Thomas is the son William Harris and Agnes Mason of Gloucestershire, England. In 1630 he brought his wife, Elizabeth, and his six children to Salem, Ma. on the "LYON", an early part of the WINTHROP FLEET. He is listed among the passengers of the ship "Lyon" as Thomas Williams alias Harris and continued to use the name "Thomas Williams alias Harris" in later records. It is not known why he used an alias but there is the possibility that for some personal reason affecting his proposed immigration it was advisable to assume a new name. His children, however, appear to have immediately dropped the "Williams" name that Thomas used and did not stay long in the Boston area.
His name (Thomas Williams) first appears in the colonial records on Sep. 18, 1630 in the list of a jury inquest on the body of William Bateman, who died from illness and exposure at Pullen Point in Boston Harbor, after a voyage from Plymouth.
On October 19, 1630, as Thomas Williams ALIAS Harris, he applied to the court to be made a freeman of the colony. He was admitted, as Thomas Williams on May 18, 1631, and took the required oath. Until this oath is taken a colonist had no rights to vote or own property. On that same day the court recorded that Thomas Williams "hath undertaken to set up a ferry betwixt Winnettsem & Charlestown for which he is to have 3d a person, and from Winnettsem to Boston 4d a person." Winnesimmet was later the town of Chelsea, and it was there that the family lived. He does not appear in any town registers likely because he lived by his ferry. He began service in 1631 and that ferry (under various ownerships) continued to run until 1917. William Stitson married his widow Elizabeth and continued the operation of the ferry. In 1634 The court ordered the franchise be passed to Mr. Samuel Maverick (The original site of the ferry was on his estate-now Admiral's Hill). Maverick granted Stitson a lifetime interest in the ferry.
Thomas and Elizabeth brought 5 sons and a daughter with them on their voyage from England. John (1606-1694), Anthony(1610-1651), William(1611-1714), Anne(1613-1697), Thomas(1618-1687) and Daniel(1618-1701).
Thomas Harris passed away shortly after starting his ferry(on or before 1634) and before land and wills were filed. William Stitson married his widow Elizabeth and continued the operation of the ferry. Elizabeth (Williams alias Harris) Stilson died in Charlestown on February 16, 1670 at the age of ninety-three, which would place her date of birth at 1578 or 1579.
Ref:
*Ancestory of Bethia Harris/Davis/1934
*Massachusetts, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890
*documentary history of Chelsea : including the Boston precincts of Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh, and Pullen Point, 1624-1824
*Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988
*Anderson's Winthrop Fleet
*The New England Historical & Geneological Register. NEHGR 176:364ff, published 2022.
*New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-35
His name (Thomas Williams) first appears in the colonial records on Sep. 18, 1630 in the list of a jury inquest on the body of William Bateman, who died from illness and exposure at Pullen Point in Boston Harbor, after a voyage from Plymouth.
On October 19, 1630, as Thomas Williams ALIAS Harris, he applied to the court to be made a freeman of the colony. He was admitted, as Thomas Williams on May 18, 1631, and took the required oath. Until this oath is taken a colonist had no rights to vote or own property. On that same day the court recorded that Thomas Williams "hath undertaken to set up a ferry betwixt Winnettsem & Charlestown for which he is to have 3d a person, and from Winnettsem to Boston 4d a person." Winnesimmet was later the town of Chelsea, and it was there that the family lived. He does not appear in any town registers likely because he lived by his ferry. He began service in 1631 and that ferry (under various ownerships) continued to run until 1917. William Stitson married his widow Elizabeth and continued the operation of the ferry. In 1634 The court ordered the franchise be passed to Mr. Samuel Maverick (The original site of the ferry was on his estate-now Admiral's Hill). Maverick granted Stitson a lifetime interest in the ferry.
Thomas and Elizabeth brought 5 sons and a daughter with them on their voyage from England. John (1606-1694), Anthony(1610-1651), William(1611-1714), Anne(1613-1697), Thomas(1618-1687) and Daniel(1618-1701).
Thomas Harris passed away shortly after starting his ferry(on or before 1634) and before land and wills were filed. William Stitson married his widow Elizabeth and continued the operation of the ferry. Elizabeth (Williams alias Harris) Stilson died in Charlestown on February 16, 1670 at the age of ninety-three, which would place her date of birth at 1578 or 1579.
Ref:
*Ancestory of Bethia Harris/Davis/1934
*Massachusetts, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890
*documentary history of Chelsea : including the Boston precincts of Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh, and Pullen Point, 1624-1824
*Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988
*Anderson's Winthrop Fleet
*The New England Historical & Geneological Register. NEHGR 176:364ff, published 2022.
*New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-35
Thomas is the son William Harris and Agnes Mason of Gloucestershire, England. In 1630 he brought his wife, Elizabeth, and his six children to Salem, Ma. on the "LYON", an early part of the WINTHROP FLEET. He is listed among the passengers of the ship "Lyon" as Thomas Williams alias Harris and continued to use the name "Thomas Williams alias Harris" in later records. It is not known why he used an alias but there is the possibility that for some personal reason affecting his proposed immigration it was advisable to assume a new name. His children, however, appear to have immediately dropped the "Williams" name that Thomas used and did not stay long in the Boston area.
His name (Thomas Williams) first appears in the colonial records on Sep. 18, 1630 in the list of a jury inquest on the body of William Bateman, who died from illness and exposure at Pullen Point in Boston Harbor, after a voyage from Plymouth.
On October 19, 1630, as Thomas Williams ALIAS Harris, he applied to the court to be made a freeman of the colony. He was admitted, as Thomas Williams on May 18, 1631, and took the required oath. Until this oath is taken a colonist had no rights to vote or own property. On that same day the court recorded that Thomas Williams "hath undertaken to set up a ferry betwixt Winnettsem & Charlestown for which he is to have 3d a person, and from Winnettsem to Boston 4d a person." Winnesimmet was later the town of Chelsea, and it was there that the family lived. He does not appear in any town registers likely because he lived by his ferry. He began service in 1631 and that ferry (under various ownerships) continued to run until 1917. William Stitson married his widow Elizabeth and continued the operation of the ferry. In 1634 The court ordered the franchise be passed to Mr. Samuel Maverick (The original site of the ferry was on his estate-now Admiral's Hill). Maverick granted Stitson a lifetime interest in the ferry.
Thomas and Elizabeth brought 5 sons and a daughter with them on their voyage from England. John (1606-1694), Anthony(1610-1651), William(1611-1714), Anne(1613-1697), Thomas(1618-1687) and Daniel(1618-1701).
Thomas Harris passed away shortly after starting his ferry(on or before 1634) and before land and wills were filed. William Stitson married his widow Elizabeth and continued the operation of the ferry. Elizabeth (Williams alias Harris) Stilson died in Charlestown on February 16, 1670 at the age of ninety-three, which would place her date of birth at 1578 or 1579.
Ref:
*Ancestory of Bethia Harris/Davis/1934
*Massachusetts, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890
*documentary history of Chelsea : including the Boston precincts of Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh, and Pullen Point, 1624-1824
*Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988
*Anderson's Winthrop Fleet
*The New England Historical & Geneological Register. NEHGR 176:364ff, published 2022.
*New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-35
His name (Thomas Williams) first appears in the colonial records on Sep. 18, 1630 in the list of a jury inquest on the body of William Bateman, who died from illness and exposure at Pullen Point in Boston Harbor, after a voyage from Plymouth.
On October 19, 1630, as Thomas Williams ALIAS Harris, he applied to the court to be made a freeman of the colony. He was admitted, as Thomas Williams on May 18, 1631, and took the required oath. Until this oath is taken a colonist had no rights to vote or own property. On that same day the court recorded that Thomas Williams "hath undertaken to set up a ferry betwixt Winnettsem & Charlestown for which he is to have 3d a person, and from Winnettsem to Boston 4d a person." Winnesimmet was later the town of Chelsea, and it was there that the family lived. He does not appear in any town registers likely because he lived by his ferry. He began service in 1631 and that ferry (under various ownerships) continued to run until 1917. William Stitson married his widow Elizabeth and continued the operation of the ferry. In 1634 The court ordered the franchise be passed to Mr. Samuel Maverick (The original site of the ferry was on his estate-now Admiral's Hill). Maverick granted Stitson a lifetime interest in the ferry.
Thomas and Elizabeth brought 5 sons and a daughter with them on their voyage from England. John (1606-1694), Anthony(1610-1651), William(1611-1714), Anne(1613-1697), Thomas(1618-1687) and Daniel(1618-1701).
Thomas Harris passed away shortly after starting his ferry(on or before 1634) and before land and wills were filed. William Stitson married his widow Elizabeth and continued the operation of the ferry. Elizabeth (Williams alias Harris) Stilson died in Charlestown on February 16, 1670 at the age of ninety-three, which would place her date of birth at 1578 or 1579.
Ref:
*Ancestory of Bethia Harris/Davis/1934
*Massachusetts, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890
*documentary history of Chelsea : including the Boston precincts of Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh, and Pullen Point, 1624-1824
*Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988
*Anderson's Winthrop Fleet
*The New England Historical & Geneological Register. NEHGR 176:364ff, published 2022.
*New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-35
Inscription
Here Lyes Buried
ye Body of
THOMAS HARRIS
Who Departed this
……..
…
