Sarah (Thomas) Taft (1690 - bef. 1762)

Born 2 Sep 1690 in Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Wife of Benjamin Taft — married 22 Mar 1707 in Mendon, Worcester, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died before 14 Jan 1762 before age 71 in Uxbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay [uncertain]

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^[1]

Biography

Sarah Thomas was born September 2, 1690 in Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, the daughter of Benjamin Thomas.^[2]

However, NEXUS (New England Across the United States), a bimonthly newsletter of NEHGS published between 1983 and 1999, Volume 13, No. 6 on p. 98 quotes Richard Taft Messinger as writing "she may have been one of two first cousins born 1686 and 1690 respectively, daughters of Joseph Thomas of Hadley, Mass. and Benjamin Thomas of Springfield, Mass., and granddaus. of Rowland and Sarah [Chapin] Thomas of Springfield..."^[3]

Marriage to Benjamin Taft

On March 22, 1707, Sarah married Benjamin Taft at Mendon, Worcester, Massachusetts.^[4]

Known Children of Sarah (Thomas) Taft and Benjamin Taft

1. Samuel was born July 11, 1708 and died at Uxbridge about 1761. On April 12, 1739 at Uxbridge he married Hannah Jepherson. Hannah died on May 12, 1752 at Douglas, Mass. and was probably a relative of William Jepherson, constable at Douglas in 1746/7. Samuel and Hannah's children were Anna Taft who married Chalres Colwell; Chloe Taft who married Samuel Lesure; Hannah Taft who married Jesse Taft; Tabitha Taft who married Simeon Fish; Azubah Taft who married Amos White.^[3]
2. Stephen was born April 16, 1710 and died in August of 1770 at Uxbridge. On March 27, 1733/4 at Glocester, Rhode Island, he married Mary Lewis of "New Shearburne" [Douglas] the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Ingalls) Lewis. Stephen and Mary's children were Benjamin who married Naomi Holbrook; John; Seth who married Jemima Angell; Job; Mary who married Rufus Smith; Silas who married Elizabeth Cruff; Sarah who married Thomas Joslin; Hannah who married Stephen Taft Jr.^[3]
3. Mijamin was born May 2, 1712 and died about 1785 at Uxbridge. On about March 6, 1733/4, possibly at Providence, he married Sarah Sweeting. Sarah was born about 1714 and died probably at Uxbridge about October 10, 1756. She was the daughter of Henry [and Esther?] Sweeting of Providence. Mijamin married Susanna Rob[b]ins at Douglas, Mass. on December 14, 1779. After Mijamin's death, Susanna married David Harwood of Sutton, Mass on January 16, 1791.^[3]Children of Mijamin Taft: Esther; Sarah who married Jedidiah Buffum; Nathan who married Sarah Cooper; Mijamin Jr. who married (1) Sarah Smith and (2) Hannah Thayer; Nathaniel who married (1) Hannah Cass and (2) Pesse Randall; Stephen who married Esther Comstock; Marcy; Samuel who married Rachel Comstock; Lydia who married John Cass; Josiah; Sweeting who married (1) Mercy Taft his cousin, and (2) Sarah Cuman; Molly who married (1) Simon Pain and (2) Joseph Richardson; Rhoda who married Ephraim Towner; Ruth who married Ira Spaulding.
4. Tabareh was born June 11, 1714 and died at Uxbridge on May 4, 1753. On January 6, 1734/5 she married James Yates of Providence. James was born at Providence on July 18, 1710, the son of John and Elizabeth (Field) Yates. He died on April 1, 1772 at Uxbridge, fall from a horse. Children of Tabareth and James Yates: John; Elizabeth who married Benjamin Read; Paul, Marcy; James Jr; Abner who married Ruth Emerson; Amariah who married Margaret Thayer; Gilbert.^[3]
5. Mary was born about 1718 - 1720 and died June 15, 1748 at Uxbridge. (The birth order is uncertain, however she is believed to have been the next born since she named one of her children after her sister Tabareh.) On January 3, 1739/40 she married Ephraim Taft, her first cousin. Ephraim was born May 25, 1718 at Mendon, the son of Daniel and Lydia (Chapin) Taft. Ephraim and Mary had two children who died young, namely Ephraim who was born September 27, 1743 and died June 29, 1748; Tabbarah who was born September 4, 1745 and died April 20, 1748.^[3]
6. Keziah was born around 1720-1723, probably at Mendon and died December 8, 1765 at Mendon. On November 11, 1741 at Mendon she married William Hayward, Jr. William was born at Mendon on February 15, 1717/18 and died at Jamaica, Vermont by April 23, 1790. He was the son of William and Elizabeth (Gibbs) Hayward. Children of Keziah and William Hayward: Mary; Beulah who married Paul Hayward; Caleb who married Elizabeth Taft; Othniel; Paul; Silay who married Hannah ___?; Robert; Hepzibah who married [James?] Walden; Keziah.^[3]
7. Silas was born at either Mendon or Uxbridge about 1727. He died about 1811 at Richmond, New Hampshire. On January 26, 1748/9 at Smithfield, Rhode Island he married Mary Farnum. Mary was born on September 2, 1732 at Mendon and died August 25, 1770 at Uxbridge. She was the daughter of Moses and Abigail (Sanford) Farnum. Silas married (2nd) Keziah Twitchell on April 26, 1771 at Uxbridge. Possibly she was Keziah [Holbrook] Twitchell who was born September 27, 1724 at Mendon; the daughter of Samuel and Hannah [Albee] Holbrook and widow of Indian casualty Daniel Twitchell.^[3]Children of Silas Taft: Ephraim who married (1) Abigail Brown and (2) Sarah (Ingalls?); Levi who married Mary Cook; Phineas who married Anna Taft; Moses who married Anna Cook; Rachel who married Levi Mowry; Darius who married Sarah Ingalls; Preserved who married (1) Anna Benson and (2) Hannah Bowers; Lydia; Peleg who married Susanna Man.^[3]
8. Paul was born about 1729, probably at Uxbridge and died January 23, 1804 at Uxbridge. He married on May 10, 1750 at Uxbridge to Mehitable Cook. Mehitable died at Uxbridge on February 1, 1800. She may have been the daughter of Jonathan and Mehitable (Staples) Cook born at Uxbridge on January 25, 1722. Children of Paul Taft and Mehitable Cook: Margaret; Catherine who married Elisha Thompson; Prudence; William who married Anna ____?; Mary; Marcy who married Sweeting Taft her cousin.^[3]
9. Mercy was born probably in Uxbridge about 1731 and died on April 17, 1811 at Burrillville, Rhode Island. On November 12, 1751 at Glocester, Rhode Island she married Rufus Smith. Rufus was born May 11, 1730 at Glocester, Rhode Island and died also at Glocester (now Burrilville) on February 12, 1800, the son of Capt. John and Martha (Mowry) Smith.^[3]Children of Mercy and Rufus Smith: James who married (1) Drusilla Steere and (2) Lydia (Spear?) Wilkinson; Rhoda; Sylvia; Dacia; Chad who married Elizabeth Clark; Arca who married (1) Sarah Boyce and (2) Lydia Boyce; Sabra; Zadoc who married (1) Rowena Comstock and (2) Mary Sweet; Paul who married Prudence Jillson;

Sarah was still living in 1749 as she was known to have relinquished dower on a number of deeds executed 1736-1749.

Sarah died prior to January 14, 1762 for it was on that day that her late husband, Benjamin Taft, married Barsheba Dicke[y]. Unless Benjamin married (2) another woman named "Sarah," it would appear that Sarah Thomas is the mother of all the children listed above.^[3]

Benjamin Taft died intestate in 1768 and his widow Barsheba petitioned to have her stepson Silas Taft appointed sole administrator. In a deed dated March 26, 1770, Silas purchased from the other heirs "...all our right to the interest and claim in and to a certain tract of land which Benjamin Taft late of Uxbridge...deceased died seized and possessed of being his homestead where he last lived..."^[3]The heirs of Benjamin, listed in the deed are:

• Stephen, Mijamin, and Paul (sons) all of Uxbridge
• Jesse Taft (husband of Hannah Taft) Uxbridge
• Abner and Amariah Yeats (grandsons, sons of Tabareh) Uxbridge
• Edward Lesuer (husband of granddaughter Chloe) Uxbridge
• Chloe Lesuer (daughter of Samuel) Uxbridge
• Hannah (daughter of Samuel) Uxbridge
• Simion Fish (husband of granddaughter Tabitha Taft) Mendon
• Paul Hayword (husband of granddaughter Beulah Taft) Mendon
• Caleb Hayword (son of Keziah Taft) Mendon
• Tabithy Fish (daughter of Samuel Taft) Mendon
• Beulah Hayword (daughter of Keziah Taft) Mendon
• Rufus Smith (husband of Mercy Taft) Glocester, Rhode Island.
• Charles Colwell (husband of granddaughter Anna Taft) Glocester
• Marcy Smith (daughter of Mercy Taft) Glocester
• Anna Colwell (daughter of Samuel Taft) Glocester
• Benjamin Read (husband of granddaughter Elizabeth Yates) Smithfield
• Paul Yeats (son of Tabareh Taft) of New Fairfield, Connecticut
• Amos White (husband of granddaughter Azubah Taft)
• Azubah Taft White (daughter of Samuel Taft)

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.geni.com/people/Sarah-Taft/6000000008511676736
2. ↑ Massachusetts, Springfield Vital Records, 1638-1887," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPJF-J8K : 12 December 2014), Sarah Thomas, 02 Sep 1690; citing , Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, Springfield City Hall; FHL microfilm 185,414.
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12} NEXUS: New England Across the United States. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1983-1999. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014.) Volume 13 (1996). No. 6. "Benjamin Taft (Robert) and a "Good Deed" of 1770." by Neil B. Todd, p. 198
4. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29P-M62Z : 13 July 2016), Benjemin Taft and Sarah Thomas, 22 Mar 1707; citing Marriage, Mendon, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 855,377.

• "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29P-M62Z : 13 July 2016), Benjemin Taft and Sarah Thomas, 22 Mar 1707; citing Marriage, Mendon, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 855,377.
• NEXUS: New England Across the United States. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1983-1999. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014.) Volume 13 (1996). No. 6. "Benjamin Taft (Robert) and a "Good Deed" of 1770." by Neil B. Todd.link for subscribers
• "Massachusetts, Springfield Vital Records, 1638-1887," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPJF-J8K : 12 December 2014), Sarah Thomas, 02 Sep 1690; citing , Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, Springfield City Hall; FHL microfilm 185,414.

See Also

• Source: <span id=S137</span> Record ID Number: MH:S137 User ID: 0749A569-9493-4C29-9BE8-8ABC146FF22A Author: Melinda Gordon Title: Mossholder Web Site Text: MyHeritage.com family tree CONT Family site: Mossholder Web Site CONT Family tree: Mossholder-Frye-Broadstreet-Br Media: 69882672-2 Type: Smart Matching Record ID Number: MH:SC432 Page: Sarah THOMAS Event: Smart Matching Role: 2000276 Data: Date: 4 JUL 2011 Text: Added by confirming a Smart Match Quality or Certainty of Data: 3
• Source: <span id=S278</span> Author: Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Title: Massachusetts Marriages, 1633-1850 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.Original data - With some noted exceptions all marriage records in this collection can be found at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and may be available through Famil; Repository: #R1
• Source: <span id=S596</span> Author: Ancestry.com Title: U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data - Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls; Repository: #R1
• Source: <span id=S630</span> Title: U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 Publication: Name: Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.; Repository: #R1
• Source: <span id=S864</span> Author: Ancestry.com Title: Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2011; Repository: #R1

Research Notes

NOTE DISAMBIGUATION: The woman whose name was Sarah Thomas who married Benjamin Taft was NOT a Mayflower descendant. I believe it was the Sarah Thomas who married (1) Isaac Howland and (2) Samuel Wood, the daughter of Jeremiah Thomas and Lydia Howland, who was the Mayflower descendant.

The following Research Notes are NOT for this profile. They are for Sarah (Thomas-467) (Howland) Wood, the Mayflower Descendant. See here:

• Find A Grave for Sarah Thomas WOOD, Memorial #17967764. States she was born December 25, 1587 at Middleboro, Plymouth, Mass. and died APRIL 30, 1756 at Middleboro, Plymouth, Mass. Parents Jeremiah Thomas and Lydia Howland. husbands: Isaac Howland and Samuel Wood. children: Isaac, Jeremiah, and Charles Howland.[1]

• The Mayflower Descendant lists children of Jeremiah Thomas and Lydia Howland of Barnstable, marriage found in the Middleborough records. They had 11 children: Nathaniel, Sarah, Jeremiah, Elizabeth, Mary, Lydia, Thankful, Jedediah, Bethiah, Ebenezer, Priscilla. Jeremiah Thomas 2nd marriage to Mary Durfe who was b. abt. 1664 and d. 15 Nov. 1749 at Middleborough. NOTE: daughter Sarah is listed as "Sary Wood."

• FamilySearch: for Sarah Thomas (Mass Town and Vital Records) lists birth: 25 Dec. 1687 at Middleborough, father Jeremiah Thomas. death April 30, 1756 burial at Middleboro. Ancestral file which I believe is mistaken says: "Sarah Thomas b. 25 Dec 1687 at Middleboro; d. 30 Apr 1756 at Middleboro; m. 22 Mar 1707 at Mendon; parents: Jeremiah Thomas and Lydia Howland. Spouse Benjamin Taft; Isaac Howland; children: Stephan Taft, Isaac Howland, Charles Howland, Jeremiah Howland, Joseph Howland.

• Bowman, George Ernest. "The Mayflower Descendant" Published by the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants. Boston. 1918Vol. XX, p. 131.see at google books

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Jonathon Dale Walter Myers for creating WikiTree profile Thomas-10402 through the import of EVEY2.ged on Oct 4, 2013. .
• Thank you to Katherine Belden for creating WikiTree profile Thomas-9845 through the import of Belden Family Tree gedcom.GED on Jul 28, 2013. C