Thomas Smith, of Ipswich

Disambiguation

Smith was one of the most common of names in England during this period. There were many other immigrants named Thomas Smith in Essex County, Massachusetts. He should not be confused with the Thomas Smith of Lynn, Salem and Gloucester or the Thomas Smith of Newbury during the same period. He especially should not be confused with Thomas Bland Smith of Watertown and Martha's Vineyard or Thomas Smith Jr of the same locations.

Please do not merge him with any of these other men. Please read the sources cited below to distinguish him from others of the same name.

Biography

In 1996 Robert Charles Anderson in Great Migration: Immigrants to New England: 1634-1635 Vol 4 p 159 states that Thomas Kimball born about 1633 married by 1658 Mary Smith daughter of Thomas Smith who arrived 1638 to Ipswitch citing NEHGR 142:51-55.[1] Thomas Smith who arrived 1638 to Ipswitch can be cross-referenced to Robert Charles Anderson's 2015 work The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620–1640 p 312. There Anderson cites ITR 44-45,[2] GMC50 385-89[3] and NEHGR Vol p 142:51-55.[4][5] NEHGR Vol p 142:51-55 refers to the Article "Thomas Smith of Ipswitch, Massachusetts" by John B Threlfall. Here we learn the Mary's father Thomas Smith appears in Ipswitch on April 9, 1639 when he was granted a house lot. This Thomas died in the Winter of 1681/2 in Bradford, Massachusetts at the home of his daughter Mary Kimball. His wife Joan[ah] died between 18 Nov 1680 and 9 Dec 1681.[5] He was listed as a shoemaker in 1669.[5] He should not be confused with the Thomas Smith of Lynn, Salem and Gloucester or the Thomas Smith of Newbury during the same period. This Thomas Smith was made a freeman in 1650 unlike the Thomas Smith of Lynn who was a freeman in 1633.[5]

Family

We do not know the birth date or origins of this Thomas Smith of Ipswitch but he must have been born by about 1610 based on the birth of his first grandchild. Court records seem to indicate he was born either about 1606 or 1612 (see below). He and his wife, Joanah had two daughters:

1. Mary Smith probably born in England about 1634 who died in Ipswich, Massachusetts on 20 Nove 1688. She married first to Thomas Kimball of Ipswich and after he was killed by Indians on the night of 2-3 May 1676 she married second to Thomas Knowlton on 17 May 1682.[5]
2. Sarah Smith born 1641 in Ipswitch and died 24 Feb 1720 in Ipswitch per her burial record. She married Samuel Loomas (alt Lomis) on 18 Nov 1664. Note John B Threlfall lists her as "possibly" a daughter. The evidence is not as clear as in Mary's case.[5]

Court Records 1647 - 1677

• December 1647 Lancelott Grainger sued Thomas Smith of Ipswich in Salem Quarterly Court[6]
• In March 1655 In the case of the will of widow Alice Ward of Ipswich, his wife Joannah testified.[7]
• In 1655 several court records exist regarding damage to crops, property and livestock belonging the Kimball family and Thomas Smith.[5]
• On 27 March 1666 It was agreed that he was to be released from training by the company if he made a yearly payment and again in 1672 he was fully released without payment. This generally means he would have been 60 years old or disabled on one of these years.[5] That would possibly set his birth in either 1606 and 1612.
• On July 1677 he served on the jury in the case of death of Joseph Lord.[5]

Deeds and Land Records

• Thomas Smith appears in Ipswitch on April 9, 1639 when he was granted a house lot: A house lot one acre to the street called West End, having a house lot granted to John Cooly southeast, common near the common fence gate north west.[5]
• Walter Tibbot in his will dated 1651 mentioned a meadow he had bought of Thomas Smith in Ipswitch[8]
• On 15 September 1652, Thomas Smith of Ipswich sold to Robert Lord of Ipswich the land that was granted to him[9]
• "Thomas Smith's house was mentioned in 1653 as a boundary in Ipswich in the north end of town, as being southeast of Theophilus Shatswell's house."[5]
• "In January 1669/70 he sold his house to James Sayer [Sawyer] with an arrangement for the future comfort of himself and his wife Joan, as the following two deeds indicate. Here for the first time he was designated a shoemaker. Note the reference to the thatched roof of his home, and daubing, which implies some sort of frame filled with wattle and daub. It is interesting to note the use of thatch roofing at this late date, for nearly forty years before, in January 1632/3, Cambridge had passed a resolution forbidding the use of thatch, requiring either slate or boards, this order being a reaffirmation of a similar one two years earlier."[5][10]
• The sale to James Sayer did not work out and Thomas Smith tried several other sales that also failed. Eventually on 9 March 1676/7 he sold his house to Thomas Dow "Thomas Smith of Ipswich, shoemaker, for £30 to me secured to be paid by Thomas Dow of Ipswich[11] He sold the rest of his land later that year on "28 June 1679 Thomas Smith of Ipswich, shoemaker, sold to Benedict Pulsipher of Ipswich, all that my division lot of marsh at Plumb Island being a single share in the second range of lots, No. 60, being near unto Swamp Island.[11][5]

Court Records Before His Death 1680

Court Records from shortly before his death at his daughter's house in Bradford clearly elucidate his relationship to the Kimball family:

"Thomas Smith, sr., and his wife being aged and impotent and unable to help and provide for themselves, said Smith came into court and gave up to the electmen of Ipswich the following estate: three cows and one yearling, three acres of land at Muddy river, a bill of three pounds, six shillings of Puls if er's and fifteen pounds due from Thomas Dow, about eleven pounds due him from Aron Pengry, sr., and all his household goods . . . provided the town maintain them as long as they live. Capt. Shuball Walker, one of the selectmen of Bradford, presented a writing to the court in behalf of the town under the hands of the selectmen of Ipswich, informing the court that Mr. Thomas Smith and his wife of Ipswich had come into their town contrary to order, and having warned the persons who entertained them not to do it, likewise to said Smith to depart, yet they abide in the town still and liable to be a charge to the said town, court ordered that the caution be entered."[12]

"November 18, 1680 Richard and Benjamin Kimball of Bradford did covenant to and with the selectmen of Ipswich that they would take Thomas Smith and his wife to Bradford to the house of Mary Kimball the widow of Thomas Kimball and provide their meate, drink, washing, lodging, clothes and attendance with all things necessary for persons in such a condition for the space of one year beginning at the date hereof, the price for a year to be £25. December 8, 1681 agreed with Richard Kimball of Bradford to allow unto him further keeping and providing for his grandfather Thomas Smith for the year ensuing £13."[13]

Probate

Essex County, Massachusetts, Year 1682, Name Thomas Smith: Probate file 2578:

"Richard Kemball presenting an Inventory of ye Estate of Thomas Smith disceased: where unto he hath given oath to the truth thereof & If more be found, he will add the same. Pour of Administration to sd Estate Is granted unto the sd Mary & Richard Kemball In court held at Ipswich 28 of March 1682 This is a true Inventory of the Estate of Mr Thomas Smith of Ipswich Deceased Aprised:" etc. His estate Included a bed, carsay & searg, pudder, scellets and pots, trammell and friingpan, table and chist, it one axe, it one saw. He was due debts from Thomas Dow, Pulsifer and Aaron Pengrave. His estate owed debts to Mr Rogers, John Appleton, Richard Kimball and Nath Russ. The Appraisal was signed by Richard Hall and Samuel Hazeltine (and in-law of his daughter Mary).[14]

Biography and sources by Roland Henry Baker, III.

Sources

• 1. Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration: Immigrants to New England: 1634-1635, (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic and Genealogical Society. Sep 1996) Volume IV, I-L p 159 link to purchase and link to Americanancestors subscribers to text
• 2. Ipswich, Massachusetts, Town Records p 44-45.
• 3. John Brooks Threlfall, Fifty Great Migration Colonists To New England & Their Origins (Madison, Wisconsin, 1990) 385-89 link
• 4. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Directory: Immigrants to New England, 1620–1640, (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic and Genealogical Society. June 2015) Smith, Thomas Unknown: 1638: Ipswitch p 312. link to purchase
• 5. The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, "Thomas Smith of Ipswitch, Massachusetts" by John B Threlfall Volume (Boston, Massachusetts: NEHGR, 1988) 142 p 51-55. Link Subscription Required
• 6. George Francis Dow, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, Volume l, 1636-1656 (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex institute, 1911) p 130 link
• 7. George Francis Dow, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, Volume l, 1636-1656 (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex institute, 1911) p 389 link
• 8. George Francis Dow, The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts, Vol 1 1635-1664 (Salem, Massachusetts: The Essex Institute, 1916) p 132
• 9. Ipswich Deeds, 3:148
• 10. Lucius Robinson Paige, History of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1630-1877. With a genealogical register (Boston, Massachusetts: H. O. Houghton and company, 1877) p 18
• 11. Ipswich Deeds, dated 9 March 1676/7 and 28 June 1679: 4:83, 335
• 12. George Francis Dow, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, Volume 7 1678 - 1680 (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex institute, 1919) Date: May 1680, 7:379 link
• 13. George Francis Dow, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, Volume 8 1680 - 1683 (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex institute, 1921) Date: November 1680, 8:44-45 link
• 14. The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts, (Salem, Massachusetts: The Essex Institute) Year 1682, Name Thomas Smith: Probate file 2578