THOMAS EMERSON

• Birth Notes
  • He was baptized at Bishops Storford July 26,1584 

• General Notes
  • Thomas Emerson was the first ancestor in America of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and settled in Ipswich, Mass. as early as 1638 and left a very considerable estate there at his death in 1666. Thomas Emerson of Ipswich Mass. is recorded in the church Wardens book of St. Michael's Church in 1630 as Collector for the poor. It has been proven that Major-General Denison, a close friend of Thomas and mentioned in the latters will, emigrated from Bishops Stortford. Thomas was probably born in Sedsheld parish, Durham, England, and died in Ipswich, Mass. May 1,1666.
    
    He was baptized at Bishops Storford July 26,1584 and was married in that parish to Elizabeth Brewster. Their children were born there, and recorded at St. Michael's Church. Tradition says that they came from England in the Ship Elizabeth Ann in 1635. He Was in Ipswich as early as 1638, when 80 acres of land was granted to him. . In the same year he received a deed of 120 acres from Samuel Greenfield a weaver of Ipswich, and this was the Turkey Shore farm which remained in the family for generations.
    
    He is mentioned as a commoner in 1641, and in 1646 was one of the 7 men equivalent to the present selectmen. He was the possessor of considerable property and the records show that he received damages from the town for the loss of a yoke of Oxen that backed of a bridge. The inventory of his estate amounted to 225 pounds, three shillings. The records in England show that the family was nonconformist, and they probably found difficulty in getting out of England. The reference to Thomas Emerson as a baker in the Massachusetts records probably arises from the fact that he assumed the character of an artisan in order to make his removal from England less difficult.
    
    He left a will dated May 31,1653,to which was attached a codicil, dated Jan 4,1660, proved May 10, 1666. The will mentions his daughter Elizabeth Fuller, and her daughter Elizabeth afterward wife of James King. His will mentions his granddaughters as follows, "also in refers to the twenty fifth line of this my will it is to be understood that what ther is mentioned as to my daughter Ffulor. Is my intent that it shall be holy and fuly divided between hur tow daughters at ye age of twenty yers or at ye day of mariadg, Susanna and Elizabeth." Thomas acquired a very considerable property that he disposed of by his will. His inventory amounted to 225 pounds three shillings. His wife surviving him and being executrix thereof.
    
    Their children, as recorded in the parish register of Baptisms of St. Michael's Church, Bishop's Stortford, Herts, England.
    
    The portion of the codicil to the will of Thomas Emerson referring to Susanna and Elizabeth is as follows. "Also in refrens to the 25th lin of this my wil it is to be understood that what ther is mentioned as to my daughter ffulor is my intent that it shall be holy and fuly devided between hur tow daughter at ye age of twenty yers or at ye day of mariadg. Susan and Elizabeth" The twenty fifth line of his will alluded to in this codicil is as follows. " I give unto my daughter Elizabeth ffullor the best fether bed and boulster with a paire of blanketts and the best couerlett and the bedsted to injoy for hir use until her daughter Susana atayne the age of twenty yeares or day of hir mariage, if shall happen sooner ,and then she to inioy them alsoe. i give unto my sayd daughter the great carued chest & the carued box with a little Trunck with all yt is in it and a small carued chest with what is in it."
    
    He was married to ELIZABETH BREWSTER (daughter of Rev Elder WILLIAM [MAYFLOWER PILGRIM] BREWSTER and MARY MAYFLOWER [MAYFLOWER PILGRIM] WENTWORTH) on 1 Jul 1611 in Bishops, Stortford Herfordshire, England.
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    KING FAMILY OF SUFFIELD
    Thomas Emerson,
    the first ancestor in America of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Thomas
    Emerson was baptized at Bishops Stortford, Co. Herts, England,
    July 26, 1584, married there Elizabeth Brewster (probably the
    daughter of William Brewster, the postmaster at Scrooby and the
    famous elder of the Pilgrims in 1620) July i, 1611, and his
    daughter Elizabeth, who became wife of John Fuller, was baptized
    at Bishops Stortford June 14, 1623
    
    

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