General Notes

RFN106
BIOGRAPHY
Seven Hundred Ancestors
Author: Lewis Keeler Leaonard
Call Number: CS71.L58
This book contains the history and genealogy of the Leonard family of Massachusetts.
Bibliographic Information: Leonard, Lewis Keeler. Seven Hundred Ancestors.        Privately Published. 1975.

The Chase Family is said to be of Norman origin - the name being derived from the French word "chasseur" (to hunt). As early as
1326 families of Chase resided in Suffolk, England.  The family which came to America was from Hundrich Parish of Chesham,
Buckinghamshire, some thirty miles northwest from London.  This is indicated in the records of the Herald's Visitation 1634,
Buckinghamshire.
It is thought that Thomas and Aquila Chase having a knowledge of navigation, were in the employ of their uncle, Thomas Chase, who
was part owner of the "John and Francis"' which was named in a letter of Marque in 1626.
The Chase name is so rare in England, it is assumed the flower of the family emigrated to America. They were by nature enterprising
and high minded people. Released from the trammels of aristocracy and conservatism of the old country, on entering into the breath and
freedom of new circumstances, they at once took the front rank in the new world.  Chase arms:  Gules four crosses, flory, two and two, on a canton azure with a lion passont of the second order.  Crest:  a demi-lion rampant holding the cross of the shield gules.
Motto:  Ne cede malis.
Thomas Chase of Chesham, England was born about 1400 and was descended from an ancient family there. We have a record of one son.
He was named John and he had a son Mathew born about 1486. He was also of Chesham.

Source; New England Families, Vol. IV, Genealogies and Memorials, pages 1833 and 1834
Aquila, son of Aquila Chase and the American immigrant, was born in England in 1618.  He was a mariner, probably emplyed by his uncle or brother, Thomas Chase, who was in 1626 part owner of the ship "John and Francis".  He was of Hampton as early as 1640; removed to Newbury in 1646, when he had four acres granted for a house lot and six acres of marsh, on condition that he go to sea and to service in the town with a boat for four years.  He was also a shipmaster.   He and his wife and David Wheeler were fined "for gathering pease on the Sabbath," but were admonished and the fine remitted, September, 1646.  He died December 27, 1670.  His will was dated September 19, 1670.

Aquila Chase married, about 1644, Anne Wheeler of Hampton, New Hampshire, daughter of John and Anne Wheeler, who came to Hampton from Salisbury, England with two children, David and Anne.  John Wheeler died in 1670, and his wife died August 15, 1662.  Mrs. Chase married (second) June 14, 1672, James Mussiloway. She died April 21, 1687.

Children of Mr. and Mrs. Chase were:
Sarah, born 1646, married May 15, 1666, Charles Annis, born in Ireland, 1649;
Anna, born July 6, 1647, married April 27, 1671, Thomas Barber;
Priscilla, born March 14, 1649, married February 10, 1671, Abel Merrill;
Mary, born February 3, 1651, married March 9, 1670, John Stevens;
Aquila, born September 26 or 27, 1652, married Esther Bond;
Thomas, born July 25, 1654, married (first) November 22, 1677, Rebecca Follansbee, (second) August 2, 1713, Elizabeth Mowers;
John, born November 2, 1655, married (first) May 23, 1677, Elizabeth Bengley, (second) Lydia ____;
Elizabeth, born September 13, 1657, married June 27, 1678, Zachariah Ayer;
Ruth, born March 18, 1660, died March 30, 1676;
Daniel, born December 9, 1661, married May 25, 1683, Martha Kimball, born August 18, 1664, at Wenham, Massachusetts.
Moses, born December 24, 1663, married (first) November 10, 1684, Ann Follansbee, (second) December 13, 1713, Sarah Jacobs;