Thomas Smith (1611 - 1666)

Born 1611 in Romsey, Hampshire, England

Husband of Rebecca (Unknown) Howlett — married [date unknown] in England

Descendants

Died 26 Apr 1666 at about age 55 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts

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Thomas Smith migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 6, p. 402) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Disputed

Thomas Smith was previously attached as a child to this Thomas Smith, however the birth year was off, so he was detached.

In January 2021, parents Nicholas Smith and Dorothy Horsey were attached as parents, without a source. They have been detached pending confirmation.

Biography

Thomas Smith was born in England approximately in 1611, year based on the estimated date of his marriage.^[1]

Robert Charles Anderson quotes the passenger list when he writes, "'Thomas Smith of the same [Romsey], weaver' appeared on the passenger list of the James of London, preparing to sail for New England from Southampton." The James sailed on or about April 5, 1635.^[1]

Thomas was a weaver and husbandman [farmer]. He was admitted into the Newbury church before May 17, 1637, implied by freemanship on that date. ^[1]

His wife was Rebecca _______ (surname unknown); they were married about 1636^[1] and their oldest child, Thomas was born about 1636, so they may have been married just prior to their migration or just after arriving in New England. They settled in Newbury.^[2]

He was on the Ipswich grand jury on September 30, 1656; on September 30, 1662 he was fined for not appearing to serve on a jury.^[1]

Thomas Smith died at Newbury on April 26, 1666. His will (undated) names wife Rebecca as sole Executrix; eldest son James; dau Rebecca Swet; son John; son Thomas. Thomas died 26 April 1666. The inventory is dated Mary 17th, 1666 and totalled L487, L10 debts, L306 real estate. His will was proved 25 June 1666 and recorded 25 September 1666.^[1][3]

His widow, Rebecca, married (2nd) after 1666 to Thomas Howlett. The inventory for Rebecca Howlett of Newbury deceased November 1, 1680 was taken 3 November 1680 and totaled L64 8s with no real estate. On 29 March 1681 James Smith settled the estate for the widow Rebecah Howlett's children, James and John Smith with the brothers "having agreed upon a division of the estate to their mutual satisfaction."^[1]

Children:^[1][4]

1. Thomas born about 1636 and died as a youth about 12 years of age, Newbury, December 6, 1648. (details of his death)^[1]
2. Rebecca born at Newbury on February 20, 1639/40; married Stephen Swett at Newbury on August 4, 1663.
3. James born at Newbury on September 10, 1645; m at Newbury on July 26, 1667 to Sarah Coker, daughter of Robert Coker.
4. John Smith born at Newbury on March 9, 1647/8; m. at Newbury to Rebecca Poore on November 26, 1667.
5. Matthias was born at Newbury on October 27, 1652 and died at Newbury on May 14, 1653.
6. Thomas was born at Newbury on July 7, 1654. He chose Thomas Howlett for his guardian on March 28, 1671. Died September 18, 1675 in the battle at Bloddy Brook in Deerfield; apparently unmarried. Inventory taken March 22, 1675/6; estate granted to James and John Smith, his brothers.

Research Notes

The information below is copied from this source: ^[5]

(I) Thomas Smith, of Newbury, the Immigrant American ancestor of the family here under consideration, came from Romsey, county Hants, England, and sailed from Southampton in the "James" in 1635, landed at Boston, and went first to Ipswich, Massachusetts, and afterword to Newbury. One reliable authority says that he was of Gloucester in 1643 and Mr. Babson mentions that Thomas Smith was a early settler and proprietor and a commissioner for ending small causes, in 1643.; Further, that he had a son Thomas born 1643; that these Smiths remained in the town only a short time, but the name subsequently reappeared there. (II) Thomas Smith, son of the first Thomas had a son John. (III) John Smith, son of Thomas (2), married Rebecca, daughter of Samuel Smith, and by her had children-- Daniel, Mary, Joseph and Jonathan. in 1694 he bought land on Eastern Point, on the south side of Smiths cove, near where his house was built, and where his descendants lived for many years afterward. (IV) Daniel Smith, son of John and Rebecca (She was daughter of Samuel Smith and by their marriage two branches of the family were united) was born September 10, 1692; Married Lydia Sargent; children: four Daughters, and four sons -- Daniel, John, Andrew and Benjamin. (V) John Smith, second son of Daniel and Lydia Smith, born October 22, 1723, lived on his grandfather’s estate at Eastern Point. where he engaged in the fisheries. He was one of the leading men of the town, selectman, and one of the committee of safety during the revolution. He married November 27, 1746. Abigail, daughter of Samuel Fleming, and died in 1789. The names of all of their children are not found, but among them were Henry, who married a daughter of Captain Jacob Allen; Joseph. (VI) Joseph Smith was a farmer, and lived in that part of Gloucester which afterward was set off to form Rockport, where some of his descendants have remained to the present time.(1908) By his wife Abigail ______, he had at least two sons, Henry and Allen, and perhaps other children, both sons and daughters.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8} Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009. pp 402-405.subscription
2. ↑ Great Migration Newsletter, V.1-20.(Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2018.) "Focus on the James of London, 1635" p. 22.link for subscribers$
3. ↑ Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881 (subscription) page 25779
4. ↑ Pope, Charles Henry, The pioneers of Massachusetts, a descriptive list, drawn from records of the colonies, towns and churches and other contemporaneous documents., published 1900. Reference page 424
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} William Richard Cutter, Genealogical and Personal Memoirs: Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, published 1908 Page 808

• Smith Official DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA Thomas Smith link

Acknowledgments

Thank you to David Smith and Kitty Smith for contributions to this profile.