Peter A. Rhodes of Enfield, Ct.:Information about THOMAS HARRIS

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THOMAS HARRIS (b. 25 Apr 1618, d. 02 Aug 1687)

THOMAS HARRIS (son of THOMAS HARRIS and ELIZABETH HILLS) was born 25 Apr 1618 in GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND, and died 02 Aug 1687 in IPSWICH. MA.. He married MARTHA LAKE on 15 Nov 1647 in IPSWICH, MASS., daughter of JOHN LAKE and MARGARET READE.

Notes for THOMAS HARRIS:
Thomas was born in England about 1618, his age being stated as about forty, in the records of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County in 1658. He was twelve years old when he came to America with his parents on the ship Lyon in May 1630. He left his mother's home in Charlestown, Mass., before 1642, when in September, he was a member of the Ipswich company of Militia which set out on the expedition to disarm Passaconoway, the Sagamore of Merrimac.
For his service he received three shillings on 4 Dec 1643. In 1643, Thomas, like his brothers owned a house lot on Holme (now Center) Street in Rowley. In 1644, apparently having never lived there, he sold the property to Richard Holmes and John Bailey, confirming the sale in 1654, in a deed wherein he lists himself as a seaman. By his marriage to Martha Lake he gained a powerful connection to the Symonds family and, more importantly, to Governor John Winthrop. In 1648 he purchased from William Symonds a house and lot in Ipswich, Ma., which became his homestead. The Symonds lot was adjacent to the lot that Thomas had previously purchased from John Warner. In 1666 Thomas signed the loyalist petition to King Charles II. He was elected a tythingman in 1667 aand is shown on a list of commoners in 1678. Thomas left an extensive estate at his death in 1687. His will is quoted in its entirety below:

"In the Name of God Amen. The 16th day of July & in the yeare of Grace 1687. I Thomas Haris of Ipswich in the Shire of Essex in New-england doe make $ declare this my last will & testament in writing revokinge therby both in deed & in law all other former wills & Testaments. I being at this time weake in body, but of good & pfect memory (blessed br God) first I commend my soule into the hands of God my maker hopeing assuredly through the onely meritts of Jesus Christ my Savior to be made ptaker of life everlasting, & I comend my body to earth wherof it is made to be desently buried by my loveing wife Martha Harris whome I make & ordaine my sole executrix of this my will & testament, my Just debts to be paid by her out of my estate; And the remainder I give as followeth. Imprimis I give & bequeath unto Martha Harris my Deere & loveing wife, my dwelling house Barne & the orchyard, & gardin, & three marsh Lotts at Plumb Island. And I give unto her two third pts of my Planting lott at Towne on the south side of the highway as far as the old fence, and all that planting lott on the North side off the highway afore named, & also I give to her one halfe of the Claypitt meadow, and two thirds of my marsh lott at the hundreds with my parte in the boate. Also I give unto her fower Cowes, & fower Qxen, with all my Sheepe & Swine; all my household stuff with the Instruments & utensills of husbandry whatsoever duringe he naturall life, More over my will is that my Loveing wife may give & dispose of all my household stuffe & other things not mentioned in this my will at her pleasure amongst or Children. Item I give to my sonne John Harris & to his heirs forever, the new house which I built in Ipswich, also I give to him & his heirs forever my two marsh lotts purchased off Deacon Goodhew at Plumb Island, and that part of my planting lott at Towne from the old fence to Samuell Graves his pasture after my debts be paid. Also I give unto my sone John & his heirs for ever one third part of the planting land at Middle Island, and two oxen, And halfe the Clay pitt meadow, And one third pt of my marsh in the hundreds for quantity & quallity, And more over I give to my sonne John & his heirs forever, after his mothers deseace one third part of the houslott & orchyard, & my will is that my sonne John shall have one thord pt of the fruit of the orchyard during his mothers life yearly.
"Item after their mothers deseace I give my sonne William Harrs & Ebenser my younger sonns, the three marsh lotts at Plumb Island, & halfe the Clay pitt meadow, & all the planting.

More About THOMAS HARRIS and MARTHA LAKE:
Marriage: 15 Nov 1647, IPSWICH, MASS..

Children of THOMAS HARRIS and MARTHA LAKE are:

+ELIZABETH HARRIS, b. 08 Feb 1653/54, IPSWICH. MA., d. 01 Feb 1737/38, STONINGTON, CT.