Thomas Spellman

Thomas Spelman was one of the founders of Granville Massachusetts.

He apprenticed as a stone cutter as a young man. However he became prosperous by the buying, owning and selling of a great deal of real estate.

THOMAS SPELMAN (son of Richard) was born in Middletown, Conn., 26 April, 1712 [Middletown Records];

Married 28 March, 1732-3, Sarah Hickox, b. in Durham, Conn., 14 April, 1716. the daughter of Stephen and Ruth Hickox of Durham Conn. [Durham Records.] She died in Granville, Mass., 1 May, 1801.

Thomas Spelman died in East Granville, Mass., 18 Sept., 1790.

Very soon after his marriage Thomas Spelman moved from Middletown to Durham, where his wife's parents lived and where the young couple made their home for many years, eight of their twelve children being born there.

12 Children:

1. Aaron SPELMAN, b. 22 Jan 1733, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut, d. 28 Oct 1820

2. Mary SPELMAN, b. 18 Aug 1736, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut, d. 16 Sep 1831

3. Daniel SPELMAN, b. 12 Jul 1738, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut, d. 17 Apr 1829

4. Elizabeth SPELMAN, b. 14 Jul 1740, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut, d. 26 Jul 1836

5. Martha SPELMAN, b. 21 Mar 1742, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut, d. 16 Jun 1761

6. Charles SPELMAN, b. 24 Dec 1743, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut, d. 13 Jul 1827

7. Stephen SPELMAN, b. 5 Dec 1745, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut, d. 8 Dec 1800

8. Sarah SPELMAN, b. 29 Jan 1747, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut, d. 19 Feb 1818

	 9. Ebor SPELMAN,   b. 27 Oct 1753, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut  d. 15 Aug 1829

10. Timothy SPELLMAN, b. 15 Jan 1756, East Granville, Hampden, Massachusetts d. 21 Apr 1828, Granville, Licking, Ohio

11. Jesse SPELMAN, b. Jan 1757, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut. d. 1774

12. Martha SPELMAN, b. 8 Aug 1762, Durham, Middlesex, Connecticut. d. 18 Nov 1846

Thomas Spelman apprenticed as a stone cutter by trade, and perhaps lovingly cut many of the family tombstones which have so well endured the ravages of time, being still in good preservation. He had a good reputation for ability in his work, which local historians have mentioned.

In addition to this early business he became an extensive trader in land, both in Connecticut and, later, in Granville, Mass., where he moved about 1750 or a little after.

The first deed of which we have record is dated 12 Jan., 1733-4, when he bought from Samuel Hinman, for £120, one and one-quarter acres and thirty-four rods of land in Durham. [Durham Land Records.] This land adjoined the home-lot of Richard Spelman, brother of Thomas, who had also bought his land from Samuel Hinman and settled in Durham about 1730.

On 22 March, 1734, John Camp sold to Thomas Spelman five and one-half acres in Durham, for £16-50-0; also, 18 Dec. of that same year, John Camp sold to Thomas Spelman and Noah Lyman, for £10, half an acre. The next record is of a transfer, 16 Mar., 1738-9, from Curtis Fairchild of Durham to Thomas Spelman, of one and one-half acres for £63.

In April, 1739, two deeds are recorded which seem to indicate an even exchange of property between Thomas and his brother. Samuel, or else that Thomas bought the land from Samuel as a matter of convenience for a short time. Thus, on 2 April, 1739, Samuel Spelman of Middletown sold to Thomas Spelman of Durham, for £150, one piece of land with dwelling house thereon, bounded north by Richard Spelman's home lot; twelve days later Thomas sold to brother, Samuel, one and one-quarter acres, thirty-four rods, with dwelling house thereon, bounded north by Richard Spelman's home lot, east on highway, south by S. Roberts, and west on highway; the price was £150 and the deed is dated 14 Apr., 1739. The various deeds are in the Durham Land Records.

On 14 July, 1748, Thomas and Samuel Spelman bought from their father, Richard Spelman, the whole of his home-lot, with buildings, in Middletown, containing about five acres, for £300; the father and mother to have the use thereof during their natural lives. [See deed above in sketch of Richard Spelman.]

On that same day “Samuel Spelman of Middletown ... of the Sum of Forty Five Pounds old tenor Bills Received ... of Thomas Spelman of Durham . . . County of New Haven . . . one certain piece of land . . . in South Farms three Rodds [roods] and three Rods and bounded easterly on sd Thomas Spelmans own land westerly on Widow Mary Blake's land and northerly on my own land. 14 July 1748. Giles Hall Wm. Rockwell, wit.” [Middletown Records, Vol. 12, p. 428.] Still another deed in connection with this home-lot of Richard Spelman, Senior, is recorded on the same day, viz.: “Consideration of exchange of land by deed of the date hear of ... Thomas Spelman of Durham unto sd Thomas Spelman by right title and Interest in and unto the Southern equal half of the Home lot that did belong to my Honrd Father Richard Spelman Lying in the South Farm in sd Middletown containing in the whole about five acres more or less and sd southern half is bounded easterly on the highway westerly on sd Thomas Spelman's own land, northerly on my own land and southerly on land of widow Mary Blake 14 July 1748. Samuel Spelman” [Ibid, p. 430”].

In addition to this Thomas Spelman bought from Robert Johnson, for £700 “old tenor bills,” “one certain piece of land being my Present home lot lying on the west of the Conn. River in sd Middletown with a dwelling house and a barn standing thereon land contains 4 A. bounded E & N by Anthony Seizers land W by a highway and S on Stephen Blakes land or a Lammes way (?) 13 May, 1749” [Ibid, p. 521]. 29 Jan., 1749-50, Thomas Spelman sold to Thomas Canfield four acres "near the r>M ^rist mill, part of home lot except barn” for £160. [Ibid, Vol. 13, p. 327.]

In these Middletown transactions Thomas is described as of Durham, but about this time there was quite an exodus of people from Connecticut to certain parts of Massachusetts, which were then being opened to colonization. Thomas Spelman seems to have caught the fever of speculation also, for the following year, 1750, he began to buy land in Bedford, Mass., and to sell off some of his Middletown holdings. In these deeds he is described as of Middletown, while in a later deed, in 1752, he is said to be of Hartford, but whether he actually lived there or merely owned land, does not appear. It is evident, however, that he had left Durham, and he finally settled at Bedford, which later became Granville, where he died.

His first purchase at Bedford is recorded in the following deed:

To all People to whom thefe Prefents shall come Greeting Know ye that I Daniel Edwards of Bedford in the County of Hampshire and province of the Mafsachufetts Bay in New England For the Consideration of five Hundred & Seventy pounds old Tenor Bills Received to my full satiffaction of Thomas Spelman of Middletown in the County of Hartford and Collony of Connecticut! in new England Do Give Grant Bargain sell and confirm unto the said Thomas Spelman his Heirs and afsigns forever, one Hundred and fourteen acres of land lying in Bed¬ford aforesaid, one Hundred acres whereof is bounded as followeth, viz' beginning at the Northwest Corner of a five Hundred acres farm laid out to Henry Dwight Esq. Decd and from thence running East one Hundred & Eighty rods south eighty nine rods to the first Station and the Remaining Fourteen acres adjoyns to sd Hundred acres and is bounded as follows viz: beginning at the South East Corner of Capt. James Church's land, and runing wefterly one Hundred and Eighty Rods (adjoyning to sd Hundred acres) then Extending North so far as to make sd fourteen acres. Then Easterly a line paralel to the line on the south side till it comes to the East side of sd Churches farm. Then to the first mentioned To Have and To Hold the above Granted and bargained premifses with the appurtenances thereof unto him the said Tho» Spelman his Heirs and afsigns forever to his and their own proper use and Behoof And also I the said Daniel Edwards do for myself my Heirs Executors and Admin-iftrators Covenant with the said Thos. Spelman his Heirs and afsigns that at and Untill the Enfealing of thefe prefents I am well seized of the Premifses as a good Indefeafible Eftate In fee Simple. And have good Right to Bargain and sell the same in manner and form as is above written and that the same is free of all Incumbrances whatfoever And Farthermore I the said Daniel Edwards do by these prefents bind myself and my Heirs forever to Warrant and Defend the above Granted and Bargained Premifses to him the said Thomas Spelman his Heirs and afsigns against all Claims and Demands whatfoever In Witnefs whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Twenty third day of August In 24th year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the second of Great Brittain &c King. .\nnoque Domini 1750. “Daniel Edwards] (seal) “Signed Sealed and Delivered In Prefence of Wm Rockwell Seth Rockwell “Middletown August 23rd 1750 Mr Daniel Edwards the Grantor acknowledged this Instrum' to be his free act & Deed. “Coram Jabez Hamlin Jus' Pac*. “Recd Septemr 12th 1750 & Recorded from ye Original.” [Spring%C3%82%C2%ACfield Deeds, Liber. S, p. 442.]

On the same day that he bought the land in Bedford, 23 Aug., 1750, Thomas Spelman sold to Daniel Edwards of Bedford, for £1072, “2 pieces land in South Farms ... 1 piece present home lot, 4 A. other part of home lot of honored Father Richard Spelman deceased containing 3 A. E by highway W & S by Wid Blakes N by Sam'1 Spelman” [Middletown Deeds, Vol. 13, p. 327.] Two days later he gave a quit-claim to Daniel Edwards for the last mentioned three acres of land. [Ibid, p. 474.) His next transaction was the sale of 30 acres of land at Coventry, Conn., with a dwelling house upon it. In this deed, which follows, Thomas calls himself “of Hartford.”

“To all people to whom these prefents shall come Know ye yt I Thomas Spelman of Hartford in ye County of Hartford in ye Colony of Conecticut in New England for and in confidera-tion of ye Sum of Six Hundred fifty pounds in Money in old tenor Bills of ye publick Credit alrady payd to me in hand by Jofeph Larebe of Coventry in ye County of Windham and Colony aforesd ye Receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge My self to be fully satisfied Contented and payd therefore I do acquit and discharge ye sd Jofeph Larebe his Heirs executors and admin-iftraters for ever by these prefents have granted bargained Sold Convayed and Confirmed and by these prefents do fully freely and abfolutely give grant bargain Sell Convay and Confirm unto ye sd Jofeph Larebe his Heirs & afsigns a Certain peice of Land, Lying and being in ye Townfhip of Coventry Lying a Cros a Brook Called bare swamp Brook Joyning upon Coventry Town Line and is butted and bounded as folows beginning at a stake and stons at ye mile and quarter Line Running Northward fifty six Rood and Six Links to a Stake & stons thence Riming West Ninty Rods to a Stake and Stons thence Running South six Rods & Six Links thence West Sixteen Rods thence South 12 Rods forteen Links to a stake and Stons thence Enst twenty three Rods thence South thirty seven Rods to ye Mile & quarter Line thence East in ye mile and quarter Line to ye first mentioned Bounds Containing 30 acres and three quarters with a Certain dweling Hous To Have and to hold ye above granted premifes with all ye apurtenances and privilidges to ye same belonging or any wife appertaining unto him ye sd Jofeph Larabe his heirs and afsigns for ever to his and there one proper use banefit and behoof for ever and I ye sd Thomas Spelman for me my heirs executors and administrators do promife and grant to and with ye sd Jofeph Larabe his heirs and asfigns yt before ye Signing hereof I am ye true sole & Lawfull owner of ye sd Described premifes and am Lawfully pofcst of yc Same in myne own Right as a good true Indefutable title of Inharetance in fe Simple and have good Right full power and Lawfull authority to Convay ye same in manner

111

above mentioned and yt sd Jofeph Larebe his heirs and afsigns Shall and may from time to time and at all time for ever hereafter by vertue of these prefents have hold use ocoopy poses and Injoy ye sd premifes quietly & peicably and that ye Same is free and Gear from all Incombrances whatsoever fur¬thermore ye sd Thomas Spehnan for me my heirs executers ad¬ministrators do by these prefents Ingage to warrant and defend ye above demifed (?) premifes to him ye sd Jofeph Larebe his heirs & afsigns against all ye Lawfull Claims or Demands of any perfon or perfons whatsoever in Witnes whereof I ye sd Thomas Spelman have hereunto set my hand and Seal this ye 21 day of Aprel Anno Donini one thoufand and feven hundred and fifty two. “Thomas Spelman (Seal) “Signed Sealed and Delivered in Prefents of us Samuel Roberfen John Stanley “Coventry in Windham County April ye 2ist A. D. 1752. Then Mr. Thomas Spelman ye signer & enfealer of ye aforegoing Inftrument perfonally appeared and acknowledge ye same to be his free and volentary act & Deed before me Josep'h Strong Jnr. Justis of ye peice.” [Coventry, Conn., Deeds, Vol. 4, p. 74.]

We next find Thomas Spelman in Bedford, or Granville. Mass., where he pursued his trade of stone cutter and continued to deal in real estate. Before leaving Connecticut he sold to Thomas Canfield of Durham, for £173-3-0, fifty acres of the land in Bedford which he had bought of Daniel Edwards in 1750, “being s. w. corner of farm formerly belonging to Henry Dwight.” [Springfield Deeds, Liber S, p. 443.] He afterwards sold another portion of this land to Aaron Spelman, as will be seen by the following deed.

“To all People to whom thefe Prefents fhall come Greeting. Know Ye That I Thomas Spelman of Granville in the County of Hampfhire and Province of the Mafsachufsetts Bay in New England Stone Cutter For and in Consideration of the Sum of Ten Pounds Currant Money of the Province aforesaid, to me in Hand paid before the Enfealing hereof by Aaron Spelman of said Granville in the County and Province aforesaid Hufband man, the Receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge and myself fully Satisfied, contented, and paid, Have given, granted, bar¬gained, fold, aliened, releafed, conveyed and confirmed, and by thefe Presents do fully, clearly, and absolutely give, grant, bar¬gain, fell, aliene, releafe, convey, and confirm unto him the faid Aaron Spelman his——Heirs and afsigns forever a certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in Granville Containing Sixty four

112

acres be it more or lefs, Bounded as follows viz.—begin¬ning at the Northwest Corner of a five Hundred acre farm laid out to Henry Dwight Esq. Decd and from thence North twelve rods and one half to a stake and stones thence the East one Hundred and Eighty rods to a Stake and Stones thence South till you butt upon Thomas Canfield's land that he purchafed of one Thomas Spelman, from thence running west on sd Canfield's lands one Hundred and Eighty rods to a Chestnut tree from thence to first mentioned Corner. To Have and to hold the be¬fore granted Premifes, with the appurtenances and Priviledges thereto belonging, to Him the faid Aaron Spelman his Heirs and Assigns to him and their own proper use, Benefit and Behoof forevermore. And I—the faid Thomas Spelman for myself and Heirs, Executors, Aaron Spelman his——Heirs and Afsigns forever, That before and until the Enfealing hereof, I am, the true, sole proper and lawful Owner and pofsefsor of the before-granted Premises, with the Appurtenances and haveing my self good Right, full Power and lawful Authority to give, grant, bargain, sell, aliene, release, convey and confirm the fame as aforefaid; and that free and clear, and freely and clearly, Exe¬cuted, acquitted and difcharged of and from all former and other Gifts, Grants, Bargains, Sales, Leafes, Mortgages, Wills, Intails, Joyntures, Doweries, Thirds, Executions and Incumbrances Whatfoever. And furthermore, I, the faid Thomas Spelman for myself, heirs, Executors, Administrators do hereby Covenant, Promife, Engage the before granted Premises with the Appur¬tenances unto Him the faid Aaron Spelman his——Heirs and Assigns forever to Warrant, Secure, Defend against the lawful Demands of any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever In Witnefs whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this Eighteenth Day of April A. D. 1757 and the thirtieth year of His Majestie's Reign. “Thomas Spelman (Seal) “Signed Sealed and Delivered In Prefence of us John Rose Timothy Robinfon “Westfield April 28th 1757 Thos. Spelman the Subscriber to the above written Inftrument perfonally appeared and ac¬knowledged the fame to be his act and Deed. “Coram Israel Afhley Justice Pac’e “Rec'd May 4th 1757 & Recorded from the Original by “Edward Pyncheon Register.” [Springfield Deeds, Liber Z, p. 164.]

When Richard Spelman, Senior, died in 1750, his widow, Alcey (French), took the long journey,—as it then was,—from Middletown to Granville and made her home for the remainder

GRAVESTONES OF ALCEY FRENCH SPELMAN AND OTIIFRS IN THE OLD WEST CEMETERY. EAST GRANVILLE

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of her days with her son, Thomas, where she died in 1767 at the age of ninety-three. Her tombstone was erected by her great-great-grandson, Emerson Davis Spelman, and is to be seen in the old cemetery at Granville, as are also those of Thomas Spelman and his wife, Sarah Hickox. They were both members of the Granville Church, having united with it by letter in 1756. Of Sarah Spelman, her pastor, the Rev. Timothy Mather Cooley, said that she was eminently pious, of a cheerful and energetic disposition, attending meeting with great punctuality. In his church records he has written the following entry: “1801. May 3. Committed to dust Sarah Spelman. 85 yrs.” The inscriptions upon the gravestones of Thomas and Sarah Spelman read:

“In memory of “In Memory of Sarah Mr. Thomas Spelman The Wife of Thomas who died Sept. 8 who Died A D 1790 May 1, 1801, aged in the 79 year of his Age.” 86 years.”

CHILDREN [the first eight from the Durham Records, the last four from those of Granville]:

Aaron, b. 22 Jan., 1733; m., 1st, Elizabeth Rose; 2nd, Deborah (Barlow) Rose.

Mary, b. 18 Aug., 1736; m. Ephraim Pelton.

Daniel, b. 12 July, 1738; m. Mary Carpenter.

Elizabeth, b. 14 July, 1740; m. Samuel Bancroft, Jr.

Martha, b. 21 Mar., 1742; d. 16 June, 1761, of malignant fever caught while assisting the Stow family in nursing them after three members had died of the disease.

Charles, b. 24 Dec., 1743; m. Lucina Kent.

Stephen, b. 5 Dec., 1745; m. Deborah Rose.

Sarah, b. 29 or 30 Jan., 1747-8; m. Joseph Coe.

Eber (Hebor), b. 27.Oct., 1753; m. Lucy Thrall.

Timothy, b. 15 Jan., 1756-7; m. Hannah Hayes.

Jesse, b. Jan., 1757-8; d. in 1774, from accidentally cutting himself with a scythe.

Martha (2nd) b. 8 Aug., 1762; m. Jonathan Tillotson.

http://pioneerancestry.com/getperson.php?personID=I12737&tree=Francom

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• Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees via son Timothy Spellman by SmartCopy: Dec 28 2014, 0:49:39 UTC

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GEDCOM Note

<p>The Spelman Family back to Sir William Espileman - 1100's</p>http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=document&guid=6f960aaf-f157-44d9-9f1...

GEDCOM Note

GEDCOM Note

<p>Thomas Spelman Headstone</p>http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=e91423bb-3d65-45e0-8442-5...

GEDCOM Note

GEDCOM Note

<p>Sketch of an unknown</p>http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=71810064-bcb9-42d0-8a38-5...

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GEDCOM Note

<p>The Old West Cemetery</p>http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=image&guid=d52f306a-20e8-4d13-a404-6...

GEDCOM Note

GEDCOM Source

3 DEC 2018 13:13:45 GMT -0500 Elizabeth carol DeVore devore Web Site <p>MyHeritage family tree</p><p>Family site: devore Web Site</p>Family tree: 130731761-2 Discovery 130731761-2

GEDCOM Source

Thomas Spelman 3 3 DEC 2018 Added via a Person Discovery Discovery