Thomas Fuller (bef. 1620 - 1690)

Born before 20 Jan 1620 in Redenhall, Norfolk, England

Husband of Hannah (Flower) Fuller — married 22 Nov 1643 in Dedham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 28 Sep 1690 after age 70 in Dedham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

Thomas Fuller was baptized 20 Jan 1619/20 in the Parish of Reddenhall on the north bank of the Waveney River in the county of Norfolk, son of Ralph Fuller, a linen weaver from the village of Wortwell, and his wife Elizabeth.^[1][2]

As a young, man he joined the migration of Puritans to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The date of his arrival is not known. On 25 Nov 1642 he was accepted by the town of Dedham in soon-to-be Suffolk County (now Norfolk) and allowed to purchase the house lot of Martin Philips,^[3] on the Great lsland^[4] (also known as Dedham Island), a large peninsula formed by a bend in the Charles River just north of the town center. His home, six years later, in 1648, was valued at only £5.4, well below the £12 average.^[5]

He married in Dedham on 22 Nov 1643 Hannah Flower.^[6] the niece of Margaret Kingsbury,^[7] and possibly the daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Wyman) Flower.

He prospered; by 1657 his estate was valued at £167 well above the town average.^[8] He served many years as town sur­veyor and selectman and was responsible for keeping the town books, storing and allotting the town ammunition and buying the town weights. For many years he served as ensign in the military company, acquiring the title of lieutenant in later life.^[9] He also served as a representative from Dedham to the General Court in Boston where, among other duties, he was on a committee to examine three Natick Indians on October 13, 1675, just prior to all of the Natick Indians being removed to Deer Island during King Philips War.^[10] Meanwhile, in 1677, per the town records he was given "liberty to fell and take timber to finish his barn" and "a tree to make him a bunching bloocke."^[11]

In 1662 Hannah’s widowed aunt Margaret Kingsbury died leaving £20 to "Thomas Fuller, kinsman, as an acknowledgement of all his love expended me" and the remainder of her estate to "the children of said Thomas and Hannah, his wife, my near kinswoman," to be equally divided when they came of age.^[12]

Lt. Thomas Fuller died in Dedham 28 Sep 1690.^[13] He wrote his will four days earlier, while, per the will, "waiting for my great and last change." He left his entire estate to his wife, stressing that if the annual profits were not enough, she could sell some of it with the advice of the overseers and with her sons and sons-in-law having first option to buy. At her death, eldest son John was to have a double share and son Thomas the home. He appointed Capt. Nathaniel Stearns, Ens. Richard Ellis, Thomas Battle and James Thorp overseers.^[14]

Hannah apparently died about thirteen years later, since the estate was divided on 15 Feb 1703/4. In the division son John [age 58] received over twelve tracts of land valued at £116; son Thomas [age 41] received the homestead including the buildings, orchard, garden, land and meadow plus six tracts of land all valued at £90; Elizabeth Metcalf widow [age 55] received three tracts of land and cow commons; daughter Mary [age 48] and her husband Daniel Fisher received about six tracts of land and a cow common; and Sarah Day widow [age 44] received one tract and rights to land in Mendon MA. Reference was made to the children’s great-aunt Margaret Kingsbury.^[15]

Children

1. John Fuller (1st), b. Nov 1 1644, d. Feb 21 1644/5. Died in infancy.
2. John Fuller (2nd), b. Dec 28 1645, m. Judith Gay.
3. Elizabeth Fuller, b. Apr 1 1648, m.1 John Kingsburg, m.2 Michael Metcalf.
4. Hannah Fuller, b. Nov 9 1650, d. Apr 11 1672. Died young.
5. Thomas Fuller (1st), b. Feb 26 1652, d. by 1662). Died young.
6. Mary Fuller, b. Mar 25 1655, m. Daniel Fisher Jr.
7. Samuel Fuller, bap. Apr 10 1657, d. Mar 17 1678/9. Died young.
8. Sarah Fuller, b. May 7 1659, m.1 Ralph Day, m.2 after 1703 John Carpenter, m.3 Samuel Ware.
9. Thomas Fuller Jr. (2nd), b. Jun 23 1662, m. Esther Fisher.

Sources

1. ↑ Fuller, Francis H., Early New England Fullers, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1901) Vol. 55, Page 192.
2. ↑ NEHGR. Vol.52 (1989) ’Genealogical Gleanings", p.241: Ralph, linen weaver of Wortwell, Norfolk, to John son of my son Thomas now in New England 20 shillings after decease of Elizabeth my wife. Wr. Oct 23 1645; prv. Aug 17 1650.
3. ↑ Early Records of the Town of Dedham, ed. by Don G. Hill (1892), Vol.3, p.91. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x000493572&view=1up&seq=115
4. ↑ Frederic A. Jones, Old Houses. Needham MA (1979), p.27.
5. ↑ Early Records of the Town of Dedham, Vol.3, p.153.
6. ↑ The record of births, marriages and deaths, and intentions of marriage, in the town of Dedham, ed. by Don G. Hill (1886), p.126. 22 of 9mo 1643. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101013827207&view=1up&seq=142&size=125
7. ↑ Clarence A. Torrey, New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (CD version) (Boston, MA: NEHGS, 2001):"FULLER, Thomas (1690-) & Hannah FLOWER (niece of Margaret KINGSBURY); 22 Nov 1643; Dedham {[citing] Dedham Hist. Reg. 4:50; Carpenter; Fuller Gen. 51; Tingley-Meyers 165; Reg. 11:40, 55:196, 57:197; Fuller (#5)}"
8. ↑ The Early Records of the Town of Dedham, Vol.3, p.142. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x000493572&view=1up&seq=167
9. ↑ The Early Records of the Town of Dedham, Vol.3, pp.134,138,etc.; Vol.5, pp. 5,20,127, etc.
10. ↑ Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Records...of the Mas­sachusetts Bay, (1852), Vol.5, pp.34,56,148,175,260,etc. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112004068570&view=1up&seq=52&size=125
11. ↑ The Early Records of the Town of Dedham, Vol.5, p.60. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101007882101&view=1up&seq=68
12. ↑ Suffolk County Will Abstracts (1984), p. 200: will wr. 9.11.1660, prv. 20.3.1662.
13. ↑ Don Gleason Hill, compiler, The Record of Baptisms, Marriages & Deaths ... Town of Dedham, MA, 1638-1845 2 vols. (Dedham, MA: Town of Dedham, 1886), p. 21:"[1690] Lieft. Thomas Fuller deceased Sept. 28."
14. ↑ Suffolk Co. Probate Bk.8, p.3.
15. ↑ Suffolk Co. Probate Bk.16, p.118.

• Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970, Ancestry.com. U.S., [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
• Fuller, Francis H., "Early New England Fullers," The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1901) 55:192; also (same author) "Fullers of Redenhall, England" (including, "Extracts from the Registers of the Parish of Redenhall cum Harreston and Wortwell"), 55:410.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #64288626