Thomas Chase

  General Notes:

Research21858.FTW]
Thomas Chase was born possibly in Willesden Parish, Londonor Cromwell
Parish, Nottingham. He died intestate in 1652. Early genealogical
histories of the family indicate that Thomas and Aquila came from
Cornwall, England. It is believed that they were employed by an uncle
named Thomas Chase, who was part owner of a ship named "John & Francis"
and that they learned to become navigators. Thomas' brother, Aquila, was
granted land in Hamptonon the condition that he go to sea and service
the town for four years. Thiswould tend to verify the above theory and
would explain why they were found on the coast rather than in their
original area of birth.
The settlement of Hampton, New Hampshire Began on October 14, 1638, under
the leadership of Rev. Stephen Bachiler. By the first part of 1639
another group arrived with Timothy Dalton, who became the associate
pastor of the Hampton Church. It is probable that Thomas and Aquila were
with this second group, as by 1640 immigrations had slowed considerably.
We know that Thomas, at least, was in the secondgroup as he is mentioned
in a list of families that came to Hampton that second summer.
In June of 1640 small grants were made to a number of people including
Aquila and Thomas Chase. These grants were for six-acre house lots.
Aquila later acquired six acres of upland meadow and swamp, which was
sold to his brother, Thomas, when he moved to Newbury, now located in the
present state of Massachusetts. In fact, it was his acknowledgement in
court of the sale of all his land in Hampton, except a dwelling and one
and one-half acre, to his brother, Thomas Chase of Hampton.
On February 23, 1645/46 sixty owners of house lots were given one or more
shares in the "Common" Aquila received one and Thomas two.
Thomas' signature on a deed of sale to John Shilbrick shows that he was a
literate man. His purchase of land which abutted the river was probably
to facilitate his livelihood. He was a seaman who paid for the building
of a vessel by freighting boards from Exeter to Boston. The large trees
along the coast were much in demand for the building of dwellings.
The Thomas Chase homestead was a short way from "The Meeting House Green"
and opposite that of his father-in-law, Thomas Philbrick. The site
selected for the erection of a house of worship was on the northerly side
of the salt marsh, about one-fourth mile distant from it. A large tract
of land near it was called The Meeting House Green and included all of
what ws later know as the Ring Swamp, along the road around it. A
common-way was laid along the eastern edge and later became the main road
to the seashore. Around the green and along the common-way manu homes
were built, some of which are still inhabitated by descendants of the
original owners.

Thomas married on 5 Oct 1642 in Hampton, NH.