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THOMAS FLAGG (c. 1615–1698)
MARY UNKNOWN (1619–1702/3)
Thomas Flagg was probably born about 1615. died on 6 February 1697/8 in Watertown. [1]
Mary was born in 1619. [2] She died between 30 December 1702 and 21 April 1703. [2]
Thomas Flegg, aged 21, is on an 11 April 1637 list of passengers being transported to New England on the John and Dorothy of Ipswich or the Rose of Yarmouth. He was traveling as the servant of Richard Carver, who settled in Watertown. [3] The ages in these records are not reliable.
Thomas lost an eye in a gunshot accident before 1659. [2]
Thomas owned a six-acre homestead and 20 acres of upland in Watertown. [4, 1: (part 2), 38]
Thomas was chosen a fence viewer on 12 January 1651 [4, 1: 28] He was chosen a surveyor in August 1661. [4, 1: 74] He was chosen a constable on 20 December 1663. [4, 1: 76] He was owed a pound and ten shillings for taking two inventories of the town real estate on 31 August 1669. [4, 1: 97] He was chosen the town appraiser on 2 December 1673. [4, 1: 121] On 1 December 1674 Thomas was appointed to a committee to check that children were being taught appropriately and that each man had a copy of the capital laws. [4, 1: 121]
Thomas was owed a shilling for killing a fox on 31 October 1655 and on 3 February 1656; he was owed four shillings for killing four foxes on 10 January 1658. [4, 1: 43, 50, 59]
Thomas was a selectman in Watertown in 1671, 1674, 1676,1678, 1686, 1687, and 1688. [2][4, 1: 109, 117, 125, 132; 2; 22, 28, 33]
Mary Flagg of Watertown, the widow of Thomas, signed her will on 30 December 1702. She left her household to her three daughters Mary Bigelow, Elizabeth Bigelow, and Rebecca Cook. She mentioned her son Benjamin, who had money due her from her husband’s estate, and named her son Samuel Bigelow her executor. Joshua and Samuel Bigelow of Watertown and Stephen Cook of Newton posted bond on 26 April 1703. Inventory on her estate was taken on 25 May 1703; it amounted to £16-16-10 and included books. Benjamin Flagg and his wife Experience testified to it on 5 July 1703. Joshua Bigelow presented accounts on 13 September 1703. [5]
Children of Thomas and Mary Flagg: Births recorded in Watertown [1]
i. Lieutenant Gershom Flagg was born on 16 April 1641. He died on 6 July 1690. [6][7] He married Hannah Leppingwell on 15 April 1668 in Woburn. [6] Hannah, the daughter of Michael and Isabel Leppingwell was born on 1 September 1642 in Woburn. [6][7] She married second as his second wife Ensign Israel Walker on 10 December 1696 in Woburn. [6][7]
Thompson says, "Gershom Fleg (1641–90) was the son of tailor Thomas Fleg of Watertown and his sister Mary, married for 58 years when the patriarch died. The eldest of seven surviving brothers and four sisters of a humble family, Gershom moved to more promising prospects in Woburn, after marriage to a townswoman there, Hannah Leffingwell, in 1668." [8, 239]
In 1680 John Knight asked Gershom Flagg of Woburn for the money he owned him for seven new barrels. Gershom said that he used the barrels to venture nine barrels of cider with Mr. Bissell, and that he would pay him when Mr. Bissell came home. [8, 238–9]
Gershom Fleg was a relative humble townsman, farmer, and tanner in an inland town, yet he "ventured some cider" up or down the coast. As a tanner, he probably dealt with some neighboring towns, buying skins and selling hides and leather. Here though, he showed both enterprise in producing and disposing of his very considerable cider surplus, and also a canny market knowledge that it was worth his while to ship it a considerable distance to thirsty mouths. [8, 240]
"[Gershom] went on to found Woburn's first tannery in what would later become 'Tan City.'" [8, 239]
Gershom was killed on 6 July 1690 in a battle with Indians at Wheelwright Pond in present-day Lee, New Hampshire. [7] The battle took place during King William’s War.
ii. John Flagg was born on 14 June 1643. He died on 6 February 1696/7 in Watertown. [1] He married Mary Gale on 30 March 1670 in Watertown. [1]
iii. Bartholomew Flagg was born on 23 February 1644.
Bartholomew is on a 10 December 1675 list of soldiers in Captain Mosely’s company who were mustered on the Dedham plain during King Philip’s War. [9][10][11]
iv. Thomas Flagg was born on 28 April 1645. He married Rebecca Dix on 18 February 1667 in Watertown. [1][2]
v. Michael Flagg was born on 23 March 1651. He died on 16 October 1711 in Watertown. [1] He married first Mary Bigelow on 3 June 1674 in Watertown. [1] She died on 3 September 1704 in Watertown. [1] Michael married second Marie Erle on 27 December 1704 in Watertown. [1][2]
Michael Flagg was a soldier in Captain Nathaniel Davenport’s company on 3 December 1675 in King. Philip’s War. [11] He was an early proprietor of Worcester. [2]
vi. Eleazar Flagg was born on 14 May 1653.
Eleazar Flagg was a soldier in Major Samuel Appleton’s Massachusetts forces on 10 December 1675 and 21 June 1676 during King Philip’s War. [11]
vii. Elizabeth Flagg was born on 22 March 1657/8. She married Joshua Bigelow on 20 October 1676 in Watertown. [1]
viii. Mary Flagg was born on 14 January 1657. She married Samuel Bigelow on 3 June 1674 in Watertown. [1]
ix. Rebecca Flagg was born on 5 September 1660. She married Stephen Cooke on 19 November 1676 in Watertown. [1]
x. Benjamin Flagg was born on 25 June 1662. He died on 3 May 1741 in Worcester. [2] He married Experience Child on 26 September 1689 in Watertown. [1] She died in 1747. [2]
He was admitted to the Watertown church on 13 November 1687. [1] He was an early proprietor of Worcester. [2]
xi. Allen Flagg was born on 16 May 1665. He died in October 1711 in Watertown. [1] He married Sarah Ball on 12 March 1684 in Watertown. [1][2]
Endnotes:
1. "Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620–1850, database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Watertown.
1: 8 [11] 1641. Gerfhom (sic) Fleeg (sic) sonn of Thomas & Mary Flegg born the 16 of Aprill 1641
1: 10 John sonn of Thomas and Mary Born the 14 of June 1643
1: 11 Bartholomew sonn of Thomas & Mary born the 23 of february 1644
1: 12 Thomas sonn of Thomas & Mary born the 28 of Aprill 1645
1: 16 Michaell (sic) Daughter of Thomas & Mary borne the 23 of March 1651
1: 17 Elieazer (sic) sonn of Thomas & Mary Flegg borne the 14 of May 1653
1: 19 Elizabeth Daughter of Thomas & Mary Born the too & Twenty of the firft Month 1657
1: 20 [1657] Mary Daughter of Thomas & Mary born the 14 of January
1: 22 Rebeckah daughter of Thomas & Mary Borne the 5 of the 7th mo 1660
1: 24 Beniamin (sic) son of Thomas & Mary Born ye 25 : 4th 1662
1: 26 Allin (sic) son of Thomas & Mary Borne: 16: may 1665
1: 30 Thomas Fleg (sic) and Rebecka Dikes Joyned in mariage the 18 of February 1667
1: 38 Micall (sic) Flegg and Mary Bigulah Joyned in Maryage. the same day beinge the third of June 1674
1: 41 Jofhuah (sic) Bigulah and Elizabeth fleg (sic) were Joyned in mareage the 20 of the 8 month 1676
1: 46 Stephen Cooke and Rebeckah Joyned in marriage the 19 of november 1679
1: 33 John Fleg (sic) and mary Gale marryed the 30 of march 1670
1: 38 Samuel Bigulah and mary Joyned in Maryage the third of June. 1674
1: 55 Alen (sic) Fleg (sic) and Sary Ball Jyned in marriage the 12 of march 1684
2: 9 John fleg (sic) Deceaced February: 6: 1696/7
2: 10 Thomas flege (sic) an old man diceaced feb: 6: 1697:8
2: 20 Micael (sic) Flegg, and Mary Erie were Joyned in Marriage by Jonas Bond Justice of the peace both of Watertown Decembr: 27th: 1704.
2: 27 Mary Flegg wife of Micaell Flegg Deced September the 3d. 1704.
2: 44 Michael Flegg Deceased October the: 16th 1711
2: 46 Alin (sic) fleg (sic) deceast in October: 1711
4: 99 Upon ye 26th of September 1689 I maryed in my houfe at Watertown Benjamin Flagg & Experience Child wth ye confent of Freinds ye being publilhed according to law
4: 120 Ye 13th of Nov [1687] I admitted … Benjamin Flegg
4: 122 Ye 3rd of August 1690 … admitted … Mary Flegg
4: 122 Ye 20 of September 1689 there was only one admitted viz Elizabeth Flegg, ye wife of Allin Flegg
4: 122 Ye 22th of June 1690 … Admitted … Thomas Flegg
2. Henry Bond, Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, 2nd edition (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1860), 219–20.
3. John Camden Hotten, The Original Lists of Persons of Quality ... who Went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, 1600–1700, reprinted (New York: Empire State Book Co., n.d.), 291.
4. Watertown Historical Society, Watertown Records (Watertown: Fred G. Barker, 1894, 1900): vol. 1, vol. 2.
5. "Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648–1871," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org, case 7783.
6. Edward Francis Johnson, Woburn Records of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, Part 1 (births), Part 2, (deaths) Part 3 (marriages) (Woburn: Andrew Cutlery & Co., 1890).
2: 68 [FLAGG] Lieut. Gershom, s. of ____, July 6, 1690.
3: 96 [FLAGG] Gershom Flagg (see 2nd Footnote) and Hannah Lepingwell, April 15, 1668.
3: 97 [FLAGG] Hannah Flagg and Ensign Israel Walker, Dec. 10, 1696.
1: 150 [LEPINGWELL] Hannah, d. of Michael, Sept. 1, 1642.
7. Jon Wardlow, “Revisiting the Family of Gershom Flagg of Woburn, Massachusetts,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 163 (2009): 20.
8. Roger Thompson, From Deference to Defiance: Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1629–1692 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012).
9. William B. Trask, “Indian War Papers,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 8 (1854): 241.
10. George M. Bodge, “Soldiers in King Philip’s War,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 37 (1883): 181fn, 182.
11. “Colonial Soldiers and Officers in New England, 1620–1775,” database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Massachusetts Officers and Soldiers in the 17th Century Conflicts, 90.
© A. Buiter 2014
18-Feb-2024 3:48 PM