Thomas Hale I (abt. 1575 - 1630)

Born about 1575 in Hertfordshire, England

Husband of Joan (Kirby) Bides — married 19 Oct 1601 in Watton at Stone, Hertfordshire, England

Descendants

Died 19 Oct 1630 at about age 55 in Watton At Stone, Hertfordshire, England

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Herbert Wolfe [send private message], Todd Altic [send private message], John Putnam [send private message], and Theodore Palmer [send private message]

Disputed Parents

It has been claimed that Thomas Hale was the son of William Hale and Rose Bond. This is impossible, because William died on 27 Aug 1634, age 66, which gives William a birth year of around 1568.^[1]. Furthermore, Rose Bond was born in 1573. As Thomas Hale married in 1601, he was born by around 1580 at the latest, making William and Rose too young to have been the father of Thomas.

Perhaps Thomas was the Thomas Hale baptized 22 Aug. 1574 at St. John the Baptist church, Croyden, co. Surrey, England, son of Thomas. There was also a John Hale, son of Thomas and Agnes, baptized 18 Oct. 1576. Could this be the John Hale who witnessed the 1630 will of Thomas Hale of Watton-at-Stone?

Biography

According to the Hale genealogy, "No record is found at Watton or any of the adjacent parishes of the birth, baptism, or marriage of Thomas Hale."^[2] However the marriage of "Thomas Haille & Joane Kirbie" is recorded on October 19, 1601 at St Andrew & St Mary, Watton.^[3] This couple had four daughters and an only son Thomas.

Thomas was buried 19 Oct 1630 at Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire, England,

His will was dated Oct 11, 1630 and proved Dec 9, 1630.

In the name of God amen this eleventh day of October: 1630, I Thomas Hale of Watton at Stone in the County of Hartford beinge sicke in body but of pfect understandinge and memory (thanks be given to almighty god) have made this my last will & testament in manner & forme followinge. First I will & bequeave & comit my soule unto the hands of the almighty god that gave it, my body to be decently buried at the discretion of my executor herafter named.

Item I give unto Joane my wife & Thomas my sonne the benefit use & profits of my house backside and hill Closes with one peece in Headen against the gate of Reues Crofte, & one Heddinge peece in Hamsdom untill Michaelmas next upon Condicon that they shall bestow necessary reparations upon my said house & likewise that they shall so longe make use of the land with the hold from mistres Cranfield & shall pay her the rent due wch wil be the halfe yeare at michaelmas next,

Also I give to my daughter Mary Hale my medow & my Close Conteyninge senen acres more or lesse for three yeares next after my decease withe all the benefit of grasseinge or moweinge & loppeinge bothe in the said medow & hedges so that they do not spoile the said hedges & that the said loppinge be only in the first yeare,

Also at the expiration of those three yeares I doe in like manner will and bequeave my said medow & my Close unto my daughter Dorothy Hale for three yeares next after to grasse mow & lop wth such Conditions & limitations as is above mentioned to her said sister Mary

Also I give unto my daughter Elizabeth Hale my said medow & my Close for three yeares next after her sister Mary to grasse mow & lop with such Conditions as is above limited to her two sisters,

Also I give unto my daughter Eunis Beane or to her son Henry Beane which shall be then liueinge, my said medow & my Close for one yeare next after her said sister Elizabeth to grasse mow & lop wth such Condicions & limitations as is aboue limited to her said sisters.

Also my will and meaninge is that if it shall please god to take out of this life any of my said daughters without issue before the said lands or the pfit therof be due unto her, that then it shall come unto the next in conrse that so this my will herin may be the sooner effected for the benefit & pferment of my said daughters.

And further my will & meaninge is that my son Thomas Hale shal be the tenant that shall hold my said medow & my Close & shall pay unto his sisters the rent of fine pounds pr yeare to be paid halfe yearly. Also sd Thomas shall discharge lord & king if he shall thinke good to hold the said land at the rent of five pounds a yeare as above.

Also I give unto my lovinge wife Joane Hale my house wherin I now line wth the backside, & my hill Closes wth one peece in Headen right against Reenes Crofte, and one Heddinge peece in Hamsden to hold & enioy the same for ten yeares beginninge at the feast of St. Michaell next after my decease.

And my meaninge is that my son Thomas Hale shall have the same at foure pounds a yeare if his mother & he be both so contented & that he shall giuv her good security for her said rent to be paid halfe yearly & for want of such security both my wife and daughters shall enter upon their said house or lands, any thinge herin expressed to the contrary notwthstandinge.

Also I give and bequeave unto Thomas my son two halfe acres of free land lieinge in Headen abuttinge upon the highway leadinge from Watton to Walkerne, also the assignement of one peece containinge an acre & a halfe lyeinge in Monsals hearn betwen the land of Mr. Burgin in the tenure of widow Risdell towards the north & the land of John Halfhide towards the south, also one pcell of medow pasture Close & orchard, Mr. Coopers Crofte aboutinge upon the river on the east & highway on the west. One peece in stonyfeild lyeinge between the land of Mr. Burgin now in the tenure of the widow Balme, which lands last nameed together wth all my goods & Chattells (excepting a bed wth beddinge conuenient linnen & other fittinge furniture for one Chamber which I herby reserue & giue to Jone my wife) I gine & bequeave wholly to my said son both land and goods to be sold for the payments of my debts & dischargeinge of buriall & such necessary disbursments, & I doe herby ordayne and appoint my son Thomas Hale to be the sole executor of this my last will & testament, nothinge doubtinge of his carefull prformance of this my will, and I doe bequest of my brother Francis Kirby to be an ouerseer & doe hereby revoke all former wills & bequeastes what soeuer. In witness wherof I have set to my hand & seale the day & yeare above written.



THOMAS [SEAL]
HALE.

Sealed signed & delivered after the rasing out of the tenth and eleventh lines & declared to be his last will in the presence of vs. 

JOHN CAXTON, 
FRANCIS KIRBY, 
JOHN HALE his mark

Children^[2]

1. Dionis bpt 15 Aug 1602
2. Thomas bpt 16 Jun 1606
3. Mary bpt 8 Oct 1609
4. Dorothy bpt 28 Mar 1613
5. Elizabeth bpt 31 Aug 1617

Sources

1. ↑ The inscription on William's burial monument is quoted in Henry Chauncy, The Historical Antiquities of Hertfordshire (B. Griffen, 1700), p. 412.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Robet Safford Hale, Genealogy of descendants of Thomas Hale of Walton, England, and of Newbury, Mass. (Albany, N.Y. : Weed, Parsons and Co, 1889), p. 5.
3. ↑ FreeReg Marriages

See Also

• The New England historical and genealogical register Vol XXXV Author: Waters, Henry F. (Henry Fritz-Gilbert). Genealogical gleanings in England; New England Historic Genealogical Society; New England Historic Genealogical Society. Proceedings. Publisher: [Boston, etc., New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1881. Page(s) 367 to 376.