Sunday, June 7, 2015

Thomas Pierce(b. ca 1684) and Naomi Booth (b. 1691) of Middleboro, Massachusetts





Thomas was born about 1684, probably in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, the son of the son of Isaac and Alice (Chartley) Pierce and grandson of Abraham Pierce, the first of the line in Plymouth Colony. His family later left coastal Duxbury for the inland town of Middleborough. Although his birth record is not found, Thomas is mentioned in his father Isaac’s 22 January 1722 will, receiving land Isaac received for his service in the Narragansett War. His last name was often spelled Peirce or Perse but I use to Pierce since I’m an “i before e” kind of girl! Thomas is my 8th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis' side of the family. I also descend from the Pierce family (through Abraham's daughter Mary as well as his daughter Alice) on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins' side of the family. It is often unsettling in how many ways my grandparents were unknowingly blood relatives!

On 16 April 1714, Thomas Pierce married Naomi Booth in Middleborough (Middleborough VR). They were married in a joint wedding with Naomi’s sister Rachel.

Naomi was born 31 July 1691 at Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, the daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Sutton) Booth. Her name is sometimes spelled Naoma and Naomy.

Their children: (Shadrach, Jonathan, Richard and Hilkiah’s births recorded Middleborough VR):
1. Thomas who married Rebecca Jones
2. Shadrach born 8 July 1717, married Abigail Hoskins
3. Naomi 1 October 1719, married Josiah Jones  
4. Jonathan born 23 March 1721/22
5. Richard born 15 April 1725 who married Mary Simmons and Lois DeMaranville
6. Hilkiah born 19 Oct 1727 who married Hannah Briggs

I’m uncertain of what proof exists that Thomas and Naomi are their children, although they are included in the Pierce genealogy and the names certainly fit. I do need to do more research on the family. I descend from their son Richard and his first wife Mary Simmons.

Thomas was an Anabaptist as early as 1737 in Middleborough. Anabaptists are Christians who believe in delaying baptism until the candidate confesses his or her faith.

William Richard Cutter’s work includes a statement from a family historian on Naomi: “Like the creaking wheel of the fable, Naomi was always complaining; sick, sick, always sick, too feeble to attend to a house-keeper's legitimate cares; too feeble to cook a meal and indeed too feeble to get out of bed till it was cooked and fully prepared for eating. But, though destitute of a proper sense of shame, she lacked nothing in that of smell. And as the savory odor of tempting viands reached her olfactories, a surprising change quickly came over the spirit of her sluggish dreams, when crawling from her bed, she came to the table to astonish all beholders with her surfeit and gluttony. The mulish Isaac Pierce, Jr., was probably as innocent of instituting means which conspired, by and through the assistance of his model wife, to make his life a success, as was his more intelligent brother Thomas incapable of resisting the downward and destructive tendency in his, encumbered and ever discouraged as he was by this burden like a mill-stone about the neck." My goodness! Not sure how information like that would have come down through the generations, but it’s certainly entertaining.

Thomas and Naomi signed a quitclaim deed in April 1746. I have not found their death dates or burial locations so only know they died after that date.  

If anyone has some resources on the family I have missed, I’d very  much appreciate hearing from you.

Sources Not Mentioned Above:
Ebenezer W. Peirce, The Peirce Family, printed in NEHGR in Jan., April, July 1867 and October 1868.

William Richard Cutter, Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Mass., Volume 2, 1910

Malcolm A. Young, The American Genealogist, July 1999, The Two Wives of Benjamin 2 Booth of Early Scituate and Middleborough, Massachusetts

8 comments:

  1. Hi Chris,
    Concerning John Young (b. 1615). I believe he was married twice. First to Elizabeth, and after Elizabeth died, then to Abigail Howland. The dates would indicate that Johns son George Young (b.1640) is the son of Elizabeth, stepson of Abigail (Not Abigails beological son as those dates don't line up.)

    From: Fred Young, direct descendent. fwyoung1@hotmail.com

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    1. I've not heard of a wife Elizabeth. Thanks for the tip; something to explore. Chris.

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  2. Thomas was my 6th great grandfather. I follow his son Thomas, then to Arodi, then Eli. Always nice to meet another cousin.

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    1. Hi Kathryn, I know very little about Thomas' son of the same name. Did he marry Rebecca Jones? Chris

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    2. Thomas W Pierce married Mary Ann Besse

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  3. I found info regarding Hilkiah Pierce born 1787 and died in 1844 in Vermont. He was an orphan at a young age and born in Freetown, Ma according to St. Albans Messenger in Vermont Dec 11, 1844. If anyone has info on his parents please let me know. My lineage goes back to Thomas and Naomi if I can know for sure of Hilkiah's parents !! Jeff

    celticfan@townisp.com

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  4. In regards to "His family later left coastal Duxbury for the inland town of Middleborough", according to some surviving records of land transactions the Pierce's (Abraham and sons Abraham Jr and Issac) last "Duxbury" homesteads were actually in what today is the town of Hanson. They all received adjoining land grants in what today is roughly the land north of Rt. 27 and between High St. and Bryantville and as far north as the west side of Indian Head Pond. As I recall, Abraham Jr. had land between what is now High St. east towards Rt. 58. Issac north of there towards Indian Head Pond and Abraham Sr. from Indian Head Pond towards Bryantville center and Mattakeesett St. All this land was along the north side of the "Bridgewater Path" (keeping in mind that "Bridgewater" at that time included Brockton, Abington, Whitman, etc.). Ironically, I had a home for a few years back over 40 years ago now that was on the north side Main St. near the old elementary school and used to walk my dog out in those woods. There was a very well defined worn trail through there that looked like it hadn't been used for anything in decades yet still remained tree-free. I now wonder if it wasn't the original "Bridgewater Path". Today Pierce Ave. is between lower High St. and Robinson St. off Main. Apparently Issac and family sold off their land and moved on to Middleboro while Abraham Sr and Jr lived out their years there.

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    1. Thanks, Mike, for posting this information. It's always so helpful to hear from someone familiar with the geography and boundaries. Chris

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I'm now moderating comments on this blog. My apologies for any ensuing delays, but the large number of "spam" comments have made this necessary. ~Chris