Thomas Tilestone

Summary

• Origins: Unknown
• Parents: Unknown
• BIRTH: About 1610 (deposed on 23 December 1685 "aged 76 years" [SLR 13:408-9];
• Died: Dorchester 24 June 1694, "aged 83 years" [DVR 123; SPR 13:450; NEHGR 4:169].
• MARRIAGE: By about 1636: Elizabeth _______ maiden name unknown (Not Heath or Stuart as seen on Internet trees)
• Eight Children
• Note he did not have a wife Sarah - that was a misreading of his will. His son had a wife Sarah. He names no wife in his will.

Biography

Arrival and Marriage

Born about 1610 (deposed on 23 December 1685 "aged 76 years;" d. 24 June 1694 "aged 83 years"). He came to Massachusetts Bay in 1634 (based on grant of land at Dorchester on 1 September 1634) & settled at Dorchester. The maiden name of the wife of Thomas Tilestone is unknown. The identity of his parents and his place of origin are unknown. There is no evidence his wife’s maiden name was Stuart or Heath as sometimes shown on the Internet according to the latest peer-reviewed research in:

Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration: Immigrants to New England: 1634-1635, (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic and Genealogical Society. Sep 1996) Volume 7:46-50 link

This work reflects a database of all primary and secondary sources regarding the immigrant’s family. An outdated review of this family can also be found in the New England Historic and Genealogical Register 13:121 published in 1859. It is very out of date. When dealing with Great Migration immigrants the first place to consult is The Great Migration Project. The Great Migration publications can be purchased as books and newsletters. Or as a database by subscription to AmericanAncestors.org (NEHGS, Boston, MA). With the exception of the Great Migration Directory which is only available as a book. The published genealogies in the Great Migration project reflect the latest peer-reviewed scholarly research for every immigrant during this period.

In this case there is no evidence that still exists from the period of Thomas Tilestone’s life that would remotely suggest the maiden name of his spouse or the identity of his parents. We don’t even know where he came from. What we do know is he arrived by 1634 based on a land grant at Dochester on 1 Sep 1634 [Dorchester Town Records p 7]. This land grant was given to single men so he was unmarried at the time. He was a freeman by 9 March 1636/7 [Massachusetts Bay Colony Records Vol 1 p 373]. "Elizabeth Tilestone" was admitted to Dorchester church about 1638 [Dorchester Church Records p 4]. Note no maiden name is given for her in this record. In his Will, dated 19 February 1693/4 and proved 12 July 1694 he makes no mention of a wife, presumably she was dead [Suffolk County Probate Record 13:349-51]. We then have the baptism records for several of his children starting with Elizabeth bp Dorchester 3 Aug 1639 see page 151 in Dorchester Church Records. Note the name of neither parent is given much less a maiden name of the mother. Ruth p 153, Cornelius p 158, etc. follow the same pattern. So the only thing we know for certain about his wife is that she must have married him after his arrival and that she joined the church around 1638. No other record of her exists and no clue of her identity has even been published in any serious peer reviewed journal. Therefore her maiden name should be listed as unknown.

Torrey's entry for this immigrant and his wife Elizabeth includes the parenthetical statement that "2/wife Sarah [was named] in his will of 1694." The entry for this immigrant in a condensed account of the families of "Old Dorchester" includes the statement that "Mrs. Sarah, died 26 June 1712" [NEHGR 5:466]. Thomas Tilestone's will does not include a bequest to his wife, but does have a reference to "my son Onisiphorus his wife Sarah," which may be the source of the error. The Sarah Tilestone wl10 died on 26 June 1712 was probably Sarah (Bridgeman) Tilestone, the widow of Timothy, or Sarah (Munson) Tilestone, the widow of Onesiphorus [DVR 127].

Eight Children

1. TIMOTHY TILESTONE, b. say 1636; m. Dorchester 28 April 1659 Sarah Bridgeman [DVR 20; DChR 23], daughter of James Bridgeman (on 14 November 1670, "Timothy Tilston of Dorchester doe bind myself . . . unto the select1nen of Dorchester . . . to secure and save harmless the town of Dorchester from all damage and charges that may arise by means of James Bridgman my father-in-law his inhabiting in Dorchester" [DTR 171-72]; on 13 January 1683[/4?], "Timothy Tilstone is discharged of the above written bond the party that he gave bond for being removed out of town" [DTR 172])
2. ELIZABETH TILESTONE,, bp. Dorchester 3 August 1639 (later annotated " died a maid") [DChR 151]; d. by 1660 (or earlier), unmarried.
3. RUTH TILESTONE, bp. Dorchester 3 October 1641 (later annotated "married to Timothy Foster") [DCl1R 153]; m. (1) Dorchester 11 December 1657 Richard Denton [DVR 20]; m. (2) Dorchester 13 October 1663 Ti1notl1y Foster [DVR 21].
4. CORNELIUS TILESTONE, bp. Dorchester 17 May 1646 [DChR 158]; d. by 1655 (when younger full sibling of same name was born).
5. NAOMI TILESTONE, bp. Dorchester 7 May 1648 [DChR 159]; no further record.
6. BATHSHUA TILESTONE, bp. Dorchester 16 September 1649 [DChR 159]; m. by 1670 John Payson (eldest known child b. Dorchester 18 September 1670 [DVR 12]; on 18 February 1671[/2], "Bathshu.ah the daughter of Thomas Tilstone who married with Jno. Pason was dismissed to join to the church at Rocksbery, she was not in full communion as yet" [DChR 11]), son of EDWARD PAYSON {1634, Roxbury} [GM 2: 5 :389-95].
7. ONESIPHORUS TILESTONE, bp. 19 October 1651 [DChR 161]; m. Boston 12 August 1688 Sarah Munson [NEHGR 159:344].
8. CORNELIUS TILESTONE, bp. Dorchester 15 July 1655 [DChR 167]; d. there 20 July 1659 [DVR 25].

Note he did not have a son named Thomas. See Sources under Savage 4:302 for an explanation of this error.

Later Life

As to his occupation, on 17 November 1673, the town of Dorchester paid "Thomas Tilstone" for "work about the carriage." [DTR 194]. On 9 November 1674, the town paid "Tho[mas] Tilston for work about guns." [DTR 202]. On 7 February 1641[/2?], "Tho1nas Tilstone" signed the agreement establishing a free school at Dorchester [DTR 106]. His invento1y included "books" valued at £6 [SPR 13:451]. On 8 January 1671/2, "Richard Withington and Thomas Tilstone in the name of others presented a writing, wherein they did desire, that the removing of the meetinghouse may be promoted and taken into serious consideration, and that the vote of the town may not be forgotten, or neglected" [DTR 181]. On 1 December 1679, "a petition was preferred by Tho[mas] Tilston and others about stopping up a way, the petition with the answer to it is on file" [DTR 235]. On 1 September 1640, "Thomas Tylestone & Edward Winshot were fined 6s. 8d. apiece for not attending the jury when they were called" [MBCR 1 :299]. Dorchester constable, 1655 [DTR 71, 89]. Fenceviewer, 28 February 1652/3, 9 February 1656/7, 12 March 1659/60, 9 Februa1y 1662/3, 4 April 1664, 10 Marcl1 1672/3, 8 Marcl1 1674/5, 9 Marcl1 1684/5 [DTR 85, 100, 114, 122, 191, 207, 276, 314]. Highway supervisor, 4 December 1665, 4 December 1676, 10 September 1677 [DTR 128, 213, 200]. Tithingman, 14 December 1679 [DTR 239].

Land Grants

On 1 September 1634, "Thom[ as] Tilestone" Was one of ten Dorchester men who were granted " three acres apiece up Naponset" [DTR 7]. 011 22 November 1634, "Thom[as] Tilestone" was one of thirteen Dorchester men who were each granted "six acres of land ... for their small and great lots at Naponset betwixt the Indian Field and the mill" [DTR 8-9]. On 2 January 1637/8, the town of Dorchester ordered that "Thom[ as] Tilestone and John Smith shall have an acre and half of upland equally divided between them" [DTR 29]. On 18 March 1637/8, "Tho[mas] Tileston" was granted two acres, three roods and two rods in the Neck and the same amount of land in the Cows' Pasture [DTR 31]. On 13 January 1667/8, a "list of the acres of land in the field commonly called the Great Lots, which is to pay one penny per acre for the payment maintenance of gates," credited "Thomas Tilston" with 24 acres [DlR 147].

Will and Probate

In his will, dated 19 February 1693/4 and proved 12 July 1694, "Thomas Tilestone of Dorchester" bequeathed to "my eldest son Timothy Tilestone ten acres of land lying near to a place known by the name of the Lime Kiln, which land I bought part of it of Mr. Stoughton and part of it of John Gingeon ... , also ... my lot at the Sheep Pen, also ... my lot on the south side of Naponsett River lying next to the land of Robert Badcock, also . . . all my right and interest in the common & undivided lands belonging to the town of Dorchester, further ... one acre of my fresh meadow, to be taken out of the west end of it over cross it which may be best for both my sons in regard of fencing of it, and also . . . ten pounds in money ... , together with what I have formerly given him to be his portion"; "to "my son Onisiphorus Tilestone and to his children male or female lawfully begotten all my housing and lands and meadow fresh and salt, which I have not already given to my son Timothy abovementioned" with an entail, and "if he die without issue male or female, then I give it to my son Timothy Tilestone and to his heirs, only my son Onisiphorus his wife Sarah shall enjoy it her lifetime if she continue his widow; to "my son Onisiphorus all my moveable goods within doors and without, except the feather bed on which I lie"; "my son Onisiphorus shall pay to my daughter Ruth Foster's children forty shillings apiece and unto my daughter Bethsheba Pason 's children forty slullings apiece, being nine of the children of my deceased daughters which forementioned legacies he shall faithfully pay to them as they come of age, excepting my granddaughter Rutl1 Foster and she shall have my feather bed in lieu of her forty shillings"; "my books to be divicled between my grandchildren equally, only my great Bible I give to my son Timothy"; "my son Timothy Tilestone to be my sole executor"; "my two loving friends Deacon Swift and Samuel Robeson to be my overseers" [SPR 13:449-50, NS 3 :73-74]. The "inventory of the estate of Thomas Tilestone of Dorchester, taken ... this 9th day of July 1694, deceased the 241h of June 1694," totaled £332 3s. 6d., of which £255 was real estate: "dwelling house and barn, orchard & garden," £40; "24 acres of upland adjoining to the house," £96· "8 acres of meadow " £56· "10 acres of upland " £30· "14 acres of woo'd land in the second d' ivisio'n ," £21; "8 acres of' land l'ying near the Sl1eep Pen," £3; "10 acres of land on the south side Neponset River," £8; and "co,mon rights," £1 [SPR13:450-51].

Sources

1. Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration: Immigrants to New England: 1634-1635, (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic and Genealogical Society. Sep 1996) Volume 7:46-50 link
2. DCR: Dorchester Church Records includes the baptism and marriages for several of his children.
3. DTR: Dorchester Town Records
4. DVR: Dorchester Vital Records
5. MBCR: Massachusetts Bay Colony Records
6. SPR: Suffolk Probate Records 13:449-50
7. Find A Grave Memorial# 48874821
8. New England Historic and Genealogical Register 4:169 (death), 5:466 (wrong) and 13:121 (published in 1859 outdated); NEHGR 159:344
9. Savage 4:302: Savage included under the surname Tilestone an entry for "THOMAS, Dorchester, son of the preceding perhaps (I dare not say probably) born in England, but tl1e record allows us to know only that he died 11 September 1718, aged 85 years" [Savage 4:302]. (By "son of the preceding," Savage meant son of Thomas Tilestone, the immigrant.) Reference to the published Dorchester vital records does not show this deatl1, but does include "Thomas Tolman died the 12u1 day of September 1718 and in the 85th year of his age" [DVR 130]. Savage (or whoever supplied him with this death entry) clearly misread "Tolman" as "Tilestone." There is no evidence that the immigrant Thomas Tilestone had a son named Thomas.
10. Torrey: 3:1520 TILESTONE, Thomas (?1611-1694, ae 83) & Elizabeth ____ (2/wf Sarah in his will of 1694); by 1633; Dorchester {Dorchester 87; Reg. 4:169, 5:466, 13:121, 58:404; Seeley-Vail 162; Paine (,6) 211; Treat 228; Tileston 29} Please note that Torrey's entry for this immigrant and his wife Elizabeth includes the parenthetical statement that "2/wife Sarah [was named] in his will of 1694." The entry for this immigrant in a condensed account of the families of "Old Dorchester" includes the statement that "Mrs. Sarah, died 26 June 1712" [NEHGR 5:466]. Thomas Tilestone's will does not include a bequest to his wife, but does have a reference to "my son Onisiphorus his wife Sarah," which may be the source of the error. The Sarah Tilestone wl10 died on 26 June 1712 was probably Sarah (Bridgeman) Tilestone, the widow of Timothy, or Sarah (Munson) Tilestone, the widow of Onesiphorus [DVR 127].