· 4 October 2013 ·

THOMAS WHITE was born about 1599 (according to his court deposition in 1659 where he stated his age as 60). He was probably a native of Weymouth, England, and the son of Thomas White and Francesca Martin. In August of 1622 a colony, coordinated by Thomas Weston, a London merchant and iron monger, was established near Plymouth in an area called Wessagusset. The primary purpose of Weston's colony was profit, rather than religious reasons like the Plymouth Colony. Weston believed that families were a detriment to a well-run plantation and so he selected only able-bodied men. The Colony consisted of between fifty and sixty colonists who were ill-prepared for colonial life. After settling without adequate provisions and harming relations with local Native Americans, the colony was dissolved in late March 1623 with surviving colonists joining returning to England or going to a settlement in Maine. The short-lived colony is best remembered for the battle (some say massacre)[5] there between Plymouth troops led by Miles Standish and an Indian force led by Pecksuot. This battle scarred relations between the Plymouth colonists and the natives for years to come. In September 1623, a second colony led by Governor-General Robert Gorges was created in the abandoned site at Wessagusset. Unlike Weston, Gorges brought families intending to establish a permanent settlement. And unlike the Puritans, Gorges brought the Church of England with him, in the form of two clergymen who would oversee the spiritual health of the region. (This also caused strained relations with the Plymourth.) This colony, rechristened as Weymouth, was also unsuccessful and Governor Gorges returned to England the following year. Despite that, some settlers remained in the village and it was absorbed into the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. Based on the early appearance of Thomas White’s name on the records of the town of Weymouth it would seem he was a very early settler and may have been among those who came in the Gorges company. Thomas was made a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony 3 Mar.1635/6, being then and previously an inhabitant of Weymouth and a member of the church there. He was married about that time to Ann Workman. Nothing more is known of her. He was elected as a Deputy from Weymouth to the Massachusetts. General Court in 1637 (the second man in the town thus honored), and again in 1657 and 1670. He was a carpenter by trade and owned in all 75 acres in Weymouth and his home lot and place of residence was near the present turnpike leading from Quincy to Hingham, in what is now North Weymouth in the district long familiarly known as "Old Spain". He was a town proprietor in 1643 and served for many years as a Selectman of the town, an office of much dignity in early Colonial times. He also served on various important town committees. He was captain of the old military company of the town and his name with the title of "Captain" is to be found on early Weymouth town proceedings. His Will was dated 5 July 1678, and he died, 9 Aug 1679, in Mendon, Massachussetts. The will mentions his sons Joseph, Samuel, Thomas, Ebenezer and daughter. Hannah; gr. ch. Lydia, Mary and Ebenezer White, and Hannah Baxter; pastor Samuel Torrey and elder Edward Bate. His wife is not mentioned in the instrument. She was evidently deceased at the time his will was executed. His will was probated 28 Aug 1679. Children of Thomas White and Ann Workman: • Thomas White, born about 1638/1639, at Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts; he died young. • Hannah White, born about 1640 in Of Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts; she died, 29 Feb 1723/1724 in Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts. • • Samuel White, born 1642; married Mary Dyer, daughter of Dea. Thoms Dyer; he died, 19 Aug 1699, in Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts. • Joseph White; born 1645 in Dorchester, Massachusetts; married Lydia Rogers, of Weymouth, daughter of Elder John Rogers; he died, 23 Mar 1706, in Mendon, Worcester, Massachusetts. • Lt. Ebenezer White, born 25 Nov 1648, in Weymouth, Massachusetts; married 2nd, Jun 1671, Hannah Phillips, daughter of Nicholas Phillips and Hannah Salter; he died August, 1703 or 1705. • Thomas White, born 9 Sep 1655 in Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts; married Mary Pratt; he died 11 Apr 1706, in Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts. Reference: Col. Asa White, “Genealogy of Thomas White,” NEHGR, Vol. 53, (Oct. 1899), pp. 392-395. (Prepared in 1804 and published 16 May 1879 in the Weymouth Gazette.) Joseph Whitcomb Porter, “Genealogy of the descendants of Thoms White of