Nicholas Snow (1663 to about 1754) and His Wife Lydia Shaw of Eastham, Harwich and Rochester, Massachusetts

Nicholas Snow was born 6 December 1663 at Eastham, Massachusetts on Cape Cod, the son of Mark and Jane (Prence) Snow. He was the grandson/great-grandson of Mayflower Passengers Constance Hopkins/Stephen Hopkins and grandson of Plymouth Colony Governor Thomas Prence. He is my 8th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

Nicholas Snow married Lydia Shaw on 4 April 1689 at Harwich. [Harwich VR p 207; also recorded Eastham VR in Mayflower Descendant 3:180] Lydia was born about 1670, the daughter of Jonathan and Phebe (Watson) Shaw of Plymouth. Her father was a church deacon. 

Lydia’s birth is not recorded, but she was likely born at Lakenham (now North Carver). [Shaw] Two deeds prove Jonathan Shaw of Plymouth was the father of Lydia [Bowman]: 

On 20 June 1705 “George Shaw, Thomas Paine, & Hannah his wife, & Nicolas Snow & Lydia Snow of Eastham…& Benony Shaw, Eleazer Ring & Mary his wife, & Joanna & Phebe Morten the Daughters of Phebe Morton Deceased of the Towne of Plymth…wch said George Shaw, Benony Shaw, Hannah Paine, Lydiah Snow, & Mary Ring, were the Sons & Daughters of Jonathan Shaw of Plymth abovsd Deceased; and Joanna & Phebe Morten Grand Daughters of the sd Jonathan Shaw, deceased” for £18 sold to “our Brother Jonathan Shaw of Lakenham in the Town Ship of Plymth abovsd Yeoman…all our right and Interest unto the Movable Estate of our father Jonathan Shaw deceased” also “all that the houses and land & meadow in Lakenham abov Sd wch was our father Jonathan Shaw deceased. Sd land is bounded att ye foott with the meadow our father bought of James Cole, bounded att the head with the land our father gave to Benony Shaw abovsd; and lying between a pond on ye South East side and ye South meadow path on ye north wet side and also half the meadoe, between Jno Watsons Meadow & Springy brook, and a pine tree marked on ye North west End.” Deed signed by George Shaw, Thomas Paine, Hannah Paine, Nicholas Snow, Lydia Snow (by a mark), Benoni Shaw, Eleazer Ring, Mary Ring, Joanna Morton (by a mark), Phebe Morton (by a mark). On 20 June 1705 “Benony Shaw, Eleazer Ring & Mary his wife and Joanna Morten & Phebe Morten” acknowledged the deed. On 30 June 1705 “George Shaw & Capt Thomas Payne & Hanna his wife, & Nicolas Snow & Lydiah his wife” acknowledged the deed, in Barnstable County, before Jonathan Sparrow, Justice of the Peace. [Plymouth County Deeds 6:114]

Also on 20 June 1705, “We whose names are hereunto Subscribed being Heirs unto ye Estate of Jonathan Shaw late of ye Town of Plymouth…Deceased, and being Certifyed that ye sd Jonathan Shaw did in his Life time give unto his Son Benoni Shaw the one Half of that four acres of meadow which was Granted by the Town of Plymouth unto the sd Jonathan Shaw lying upon ye Brook called ye great Cove Brook [fol. 179]: and also the one Half of the Ten acres of Upland which was Granted unto him by sd Town, but the sd Jonathan Shaw not having given unto the sd Benoni Shaw any legal Conveyance thereof, Wherefore We do by the Presents…Quit Claim unto ye aforesd One Half both of ye sd four acres of meadow & ten acres of upland, and do…Confirm & make over ye Same…unto him ye sd Benoni Shaw.”

The deed was signed by Jonathan Shaw, Eleazer Ring, Mary Ring, Joanna Morton (by a mark), Phebe Morton (by a mark), Nicholas Snow, George Shaw, Constant Shaw (by a mark), Lydia Snow (by a mark). On 20 June 1705 Jonathan Shaw, “Eleazer Ring & Mary his Wife,” Joanna Morton and Phebe Morton, acknowledged the deed in Plymouth County, before James Warren, Justice of the peace. On 8 December 1714 “George Shaw & Constant his Wife & Lydia Snow wife of Nicholas Snow all of Eastham” acknowledged the deed, in Barnstable County, before Joseph Doane, Justice of the Peace. [Plymouth County Deeds 14:178]

Lydia and Nicholas had eight children. [Austin] Jonathan was recorded both Eastham and Harwich; others all recorded Harwich [Harwich VR p 6-7]:

1. Jonathan born 30 January 1691/2 [Eastham VR in MD 3:180]; married at Eastham 16 October 1718 Thankful Freeman [Austin]

2. Mark born 30 April 1695; not mentioned in father’s 1751 will; possibly the Mark who married Boston 22 December 1725 Sarah Langford [Austin]

3. Nathaniel born 16 October 1697; marriage intentions at Eastham 9 July 1720 to Elizabeth Eldridge [Austin]

4. Joshua born 18 August 1700; married say 1726 Bashaba (—?—) who married second Ebenezer Meigs in 1739 [Austin]

5. Thankful born 7 February 1701/2; married Joseph Burgess at Eastham 11 April 1723 [Shaw]

6. Sarah born 20 March 1703/4; married at Rochester 16 November 1727, Nathan Hammond Jr. [Rochester VR 2:285]

7. Phebe born 17 November 1705; married at Rochester 7 December 1749 Zacheus Burgess [Rochester VR 2:284]

8 Prence born 26 December 1707; married Mary Sturtevant 31 August 1727 at Rochester [Rochester VR 2:284]

I descend from Prence whom I wrote about here.

Nicholas was a freeman at Eastham on 3 June 1690. [Austin] He served in the militia and is called Lieutenant in some records, including in his estate inventory. His inventory also contained carpenter’s tools, perhaps indicating one way Nicholas made his living, in addition to farming and surveying land.

Mark Snow, in his 23 November 1694 will, bequeathed his son Nicholas multiple lots totaling over 28 acres of land in Eastham and Yarmouth. [Barnstable Co. Prob., 1: 111] 

Nicholas Snow was also mentioned in the 12 January 1740 will of his brother Prence. [Barnstable County Prob Records 6:227] 

About 1692 Nicholas moved his family from Eastham to nearby Harwich, in an area now Brewster, and then circa 1720 he moved again to Rochester in Plymouth County. [Austin]

Nicholas was active in the town of Harwich affairs, particularly by surveying land [Paine]: 

• In 1705 Nicholas served as an agent on behalf of the Proprietors of Harwich to resolve a controversy about the right of the authorities in Monomoy to tax Harwich men, the difference of opinion being over the dividing line between Eastham and Harwich.
• In 1712 served on a committee to resolve a land dispute between John Chase and Thomas Clarke. 
• On a larger committee in 1713 to resolve a land dispute stemming from this earlier dispute.
• The first meeting of the Harwich Proprietors on 24 March 1713/14 chose Nicholas Snow and five other men for a committee to lay out their lands into lots to be cast. Also authorized to rectify the mistakes in the bounds of Joseph Quason’s lot near Muddy Cove, and to aid in bounding the 50 acres of land of Joseph Nickerson at Muddy Cove. Pay would be 4 shillings per day to each man. Committee met at the house of Nicholas Snow on 19 April 1714 to report on work done. 
• At the 14 February 1714/15 meeting, proprietors made choice of Nicholas Snow and Jonathan Linnell “to join with the Indians of Potonumecut” and “to lay out to them the hundred acres of land,” which had been agreed upon. At 20 March 1720/1 meeting, Nicholas Snow, Micajah Snow and Joseph Doane were allowed for their four days’ service in laying the lots out, 20 shillings each. It’s unclear to me why there was such a delay in payment.

Although many Barnstable County deeds were lost in a fire, there are some surviving records involving Nicholas in Harwich town records, as well from Plymouth County:

• On 18 May 1711 a group that purchased land on the south side of town for the sum of £8 from John Quason and other Indians were: John Cole, Joshua Hopkins, Daniel Cole Jr, Nicholas Snow, Micajah Snow and Nathaniel Doane of Eastham; Stephen Hopkins, Prence Snow and John King of Harwich. [Paine]
• List of proprietors given by the Harwich Town Clerk Joseph Doane, in accordance with a vote passed at the proprietors meeting held 28 Sept 1713, includes Nicholas Snow. He received the third lot in the first division. The third lot in the 25 Jan 1713/4 second division fell to Nicholas Snow. It lay between the pond on the south and the road on the north. At south end it was 28 poles wide, north end 32 poles wide. [Paine]
• In Harwich’s 1714 land division, the 15th lot lying on the west of the 14th lot, from the road to the Long Pond, was drawn by Nicholas Snow; at the south end it was 58 poles wide, and at the north end 60 poles wide. [Paine]
• In another 1714 land division concerned a nearby parcel of land: the 17th lot adjoining to the 16th lot on the east, and lying between the two roads, was drawn by Nicholas Snow. On the south end it was 60 poles wide, north end 72 poles wide. In these land divisions landmarks mentioned are Long Pond, the Chatham borderline, Hinckley’s Pond, Coy’s Brook, Herring Pond, Bangs’ Pond. [Paine]
• Another 1714 land division: The sixth lot lying southerly of the fifth lot and between the Bangs’ land on the west and the road on the east, was drawn by Nicholas Snow. The next lot mentions being by the road from Muddy Cove and near Bushy Beach. [Paine]
• On 28 January 1724/5, “Nicholas Snow of Eastham…Yeoman & Joseph Burge Junr of Yarmouth…weaver” purchased for £750 the 260-acre homestead farm of Stephen Andrews, yeoman of Rochester.” [Plymouth County Deeds 6:114-15]
• Joseph Burge of Yarmouth, weaver, conveyed land in Rochester “which I hold in partnership with Nicholas Snow” to Nicholas Snow of Eastham, yeoman, by deed of 16 August 1725. On 17 March 1738 Nicholas, then of Rochester, conveyed the land to John Winslow, the witnesses being Phebe Snow and Ebenezer Meigs. [Austin]
• On 16 April 1742 Nicholas Snow of Rochester, yeoman, sold 30 acres in Rochester “adjoyning to my Homestead” for £120 to “my son Nathaniel Snow of Rochester,” yeoman. [Plymouth County Deeds 34:67] 
• By deed of 7 October 1742 Nicholas Snow of Rochester conveyed 24 acres there to Jonathan Snow of Rochester [his eldest son], yeoman. [Plymouth County Deeds 38:54]
• On 1 February 1744[?/5] his “Son Nathaniel Snow of Rochester…Labourer” again purchased land from his father, a total of 20 acres for £60, adjacent to land her purchased earlier. Nathaniel purchased 13 additional acres from his father for £52 on 1 February 1747. [Plymouth County Deeds 34:67; 40:39]

Map from "HIstory of Harwich," Josiah Paine

It appears the huge debt Nicholas took on to buy the large tract of Rochester land became insupportable. In December 1729 John Watson, a merchant of Plymouth, sued Nicholas Snow for £325. Nicholas defaulted, judgment was for more than £119 and Nicholas was imprisoned. Deputy Sheriff Josiah Sturtevant said “I Took the Body of the Said Nicholas Snow and have Committed him to his Majestys Goal in Plymouth.” [Plymouth Court Records 5:306] 

Debts continued to plague Nicholas and in December 1740 he defaulted again for £160 on a bond dated 8 July 1736. [Plymouth Court Records 6:243]

Lydia’s death is not recorded. She died some time after 8 December 1714 when she acknowledged the deed mentioned above and before 25 June 1751 when she is not mentioned in her husband’s will. [Shaw]

Nicholas Snow died Rochester between 25 June 1751 [date of will] and 29 May 1754 [inventory taken], likely closer to the latter date. He was about age 90, remarkable longevity for the 18th century. It is not known where he was buried but possibly Center Cemetery (aka First Parish Cemetery) as it is the oldest cemetery in Rochester.

Nicholas did rebound from his earlier debt troubles aided by selling some of his land. Near his death, he had the financial ability to leave multiple bequests, including one for £25. 

The will of Nicholas Snow of Rochester, yeoman, “of advanced age,” was made 25 June 1751 and proved 17 July 1754.  [Plymouth Co PR 13:304-6] He left bequests to:

• Grandson Joshua, son of son Joshua, deceased, £25
• Granddaughter Phebe Burge, infant daughter of daughter Phebe Burge deceased, £13, 6s, 8d 
• Eldest son Jonathan to receive two-fifths of the remaining eight parts after above two legacies paid
• Son Nathaniel one-eighth part
• Children of son Joshua, deceased, one-eighth part with specific instructions how to be divided for Joshua and Mary Snow
• Children of son Prence—Joseph, Mary, Hannah Snow—one-eighth part with specific instructions on how to be divided 
• Son Prence was left one shilling for “his leaving me and his family as he did.”
• Daughter Thankful Burge one eighth part
• Daughter Sarah Hammond one eighth part

He named his “two beloved sons” Jonathan Snow and Nathaniel Snow executors. Witnesses were Samuel Rider Junr, Mary Holmes and Noah Sprague.

Nicholas was called “Lt” in an inventory of his estate taken 29 May 1754, taken by Noah Sprague, Edward Doty and Josiah Holmes. It totaled £218 17s 8d plus about six shillings of items added afterward. The majority of the value of his inventory was in real estate—£207. Personal items included wearing apparel, bed, bedding, table linens, various kitchen items, hand trunk, great chair, table, large chest with drawers, andirons, bullet mold, and carpenter tools. Executors Jonathan and Nathaniel Snow made oath to the inventory on 17 July 1754.

Sources:

John D. Austin, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations Volume 6: Stephen Hopkins, GSMD, 1995

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 1995?

Jonathan A. Shaw, NEHGS Register, “John Shaw of Plymouth Colony, Purchaser and Canal Builder,” 151:432 (1997)

George Ernest Bowman, The Mayflower Descendant, “Shaw-Morton-Paine-Ring-Snow,” 20:44

Prepared by committee, Mattapoisett and Old Rochester, Massachusetts, Being a History of These Towns and Also part of Marion and a Portion of Wareham, 1907

Josiah Paine, History of Harwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts,1620-1800, 1937