I have quite a few Chase family
members in my ancestry, and they all descend from William 1 Chase who was born
about 1595 in England. There were so many Chases on the Cape that it can be a
confusing name to research. I have 22 men by the name of William Chase in my database and it's difficult placing them all, but most of the Cape Chases do descend from William 1.
He is said to have come over in
the Winthrop Fleet with his wife Mary (maiden name unknown) and their son
William. He was of Roxbury in 1630 where he lived until 1638. William was the
13th member admitted to the Roxbury church and his wife Mary was the
29th member.
First Church of Roxbury current building |
From Roxbury church records
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 quality's, & 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 about the midle 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).
From the same church records,
p. 75: "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." What a horrible thing for Mary to go through. I find it
remarkable she recovered and had two additional children and lived for many
years, passing away in 1659.
Children of William and Mary:
William born in England as
early as 1627; married Mary ____ and had eight children.
Mary born about 15 May 1637 in
Roxbury; buried at Barnstable or Yarmouth as daughter of "Goodman Chase, ye
elder" 28 Oct 1652
Benjamin born 1639 and bapt
Roxbury 18 April 1652; married Phillippe Sherman and had six
children.
Considering William only had
two children to live to adulthood, he certainly had a large progeny on the Cape.
I have five or six different Chase lines, all through his son William’s son
John.
William was named 19 Oct 1630
among those "who desire to be made freeman." He was made Freeman in
Massachusetts Bay Colony on 14 May 1634.
William was one
of Rev. Bachilor's company that spent the winter of 1638 at Mattacheese (Yarmouth,
an area that later became Barnstable). He was the only one of the group that
stayed and he was named Constable there on 4 June 1639.
He lived in the area of
Yarmouth that is present day Dennis. The Cape Cod Genealogical
Society Bulletin, Spring 2001, printed a map
showing the homesteads of the First Comers to Dennis. William Chase lived in
Dennisport, on a piece of land now at 533 Depot Street, on the Harwich town line.
His 1638 home was on east side of Swan Pond, next to Chase
cemetery and near Thomas Gage.
Map showing location of Chase homestead source: CCGS Bulletin |
It would
appear from his will that he lived for some time near the Whelden family at the head
of Bass River.
William was a housewright by
trade. A 1639 agreement shows he was to build a house for Dr. Thomas Starr,
which was sold to Andrew Hallet before its completion. Chase agreed to deliver
it thatched, studded, and latched, daubing excepted, for ten pounds. 29 acres of
land were included in the deal. The house probably had one room on each floor,
was daubed in the crevices with clay, and had oiled paper at the
windows.
In 1639 Edward Morrell gave
sworn testimony in court that William Chase said "he marvelled how any durst
join with him in the fast” and further said that some being in presence with the
magistrate did hold up his hand and cried "fiel for shame." Subsequently
arraigned for language towards Morrell and censured by the court, ordered to
find sureties and to depart the place in 6 months. He was relieved of his duties
as constable because of his behavior toward Morrell. Dr. Thomas Starr and Andrew
Hallett became his sureties, but sentence was never carried out as William
stayed in town. Records suggest Matthews lacked tact and discretion.
Rev. Marmaduke Matthews, who was an intelligent man with a sharp wit but had ideals and an apparent lack of discretion that did not rest well with everyone, came to the Yarmouth church. Almost immediately his ministry was attacked by church member William Chase. Chase made repeated derogatory statements against Rev. Matthews, notable saying that he "marvelled how any durst joyne with him in the fast." He was hauled into Plymouth Court in September 1640. During the very next year, he verbally assaulted the Reverend, interrupting church services. Again he was at court, fined, censured and told to leave Yarmouth. Somehow he remained in town and appears to have kept his comments to himself for the remaining years of Matthews' ministry. Within a year, four other members spoke out against Matthews, including physician Thomas Tilley and William Nickerson, and an attempt was made to start a second church in town. In the wake of all this, the Court began to take a closer look at Rev. Matthews, although Gov. Winthrop referred to him as a "goodly minister." He was cited for "weak and unsafe expressions in his teaching." Of the four complaining church members, all but Tilley eventually left Yarmouth, as did Rev. Matthews who in about 1645 relocated to the town of Hull, then to Malden, then back to Wales where his ministry continued to attract controversy until his death in 1683.
In 1641, William Chase was again in court
for disagreement with Nicholas Sympkins concerning a the latter building a fence
on William’s land.
On 8 June 1642 he mortgaged
"his house and lands in yarmouth containeing eight acrees of upland and six
acres more lying at the stony cove with all and singluar the apprtences therein
belonging" to Stephen Hopkins for security of 5 pounds debt.
William was on the 1643 list of
men able to bear arms.
In 1648 he received, as Goodman
Chase, fourscore acres upland and 20 acres meadow in division of lands at
Yarmouth.
On 7 March 1647/8 the court
authorized Captain Miles Standish to go to Yarmouth to settle troubles. He went
there 13 May 1648. At the General Court held at Plymouth 6 June 1654 "grand
enquest" presented "william chase, senr of Yarmouth for driveing one paire of
oxen in the yoke upon the Lords day, in time of exercise, about five miles."
Despite the trouble he got
himself into, William took oath of fidelity at Yarmouth in 1639 and in 1657. He
also was named surveyor of highways 3 June 1657.
William Chase died at Yarmouth
between 4 May 1659, date of his will, and 13 May 1659, when his will was proved.
His will was witnessed by Richard Hoar and Mary Dennis. "William Chase of
Yarmouth the elder; being aged" made the following bequest and
provisions: Left 3 cows to son Benjamine, left William 5 shillings
"if hee Demand it" because he "hath had of mee already a good portion." Left
everything else to wife Mary, including his dwelling house. Describes land at
Bass Pond that he bought of William Palmer, orchard he bought from Goodman
White. When she dies, Mary could give one third as "shee shall thinke goode" and
other two "ptes" to Benjamine. If she married all three parts should go to
Benjamine. Neighbors Robert Dennis and Richard Tayler overseers,
Mary executrix. Signed with his mark.
Witnesses deposed before Gov.
Thomas Prence 13 May 1659. Inventory made 14 Sept 1659 was taken by Dennis and
Taylor, also Edmond Howes. Included 3 calves worth 2 pounds, 4 steers 18 pounds,
2 oxen 11 pounds, 3 yearlings 4 pounds, two yearlings 4 pds, 5 cows 15 pd, 1
bull and steer 5 lb, pair cart wheeles and chaine 1 lb. Also: saw, wedges, axes,
hinges, iron pot, skillet and hooks, brass kittle, spitt, hangers, 2 iron
kittles, 7 trays and other wooden things, five pieces of pewter, earthen things,
baggs and basketts, barrels and ferkins, smoothen Iron, wooden scales, 2 pr
sheets, 1 table cloth, new linnine cloth, 5 pillow beers, 6 changes, sev pcs
linnine, old skarfe, 2 pettycoates 2 lb 10 s, 1 wastcoate, green apron, only
pettycoate and other old things, 2 hatts, 2 pillowes, 2 bolster teekes, 1 Indian
coate and old blankett, old fflocke bed, woolen yarn, 2 chists and old chaires,
pr tonges, 3 shootes 1 lb 10 s.
Division ordered by General
Court 6 Oct 1659, which gave Benjamin two parts of the estate and Wm Jr. one
part of estate.. Mary died before this division. Inquest was held about cause of
her death finding "wee can find noe other but that shee died a naturall death
through inward sickness, as is evident to all men naturally" by Anthony Thacher,
Rob: Dennis, John Joyce, John Hall, Samuel Ryder, Richard Hore, John Miller,
Andrew Hallott, Richard Tayler, John Crow, Wm. Hedge, Edward Sturgis.
Descendants erected a large
monument to William’s memory at the Baptist Church Cemetery, in W. Harwich. It
reads: William Chase, First American Ancestor b. 1595, d. 1659,
Served in Narragansett War 1644. It also lists other members of the
family.
Memorial stone at West Harwich Baptist Cemetery |
Sources Not Listed
Above:
George Walter Chamberlain,
NEHGR January 1933, Some of the Descendants of William Chase of Roxbury and
Yarmouth, Mass., contributed by John Carroll Chase
Simeon Deyo, editor, History
of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, HW Blake & Co., New York,
1890
Charles Swift, History of
Old Yarmouth, 1884
Robert Charles Anderson,
Great Migration Begins, 1995
Marion Vuillieumier, The Town of Yarmouth, Mass., A History, 1989
Plymouth Court Records, vol 1
p 135, 162; vol 2 p 9, p 20, p. 128-130; vol 3 p 52, p 116; vol 8, 185-6, 194
Vernon R. Nickerson, From Pilgrims and Indians to Kings and
Indentured Servants, 1970
Jack Sheedy and Jim Coogan, Cape Cod Voyage, Harvest Home Books, East Dennis, Mass., 2001
Do you have a connection with Adelaide Cole chase of Massachusetts.
ReplyDeletePatti
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story. I am a descendant of William Chase . He is my 11th Gr Grandfather through his son William & John Chase is my 2nd cousin 8x removed .
DeleteEtta
Welcome and thanks! Chris
DeleteA very large, beautiful, oil painting of Adelaide Cole Chase has been donated to a Southern California hospice thrift store. It would be a shame to have it leave the Chase family.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a connection. How nice of you to try to find family, though! Chris
DeleteIt's so awesome to hear of the Chase family, our family also has several Williams in it, my grand mother was decedent of William chase, my great grandfather's name was William. .
DeleteIf anyone wants to chat, on the Chase family ancestry, you can contact me at, ladybonnielee@yahoo.com . I would love to hear from you..
DeleteYour Story on William Chase...Also descends from Knights/Barons of Chesham Birminghamshire...Dates back too 1023..Fast Forward to 19th Century Australia..Captain Samuel Rodman Chace was your William Chase descendants..Three brothers were the SONs of Aquila Chase..Chase/Manhattan Bank was named after One of Our Relatives..Our Chase became a Police man...Samuel Chace dad changed their names...
DeleteWho did you find as William Chase's parents?
DeleteI am a descendent of William Chase. Thank you so much for compiling this. Where can I see a copy of Wm. Chase's will? What does it mean that "he came with the first company"? Is that different than the Mayflower Company?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pat Chase. patrickchase@hotmail.com
It seems we all are family..
DeleteEnjoyed your blog. Fairly recently discovered I had ancestors in the Barnstable area: James Matthews (no relation to Marmaduke) who lived on the west side of Follin Pond, near Matthews Pond, and Edward Sturgis.
ReplyDeleteI am also descended from Howland and Tilley of the Mayflower. Do you know where I can locate a photo online of Matthews Pond? carleastvold@gmail.com
Very interesting and enlightening. Not sure how my Grandfather William Chase from Texas born in 1901 fits in to this line, if any, but my interest is peaked! Thank you for this!
ReplyDeleteTerrific! I am doing research for a historical thriller which is to be set on Cape Cod. The story of W. Chase does not fit in but I found myself quite interested in his story. Best, T. Hunt Locke
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. My branch of Chase family has recently discovered our heritage and traced our roots back to William Chase. This is a treasure to find and add to our family tree of stories. Our branch of Chases's left Massachusetts and migrated to Rhode Island, Georgia, Arkansas and finally Oklahoma. Mickey Chase-Gorrell mickey2go@live.com
ReplyDeleteI always find it interesting to find where the families from early Cape and Plymouth folks settled. Thanks for sharing! Chris
DeleteThank you for sharing this interesting story.My family is also descended from William Chase. My branch was Rhode Island, then mid-west and then Colorado.
DeleteWow, the Chase descendants really did have an adventurous streak! Chris
DeleteMy family left Boston, and settled in Maryland, then on to Sioux City Iowa. . Our ancestor was Samuel Chase, signed the declaration of independence. .
DeleteWilliam Chase's descendants live right across the world on a tiny Australian island in the South Pacific - Lord Howe Island. Many of the male descendants use 'Chase' as a middle name in honour of our ancestors. My grandfather's name was Gower Chase Wilson, and my brother's name is Andrew Chase Wilson.
ReplyDeleteWe originated from the marriage of Peace Chase to James Thompson 9 Jun 1805. Their 4th child Nathan Chase Thompson was a boatsteerer on the bark 'Pacific' where he departed Fairhaven (as it eventuated, never to return) on 14 June 1845. He ended up in Sydney, where he jumped ship in 1887. He signed on to another vessel, the bark 'Belle' captained by Captain Ichabod Handy and was employed by Captain Handy as an agent in Captain Handy's coconut oil trading business on Little Makin Island (now Pitts' Island) in Kiribati on 23 May 1851. He broke his contract (deserted) from Captain Handy's employment and worked for Randell and Durant, during which time he married Boranga (a native of Pitt's Island) and had a son Hugh 18 Nov 1852.
They sailed to Lord Howe Island with another man, George Campbell and his native wife Bogue on board "The Lion" arriving in Lord Howe Island on 10 Oct 1855. Although Thompson was a deserter he must have maintained a good relationship with Captain Handy who had many an opportunity to punish Thompson, even visiting Lord Howe island on Christmas Day 1856 with his 12 year old daughter Alice Henrietta Handy. Thompson's wife Boranga died in 1864 soon after the drowning death of her son Hugh (aged 11). Thompson then married the widowed Bogue, whose husband George Campbell had died in 1856. Although so far away from our relatives in the USA many of the residents of Lord Howe Island are descendants of William Chase and share our lineage with you all. G'day family!.,.
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story of how the Chase's came to Australia! Chris
DeleteThe connection between William Chase (my 10x great-grandfather) and this family line is William Chase II (my 9x great-grandfather) (d. 1685 in Yarmouth, MA); William Chase (1649-1735, Yarmouth, MA); Isaac Chase (1682-1760, Yarmouth, MA); James Chase (1705-1782); James Chase, Jr. (1729 - unk.); and Ezra Chase (1753 - unk.). Ezra Chase was the father of Peace Chase, who was born in Bristol, MA in 1783, who in turn was the mother of Nathan Chase Thompson.
DeleteThanks for sharing your long Chase line. Love the name Peace Chase! Chris
DeleteThank you Michael. I will pass these details on to my family.
DeleteA question for Michael Chase ...
DeleteI have been trying to locate Peace Chase in my family tree and cannot seem to find any record of her birth. The book entitled "Little Compton Families" written by Benjamin Franklin Wilbour lists the children of Ezra Chase as: Henry b 16 April 1775; Anna b 1 March 177; Sarah; Betsey (the first two children's births were recorded in Little Compton.
I would greatly appreciate it if you could please point me in the right direction for locating Peace Chase. Thanks.
I have Charity Pease O'kelley married Isaac Chase in 1730 and they had Barnabas b 1731 m Lydia Ryder 1748/49:, Charity b 1736 m Sylvanus Chase 1766:, and Desire b 1740/41 she m #1 Archelus Chase in 1764 and #2 Bachelor Swayne.
DeleteShe was Isaac's 2nd wife his first was Mary Berry they married 1705 she b 1685 in Yarmouth and d 1729 n Yarmouth and they had 4 children Obadiah 1708, Isaac b 1714 he married Thankful Maker:, Lot b 1716 m Rebecca Wing,1738,:Judah b 1726 d 1804 m Margaret Woodside 1752.
I would appreciate one of the Chase clan confirming or disproving this lineage, please ...
DeleteEzra Chase (1745 - 1788) married twice. First to Peace Chase (first cousin once removed). Peace was the daughter of John Chase (1720 – 1786) who was the second youngest child of Samuel Chase (1656 - 1758) who was the son of William Chase II (1621 – 1685). Peace Chase (b 19 May 1749 in Swansea, Bristol, MA).
NB: Samuel Chase was 102 when he died. Samuel Chase and his wife moved from Portsmouth to Swansea about 1700. In his will, dated 19 Feb. 1755 and proved 4 Apr. 1758, he mentioned his children Martha Bowen, Susannah Buffington, Sarah Baker, and Elisha, Samuel, Eleazer, Philip, and John Chase, Samuel, Joseph, Edward, and Philip Slade, children of Edward and Phebe Slade, and his [the testator's] granddaughters, Abigail Chase and Sarah Robinson.
Peace died 27 Nov 1788 in Swansea, Bristol, MA aged 39. Ezra remarried Hannah (W)hood on 3 Sep 1789 in Swansea, Bristol, MA
Ezra and Peace Chase had 7 children:
i. James (eldest b. ABT 1769),
ii Ruth (b. 12Nov 1771)
iii Lydia
iv. Ezra
v. Phebe
vi. Peace.
vii. Rebecca (b 1785). No birth date on records.
Peace Chase married James Thompson 9 Jun 1805 by an Elder of a church at Swansea and registered in Somerset. Thompson born England about 1780. Peace Chase Thompson died 22 January 1826, is buried in the Thompson plot, Old North Cemetery, Fall River, Mass. James Thompson remarried. James Thompson died 22 Dec 1857 Fall River, Bristol, Mass.
Peace and James Thompson had 5 children.
i. James b 1808, married Elizabeth Adamson.
ii. Rachel K, b 1813, married Ebenezer Weeks.
iii. William B b abt 1821, married Phebe B Weeks.
iv. Nathan Chase b 1822/23 at Somerset MA . Died 1885 at Lord Howe Island., NSW, Australia.
v. Male born 1825 ??? nothing known.
James Thompson remarried Rhoda???, he died 22 December 1857, and is buried with Peace.
Nathan Chase Thompson was 2 or 3 years old when mother dies.
Nathan Chase Thompson Married Boranga (Died 1864 on Lord Howe island), then Bogue, both from Little Makin Island, Kiribati.
This is amazing, how far William chase has gone in this country..
ReplyDeleteDid any descendants of William Chase participate in the Revolutionary War? If so who, and what was their role? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe memorial stone at West Harwich Baptist Cemetery mentions a John Chase who died while crossing the Delaware River with George Washington on his way to the Battle of Trenton.
DeleteThat would be John Chase, b. 02 Feb 1736,son of Richard and Thankful (Berry) Chase, husband of Zilpha Burgess who had first married his brother Samuel. He was ggg grandson of William 1 Chase. I read he died of Died from exposure and overexertion during the Revolutionary War but I haven't done research on his service. Chris
DeleteI am thinking Isaac Chase b 1714 was a Loyalist as he died in 1806 in New York and his widow with 3 children went to Woodstock, Carleton co., New Brunswick, Canada and died there in 1824. The Rev. War was over Oct 1783 and many people were in New York waiting for ships to New Brunswick.
ReplyDeleteThis Isaac is one of my Chase family
I do have this particular Chase family from Thomas Chase b 1391 m Elizabeth Turner b 1400 d 1470 they were from Chesham, Buckshire, England.
I also have the Loyal Chase family Isaac Chase his son Reuben Chase b 1738 in Yarmouth m Elizabeth 1788 in Gagetown, Queens co., NB Canada. His daughter Rebecca Thankful Chase d 1824. she married Tertullus Dicknson s/o Amos Dickinson and Hanna and he was a Loyalist also.
That would be interesting to find proof of Isaac Chase b. 1714 being a loyalist.
DeleteMy great great grandfather Charles Chase somehow ended up in Australia and was married and had children here in the 1860’s. His mother was Desire Chase (wixon) and Charles Chase, although I think at some point his name, and that of his father was changed. Ancestry and 23andme DNA tests prove that we are also descendents of William Chase even though we are half way around the world. It is extremely fascinating. Will have to visit Cape Cod one day to see where some of my ancestors were from.
ReplyDeleteLeanne, I'm catching up after realizing Blogger hasn't been notifying me of comments on my blog. Very interesting about Charles Chase living in Australia. Amazing how adventurous our ancestors were. I hope you do get to visit the Cape!
DeleteWilliam Chase my Grandfather was Samuel Chase from Newport RI .
ReplyDeleteNeat to have such a long line of Chase's!
DeleteHello , I am so excited to find this blog! I am the 13th great-granddaughter of William Chase. I noticed when I dig into the family tree not a lot of trees and Blogs have connected to who William's wife is. I found that William's wife is Mary Louney Towneley daughter of John Towneley and the Towneley family is traced back to around 1275. Maybe one day we can have some sort of small family gathering in the New England area and even meet around the First church of Roxbury.
ReplyDeleteI would love that! It may not be a small gathering though as there are many many many of us!:)
DeleteCan you provide more info about Mary, please? Where are her family from?
That's interesting about William's wife. What is the source for her name? Thank you, Chris
DeleteI would love that! Can you post anymore info about Mary, please?
ReplyDeleteHi! I realize this was posted a while ago so i don’t know if you will see this. This is such an interesting article. I am a descendent of William Chase and he is my great great.... grandfather. If you were interested I have a document listing the Chase line going from William Chase to the current generation. It includes almost all of the direct descendants (i think???). Let me know if you’re interested and I can email you the document!! Some of the document also talks about their lives.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your generous offer,CC. I would love to read your document. My email address is under “about me.” Chris
DeleteThanks for this article on William Chase. I am also a direct descendent of his. As I've traced it, William, William II, William III, Isaac, Isaac, Coggleshall, Asa, Buffum, George, Willet, Paul Laverne Chase, Paul Thomas Chase, Paul George Chase and then myself Robert Chase. I would love to know more about the family history, especially how widely spread across the country we all are.
ReplyDeleteWow, Robert, what a long line of Chase family for you!
DeleteThanks for the great blog! William Chase, Sr. is my 9th great grandfather. My descent is William - William - John - John - Elisha - Dean - Pliny - dau Mary Jane (1818-1906) & William Denison Chesebro - dau Mariette & George Edwin Hibbard - dau Grace Melinda & Martin Richtig Schober - my paternal grandparents.
ReplyDeleteI'm planning a trip to Cape Cod with a friend and look forward to getting a "sense of place" for my Chase ancestors.
Enjoy your trip to the Cape. I'm sure you will instantly feel a connection! Chris
DeleteI’am William H Chase my Grand Parents were Mary Neville and Samuel Chase of Newport RI.
ReplyDeleteAmazing you are William Chase, so many generations after the original.
DeleteI am Chase descendent , William, Samuel, Samuel , Samuel, Jehmeel chase Rev war . I’m DAR member!
ReplyDeleteJoining the DAR is on my to do someday list!
DeleteWe live in California near Sacramento. My mother is a Chase, and descends directly from William Chase (1). Amazingly enough, she also descends directly from John R Cobb, who immigrated at Jamestown in 1635 from England. 23andMe claims we have a DNA connection to the Mayflower. How might this be possible? My Dad is a Kennedy, with roots in York Ontario (William Kennedy, 1854).
ReplyDeleteIt could be that one of your Chase ancestors who lived on the Cape married a Mayflower descendant. I think the ony way for sure is to do the research and see what turns up.
Delete