General Notes

ID: I04066
Name: Thomas Ford
Sex: M
Birth: 1589 in Dorchester, Dorset, England
Death: 28 NOV 1676 in Northampton, Hampshire, MA
Note:
Thomas FORD - b. about 1589, Dorset, England; d. Nov. 28, 1676, Northampton, MA [memorial - inscription]. It is
possible he was the son of John FORD III and Joan BECK (m. Feb. 3, 1583, Piddlehinton, Dorset, England), and nephew
of Thomas FORD, merchant of Dorchester who died Jan. 20, 1610/11. The latter's will, proved May 8, 1611 names, among
others, his brother John, and "Thomas, son of my brother, John FORDE." Thomas FORD arrived at Dorchester, MA in the
'Mary & John' 1630 with wife, four daughters and step-son Aaron COOKE, settled at Windsor, CT, where he was granted a
lot in 1637, and moved to Northampton, MA 1659. Freeman 1631; deputy to General Court 1637-1640; juror 1643 and
1644. In 1645 Thomas moved to Hartford, CT and established a tavern in the house of Thomas SCOTT. In 1652 he sold the
tavern, and in 1655 was Constable at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT. No documentary evidence has been found to support the
long standing claim that the Thomas FORD who married Dec. 13, 1610, at Powerstock, Dorset, England, Joan WAYE was
the emigrant, nor that the Joane WAYE who was buried there May 10, 1615 was the wife of Thomas FORD, rather than, say,
his child. Thomas FORD married first Jun. 19, 1616, Bridport, Dorset, England; and second Nov. 7, 1644 Annie
(SANFORD) SCOTT (d. May 5, 1676, Morthampton, MA), widow of Thomas SCOTT (d. Nov. 6, 1643).

http://kinnexions.com/ancestries/strong.htm#TFord

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In 1623 Thomas Ford and his family were living in Dorchester, Dorset, England and were
members of Holy Trinity Church, whose rector was Rev. John White. John White has been
called the "Founder of MA"

Rev. John White wrote to Gov. John Endicott, 'to appoint places of habitation for sixty families
out of Dorsetshire which were to arrive the following spring." A meeting was held on 15 Oct.
1629, "at the Deputyes House". Twenty five members of the council which financed the planters
were there and "MR. FORDE, wth divers others of the genalitie."

This meeting was arranged so that the finance company would benefit for seven years by the
shipping of furs. The government of the colony was to be placed into the hands of Gov. John
Winthrop. In New England.

Thomas Ford and his family came on the MARY AND JOHN, 1630. The passage costs were 5
pounds per adult, 10 pounds per horse, 3 pounds per ton of freight.

Thomas requested admission as a freeman 19 Oct. 1630 and took the oath 18 May 1631 in
Dorchester, MA. To become a freeman at that time you had to be a member of the
Church.

3 Apr. 1633 - "It is agreed that a doble rayle with morteses in the posts, of 10 foote distance
one from the other, shall be set up on the marish.....by the owners of the Cowes vnder named,
p'portionally. 20 foote to everye cowe." Thomas Forde owed two cows.

The last record of Thomas Ford in Dorchester, MA was 5 Jul. 1636.

1637 - Thomas was one of four men who purchased a large tract from Sachem Tehano, which
now includes Windsor Locks, the northern third of Windsor and the southern part of Suffield.

1637 - Granted fifty acres - Simsbury, Connecticut.

Feb. 1639/40 - George Hull, "moved the court in behalf of Thomas Ford of Windsor, that in
regard the workmen are much taken up and emplyed in making a bridge and meetinghouse with
them, and his work hindered of impaling in the ground which was granted him by the court for a
hog-park, that there may be granted him a year longer time for the fencing it in; which was upon
the reasons aforesaid, condescended to."

1644 - Thomas removed to Hartford, Connecticut. He ran an "Ordinary", as an accomodation
for strangers passing through. It was located in the Scott house located on the southwest corner
of State and Front Streets.

Diary of John Winthrop, Jr. - "reached the Inn of Thomas Ford at Hartford", 17 Nov. 1645. The
Inn was sold to Thomas Cadwell in 1652.

1656 - Thomsa bought the homelot of William Hosford.

1658/59 - Thomas bought th Arthur Williams house and lot.

1667 Thomas helped settle the estate of Nicholas Denslow.

1669 - Thomas helped settle the estate of Elizabeth Denslow's.

1670 Apr. - Thomas Inventoried the estate of Rev. John Warham.

Thomas removed to Northampton, MA bef. 1672 where he spent the rest of his life.