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Facts and Events
Last Years and Estate of Thomas Smith
"In the Quarterly Court files of May 1680 and of November 1680 respectively are found (7:739; 8:44-45):
- Thomas Smith, sr., and his wife being aged and impotent and unable to help and provide for themselves, said Smith came into court and gave up to the selectmen of Ipswich the following estate: three cows and one yearling, three acres of land at Muddy river, a bill of three pounds, six shillings of Pulsifer's and fifteen pounds due from Thomas Dow, about eleven pounds due him from Aron Pengry, sr., and all his household goods … provided the town maintain them as long as they live.
- Capt. Shuball Walker, one of the selectmen of Bradford, presented a writing to the court in behalf of the town under the hands of the selectmen of Ipswich, informing the court that Mr. Thomas Smith and his wife of Ipswich had come into their town contrary to order, and having warned the persons who entertained them not to do it, likewise to said Smith to depart, yet they abide in the town still and liable to be a charge to the said town, court ordered that the caution be entered.
This was a routine legal procedure to keep the financial responsibilities with the town of Ipswich and off the taxpayers of Bradford. The following bargain was made with the selectmen of Ipswich:
- November 18, 1680 Richard and Benjamin Kimball of Bradford did covenant to and with the selectmen of Ipswich that they would take Thomas Smith and his wife to Bradford to the house of Mary Kimball the widow of Thomas Kimball and provide their meate, drink, washing, lodging, clothes and attendance with all things necessary for persons in such a condition for the space of one year beginning at the date hereof, the price for a year to be £25.
- December 8, 1681 agreed with Richard Kimball of Bradford to allow unto him further keeping and providing for his grandfather Thomas Smith for the year ensuing £13.
Thomas Smith evidently died at Bradford in the winter of 1681/2, his wife having died earlier.The inventory of his meager estate [£9-10-00 after inclusion of debts owing and debts due to the estate follows] (Essex County Probate file 25781).
- Richard Kemball presenting an Inventory of ye Estate of Thomas Smith diceased: whereunto he hath given oath to the truth thereof & If more be found, he will add the same. Pour of Administration to sd Estate Is granted unto the sd Mary & Richard Kemball In court held at Ipswich 28 of March 1682."[1]
John Brooks Threlfall, in this same article, identifies Mary (Smith) Kimball as the second wife of Deacon Thomas Knowlton of Ipswich (proof not stated). In the Kimball family genealogy, the above court records are quoted with the important difference that the November 18, 1680 date is give as November 18, 1686 and the December 8, 1691 date is given as December 8, 1687. Since "Mary Kimball" married Thomas Knowlton 17 May 1682, the later dates would eliminate her as a possible wife for Knowlton. The earlier dates allow her to be one of the two women named "Mary Kimball" available to be his wife. Since the other, born 1658, daughter of John and Mary (Bradstreet) Kimball, of whom there is no other record after her birth, was so much younger than Mary (Smith) Kimball, she is less likely to have become wife of the deacon.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Threlfall, John Brooks, "Thomas Smith of Ipswich, Massachusetts," vol. 142 [Jan 1988] : 51-55, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society).
Note the death date of 10 Mar 1692/3 in Watertown belongs to Thomas Smith of Watertown who is a different man. This Thomas Smith of Ipswich died the winter of 1681/2 in Bradford see 142:55; Court records show he was bonr either in 1606 or 1612 - no exact date is known.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Thomas Smith of Ipswich, in Threlfall, John B. Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England & their Origins. (Madison, Wisconsin: J.B. Threlfall, 1990)
385-89, 1990.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Thomas Smith of Ipswich, in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Directory. (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, Jun 2015)
312.
"Thomas Smith of Ipswich: [Origin] Unknown; [Emigration] 1638; [Resided] Ipswich [ITR 44-45; GMC50 385-89; NEHGR 142:51-55]"
- George A Schofield, The Ancient Records of the Town of Ipswich, Massachusetts (Ipsich, MA: Chronicle Motor Press: 1859)
Vol 1 p 44-45, 48-9, 55, 66.
ITR: 1:44-45 Thomas Smith is granted a planting lott, beyond Muddy River or as it may be found after Goodman Cooly: 4 Jan 1638; ITR 66 Feb 1639 Granted to Thomas Smith the same day a parcell of Land not exceeding three acres by Muddy River bounded by Thomas Bishop, Thomas Newman and Thomas Manning...; ITR 44-45, 48-9, 55: Jun 1639 William Whitred hath for certayne summe of money to him in hand payde, sould unto Thomas Smith of this Towne, also shoomaker all the sayde house lott...with the sayde Dwelling house.; ITR 48-9: 1639: "Granted to Thomas Smith, an house lott one acre of ground lying at the West end of High street,"
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