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Facts and Events
References
- ~deschart/z0001324, in Rootsweb.ancestry.com
[1]. - ↑ Cambridge - Marriages
page 388.
THOMSON, James and Martha Wesson of Watertown, in Watertown, Dec. 4, 1733.
- ↑ Watertown - Marriages, in Historical Society of Watertown (Massachusetts). Watertown Records. (Watertown, Mass.: Press of Fred Barker, 1894-1939)
page 95.
Thomson, James, of Cambridge, and Martha Wasson, Dec. 4, 1733
- ↑ Many of the other families in that area can be definitely traced to the Ulster area of Northern Ireland, coming into Boston in many shiploads from 1718- 1720. Because they all traveled in groups including their religious leaders it appears almost certain that James as a boy traveled with his family to New England at that time. Although Thompson's are listed on these ships, no direct connection has been proven yet.
A Marriage record, dated 1733, is on record in Watertown, MA for James and Martha, also the birth record of their first son James, nine months later. Martha Watson was listed as from Watertown, and James from nearby Cambridge, MA. Col. Henry Amy, who researched this family in 1964, believed that James, who was born about 1709, his father, and possibly even his grandfather was born in America. I think the evidence points to the later Scotch-Irish Immigration, but we'll keep trying to find out. James was A A's great-great grandfather, in any event. The Scotch-Irish had gone from Scotland to settle Irish Plantations. About 100 years later, their descendants sailed for New England, during colonial times, when times got rough in Ireland.
- ↑ Ancestry of James not established. No record of death. First record of James is in Pelham 1759 in record of his 7th child Joesph. James had six child. The last 3 known to be born in Pelham. James owned at least 2 lots in Pelham. If deeds could be found, it might establish where James and Martha lived before Pelham.
Col Amy (book) believes James father name was John, that he and possibly his father Henry were born in America 1644. However because they lived in Pelham where most of the people there had come from Northern Ireland in 1718, it is also likely they were part of this group. Many Thompsons were listed in the group from Ulster. If so James would have been born there.
The Meeting House in Pelham still stands built in 1749 where James and family worshiped.
Wrote his will on December 23, 1758, saying he was sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory. Gave 1/3 estate to wife Martha and divided the rest up in 1/6 parts.
Source: Gregory H. Nobles "Divisions Throughout the Whole" "Almost 20 years after the initial settlement, most of the inhabitants of Pelham were able to scratch out barely more than a subsistence living from the soil. The average farmer had four to seven acres of land cleared for tilling, ten or so for mowing, and few set aside for pasture and orchard. It took about an acre of land to support a cow, he could not have too big a herd, most farmers had fewer than five or six cows if any at all, most likely dozen or so sheep. Most of the plowed fields had corn and rye, with some pasture set aside for oats, little wheat, the crop most valued for commercial exchange."
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