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ENSIGN THOMAS HOWLETT (c. 1606–1677/1678)
ALICE FRENCH (bp. 1610–1666), daughter of Thomas French and Susan Riddlesdale
Based on depositions, Thomas Howlett was born about 1606. [1][2] His origins are unknown. He died in Ipswich between 4 November 1677 and 10 September 1678. He married first Alice French by about 1637. [1][3;593] He married second the widow Rebecca Smith. [1][4] She died on 1 November 1680 in Newbury. She married first Thomas Smith. [1]
Alice French, the daughter of Thomas French, was baptized on 9 April 1610 in Assington, county Suffolk. [1] She died on 26 June 1666 in Ipswich. [3;5983] She came to New England with her older brother in 1632.
Alice is on the list of the First Church of Boston's original members. On 16 June 1644 "Our sister Alice French wife of Thomas Howlett of Ipswich" was dismissed to the church in Ipswich. [5] This proves her marriage.
Thomas Howlett arrived in Boston and was admitted to the church in late 1633 [1] or on 1 April 1633 [6]. He was a freeman on 4 March 1634. [1][7] He was a deputy from Ipswich on 6 May 1635 and later a deputy from Topsfield. [2] He was regularly called for jury duty. [2] He was a sergeant by 13 March 1638/9. [2] He was confirmed an ensign on 14 May 1645. [2]
Thomas was one of those to go with John Winthrop, Jr. to form the plantation of Ipswich. [6]
Mr. Bradstreet sued Sergeant Howlett "concerning herds of cows" at the 29: 1: 1642 court in Ipswich. [8, 1: 41]
In his will of 1 March 1643/4, Robert Andrews commended his son John Andrews to the guardianship of Thomas Howlett. [2][8, 3:163]
After living in Ipswich for several years he was granted dismissal to the church there. He was a deacon of the Ipswich church. on 16 June 1644 the church in Boston recorded, "Our sister Alice French the wife of Thomas Howlett of Ipswich and lately dismissed from us unto the church at Ipswich at her own desire hath letters of dismission granted her ... ." [2]
n his will of 27 February 1657, John Robinson, wheelwright of Ipswich, left Alice Howlett, wife of Thomas Howlett, ten pounds. He left Thomas Howlett, Jr. his chest and tools. He left the rest of his estate to Thomas Howlett, Sr. [2][8, 2:70]
Thomas was valued as a surveyor and was frequently called upon to lay out land and ascertain boundaries. [2]
On 28 March 1671 Thomas Smith asked the court for his father-in-law [stepfather] Ensign Thomas Howlett to be his guardian and this was allowed. [8, 4:345]
On 28 September 1672 John Gage deposed that he and his brother Howlett laid out 170 acres to John Gold. [2]
Thomas wrote his will on 4 November 1677; it was proved on 24 September 1678. He left his wife Rebecca a cow, two heifers, an annuity of five pounds and the goods that she brought to the marriage. He gave his son Samuel 50 acres that had been intended for his [deceased] son John, two 20-acre lots in the thick woods in Topsfield and four acres of meadow; he was to pay part of Rebecca's annuity. He gave his daughter Sarah Cummings four acres of the Hasakey meadow; the rest of the meadow went to Samuel, and four pounds. He left Alice Cummings [the daughter of his son Thomas] 20 shillings. He said that he had given his daughter Mary Perley 23 pounds and left her another 22 pounds. He left Thomas's wife and daughters 100 acres. The residual was left to his son William, who was to be the executor. Inventory was taken on the estate of Deacon Thomas Howlett on 10 September 1678 and it amounted to £452 11s. 4d, with offsetting debts of £34-07-11. [2]
Just before her death, Rebecca Howlett tried to sue her stepson William Howlett. In the course of the Thomas Dorman testified that Thomas Howlett had said that he did not meddle with the geese and turkeys of his second wife because she had been a good wife to him. [2][8, 8:10–11]
Inventory of the estate of the widow Rebecca Howlett was taken by James Smith on 3 November 1680; her children James and John Smith divided her £64-08-06 amicably. [2]
Children of Thomas Howlett and Alice French:
i. Thomas Howlett was born say 1637. He died on 22 or 23 December 1667, probably in Ipswich. He married Lydia Peabody.
ii. Sarah Howlett was born say 1639. She died on 7 December 1700 in Woburn. She married John Cummings.
iii. John Howlett was born about 1643. [6] He died in 1675. [4] He married Susanna Hudson [4] by 22 January 1670/1. [9] Susanna, the daughter of Francis and Mary Hudson was born on 15 December 1645, baptized on 21 December 1645 and died after 2 September 1704. [9] She married second Edmund Perkins [4] on 8 May 1678 in Boston. [9]. Edmund was probably born in England and died before 26 January 1693/4 in Boston. [9] She married third Christopher Sleg [4] after 30 October 1696 (int.). [9] Christopher died on 25 November 1697 in Boston; his first wife, Elizabeth Unknown, died on 10 August 1696 in Boston. [9]
On 20 March 1672 John Hallett, mariner of Boston, bought a house and land in Boston. [6]
iv. Mary Howlett was born say 1645. He married John Perley by about 1655.
v. Samuel Howlett was born say 1646. He married Sarah Clark on 3 January 1670 in Topsfield [4][10, 156, dup. 157] Sarah was born in 1651. [4] She died on 26 March 1717 in Topsfield. [10, 230]
vi. William Howlett was born about 1650. He died in 1718. [4] He married Mary Perkins on 27 October 1671 in Topsfield. She is perhaps the daughter of Deacon Thomas Perkins. William and Mary had no children. [4]
vii. Nathaniel Howlett died on 28 April 1658 in Ipswich. [3, 593]
References:
1. "Early Settlers of Essex and Old Norfolk," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 6 (1852), 343, citing various depositions: 52 in 1658, 60 in 1665, 60 in 1666.
2. "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620–1633, Volumes I-III," digitized book, AmericanAncestors, 1042–8. Originally Published as: Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, 3 volumes (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995).
3. Vital Records of Ipswich, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, 2 vols. (Salem: Essex Institute, 1910), vol. 2.
4. "New England Marriages to 1700," digitized books, AmericanAncestors, originally published as Clarence Almon Torrey, New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015), vol. 2: 804–5.
5. Melinde Lutz Byrne and John Edward Hardy, "Three French Daughters and Their Husbands ... ," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 175 (2021): 104–19
6. "Boston, MA: Inhabitants and Estates of the Town of Boston, 1630–1822 (Thwing Collection)," database with images, AmericanAncestors, 10964–5.
7. "List of Freement," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 3 (1849), 92.
8. George Francis Dow, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Essex Institute, 1911 - 1975. Online Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project (https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/home.html).
9. Alicia Crane, "Early New England Families," database with images, AmericanAncestors, Francis Hudson (m. 1640).
10. Vital Records Topsfield, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1903).
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26-Dec-2022