Person:Thomas Gleason (5)

Thomas Gleason was bp 3 SEP 1609 in Cockfield, Suffolk, England Watertown son of Thomas Gleasona and Anne Armesby. His parents married in Cockfield 22 March 1602. His father was buried in Cockfield 22 March 1609/10. His father left a nuncupative will in Cockfield 19 Mar 1609/10 in which he calls himself "Thomas Gleeson of Cockefeild in the countie of Suff husbandman" and names his wife Anne and "children." Anne Armesby was bp. 6 Nov. 1572. She married second to Humphrey Sowgate after 1 Oct 1610 and had two more children Bridget and Martha. Her parents were John Amesby and Fraces Frost. Thomas Gleason had two siblings Susan and Elizabeth. He married Susanna Page on Susanna Page in Cockfield, Suffolk, England and four children are recorded there from 1635-1643 (Susan, Thomas, Joseph and Frances) and Frances was buried there 1644. There are no records of him from 1644-1652 when he is first recorded in New England. This gives us a narrow window of arrival. On June 1, 1652 -- Thomas Gleason took the Oath of Allegiance at Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony.



Thomas Gleson {sic} and Susanna Page had four children who were baptized at Cockfield, Suffolk, England:



Susan Gleson, baptized on October 13, 1635.

Thomas Gleson, baptized on January 21, 1637/1638 (i.e., 1638).

Joseph Gleson, baptized on November 19, 1640.

Frances (daughter) Gleson, baptized on May 4, 1643; she was buried at All Saints Church, Hartest, Suffolk, England

The early records contain no entries of consequence regarding Thomas Gleason, and from the little that can be gathered from this source, it would seem that he was of a somewhat arbitrary disposition, which not infrequently got him into trouble with the town authorities on minor matters of conduct.
In 1658 Thomas Gleason removed to Charlestown, and on Dec. 3, he leased from Capt. Scarlett, a portion of the Squa Sachem lands.

In 1639 Squa Sachem had deeded to the town of Charlestown, her lands lying in what is now Medford, reserving to herself certain tracts on the west side of Mysticke Pond. By her will, she bequeathed all her property to certain prominent citizens, among whom were Gov. John Winthrop and Edward Gibbons. The latter secured possession of the lands on the west side of Mysticke Pond, and this was the land subsequently leased to Thomas Gleason.

Soon after this lease was made a question arose as to the rightful ownership of these lands, and in March of 1662, the town of Charlestown instituted a suit against Thomas Gleason, for the purpose of obtaining possession. All of Thomas Gleason's resources were swallowed up in the litigation, and the case was unsettled when he died in the spring of 1686.

This article provides evidence that no one heretofore has published.

This chapter describes the colorful Gleason family, the information mostly from court records. On p. 107 it suggests he was born between 1607 and 1610.

Willilam Page of Watertown made his will 16 Dec. 1664 directing his wife Hannah [a frequent alternate to Anna] to give "to Thomas Leason my kinsman the summe of twentie shilllings: and that shee given to William Leason now living with me the summe of ten pounds to be payd at age of twenty two years, provided he stay with her . . . ." While William does not call Thomas his brother-in-law, William's widow Anna did call Thomas that in her will.

On 9 Sept. 1685 Ann Winne of Watertown made her will. She was widow of Edward Winn but also widow of William Page. Near the beginning of the long list of heirs she named brother in law Gleason, kinsman Thomas Gleason, the wife of Thomas Prat Sr., and kin: Joseph, John, Philip, Isaac, Willilam, Marie, and Anne Gleason.

Thomas was age 52 in 1662 and 66 in 1676, but his age in other records varies.