Thomas Freeman was born in
September 1653 at Eastham, Barnstable Co., Mass. He was the son of Major John and
Mercy (Prence) Freeman. I wrote about
his parents here. On
31 December 1673, Thomas married Rebecca Sparrow at Eastham. Rebecca (often spelled Rebecka) was born 30 October 1655, the
daughter of Jonathan and Rebecca (Bangs) Sparrow. I wrote about her parents here. Their marriage united two prominent
families. Later Thomas’ brother William
married Rebecca’s sister Lydia Sparrow. Thomas
is my 10th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth)
Rollins’ side of the family.
Thomas and Rebecca moved to an
area of Harwich that became Brewster. They had ten children (first nine recorded
Eastham and Harwich Vital Records; Rebecca recorded just Harwich VR):
Mercy born 30 October 1674,
married Paul Sears
Thomas born 11 October 1676, married
Bathsheba Mayo and Mary Smith
Jonathan born 12 November 1678, married
Mercy Bradford
Edmund born 11 October 1680, m.
Phebe Watson
Joseph born 11 February 1681/82, m.
Lydia Thacher and Mary Watson
Joshua born 7 March 1684/85, died
before1716
Hannah born 27 September 1687, died
in 1707
Prence born 3 January 1689/90, m.
Mary Doane
Hatsuld (also Hatsell) born 27 March 1691, m. Abigail
Hallett
Rebecca born 26 April 1694, m.
Joseph Vickery and John Wing
Thomas must have been thrilled to
have so many sons. I often think of what life must have been like for 17th
century women raising such large families, especially with them born roughly
two years apart. It is also amazing that
eight of their ten children survived childhood to marry and have children of
their own. Rebecca was 19 when her first
child was born. At just shy of 25
years old, she had four children under the age of six. She was 39 when her 10th and last
child, Rebecca, was born in 1694. She
would have then had nine to ten children ranging in age from newborn to 19
years of age. I descend through their son Thomas and his wife Mary Smith, whom
I wrote about here.
Thomas was one of the eight
individuals who first gathered as the First Church Harwich and was named a
church Deacon on 28 November 1700. He also served as Town Clerk, Treasurer and
Selectman.
Deeds survive and were published
in the Mayflower Descendant for land
transactions between Thomas Freeman Sr. and two Native Americans, for land he purchased at
Harwich. First is from John Sipson, 14
acres at a place called Keequanset, dated 1 June 1711 or 1712. The second is
from John Quason, whose late Jonathan father was an Indian Sachem financially indebted
to Thomas’ father Major John Freeman, 6 acres at South Sea
near Bacon’s Tarkils and Short Cove, dated 13 August 1711.
Rebecca lived to an astonishing
age of 84 years, dying on 7 February 1739/40 in Harwich (now Brewster), Mass. Thomas had died some years earlier, on 9
February 1715/16. They are buried
together at the Old Burial Ground behind the First Parish
Church in Brewster.
Thomas' stone is inscribed: Here Lyes
ye Body of Deacon Thomas Freeman of Harwich decd Febry ye 9 1716 in ye 63 year
of his age.” The stone is slate in very good condition for its age. It has a winged skull and hourglass engravings.
Their sons Thomas and Jonathan
and daughter Hannah are buried nearby. There
is also a small stone that reads “Rachel” with the rest unreadable.
Thomas’ will was dated 4 February
1715/16. He was of Harwich and bequests were made to: son Thomas who received
land where he already dwelled on the south side of Harwich and land near Short
Cove towards Chatham, land at Tom’s Island and Strong Island, meadowland and land in Eastham called Smith’s Purchase; son Joseph received land on the Common Road that
leads from Harwich to Chatham, upland and meadow near his uncle John Freeman’s
land; son Prince received land where his house now stands and land at the Great Lots at
James Cole’s Field, land eastward of Samuel Hopkins’ house and a few more lots;
son Hatsell upland and meadow Hatsell already fenced off, land adjoining father's homestead lot allowing mother Rebecca to cut wood there, land at Sheep Pond;
son Edmond choice of one entire lot that hasn’t been disposed of to his brothers.
After decease of their mother, his four
sons to equally divide land at Sachamuses Neck and other land in Harwich. Daughters
Mercy and Rebecka each to receive 30 pounds at his dear wife’s decease or
before if it can be spared. Thomas signed his will with his mark.
His probate was proven on 20 April
1716 and administration was given to his widow Rebecca Freeman. It mentions
wife Rebecca, sons Thomas, Edmond,
Joseph, Prince/Hatsuld and daughter Mercy. Eldest son Thomas was named co-executor but he
died the next year. Inventory was taken by
John Freeman and John Sparrow and sworn to by widow Rebecca Freeman 20 April
1716. It includes cattle, horses, swine, sheep, farm tackling, grain, meat,
beds/bedding, linen, tables and chairs, pots/kettles/other ironware, pewter and
other small things, silver money and paper bills of credit worth 12 pounds, some
plate of unknown value, some odd trifling things.
Rebecca Freeman’s will was dated
13 June 1729 and proved 18 March 1740. Named sons Edmund and Hatsuld,
son-in-law Paul Sears, daughters Mercy Sears and Rebecca Wing. Her inventory was dated 29 September 1741 and
shows that son-in-law Paul Sears had died and Edmund Freeman was the surviving
executor.
Resources Not Listed Above:
Frederick Freeman, Freeman Genealogy in three parts, viz: I.
Memorial of Edmund Freeman of Sandwich and his desc., II Memorial of Samuel
Freeman of Watertown and his Desc., III Notes, Historical and Genealogical of
Families of the Name of Freeman, distinct from Parts I and II, or whose
connection is not clearly ascertained,” 1875.
Simeon Deyo, Editor, History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts,
1890
Frederick Freeman, Freeman
Genealogy
Charles
Mayo, Mortuary Record from the
Gravestones in the Old Burial Ground in Brewster,
Mass., 1898
