Thomas Trafton (1642 - 1707)

Born 6 Jun 1642 in East Newlyn, Cornwall, England

Descendants

Died May 1707 at age 64 in York, Maine, British Colonial America

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Claire Michaels [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Trafton is of uncertain origin. A case has been made that he is the son of Thomas Trafton of St. Newlyn in Cornwall, England, baptized June 20, 1624. He is also said to have a brother Charles.^[1]

Thomas must have emigrated before 1663 when he sued Sarah Mitchell for slander and Wm. Rogers for debt.^[2]

Thomas married Elizabeth Moore around 1667. They had ten children.^[1]

He acquired ten acres sometime before 1671 opposite Braggdon's Island. The town granted him an additional ten acres adjacent to his existing property on Aug. 16, 1671. He was named Selectman in 1673. Before 1678 he purchased forty acres up the river adjoining Old Mill Creek (original Bartholomew Barnard lot) from Micum MacIntyre. On August 28, 1678, the town confirmed this land to him and he established his residence there.^[1]

He was a fisherman and established a ferry business near his residence, where Rice's bridge was eventually erected. He was named Selectman again in 1678, 1679, 1683, 1695, 1696. He signed a petition to the King in 1679 and 1680.^[1] He was also an Innkeeper there 1695-1700. He served on the grand jury 1692-95.^[3]

The settlers of York struggled constantly with Indian raids. In 1693 Charles, the twelve year old son of Thomas and Elizabeth, was captured and taken to Quebec. He was taken into the service of Count Louis de Baude de Frontenac, Governor of Canada. They died before he returned to Maine.^[3]

Thomas Trafton died before March 1705-6.^[4] His estate was divided into tenths for his nine named children.^[5] His house was burned in 1708. Another property division was made in 1723 into sevenths, because three of his sons had died without heirs in the interim.^[3]

Legal Records

Thomas Trafton's name appears several times in legal proceedings:

• In 1663 he sued Sarah Mitchell for slander and William Rogers for debt.^[3]
• In October 1695 he is court for a license petition.^[6]
• In April 1697 he is shown as a defendant in the York Court of Sessions for the illegal sale of drink.^[7]
• In October 1699 he is shown as a plaintiff in the York Court of Common Pleas regarding a debt.^[8]
• In January 1702 "Thomas Trafton et al" is listed as a defendant in an assault case in the York Court of Sessions. ^[9]

Children^[1]

1. Elizabeth Trafton 1670–1720, m. (1)John Rackliff, (2)Samuel Johnson
2. Jane Trafton 1672–1757, m. William Beal
3. Dorothy Trafton 1674-, m. Josiah Main
4. Hezekiah Trafton 1676–
5. Joseph Trafton 1678–1713
6. Charles Trafton 1680–1748, captured by Indians, lived in Canada, returned after father's death, m. wid. Sarah (Hutchins) Dill
7. Penelope Trafton 1682–1728, m. (1)Anthony Day, (2)William Bracey
8. Benjamin Trafton 1684-1713, died without issue, Will shows only sisters
9. Thomas Trafton 1685–1712
10. Zaccheus Trafton 1687–1765, m. Dorothy Allen

Case for Thomas son of Thomas^[1]

• Thomas Trafton, the emigrant, arrived to York at the same time as Charles Martin.
• A Trafton family lived in St. Newlyn during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
• A Charles Martin lived in St. Newlyn as well and was connected to the Trafton family by marriage. (Note: Noyes says that the one who came to York was not the one who m. Anne Traughton in Newlyn in 1644 nor their son Charles b. 1649.^[10] Not sure how he knows that, but perhaps he knows the fate of those two?)
• A Thomas Trafton is found in St. Newlyn along with the baptism of one or two sons? Banks mentions a Thomas son of Thomas Traughton baptized June 20, 1624. He also mentions a brother Charles but does not say what evidence he has for that assertion.
• The coincidence, Banks asserts, is "rather extraordinary" and with a few probablys we have "fairly certain" that he comes from St. Newlyn.

Footnotes

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} Banks Volume 2, page 52-53
2. ↑ Noyes Page 690, Thomas Trafton. Note Banks, v. 2, p. 52 mentions a 1665 record.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Noyes Page 690, Thomas Trafton.
4. ↑ Banks Cites Town Records i, 210
5. ↑ York County, Maine Probate Records, No. 2, 1707-1719, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89JS-L9ZC-H : 7 April 2021), FHL microfilm 007600380, image 189-190.
6. ↑ MCR York Court of Sessions, Vol & page: 2-67-46-YORK
7. ↑ MCR Volume and Page: 2-103-138-YORK
8. ↑ MCR Location: 2-17, Volume and Page: 6-125-201-YORK
9. ↑ MCR Location 3-14, Volume and Page: 6-279-280-YORK
10. ↑ Noyes Page 462, Charles Martin

Sources

• MCR: Maine Court Records, 1696-1854, Provo, UT, USA, 2003 (Ancestry.com)
• Scales: Scales, John. Piscataqua Pioneers, Piscataqua pioneers, 1623-1775; register of members and ancestors; by Piscataqua Pioneers; 1835-1928, ed., Published 1919, On Archive.org
• Banks: Banks, Charles Edward. History of York, Maine, Reprint of the 1931-35 by Baltimore, Regional Pub. Co., 1967. Volume 1 On Hathitrust.com, Volume 2 On Hathitrust.com
• Noyes: Noyes, Sybil; Libby, Charles Thornton and Davis, Walter Goodwin. Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, Baltimore Genealogical Publishing, 1972. - copy right protected (Ancestry.com)
• http://www.public.coe.edu/~theller/soj/ttl/places.html