Tenth Generation

996. Thomas CHAFFEE was born in 1616 in England. He died on 6 March 1683 at the age of 67 in Swansea, Bristol Co., MA.
Thomas Chaffe could not read or write. All of the documents associated with him have a "mark" and then another signature as witness. He was a farmer in Hingman where he received land from the township in July 1637. Of interest is that the Mayflower carried immigrants to Plymouth, MA in 1620 some 25 miles to the southeast - seventeen years earlier.

Thomas was likely from the Sherborne branch of the family as this side of the family had an "ee" or "ey" ending.

Thomas is believed to be the first or second Chaffee (Matthew Chaffe, Boston 1636?) in the New World as his name shows up in the records in the Town Clerk's office in Hingman, MA, dated July 1637, for land given to Thomas for house and later, in October 1637 for planting. The place and date of his birth, parentage, the time and place of his arrival, his wife and the name of the ship which bore him from England to the New world are still unknown. The amount of land granted to him at first shows he was probably not married yet. The original lot is thought to be close to Batchellor St. (now Main Street) in Hingman, MA. In both Hingman and Hull (nantusket), MA. Thomas was a fisherman and farmer. He could not read or write as the signature on documents shows a "mark" and a second signature of witness (possibly superstitious). He may have married in Nantusket (Hull), but the town records of Hull prior to 1657 have been lost. Probable that his wife's Christian name was Dorothy, as both sons both had daughters by that name, which was not a name found in families of their wives, On July 25, 1680 Thomas filed his will and the exact date of his death is not known, but probably a short time after the filing of his will. His will was exhibited publicly in March of 1683 and the inventory of his will was taken in May of 1683 "on ye oath of Joseph Chaffey". Possible he was buried in ancient Chaffee Burying Ground on his own farm but no stone to his memory remains. The house was close to the burial ground. In Thomas's time his property was located on the west bank of what is now the Barrington River, but known then as the Sowams River, about two miles northwest of the present town of Barrington, Bristol County, RI. To present date, there is no information of where Thomas's wife is buried. Dorothy THOMAS and Thomas CHAFFEE were married in 1636 in Hingham, Plymouth Co., MA.

997. Dorothy THOMAS was born in 1615 in Berkamsted, Suffolk, England. She died in 1682 at the age of 67 in Hingham, Plymouth Co., MA.

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