Thomas Faunce (1647 - 1746)

Born 1647 in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Jane (Nelson) Faunce — married 12 Dec 1672 in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony

Descendants

Died 27 Feb 1746 at about age 99 in Plymouth, Plymouth County, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Thomas Faunce was born in 1647 in Plymouth, Plymouth Colony. He died on 27 Feb 1746 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, at age 99 years. He married JANE NELSON on 12 Dec 1672 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Colony, daughter of William Nelson and Martha Ford.^{[1] [2]} She was born on 28 Feb 1651 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Colony. She died on 08 Aug 1717 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts.^[1]

Thomas was selected as the first clerk by the Proprietors of Plymouth and Plympton Commons. He lived in Plymouth at Chiltonville, on the northwest side of Eel river.^[1] Thomas is known as "The Man Who Saved Plymouth Rock." You may read the story here: http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/thomas-faunce-man-saved-plymouth-rock/ and another version here: https://plymrock.org/thomas-faunce-the-man-who-saved-plymouth-rock/

Another interesting read: UPDATED:SEP 1, 2018ORIGINAL:NOV 21, 2012 The Real Story Behind Plymouth Rock Explore the real history of the Pilgrims' purported landing place—Plymouth Rock. by Christopher Klein. https://www.history.com/news/the-real-story-behind-plymouth-rock

On July 6, 1685, Thomas was chosen Town Clerk of Plymouth, an office he held until 1723. He was also one of seven Colony Selectmen, serving between May 19, 1690, and 1697.^[1] Thomas was a Deacon of the church between 1686 and 1699, and was the last ruling Elder of the Plymouth Church between 1699 and 1746; he succeeded Thomas Cushman in this latter capacity.^[1]

Children:

i. PATIENCE FAUNCE was born on 07 Nov 1673 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Colony. She died on 12 May 1779 in Dartmouth, Plymouth, MA. She married EPHRAIM KEMPTON on 02 Jun 1702 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. He was born on 14 Nov 1674. He died in 1758.

ii. JOHN FAUNCE was born on 16 Sep 1678 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Colony. He died on 19 Mar 1766 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. He married ABIGAIL BRYANT on 20 Nov 1705 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, daughter of John Bryant and Abigail Bryant. She was born on 30 Dec 1682 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Colony. She died on 07 Apr 1770.

iii. MARTHA FAUNCE was born on 16 Dec 1680 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Colony. She died on 09 Sep 1745 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. She married ISAAC DOTEN on 17 Mar 1703 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. He was born on 25 Oct 1678 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Colony. He died on 15 Apr 1725 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

iv. PRISCILLA FAUNCE was born on 20 Aug 1684 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Colony. She died on 08 Sep 1736 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

v. THOMAS FAUNCE was born on 18 May 1687 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Colony. He died before 26 Feb 1749 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. He married (1) LYDIA BARNABY on 29 May 1718 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, daughter of Stephen Barnaby and Ruth Morton. She was born on 04 Sep 1697 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. She died in 1749 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. He married (2) SARAH FORD on 12 Jul 1711 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. She was born before 1695. She died on 03 Mar 1717 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

vi. JOANNAH FAUNCE was born on 24 Jun 1689 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Colony. She died on 04 May 1758 in Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts. She married ICHABOD PADDOCK on 15 Oct 1712 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. He was born on 16 Jun 1687 in Yarmouth, Plymouth Colony. He died on 26 Aug 1750 in Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

vii. JANE/JEAN FAUNCE was born on 18 Nov 1692 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. She died after 1735. She married (1) EBENEZER FINNEY on 18 Aug 1726 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. He was born on 23 Apr 1699 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts. He died on 21 Sep 1745 in Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts. She married (2) ABIAH KEITH in 1735 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. He was born on Unknown date. He died after 1735.

Probate

His will is dated 21 March 1745 and proved on 22 March 1745 in Plymouth. He mentions his children, John (eldest son), Thomas, Joanna, wife of Ichabod Paddock, Patience, wife of Ephraim Kempton, Martha, wife of Isaac Dotey, Jane, wife of Ebenezer Finney, his daughter-in-law, Lydia, wife of his son Thomas, and his great-grandson Jabez Faunce, son of his granddaughter Sarah Faunce, decd. ^[3]

His inventory was taken in March 1746 in Plymouth.^[4]

His estate distribution was set out to Patience, wife of Ephraim Kempton, the heirs of Martha Doty, and the heirs of Jane Finney^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} NEHGR 114:119-120 The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2013.)
2. ↑ Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850, (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2010). Reference Plymouth Volume 1, page 667
3. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-8L3P : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1745-1749 and 1836-1849 vol 10-10A > image 62-64 of 611; State Archives, Boston.Start at bottom of right hand side of image.
4. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-8L4M : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1745-1749 and 1836-1849 vol 10-10A > image 176-177 of 611; State Archives, Boston.
5. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-NN1P : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1748-1750 and 1841-1848 vol 11-11B > image 27-28 of 642; State Archives, Boston.

• History of the Town of Plymouth: With a Sketch of the Origin and Growth of Separatism by William Thomas Davis, page 174. Discusses Plymouth Rock and Thomas Faunce's visit to it shortly before his death. Interesting history of the Rock.
• History of the Early Settlement of Bridgewater in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, published 1840, Reference page 394. Discusses that he was an Elder of the Plymouth Church.
• Find-A-Grave Virtual Cemetery memorial #13903903 in Burial Hill, Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA
• Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society (Massachusetts Historical Society, 1795) Vol. 4, Page 129