Thomas Williams
M, b. circa 1617, d. 13 September 1696
Thomas was born circa 1617 in England. He may have been the son of Thomas Williams who came on the Mayflower and died in the first winter.1 He was a servant of the Widow Warren where on 5 July 1635 they had words over their religious beliefs.2 Thomas married Elizabeth Tart on 30 November 1638 in Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.3 He was one of the original settlers of Eastham sometime after 1640. Thomas made his will on 10 May 1692.
I, Thomas Williams, having lived to old age & am weak of body but of sound & disposing memory praise be given to God for it. Do make this my last will & testament in manner & form following.
First and principaly I resigne my soul into ye merciful hands of Almighty God my Creator hoping through ye merits of my Blessed Savior to obtaine pardon and Remition of all my sins and my Body I commit to ye earth whence it was taken to be desently Buried by ye descretion of my executors here in after named: as for my worldly Goods and estate that ye Lord hath Lent me I dispose of it as followeth:
Imprimis, I give and bequeath to my grandchild John Smith my now dwelling house with that parcel of land where my house stands and a lott of land lying near to it which was formerly Leut Joseph Rogers house lott and a parcel of meadow lying in ye boate meadow between Thomas Paines meadow and a parcel of meadow which is Jonathan Sparrows, all these lands according to ye known Bounds in ye Town Book of Records of Lands, further my will is that if said John Smith die without issue that then said house and land be disposed of among ye rest of my children further my will is that my house and land before specified shall forever remain unto my grandchild John Smith and to ye heirs lawfully begotten and not to be alinated from him or his.
Iem. I give unto my grandchild William Nicherson ye son of John Nickerson one shillin in money and no more; ye rest of my estate both real and personal I give and bequeath to my four daughters Sarah, Marcy, Elisabeth, and Mary and ye children of my daughter Hannah Mulford to be equally divided between my four daughters and the children of said Hannah Mulford, that is to say that said Hannahs children shall have as good a share of my estate as one of my daughters hath.
Lastly my will is that I do appoint and constitute my loving friends Joshua Banks and Jonathan Sparrow to be my esecutors to this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other will heretofore made by me.
In witness hereof I have here unto fixe my hand and seal this tenth day of May inye year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and ninety and two.
Thomas S, Williams [his mark]
Witnesses: Samuel Mayo, Joseph Higgins.4
Thomas departed this life on Thursday, 13 September 1696 in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts.5 The inventory of Thomas's estate was taken on Friday, 12 October 1696. His estate was valued at 106 pounds, 3 shillings, 5 pence. Samuel Mayo & Joseph Higgins whose names stand as witnesses to this will made oath before Barnabas Lothrop, Esqr. Judge of Probate fore ye County of Barnstable that they did see ye above named Thomas Williams now deceased signe seal and heard him declare this to be his last will and testament, October ye 22: 1696.
Examined and duely compared with ye original and entered October ye 30th: 1696.5
I, Thomas Williams, having lived to old age & am weak of body but of sound & disposing memory praise be given to God for it. Do make this my last will & testament in manner & form following.
First and principaly I resigne my soul into ye merciful hands of Almighty God my Creator hoping through ye merits of my Blessed Savior to obtaine pardon and Remition of all my sins and my Body I commit to ye earth whence it was taken to be desently Buried by ye descretion of my executors here in after named: as for my worldly Goods and estate that ye Lord hath Lent me I dispose of it as followeth:
Imprimis, I give and bequeath to my grandchild John Smith my now dwelling house with that parcel of land where my house stands and a lott of land lying near to it which was formerly Leut Joseph Rogers house lott and a parcel of meadow lying in ye boate meadow between Thomas Paines meadow and a parcel of meadow which is Jonathan Sparrows, all these lands according to ye known Bounds in ye Town Book of Records of Lands, further my will is that if said John Smith die without issue that then said house and land be disposed of among ye rest of my children further my will is that my house and land before specified shall forever remain unto my grandchild John Smith and to ye heirs lawfully begotten and not to be alinated from him or his.
Iem. I give unto my grandchild William Nicherson ye son of John Nickerson one shillin in money and no more; ye rest of my estate both real and personal I give and bequeath to my four daughters Sarah, Marcy, Elisabeth, and Mary and ye children of my daughter Hannah Mulford to be equally divided between my four daughters and the children of said Hannah Mulford, that is to say that said Hannahs children shall have as good a share of my estate as one of my daughters hath.
Lastly my will is that I do appoint and constitute my loving friends Joshua Banks and Jonathan Sparrow to be my esecutors to this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other will heretofore made by me.
In witness hereof I have here unto fixe my hand and seal this tenth day of May inye year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and ninety and two.
Thomas S, Williams [his mark]
Witnesses: Samuel Mayo, Joseph Higgins.4
Thomas departed this life on Thursday, 13 September 1696 in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts.5 The inventory of Thomas's estate was taken on Friday, 12 October 1696. His estate was valued at 106 pounds, 3 shillings, 5 pence. Samuel Mayo & Joseph Higgins whose names stand as witnesses to this will made oath before Barnabas Lothrop, Esqr. Judge of Probate fore ye County of Barnstable that they did see ye above named Thomas Williams now deceased signe seal and heard him declare this to be his last will and testament, October ye 22: 1696.
Examined and duely compared with ye original and entered October ye 30th: 1696.5
Family | Elizabeth Tart d. b 10 May 1692 |
| Children |
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Citations
- [S2137] Great Migration - Thomas Williams: Page 2010 -Thomas Williams came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620 and signed the Mayflower Conpact. He died soon after arrival in the general sickness.
- [S457] Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volume VII: pages 435-439 - Thomas Williams - occupation: servant [on 5 July 1635, "Thomas Williams, the servant of Widow Warren, was accused of speaking profane & blasphemous speeches against the magisty of God, which were theres: there being some dissension between him & his dame, she, after other things, exhorted him to fear God & do his duty; he answered he neither feared God or the devil; this was proved by witnesses, and confessed by himself. This, because the court judge it to be spoken in passion & distemper, with reprove did let him pass, upon humble acknowledgement of his offense; though the govenor would have had him punished with bodily punishment, as the case seem to require".].
- [S1536] Lee D. van Antwerp, Vital Records of Plymouth, Massachusetts to the year 1850, page 653 - Thomas Williams & Elizabeth Tart married 30 Nov 1638.
- [S1535] Gustavus Adolphus Hinckley, Barnstable, MA: Probate Records 1685-1789, Volume 2 Pages 22-23.
- [S1535] Gustavus Adolphus Hinckley, Barnstable, MA: Probate Records 1685-1789, Volume 2 Page 23.