Thomas "the Elder" Dimmock

Thomas Dimmick is listed by the Scituate Historical Society as the head of one of the first families of Scituate, Massachusetts.

Thomas was born on October 7, 1604 at Lavenham, Suffolk, England. Around 1638, the year he arrived in Scituate from Hingham, Massachusetts, he married Ann Hammond. He was made a freeman in Scituate in 1639. In 1642, he and his family moved to Barnstable, Massachusetts.

< http://www.scituatehistoricalsociety.org/families/DimmickThomas.htm > (last accessed September 12, 2011)

1. Timothy Dimmock

2. Dimmock

3. Thomas Dimmock

4. John Dimmock

5. Mehitable Dimmock

6. Shubael Dimmock

7. Elizabeth Dimmock

8. Susannah Dimmock

Dimick – A Probable Ancestry Line

Thomas Dimick was born in England, date, parents and location as yet unknown, and died in Barnstable, MA, around 1658 or 1659. HIs will was probated June 4, 1658. It is theorized he was the son of Edward Dymoke of Pinchbeck, England. This line is mentioned and questioned in several sources, none of which offer references of documented vital statistics to definitely make him a descendant of this family. Through this line it would make Thomas a descendant of the Dymokes of Scrivelsby, King's Champions of England, and of the King's of England through Edward III. Rev. Samuel Lodge, Canon of Lincolnshire and Rector of Scrivelsby, in his 1894 publication "Scrivelsby, the Home of the Champions", p. 171-173, under the American branch of the Dymoke family wrote: "Much mystery centers round this Thomas Dymoke and it is highly probable that this mystery was designedly sustained.” It has long been supposed a cadet of the Dymokes married into a Puritan family and that either he or his son disappeared from England about the end of the 16th century. There was undoubtedly at the time a very substantial reason for designedly destroying all traces of identification. If Thomas Dymoke, who left England as it is supposed, in company with a band of Puritans, was connected with the family of the Champions, there would have been the strongest inducement for secrecy and silence. We can easily see why a man in the position of Thomas Dymoke, who was probably closely connected with the Champions of the time, should desire above all things to efface himself and to begin his new life in his new home without the associations of his old belief and family connection.

A reading of (8-25A-3) Robert S. Newton’s – The Dimick Family – The Dymokes of England and some descendants of Elder Thomas Dimick of Barnstable, Plymouth Colony, compiled in 1989, is recommended for further information. Robert has done considerable and excellent research and has documented it well. See pages 19-28 regarding Thomas Dimick.

Also, considerable information can be found in the thesis done by (8-155-1) Richard J. DuBourdieu – “Thomas Dimock, His Times and His Family: The World of an Early New England Settler” – May, 1991. Richard did considerable research for this work, and it also is well documented. See pages 115-123 for discussion regarding Thomas’ wife Ann.

Apparently Thomas married Ann in England, her birth date, family and location unknown. She was living in Barnstable, MA, in Oct. 1683, and probably died before 1686, in Barnstable (not Watertown) although not recorded on town or church records. It is theorized she was a Hammond, but extensive research has shown she was not the daughter Ann of William Hammond and his wife Elizabeth Paine of Lavenham, England, b. July 14, 1616, in Lavenham, Suffolk Co., England (Ref: “History of Hammond Family in America, 1000-1902,” by Frederick Stam Hammond, 1902). Anne Hammond married twice but not to Thomas. Their first daughter Ann, died in England in 1615. Nor was she a daughter of William Hammond and his wife Elizabeth Penn (Ref. “Descendants of William Hammond of London, England, and his wife Elizabeth Penn”, by Roland Hammond, 1894). They had no daughter Ann.

Thomas Dimick and Ann were married in England, and according to the port books, had a family prior to their sailing to America. On May 8, 1635, Thomas and his family sailed from Weymouth, England, aboard the ship Hopewell, destination Mahachusulest Bay, New England ( Ref: NGS Quarterly, Sept. 1983, Vol. 71, p. 174.) They first resided in Dorchester in which Thomas was one of the selectmen in 1635, as shown in the History of Dorchester, MA. Since leaving England, Thomas’ name has been recorded as Demick, Dimocke, Dimmock, Dimock, and Dimmick.

In 1636, they moved to Scituate, MA, and then in 1637, to Hingham, MA. In 1639, they moved to Barnstable, MA. He was granted lands in Barnstable, MA, in 1639. In the same year he was appointed by the Colony Court “to exercise the Barnstable men in their arms.” He was appointed to Plymouth Colony Court 1640, 1641, 1642, 1648, 1649, 1650, was on the Plymouth Colony Council of War 1642, and was Lieutenant in Militia 1642. He was named Elder of the church of Barnstable in 1650. Thomas Dimick was one of the first town officers of Barnstable. The early history of Barnstable and Thomas Dimick cannot be separated (p. 332 Otis Vol. 1-2). He was the leading man and in some way connected with all acts of the first settlers.

All descendants of Thomas Dimick are eligible for membership in Founder and Patriots. Reference: Genealogical Notes on Barnstable Families, Vol. I & KK, pub. 1888 - whole chapter on Dimick descendants of Elder Thomas, p. 328-345. Thomas Dimick is a "Founder" for the Order of Founders and Patriots of America (OFPA). His descendants may qualify for OFPA membership if - 1) they are men over 18 years of age 2) they are citizens fo the USA 3) one of their lineal ancestors of the period 1775 to 1783 was a "Patriot" who supported the cause of the American Revolution.

References:

1) “Founder & Patriots” - came as Thomas Dimick on “Hopewell” 1635 landing at Dorchester, MA. Dorchester, MA town records Jan. 4, 1635: Mr. Dimick “one of the proprietors shall have great lots”. His was 20 acres. Dorchester settled 1634. Records for 1630-32 burned. 2) Swift’s Barnstable, MA Families, Vol. 1, p. 328. 3) Morrison’s History of Windham, NH, 437. 4) Hughes American Ancestry, IV, p. 189. 5) Savages Gen. Dict., II, p. 51. 6) National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 71, No. 3 (Sept. 1983); CT Quarterly 9, pp 928-9. 7) The Granberry Family and Allied Families, by Donald L. Jacobus, p. 209-10.