Person:William Chase (6)

William Chase and his family lived at Roxbury from 1630 to 1638; and the following information about them has been copied from the records of the church at Roxbury kept by Rev. John Eliot:

"William Chase, he came with the first company, 1630; he brought one child his son william a child of ill qualitys, & a sore affliction to his parents: he was much afflicted by the long & tedious affliction of his wife; after his wives recovery she bare him a daughter, wch they named mary borne aboute the modle of the 3d month [May], 1637. he did after yt remove (intending) to Situate, but after went with a company who maide a new plantation at yarmouth." (Roxbury Church Records. pp. 73-74.)

"Mary Chase, the wife of William Chase. she had a paralitik humor wch fell into her backbone, so yt she could not stir her body, but as she was lifted, and filled her wth great torture, & caused her back bone to goe out of joynt, & bunch out from the begining to the end of wch infirmity she lay 4 years & a halfe, & a great pt of the time a sad spectakle of misery: But it pleasd God to raise her againe, & she bore children after it." (Ib, p. 75.)

William Chase was named, 19 Oct. 1630, among those "who desire to be made freeman;" and he was made a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony on 14 May 1634. (REGISTER, vol. 3, pp. 90, 92.) In 1639 he moved to Yarmouth on Cape Cod, was appointed constable for the town of Yarmouth by the General Court of the Plymouth Colony, 5 Mar. 1638/9, and took the oath of office 4 June 1639. (Plymouth Colony Records, vol. 1, pp. 116, 125.)

His life at Yarmouth was not a peaceful one. Trouble with Marduke Mathewes brought him before the Court almost immediately, on 1 Sept. 1640 he was censured for his "miscarriages" against Mr. Mathewes and desturbance of the proceedings of the church, Court, and "contrey," and he gave the General Court bond for L20 for his appearance at the next Court, 2 MAr. 1640/1. (Ib., vol. 1, pp. 135, 162, vol. 2, p. 9.) In 1641 he was again in Court on account of a disagreement with Nicholas Sympkins concerning a fence. (Ib., vol. 2, p. 20.)

A carpenter by trade, he made an agreement in 1639 to build a house for Dr. Thomas Starr, which was sold to Andrew Hallet. (Swift's History of Yarmouth, p. 29.) On 8 June 1642 he mortgaged to Stephen Hopkins, as security for a debt of L5, "his house and lands in Yarmouth containeing Eight acrees of upland and six acres more lying at the Stony cove with all & singular the app'tences therunto belonging." (Plymouth Colony Deeds, vol. 1, p. 83.) In August 1643 he and his son, William Chase, Jr., were among the Yarmouth men "able to beare Armes from XVI Yeares old to 60 Yeares." (Plymouth Colony Records, vol. 8, p. 194.)

On 7 Mar. 1647/8 the Plymouth Colony Court authorized Capt. Myles Standish to go to Yarmouth and put an end to the differences in that town; and Captian Standish went there and settled the troubles, 13 May 1648. The following records relate to William Chase and his lands:

"Also yt Mr. Hawes shall enjoy 8 acres of upland or thereabouts, in the west field [in Yarmouth] which hee bought of Goodman Chase. "Item, it is graunted to John Darby to have six acares of meadow in the Eastern Swan Pond Meadowe, in lewe of 4 acars dew to William Chase, for a debt the town owed him. "It is lickwise granted yt Mr. Howes shall have . . . eight acares of meadow, late William Chases, lyeing next vnto Edward Sturges meadow, between the river and Mr. Simkins necke." (Plymouth Colony Records, vol. 2. pp. 128-130.)

At the General Court held at Plymouth, 6 June 1654, the "Grand Enquest" presented "William Chase, Senr. of Yarmouth for driveing one paire of oxen in the yoke vpon the Lords day, in time of exercise, about five miles." (Ib., vol. 3, p. 52.)

In the records of the General Court held at Plymouth, 3 Oct. 1654, is the following entry:

   "Robert Dennis, in the behalfe of William Chase, of Yarmouth, tendereth to make satisfaction for the debt demanded upon bill by John Hoare, in the behalfe of William Francklin, of Boston. Upon the ballancing of the account betwixt the said Francklin ant the said Chase, the said Robert Dennis is willing to enter bond to answare what soeuer shall bee due to the said Francklin from William Chase aforesaid." (Ib., vol. 7, p. 72.)

The estate of John Derby of Yarmouth was indebted to William Chase, 22 Feb. 1655. (The Mayflower Descendant, vol. 14, p. 112.) William Chase was one of twenty-two Yarmouth men who took the oath of fidelity in the year 1657 (ib., vol. 8, pp. 185, 186), and William Chase, Sr., was one of the surveyors of highways in Yarmouth, 3 June 1657 (ib., vol. 3, p. 116.)

The witnesses to this will deposed before Gov. Thomas Prence of the Plymouth Colony 13 MAy 1659. The inventory of the personal estate of the deceased, taken 14 Sept. 1659, is as follows:

An Inventory of the goods and chattles of William Chase late of Yarmouth deceased, taken and prised by us Robert Dennis, Richard Taylor and Edmond Hawes the 14th of September 1659.

Division of the estate of William Chase, deceased, was ordered at a General Court held at Plymouth, 6 Oct. 1659, as the following entries in the records of the Plymouth Colony show:

These are to signify vnto you, Robert Dennis that the Court requireth you, according to the last will and testament of William Chase deceased, that you make devision of his estate according to the tenure thereof, viz: to Benjamine Chase, son of the said William Chase, two ptes of three thereof, and the other remaining third pte to William Chase, Junier, the eldest sonne of the said William Chase, deceased. The Courts order pr me Nathaneell Morton, Clarke. October, 1659. Mr. Thomas Hinckley is appointed and deputed by the Court to adminnester an oath to the witnesses of the will and inventory of the late deceased William Chase. (Plymouth Colony Records, vol. 3, p. 172.)

Mary Chase, wife of William Chase, who was living when her husband made his will, 4 May 1659, died on or before 6 Oct. 1659, for she is not mentioned in the division of her husband's estate that was ordered on that day, and on the same day the following report of the inquest held to inquire into the cause of her death was made:

6 Oct. 1659. Wee, whose names are vnderwritten, haveing made serch and enquiry, according to our best light and vnderstanding, into the cause of the death of Mary Chase, viz, of our towne of Yarmouth, doe with joynt consent p'sent, the day and yeare above said, that wee can find noe other but that shee died a natural death through inward sickness, as is evident to all men naturally.

   Anthony Thacher,          Samuel Ryder,             Richard Tayler,
   Rob: Dennis,                 Richard Hore,             John Crow,
   John Joyce,                   John Miller,                 William Hedge,
   John Hall,                     Andrew Hallott,           Edward Sturgis,

(Plymouth Colony Records, vol. 3, p. 172.)

The witnesses to this will deposed before Gov. Thomas Prence of the Plymouth Colony 13 MAy 1659. The inventory of the personal estate of the deceased, taken 14 Sept. 1659, is as follows:

An Inventory of the goods and chattles of William Chase late of Yarmouth deceased, taken and prised by us Robert Dennis, Richard Taylor and Edmond Hawes the 14th of September 1659.

Division of the estate of William Chase, deceased, was ordered at a General Court held at Plymouth, 6 Oct. 1659, as the following entries in the records of the Plymouth Colony show:

These are to signify vnto you, Robert Dennis that the Court requireth you, according to the last will and testament of William Chase deceased, that you make devision of his estate according to the tenure thereof, viz: to Benjamine Chase, son of the said William Chase, two ptes of three thereof, and the other remaining third pte to William Chase, Junier, the eldest sonne of the said William Chase, deceased. The Courts order pr me Nathaneell Morton, Clarke. October, 1659. Mr. Thomas Hinckley is appointed and deputed by the Court to adminnester an oath to the witnesses of the will and inventory of the late deceased William Chase. (Plymouth Colony Records, vol. 3, p. 172.)

An Inventory of the goods and chattles of Willa Chase late of Yarmouth deceased taken and prised by us Robert Dennis, Richard Taylor and Edmond Hawes the 14th of September 1659. œ s. d. Impr 3 Calves2 0 0 It 4 steers of 4 years old and vantage18 0 0 It 2 oxen11 0 0 It 3 yearlings4 0 0 It two 2 yearlings4 10 0 It 5 cowes15 0 0 It 1 bull and a steer of three yeares old and vantage5 0 0 It 1 paire of cart wheeles and a chaine and other thinges belonging thereto1 10 0 It 1 saw and three wedges11 0 It old axes 1 hand saw 1 paire of hinges and old Iron thinges0 11 04 It 1 Iron pot and skillett & hookes0 10 0 It 1 old brasse kIt tle and spIt t and hangers0 08 0 It 2 Iron kIt tles0 14 0 It 7 trayes and other wooden thinges0 10 0 It 5 peeces of pewter0 09 0 It in earthen thinges0 03 06 It in old baggs and basketts0 02 0 It in barrells and ferkins0 07 0 It in smoothen Iron0 01 0 It 1 paire of wooden scales0 01 0 It 2 paire of sheets1 04 0 It 1 smale Table Cloth0 02 0 It in New Linnine cloth0 12 0 It 3 pillow beers0 16 0 It 6 Changes0 16 0 It 2 pillow beers0 03 0 It in several peeces of linnine0 16 0 It 1 old skarfe0 4 0 Page 48 It 2 petty coates2 10 0 It 1 wastcoate0 08 0 It 1 Green apron and old petty coate and other old thinges0 11 0 It 2 hatts 2 pillowes0 18 0 It 2 bolster teekes0 06 0 It 1 Indian coate and an old blankett0 12 0 It 1 old fflocke bed0 04 0 It in woolen yarne0 03 0 It 2 chists and old chaires0 16 0 It 1 paire of tonges0 01 06 It 3 shootes01 10 0 FTMPage 4 Edmond Hawes Robert Dennis (Plymouth Colony Probate Records.)

In his will, dated 4 May 1659 and witnessed by Richard Hoar and Mary Dennis, "William Chase of Yarmouth the elder; being aged," made the following bequests and provisions:

To "my son Benjamine . . . one heifer Calfe and two steer Calves of a yeare old and upwards." To "my son William whoe hath had of mee alreddy a good portion; the sume of five shillings . . . if he Demand it. All the rest of my goods, Cattles and Chattles I give . . . unto Mary my wife together with this my Dwelling house the land and all appurtenances thereunto belonging; as alsoe halfe of my lott of land att the Basse pond which I bought of William Palmer a middle line made and that halfe next to Darbeyes I give unto her . . . alsoe my orchyard and land I bought of goodman White . . . all unto her use and Disposing During her natural life; if shee continew a widdow; and when shee Dies to Dispose a third pte of that estate God shall leave her as shee shall thinke goode; the other two ptes to our son Benjamine aforesaid. I Doe appoint my Naighbors Robert Dennis and Richard Tayler overseers of this my last will." [The mark of William Chase.] (Plymouth Colony Probate Records.)

Note from the Chronicles- July 1928 Coming of the 1st Chase to Mass.

• • Punctuation and spelling, verbatim, as appeared in the article.

1.   Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862)
   1:365.

   "WILLIAM, Roxbury, came in the fleet with Winthrop desir. to be freem. 19 Oct. 1630, and was sw. 14 May 1634. He brot. w. Mary, and s. William, had Mary, b. May 1637, wh. d. at 15 yrs. rem. to Scituate, thence to Yarmouth, where he was appoint. constable 1 Mar. 1639, and had Benjamin, b. a. 1640, bapt. 18 Apr. 1652; d. May 1659, and his wid. d. Oct. foll."

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} William Chase, in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995)
   336-7.

   ORIGIN: Unknown
   MIGRATION: 1630
   FIRST RESIDENCE: Roxbury
   REMOVES: Yarmouth 1638
   BIRTH: By about 1595 based on estimated date of marriage.
   DEATH: Yarmouth between 4 May 1659 (date of will) and 13 May 1659 (probate of will).
   MARRIAGE: By about 1620 Mary _____; she was admitted to Roxbury church as member #29: "Mary Chase, the wife of William Chase. She had a paralytic humor which fell into her backbone, so that she could not stir her body, but as she was lifted, and filled her with great torture, & caused her backbone to go out of joint, & bunch out from the beginning to the end of which infirmity she lay 4 years & a half, & a great part of the time a sad spectacle of misery. But it pleased God to raise her again, & she bore children after it"

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 William Chase, in Chase, Hazen P., and John Carroll Chase. Some descendants of William Chase of Roxbury and Yarmouth, Mass. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Hazen P. Chase, Jan 1933, Apr 1933, Jul 1933)
   87:49.

   William Chase..carpenter..he was probably born about 1600.

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 William Chase, in Chase, Hazen P., and John Carroll Chase. Some descendants of William Chase of Roxbury and Yarmouth, Mass. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Hazen P. Chase, Jan 1933, Apr 1933, Jul 1933)
   87:46.

   He died at Yarmouth between 4 May 1659, the date of his will, and 13 May 1659, when his will was proved.

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Shurtleff, Nathaniel B. Records of Plymouth Colony: Births, Marriages, Deaths, Burials, and Other Records, 1633-1689. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company)
   p. 185.

   "Of Yarmouth that have taken the Oath of Fidellytye: W'm Chase"