Thomas Stow (abt. 1615 - 1680)

Thomas Stow immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

Biography

Thomas Stow was baptized on 02 April 1615 in Biddenden, Kent, England ^[1] and was the eldest son of Elizabeth and John Stow.

About 1634 he emigrated with his parents to New England.

Thomas Stow first married Mary Green.

In 1638 he became a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, Massachusetts.

Thomas Stow married secondly on 04 December 1639 in Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts to Mary Griggs ^[2] (c1618-1680), daughter of Mary and Thomas Griggs.

By 1648 they had moved to Concord, Massachusetts where he and his brother Samuel owned a farm of 666 acres.

In 1653 he was a freeman in Concord, Massachusetts.

By 1654 they had moved to Middletown, Connecticut. For several years he preached there before there was a church. There was apparently some problem between him and the town, as he was relieved of that duty by the General Court in October 1660.

In 1670 he got a grant of land from the town on the condition that he build a house there.

He died by early 1684 ^[3] as his estate inventory was dated 23 Feb 1683/84. ^[4]

His last Will only named legatees, John Stow, Sen., Nathaniel Stow, Thomas Stow as his sons; and Samuel Biddoll, husband of his deceased daughter, Elizabeth Stow.

Will

The last Will & Testament of Thomas STOW, Sen., Middletown.

Imprimis. I give to my son John STOW, one parcell of land in Middletown on the west side of the West River, both that within and that without the fence, which is mine. More over I give to him my sayd son, my great kettle, after my decease. More over I give him the one halfe of my great lott at the Streits Hill.

I give to my son Nathaniel, besides my house, home lott in the Boggy Meadow Quarter which I made sure to him by a former contract, that is, to him & to my sonn, Thomas & Samuel BIDDOLL, the other halfe of my great lott at the Streight Hills; & my halfe mile lott on the east side of the great river, to be divided equally amongst them.

Moreover I give to my son Nathaniel all my household goods after my decease, peaceably to enjoy, with all my part in the cattell & swine; and that (this) is my Will & full Intent, I witness by setting to my hand.

• (signature) Thomas STOW, Sen.
• Dated: 26 Jan 1680/1
• Test: John HALL, Josias X ADKINS
• Proven: 06 Mar 1683/4 ^[5]

Children

1. John Stowe, b: 03 Feb 1640/41; d: 18 Oct 1688 CT
2. Mary (Stowe) Spaulding, b: 06 Feb 1642/43
3. Samuel Stowe, b. c1645; d: 09 Feb 1720/21 MA
4. Thankful (Stowe) Hill, b: 06 Nov 1646; d: 18 Nov 1711 CT
5. Thomas Stowe, b. 1650; d: 19 Mar 1728/29 CT
6. Elizabeth Stowe, b: 14 Nov 1672; d: bef.1684; m: Samuel Bidwell
7. Nathaniel Stowe, b: 04 Apr 1677; d: Oct 1704 CT; m: Hannah Whitmore.

Sources

1. ↑ Kent, England, Tyler Index to Parish Registers 1538-1874; for Thos. Stowe, b: 1615; bpt: 02 Apr 1615 Kent, England (father: John Stowe)
2. ↑ Ancestry Family Data Collection - m: Dec 1639 Roxbury, Suffolk County for Thomas Stowe & Mary Griggs
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #151473891 for Thomas Stow, Sr., b: 02 Apr 1615; d: Feb 1684; as burial unknown
4. ↑ Estate Inventory for Thomas STOW, Sen. of Middletown, Connecticut on 23 Feb 1683/4 by Giles HAMLIN, John HALL, Sen., John WARNER; £42-05-06
5. ↑ Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records (Hartford District) by Charles W. Manwaring in 1902 Hartford; citing v1; p369

See also:

• Lineage Thomas6 STOWE (John5, John4, John3, Thomas2, Thomas1)

• Early New England Families citing AmericanAncestors.org Online Database by Alicia Crane Williams, Lead Genealogist with New England Historic Genealogical Society in 2013; for Thomas Stowe (1615-1684)

• List of Freemen of Massachusetts by Lucius R. Paige; New England Historical and Genealogical Society of Boston, MA, USA in 1849

• The American Genealogist in Apr 1964

• "History of Concord, Massachusetts" by Lemuel Shattuck; citing Appendix IIIl; p384 Notices of Early Settlers and Distinguished Men

• Vital Records of Middletown, Connecticut

• Hartford Times 10/11/47 #7894

• "Stowe Ancestry" by J. Ronald Stowe

• http://dunhamwilcox.net/wills/stow_thomsr1684.htm

• Robert Kraft Numerical Genealogy

• A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records by Charles William Manwaring; R. S. Peck & Co., Printers of Hartford, CT in 1902; v1; p369

• The Macdonough-Hackstaff Ancestry by Rodney Macdonough; Press of S. Usher, Boston, MA in 1901; p278-83

• Ancestry of Colonel John Harrington Stevens and His Wife Frances Helen Miller by Mary Holman; Rumford Press of Concord, NH in 1948; v1; p454

• Hale House & Related Families

• Savage Dist

• http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.stow/15.25.1.1/mb.ashx

• http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/w/i/l/David-A-Williams/GENE1-0007.html