James Pease (1637-1719) and his Wife Elizabeth Norton of Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard

James Pease was born Edgartown, Dukes County, Massachusetts on 15 March 1636/37 [based on age at death on his gravestone], the son of John Pease and his first wife Lucy whose maiden name is unknown. Lucy’s maiden name is sometimes given as Weston, but that is the surname of her stepfather. I wrote about his parents here. James is my 8th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side of the family.

James married Elizabeth Norton, born about 1645, the daughter of Nicholas Norton and his wife Elizabeth whose maiden name is also unknown. Record keeping certainly wasn’t a priority in early Martha’s Vineyard. 

Elizabeth and James had eight children [Banks III; all named in James’ will]:

1. James born about 1664; married Hannah Dunham; died before his father’s 1711 will 
2. John born about 1666 and died before his father’s 1711 will 
3. Martha born about 1669; married Joseph Atkins
4. Stephen born about 1670
5. Matthew born about 1675; had a child out of wedlock with Hannah Marchant; married Mary Green; died February 1717/18 at Edgartown
6. Nathaniel born about 1678; m. Abigail Vincent
7. Mary born about 1680; m. Isaac Chase
8. Mehitable born about 1685

I descend from Matthew whom a wrote about here as well as Martha which you can see here.

At the Essex County court 8 Oct 1660 James Pease sued Francis Usselton for “Belying his wife.”  [Banks II] Belying would have meant spreading false information/slandering someone. 

On 30 December 1661 officers of the train band were chosen: Thomas Bayes leader, Thomas Jones clerk, and James Covell drummer. In 1662 the company consisted of 24 additional men including John Pease and James Pease. [Banks II]

On 5 August 1685 it was “voted that Thomas Daggett, James Pease Sr and Isaac Norton are Impowered in behalf of the town to Treat with Richard Ellingham about finishing the Meeting house and to conclude with him or any other according to their Discression for finishing said House, finding Timber and all the Necessarys about the same and what they shall do In the Towns Behalf shall sattisfie and Be obliged to Perform.” A meeting house was built on Pease Point Way with a cemetery adjoining it. [Banks II] Pease Point was where James grew up; I’m uncertain if he also raised his family there. 

Details of a few of the many land transactions James was involved in at Edgartown [Banks II]: 

• On 29 Jan 1663 Quanomica Neck was divided; 26 April 1664 tract know as Meachemy’s Field near the Planting Field and the same day Felix Neck were divided. Lot owners in the three divisions include Nicholas, Isaac and Jacob Norton and James Pease. 
• On 18 June 1667 as a reward for their services in “dispossessing” forcibly or otherwise Usselton, the representative of “intruders” Tallman and Layton Richard Sarson, John Eddy, John Gee and James and John Pease each were deeded one-sixth of a parcel of land at Edgartown. 
• On 31 Jan 1669 James Pease sold his share described above to Thomas Trapp. On 26 August 1669 his father John Pease sold his share to Thomas Lawton. 
• On 14 Feb 1676 the largest tract held in common, the “Plain” was divided, and James Pease and his father John were some of the men who received land there. 
• Land called Squash Meadow purchased in April 1682 from an Indian known as Tom Tyler, son of sachem Wampamog, by Andrew Newcomb and John Coffin one half, and James Covel, James Pease, Isaac Norton, William Vinson and Joseph North the other half. 
• A 27 Feb 1684 division of woodland lots mentions lot between James Pease and Mrs. Ann Sarson and those included in the division included James Pease.
• On 14 April 1707 the town confirmed 31 March previously several tracts of land were purchased from “divers Indians” by Joseph Norton, Thomas Daggett, Mathew Mayhew, Thomas Harlock, Benjamin Smith, and James Pease. [Edgartown Records I:89]

James, one of two surviving sons from his father John Pease’s first marriage, is mentioned in his father’s will, dated 4 March 1674[?/5] and proved on an unknown date James, who “God hath been pleased to bless him in his labors & endeavors and I have been helpful to him so that he is very well to pass in his estate far beyond myself, I do therefore…give to my eldest son James Peas twelve pence.” John left his property to his current wife Mary and their eight children. [Dukes County Deeds 1:340] 

Elizabeth (Norton) Pease died before 22 April 1706, when James married, second, Abigail (Travis) Covell at Edgartown. [Edgartown Vital Records, p 112] Abigail was widow of Ezra Covell. 

James wrote his will on 21 July 1711 and it was probated 2 April 1719. [Ancestry.com, “Massachusetts, US Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991,” original pages number 85-89 in Dukes County Probate Records]

James’ will is quite lengthy. He is called a planter of Edgartown and left the following bequests:

• After his wife Abigail dies or remarries, his grandson Nathan Pease, son to his son James Pease deceased, all land and swamps lying at Mechmicks Field in Edgartown, all meadow or marsh at Sanchacontaket, one-half share of Commons in Edgartown that he bought of Joseph Codman with all housing and fencing. 
• Grandson Samuel Pease, son of his son John Pease deceased, lands and swamps adjoining land called the planting fields that he bought of Thomas Tupper, all the land and meadow and half commonage (except what he already gave to his son John Pease in his life time) he bought of Thomas Dagget, swamp land he bought of Major Matthew Mayhew, all lands and meadow or marsh he bought of Simon Ahearn, two north most lots at Chapaquidek [Chappaquiddick], two and a half wood lots lying westward of the road to Sachacontaket from the Harbour in Edgartown.  Samuel to pay £5 to Theophilus and Nathaniel Pease, sons of his son Nathaniel Pease, £20 to Joseph Pease son of his son Matthew Pease; if Joseph dies before age 27 then to go to his brother Matthew Pease. 
• Son Stephen Pease his house in Edgartown, all lands, meadow and swamps adjoining, one whole Commonage in Edgartown which he bought of his father, two southward lots at Chapaquidik, two lots of land at Felixes Neck. Stephen to pay £5 legacy to grandson Nathan Pease within one year and £7 each to his grandsons Theophilus and Nathaniel Pease, sons of his son Nathaniel within two years after they turn 21. 
• Son Matthew Pease all that my land he now hath enclosed and improved: and for as much that my said son Matthew Pease hath been a rebellious son and takes very bad courses and will by no means be reclaimed from his evil course of life: I will that he shall have nothing more of my estate then what I have herein already named to be given unto him only one shilling in money within six months after my decease to be paid to him by executrix which shall be here after named: and it is to be understood and not otherwise that the same land given unto my said son Matthew Pease is meant the land of mine which is within his enclosure southwestwardly of Mr Thomas Trapps now dwelling house.
• Son Nathaniel Pease one shilling in money to be paid to him by my executrix within six months after my decease. I have given to him considerable value at and since his marriage. But he is a disobedient child and hath and doth live a very bad life and will not be reclaimed. I therefore give him nothing more of my estate.
• I give nothing to my daughter Mehitable because I have already given her a considerable value since her marriage.
• My mind and will is that my wife Abigail Pease shall have the sole & whole possession and improvement of all my real estate wheresoever & whatsoever the same is and during the time of her widowhood. I give and bequeath unto my said loving wife Abigail Pease all my personal estate whatsoever & wheresoever the same is or may be found whether money, plate, household stuffs, cattle sheep horses, and all bonds and other debts dues owing to me: only my mind and will is that in case at the death of my said wife there should remain any of my plate household stuffs money cattle sheep or horses given as aforesaid.
• I give and Bequeath what shall so remain as aforesaid unto my daughter Mary the wife of Isaac Chase and to my Daughter Martha, the wife of Joseph Atkins, in two equal shares to be divided between them.

He named wife Abigail executrix. He signed with his mark. Witnesses: Benja Skiffe, Pain Mayhew, Mary Mayhew

On 2 April 1719 the estate of James Pease late of Edgartown was proven at court held at Chilmark. The administration was committed unto Abigail Pease widow to the deceased.  Per order of ye judge of Probate Pain Mayhew.

James died 27 March 1719 at Edgartown. He was age 82 years, 12 days. Death date is from his gravestone at Tower Hill Cemetery, also known as Old Burying Ground and Old Town Cemetery. His name is spelled Peese ont he stone, which is a replacement dating to 2016. [Findagrave.com Memorial ID 40738962] 

James Pease/Pees Gravestone source: Findagrave.com

Sources:

Charles E. Bank, History of Martha's Vineyard, Vols. I (1911), II (1911), III (1925) 

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 2007

Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700

David Pease and Austin Pease, A Genealogical and Historical Record of the Descendants of John Pease, Sen., 1869