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Thomas York (bef. 1712 - abt. 1795)

Thomas York
Born before in Oyster River Parish, Strafford, New Hampshiremap [uncertain]
Ancestors ancestors
[spouse(s) unknown]
Descendants descendants
Died about after about age 83 in Lee, Strafford, New Hampshiremap [uncertain]
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Profile last modified | Created 1 May 2014
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Biography

He was taxed in Newmarket along with Benjamin York and Benjamin York, Jr. in 1732. This was found in a document titled Newmarket Invoice of Polls & Estates 1732, that says "an inventory of all the taxable heads and estates in the Parish of Newmarket." No property of livestock is recorded for him. Based on this record he must have been at least 21 at the time, so born no later than 1711. [Document amongst loose papers at the NH State Archives, filed in a box with miscellaneous town Warning Out documents. Also abstracted in the Jay Mack Holbrook book "New Hampshire 1732 Census"]

On 23 Jun 1740 John Gilman of Exeter, Esq., sold 29 acres of land in Durham to Thomas York of Newmarket, yeoman. This land was bordered by that of Nathaniel Stevens, and the house where Thomas York was then living. Witnesses were Jeremy Foulsham [Folsom] and Samuel Gilman. [Rockingham Deeds, 27:110-11]

On 24 Jul 1740 Thomas was included on a list of 86 men who were soldiers in Durham under the command of Captain John Smith Jr. [New Hampshire Provincial and State Papers, 9:240-1]

A Thomas York was one of the many signatories, along with a Benjamin York and Benjamin York Jr., who signed a 21 Nov 1746 petition to have a bridge built over the river dividing Newmarket and Stratham. [New Hampshire Provincial and State Papers, 9:572-3]

A Thomas York along with a man named William Durgin were granted one share - Lot 19 - in the new town of New Durham, NH on 11 Apr 1749. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 28:97-8, 104] Note that he had an uncle William Durgin who married the sister of his mother Sarah Pinder, but the one who shared a grant with him in New Durham was probably a son or grandson of that earlier William.

Administration of the estate of Benjamin York, yeoman, of Durham was granted to Thomas York, yeoman, of Durham on 30 Jan 1760. Bond in the amount of 500 pounds was given by him and his sureties William Drew of Durham, yeoman, and Samuel Doe of Newmarket, gentleman. Witnesses William Parker and John Langdon. Thomas Young and Robert Smart, yeomen, both of Durham, appraised the estate and brought in an inventory on 30 Apr 1760 in the amount of £1578-4-3. [NH Provincial and State Papers, v. 36, Probate Records 8:512-3] No relationship between the deceased and his administrator is stated in the probate papers but it is likely father and son.

On the same day he was granted administration of the estate of Benjamin York, Thomas gave bond with Zachariah Foss, innholder of Portsmouth in the sum of 500 pounds as surety for Samuel Doe of Newmarket, gentleman, for the administration of the estate of Andrew Doe of Newmarket, husbandman. William Parker and John Langdon, Jr. were witnesses. [NH Provincial and State Papers, v. 36, Probate Records 8:512]

On 16 Nov 1761 Thomas York of Durham, yeoman, deeded to Timothy Davis Jr. of Durham, laborer, for the price of 80 pounds old tenor, half his right of a Proprietor's share in a six square mile tract of land in what "is at present commonly called new Durham or Smithfield which Tract of land was granted by the owners or Claimers of Mason's Right to Jonathan Cheslee Ebenezer Smith myself & others the home Lott in the first Division in said lands Number Nineteen as appear by the plan of sd Lotts." Bridget Davis and Thomas Young were witnesses. Thomas York made his mark then appeared before Justice of the Peace Thomas young and acknowledged the deed the same day. [Rockingham Deeds, 64:322-3] This appears to be the land granted to him along with William Durgin in 1749.

On 1 Sep 1762 he as a yeoman bought land from his son Robert at the Hook in Durham (now in Lee), for 1600 pounds. [Rockingham Deeds, 57:136-7]

A highway near land of Thomas York is mentioned in the Durham town papers in a petition to lay out a new road dated 31 May 1763. The "Hook lots" are mentioned so the land was likely in what became the town of Lee in 1766. [Durham Town Papers, 1:538]

In June 1764 he was likely the Thomas York of Durham, yeoman, who acted as surety on the apperance bond for Robert York of Durham, yeoman, in a lawsuit where Robert was sued by Enoch Poor for non-payment of a debt. They are probably father and son. [NH Provincial Court case #1883]

Thomas and Robert, likely his son, both signed a 18 Nov 1765 petition to NH Governor Benning Wentworth recommending that the town of Lee be set off from Durham, which it was, the following year. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 11: 586-7]

He may be the Thomas York who, along with a Josiah York (likely his brother), was listed as one of the many grantees of the new town of Eaton, NH on 10 Nov 1766. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 24:716]

On 21 Oct 1768 a Thomas York was listed as one of the many proprietors of the new town of Eaton, NH. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 27:222] Eaton was one of the many 'soldiers grants' made at this time to reward the men who fought the French at Louisbourg in 1745. [Hunt, Elmer Munson, New Hampshire Town Names and Whence They Came. Peterborough, NH: Noone House, 1970, p.51] It's not certain that this is the same Thomas, but there was a Josiah on the list as well, who was likely Thomas' brother.

On 4 Aug 1772 Thomas York of Lee, Yeoman, was deeded land in Middleton, NH by William and Jane Clark of Middleton, yeoman and seamster. The cost of 30 pounds was for one half of the easterly end of the first division lot number thirty originally granted to Samuel Heard of Dover by the Masonian proprietors, containing 50 acres of land with house and buildings. Witnesses were Joseph Hodgdon and Isaac Drew. [Rockingham Deeds, 105:145] Nowhere in the deed does it state the town in which the land sits, but in the division of the town of Middleton Samuel Heard received lot number 30. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 27:498]

Thomas, Eliphalet, and Robert York all signed the Association Test of Lee in 1776. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 30:82]

He is likely the Thomas York who was assessed for taxes in Lee, NH in 1787. [NH Provincial and State Papers, 12:392-3]

He appears in the 1790 census of Lee with 1 male over 16, 1 male under 16, and 2 females.

Thomas apparently owned land in neighboring Nottingham, as he paid a non-resident tax there between 1793 and 1795. The land consisted of 32 acres of unimproved land and 8 acres of pasture. The Nottingham town books that have these tax records begin in 1793 so he may well have had land there before that time as well. But the tax books do carry on past 1795 and he doesn't appear any more. [Nottingham Town records, 1: 415-6, 431, 452-3, 469, 493, 503] His son Eliphalet sold 30 acres land in Nottingham on 5 Apr 1796, which sounds like it could be this property. [Rockingham Deeds, 142:207]

The fact that his Nottingham non-resident tax ends in 1795 and his son sells land there the following April suggests that Thomas died around this time.

No mention has been found of his wife or the mother of his children.


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Comments: 1

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Proof is lacking that Thomas was a son of Benjamin, and even if he was it's extremely doubtful that he was born in Gloucester. There was a branch of the York family in Gloucester, but as this Thomas apparently lived in Lee, NH when he died it is far more likely that he was from the Dover/Durham/Newmarket/Lee branch of the family.
posted by Bill Teschek

Y  >  York  >  Thomas York