Thomas Pierce

Not the same as Thomas Pierce but probably kin

Immigrated to Virginia probably 1618 on the "William & Thomas", with wife Alice and daughter Elizabeth.

Killed in the 1622 Jamestown Massacre.

The official report of the slain shows that his plantation was the next one to the south of Martin's Hundred, near Mulberry Island. The dead at his place included Thomas, himself, "his Wife and Childe", two other men and a French boy. (3 Ibid. 570). Word of the massacre and the list of those slain or supposed to be, did not reach England until July, 1622. At a Quarter Court in London, October 2, 1622, "Edward Peirs Cittizen and Merchantaylor in London", petitioned for administration upon the estate of "one Thomas Peirs his Brother, late inhabitating neare Mulberry Islands in Virginia (who was there slain with his wife and Childe in the late massacre)". Edward satisfied the Court that he and sister Anne were the only heirs in England, so instructions were issued to authorities in Virginia to lend aid to Edward in salvaging his brother's estate. (2 Ibid. 106.)

However, there is no indication anywhere in the records, that Edward Pierse and his sister acquired any part of the estate of their brother, Thomas. On the contrary, extant records show beyond reasonable doubt that Thomas Pierse must have been one of the husbands and fathers slain in the presence of their terrified families who were carried off as captors of the savages; For subsequent records seem to prove that the Alice Peerce, widow, who married Thomas Bennett was the widow of Sergeant at Arms Thomas Pierse; and that her daughter, Elizabeth Peerce, who chose her step-father, Thomas Bennett to be her guardian, and who married, first, Anthony Barham; and then Richard Jackson, must have been the "Childe" of Thomas Pierse listed among those killed at his house.

A thorough check of every contemporary Pierce - including every variant of the name - shows that Alice and Elizabeth could not have belonged to any Pierce or Peurce &c, in Virginia, other than Sergeant at Arms Thomas Pierse of the Convention and Assembly of 1619. This being the case, then the fact that Elizabeth is shown to have come in the William and Thomas, which sailed for Virginia in August, 1618, indicates that Thomas Pierse with wife Alice and daughter Elizabeth, emigrated to America on that ship. The William and Thomas was a "magazine ship" - that is, contained merchandize to be retailed to the colonists for their personal use. In other words, the "department store" of that time. In as much as Thomas was given an official position in the Convention and Assembly, it suggests that he probably came in some official capacity in connection with the Magazine. (3 Rec. Va. Comp. 239.) When we remember that twelve years was a legal marriageable age for girls in early Virginia; and we take into consideration the scarcity of young girls in the Colony, it is easily deducible that Elizabeth may have been engaged even before she was twelve - this in 1624; and therefore, she might well have been a "Childe" of ten or less at the time of the massacre in 1622..."

http://myfamilysearch.net/getperson.php?personID=I574&tree=2005217a

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From http://webpages.charter.net/pepbaker/1622_massacre.htm

“The List of Dead in the Massacre of 1622 Feb. 16th, 1623” Reference: "Colonial Records of Virginia", Pages 61-66, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1964, Baltimore. Originally Published, Richmond, VA: R. F. Walker, Superintendant Public Printing,

At Thomas Pierce his House over against Mulberry Island

• Master Tho. Pierce, his wife and childe
• John Hopkins
• John Samon

*a French boy