• General Notes

  [phelps.FTW]
  
  [Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3857, Date of Import: Oct 22, 1998]
  
       The following is from the Nash Genealogy of 1853 written by Reverand Sylvestor Nash A. M. of Ossex, Conn.
  
       On 26 July, 1637 from the ship Hector and another not named a company landed at Boston, Mass., formed principally by merchants of London whose wealth and standing enabled them to come out under more favorable auspices than any company that had hitherto sought these shores.
       They were accompanied by the Rev. John Davenport as their pastor and are supposed to have been mostly members of his church and congregation, Coleman of London.
       The leaders were men of good practical understanding, and had probably provided for their anticipated wants of an infant colony by bringing
  with them men of skill in such arts as were likely to be most needed.
       In that company, as is supposed, came Thomas Nash, with a wife and five children.  He was by occupation a gunsmith, a trade which admitted an early transition to that of blacksmith, thus rendering him doubly useful to a people whose situation required that both arms and instruments of husbandry
  should be kept in repair.
       The people of Mass. Bay were solicitious that this company should choose a location within their limits, and made very advantageous offers to induce them to do so.  But being resolved to plant a new colony in the fall of that year, sent out Mr. Eaton and others of their company to explore.  This company selected a place called Quinnipiac, now New Haven, then owned by a small tribe of Indians whose principal chief was Momanguin. 
       In March, 1638, the whole company sailed from Boston, and in about a fortnight, landed at Quinnipiac.  In November following they entered into an agreement with Momanguinand his counsellors for the purchase of the lands.
       They appear not to have been haste to settle the form of government, but spent the first summer and winter in erecting necessary buildings, laying out their lands, and in other respects, preparing for a permanent residence.
       In the summer following, viz. on the 4th of June, 1639, they met together in Mr. Newman's barn, probably having the largest area of any building yet erected, and after solemn religious exercises, drew up what they called a "Fundamental Agreement" for the regulation of the civil and religious affairs of the colony.
       This instrument was signed on the spot by 63 individuals.  It appears to have been copied, names and all, into the Book of Records and afterwards to have been signed by 48 others.  These are called after subscribers, and were probably added within the year, perhaps in a few weeks.
       Thomas Nash's name is the third of these after subscribers, whence some have supposed that he was not an original member of the company.  But this circumstance admits of another solution.  It is known that subsequent to the arrival of the original, another company joined them, made up of emigrants from Kent and Surrey, in the vicinity of London, who, like Mr. Davenport's people, came with their pastor, the Rev. William Whitefield,
  to take up their abode in the New World.  These, with perhaps some of the original settlers, made up a company to form a new settlement at Guilford.  Their "compact" was drawn up and signed in New Haven, on the 1st of June, four days before the meeting at Mr. Newman's barn.  On this document, it is said, the name of Thomas Nash appears.  Now considering his vocation as a smith, and the universal necessity for the services of such a one in a new settlement, it admits at least a plausible conjecture that he had been induced to join the new company.  And this conjecture is strengthened by the fact mentioned by Barber; that the Planters of Guilford had not one blacksmith among them, and that it was at great cost to the town that they obtained one to live among them.  From this it will not appear strange that the Planters of Guilford should have endeavored to induce him to go with them, or that the parent colony, being the largest, and having the prior claim, should have interfered and prevented his going.  If he had signed the Guilford Compact it accounts for his not being among the first to sign the New Haven Funfamental Agreement four days after signing the Guilford Compact.
       Be this as it may, we owe to this cicumstance the peservation of his autograph in which we here give a facsimile:
  In that day the h was written / and in this case the t also / was made with the downward stroke like the present y or h inverted.
       The after subscribers signed in the Book of Records, The Fundamental Agreement was copied into this book, as were the originals signatures.  The B of Rs exist while the Fundamental Agrrement has been lost.
        It is sais also that the name on the Guilford Compact is spelled with an i. Naish.  But it is not so spelled in the Book of Records nor have any of his posterity so written it.
       Whence he came is not positively ascertained.  One of the fourth generation is reported to have said he had always understood that his ancestors came from Ireland.  The prevailing tradition, however, is that he was from Lauesoshire in England.  This is the tradition among the descendants of Thomas Nash of Hatfield, Mass., grandson of the original emigrant.  Also among the descendants of John Nash of Hadley, another grandson.  And it is so stated in the MSS. of the Rev. Daniel Nash of Otsego  
  Co., N. Y. of the fifth generation.  And it is worthy of notice that there has been  little or no communication between this and the other two branches for more than one hundred years.  The tradition is substained by the note from the genealogy of the "Baker Family" to which reference will be hereafter made concerning his marriage, and is probably correct.
       There is reason to believe that he was considerably advanced in years when he came to America as his children were all born in England, or at least before he emigrated, and his eldest son, John, was of sufficient age   to receive the charge [oath] of a freeman in April, 1642.  In his will, made in 1657 he expressly mention his old age.
       He is generally mentioned in the Records in ab affectionate wat as Bro. Nash, and was occasionally appointed to those public duties which were congenial with declining years.  The following extract from the Record of a General Court held on May 25th, 1646, seems to imply age or infirmity: "In regards to several occasions and works to be done against training day, Bro. Nash is to be spared."
       The first positive date attached to his name is "first of the month [September], 1640.  Mr. Lamberton and Thomas Nash were admitted members of the General Court and received the freemans charge [oath].
       The following extract of the Records of the General Court held May 19, 1655, indicates that Thomas Nash was the local gunsmith.  "It is ordered that Thomas Nash shall keep the Town Muskets in his hands, and look to them well, that they be always in good order, fitt for service  and the Towne to allow him what is Just for his care and pains.  In a schedule of town property the muskets are in the hands of Thomas Nash, and three in the hands of Lieut. John Nash.
       There is no mention of his wife except in the seating at the Meeting House, and then her Christian name is not given.  But from a record of the Baker Family, found in the British Museum , it is highly probable that her name was Margery and that she was the  daughter of Nicholas Baker of Hertfortshire, England.  The last time she is mentioned is in the seating of Feb. 11, 1655.  "In ye short seate Goodw. Nash ye Elder and Roger Allen's wife [Mrs. Allen was Thomas Nash's daughter].  What is peculiar in this seating is, that Thomas Nash himself is not mentioned in it, as in previous seatings, which renders it probable that by reason of some infirmity he was no longer able to attend church, and yet he must have outlived his wife for he does not mention her in his will made in 1657.  Said will is given on page #74 and also on a plat of the town of New Haven showing the location of property owned by Thomas Nash and his neighbors.  It is stated that his north line must run about where Court Street now is; west where Orange Turiple is now, near its north-westerly corner.  In the map of New Haven, as it was in 1748, lately published, his lots seem to be included within lot No 20, next to lot No 24, there said to have been originally the home lot of his son, Maj. John Nash.  The records prove that he lived in Mr. Davenport's quarter, and this old map is probably correct.
                          
  
    

Details of Thomas' family with Margery Baker