertown, MA. I am still investigating this.

It sounds like your information is referring to Thomas Clarke who married Rose Kerrich.
posted by S (Hill) Willson
There are several instances in the text where Thomas is referred to as John. I've bracketed these. Any objection to them being corrected?
posted by Jillaine Smith
Lacking a response for many months, I'm going in and making the changes.
posted by Jillaine Smith
edited by Jillaine Smith
Where it says John returned to Plymouth on Anne and Thomas came to Virginia on Providence, both in 1623, this seems to swap their roles, regardless of their relationship.
posted by Tim Prince
Yes, the link below to the court case is about this Thomas Clark. Alice his wife was previously the wife of Mordecai Nichols, who doesn't have a profile.
posted by Anne B
I came upon this and wondered if this is our Thomas Clark. see: https://www.colonialsociety.org/node/653#ch05 scroll down to Clarke vs Nichols.
posted by Nancyann Larsen
Please remove scroll boxes. They are no longer allowed on WikiTree. Thank you.
There are three scrolling boxes on PGM profile Thomas Clarke-74 that need to be removed to bring it in line with WikiTree standards.
Clark-27494 and Clarke-74 appear to represent the same person because: Although there are some issues to resolve, this appears to be a good merge. The Clark-74 profile does not show a son named Thomas but the profile of his wife Ring-29 does. Also, Clark-27494 shows Clark-74 as his brother, but this cannot be. Parents agree. Birth/death agree. One additional issue with child Thomas: The child Thomas of Ring-29 has a different wife compared to the child Thomas of Ring-867. I'm not sure how to resolve this but will propose a merge of the 'Rings' to foster examination.
posted by David Holbrook
Clark-18248 and Clarke-74 appear to represent the same person because:

Names, dates, and vitals match.

18248 lists a father Thomas Clarke Clark, which is contradicted later in the Bio. Parents should be John Clarke and Mary Morton.

posted by Bryan McCullagh
There are a number of points that would tend to argue - albeit circumstantially - that John Clarke, pilot of the Mayflower - was Thomas' father (see discussion at left under 'Disputed Father'.

"Coddington argued forcefully" for this proposition, and Jacobus accepted the idea. Anderson calls it "attractive but unproven."

posted by Bryan McCullagh
Clarke-2274 and Clarke-74 are not ready to be merged because: Not clear from data that this is same Thomas without other data.
posted by John Putnam
I think there are two separate issues regarding the parentage of Thomas Clarke. 1) were John Clarke and Mary Morton his parents? Coddington and Jacobus are the best authorities one could have for this supposition.

2) Was John Clarke, father of Thomas, the John Clarke who was pilot of the Mayflower? The only evidence to support this is a family tradition that Thomas was the pilot that was propagated by his grandson Nathaniel. There seems to have been no mention of any such connection in Thomas's lifetime and he certainly was the type of man who would have made the most of any such connection. Glazier's observation that ‘Mr. John Clarke was chosen warden for Ratcliffe in 1627’ would strongly support the supposition that our John Clarke was not the pilot of the Mayflower.

posted by Simon Clarke