Thomas Seamans (abt. 1660 - aft. 1727)

Born about 1660 in Rehoboth, Plymouth Colony [uncertain]

Husband of Susannah (Salisbury) Seamans — married 27 Apr 1687 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died after 1727 after about age 67 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay Colony [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Sheldon Sickler [send private message] and Sandi Gammon [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Seamans' early life is unknown, but it appears that it began in the area of Rehoboth, Plymouth Colony, which later established the new town of Swansea in 1667 before he married Susannah Salisbury, the daughter of William and Susannah Salisbury, on April 27, 1687, in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts Bay.^[1]

Susannah Salisbury, his wife, was born on April 27, 1662, in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts Bay. Her parents and siblings eventually relocated to Swansea, Plymouth Colony, as early as 1671, becoming the town's first residents. A list of Swansea's men, eight soldiers reported at Plymouth, including her father, William, and brother, John Salisbury.

Unfortunately, her father, William Salisbury, and her older brother, John Salisbury, were the first casualties of King Philip's War on June 24, 1675, at Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts Bay.

After 1687, Thomas and Susannah Seamans raised a family at Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts Bay. According to Swansea town records, he was a school teacher and carpenter. Swansea became the birthplace for his eleven children.^[1]

According to the Seamans family history, early descendants of Thomas and Susannah (Salisbury) Seamans acquired holdings in Scituate and Foster, Rhode Island. They were all hardworking and sincere persons who belonged to the Baptist Church.^[1]

Parentage

DISPROVEN:

• Thomas Seamans was not the son of Thomas Seaman, Esq., of Heigham, England, and Elizabeth Copland of Yoxford, England.

According to popular belief, Thomas Seamans of Swansea, Massachusetts, was the son of Thomas Seaman of Heigham, England, and Elizabeth Copland of Yoxford, England, and this information was likely retrieved from Ancestry.com and other genealogical websites. However, investigation into his ancestry has revealed that he is not the son of Thomas Seaman, Esq., (1632–1700) of Heigham, England.

The burial records of St. Bartholomew at Heigham show that Thomas Seaman, Esq., of Heigham had a second son called Thomas Seaman (1663–1740), who married Mary Norris, daughter of Jeremy Norris, Equire, and died on February 10, 1740, at the age of 77.

Thomas Seaman, Esq. and his son, Thomas Seaman, were buried together within St. Bartholomew in Heigham, England.

Inside St. Bartholomew, there was a plaque on the south wall of the chancel with a colorful shield depicting a barry wavy of six argent and azure and a crescent gules at the fesse point. The Seaman was the owner of coat of arms. ^[2]

The following are the words used to characterize the tablet:

"Sacred to the memory of Thomas Seaman, Esqʳᵉ, who departed this life in yᵉ year of our Lord 1700, aged 68, and lies interred under the stone near this place; and also to the memory of Mr Thoˢ Seaman, second son of the said Thoˢ Seaman, He married Mary the daughter of Jeremy Norris, Esqʳ, He died Febʸ the 10ᵗʰ, 1740, aged 77."^[2]

In addition, a slab at the west end of the nave depicted Seaman's armorial achievement impaling Copland's armorial achievement, representing two bars over a bend. It did not, however, depict any tinctures on Copland's armorial accomplishment, although one other source defined Copland's armorial achievement as argent, two bars, and a canton gules; over all, a bend azure—Bl. Norf. iv. 508. The Seaman family owned the crest.^[3] 

This slab is said in the following words:

"Thomas Seaman of Heigham, Esqʳᵉ, Sheriff of yᵉ co. of Norfolk and Citty of Norwich. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Copland of Yoxford, co. Suffolk, Gent. He had six sons and four daughters, and died August 18ᵗʰ, 1700, in his 68ᵗʰ year."^[3]

Thomas Seaman, Esq. of Heigham's son, Thomas Seaman, who died in 1740, and Thomas Seamans of Swansea are therefore two distinct individuals.

It establishes that Thomas Seamans of Swansea is not the son of Thomas Seaman, Esq. of Heigham.

Thomas Seamans of Swansea's parents are still unidentified.^[4]

Marriage

Thomas Seamans married Susannah Salisbury before their first child, Susannah Seamans, was born in 1692 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay.^[1]

Descendants

The Round, Wood, Hopkins, and Cole families were connected to Thomas Seamans' three sons: Thomas Seamans and his family of nine children, John Seamans and his family of ten children, and James Seamans and his family of eleven children. Between 1740 and 1750, they relocated to Scituate in Providence County, Rhode Island.^[1]

Occupation

He worked as a cordwainer, or shoemaker, between 1722 and 1727, according to the deed records.

Deed Records

The Bristol County deed record indicates that Thomas Seamans, a Swansea resident, purchased the 30-acre land for 50 pounds in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts, in 1722, as well as the complicated description of the 30-acre tract and what he did for a living. It was his final entry in the deed book.

Nathaniel Kingsley, of Swansey, to Thomas Seamans, of Swansey, May 21, 1722. Acknowledged August 6, 1722. Recorded April 10, 1733, Bristol County.

Swansea

To all People to whom this present Deed of Sale shall Come Nathanail Kingsley of Swansey in the County of Bristol in the province of the Massa:chusets Bay in Newengland Yeoman Know ye that I the sd Nathaniel Kingsley for and in Consideration of the Sum of fifty Pounds currant money to me in hand well and truly paid by Thomas Seamans of Swansey in the County and province aforesaid Cordwainer the Receipt whereof I do acquit and full Discharge the said Thomas Seamans his heirs or assigns forever Have given granted bargained Sold And by these presents do give grant Bargain Sell Aliene enfeoffe Convey and Confirm unto him the sd Thomas Seamans his heirs and assigns forever a Certain parcell of Land Scituate Lying and being on the westerly side of Mattapoiset River in the fremens Purchase in Swansey aforesaid being by estimation in the whole thrity Acres Thirty Three Acres and a quarter be the Same more or less as it is bounded that is to say One Sixteen Acre Lott number 26 and the one half of the 25 Lott adjoyning to the 26 Lott on the west side Lying on the North side of the Country Road the 26 Lott is bounded a white Oak Stake above the Road Number 26: 27 which is the Southeast Corner in Northerly to a Saxifax Stake number 26 27 the North East Corner the South west Corner a whate oak Stake 25 26 and northerly to white oak stake number 25 : 26 and the half of the Twenty fifth Lott is bounded begining at the aforesaid white oak Stake which is the Southwest Corner of the 26 Lott westerly by said Road to be a flat Rock for a Corner then Northerly in Equal Breadth to the head of the Freemans Line and Likewise about Nine acres and a quarter of 7th Lott in sd purchase bounded to a stone set in the ground near the east and of the pond by said Road on the south side of sd Road for the Northeast Corner then south by the Land of Hugh Cole to the head of the half mile to a stone set in ye ground for the southeast Corner then westerly by the head of the half mile to a stone set in ye ground for the southwest Corner then by the Land of said Nathaniel Kingsley north to stone set in the ground by sd Road for the northwest Corner the Easterly by sd Road to the first Corner Reserving the one half of what Land is Drowned int he Mill pond within the sd 26th Lott and also a Bridle way through the sd Nine acres and a quarter of Land for the use of mr Hugh Cole his heirs & assigns only to Come a his other Land where it may be Beneficial for sd Cole and Less damage to sd Seamans Said way to be by Gates and Barrs by the owners of sd Land forever for the use aforesaid Together with all and singular the Timber wood stones herbidge Grass feeding Rents profits priviledges and appurtenances whatsoever to the said Land or in any kind appertaining or therewith used occupied or Injoyed and also all the Right Title estate Inheritance property of me ye granter my heirs or assigns of in & to all the above granted premises unto him the said Thomas Seamans his heirs or assigns forever and that the sd Thomas Seamans his heirs or assigns shall and may by force and virtue of these presents have hold use possess and quietly enjoy all the above granted premises with their appurtenances free Clear and Clearly acquitted and fully Discharged of and from all other gifts grants Bargains Sales Mortgages Joyntures Dowries Judgments Troubles or Incumbrances whatsoever and I the said Nathll Kingsley do hereby bind & oblige my self my heirs Executors adminstrs or assigns to Warrant & forever Defend all the above granted premises with their appurtenances unto him the said Thomas Seamans his heirs or assigns against all the Lawfull Claims or Demand of all persons whomsoever In Wittness whereof I have here unto set my hand & seal the Twenty first Day of May one thousand seven hundred Twenty and Two and in the Eighth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George of great Britain King &c

Nathaniel Kingsley {S}

Signed Sealed & Delivered

In the presence of

Lydia Mason

Joseph Mason

Bristol Ss August 6:1722

Nathaniel Kingsley above mentioned Came before the subscriber one of his majesties Justices of the peace for sd County and acknowledged the Instrument to be his free Voluntary act & Deed

Nath:ll Paines

Recd Aprill 10th:1733

Recorded by S: Howland Regr^[5]

(Bristol County, Deed Records, Book 21, p. 422 - 423).

Deed transfer record for above-mentioned land acquired from Nathaniel Kingsley, dated 16 January 1726/7, given to son James Seamans.^[5]

Death

Although the date of Thomas Seamans' death is unknown, the deed gift record from 1726–1727 contains the final known reference of him.^[5] Based on the documentation, it appears that he passed away at home in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts Bay.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Lawton, John J., The Seamans Family in America As Descended from Thomas Seamans of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1687. Syracuse, N.Y.: Priv. Print, 1933. Print. <https://books.google.com/books?id=eaFRAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR1#v=onepage&q&f=false>
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Farrer, Edmund. The Church Heraldry of Norfolk: A Description of All Coats of Arms on Brasses, Monuments, Slabs, Hatchments, &c., Now to Be Found in the County. Illustrated. with References to Blomefield's History of Norfolk and Burke's Armory. Together with Notes from the Inscriptions Attached. Norwich: A.H. Goose and Co., 1887, p. 130.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Farrer, Edmund. The Church Heraldry of Norfolk: A Description of All Coats of Arms on Brasses, Monuments, Slabs, Hatchments, &c., Now to Be Found in the County. Illustrated. with References to Blomefield's History of Norfolk and Burke's Armory. Together with Notes from the Inscriptions Attached. Norwich: A.H. Goose and Co., 1887, p. 131-132.
4. ↑ https://ourfamilyhistory123.blogspot.com/2022/10/our-seaman-family-line.html
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986, images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99ZN-P1ZB?cc=2106411&wc=MCB2-PNG%3A361612901%2C361640901 : 22 May 2014), Bristol County, Deed Records, 1731 - 1735, vol 21, p. 422 - 423, image 222 of 302; Bristol County courthouse and office, Massachusetts.

• Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Individual Records [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

• Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library.

• Swansea MA vital records