Thomas Lynde

On this day, 30 December 1671, Thomas Lynde (my 11th great-grandfather) passed away in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

Born on 11 January 1594, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England, Thomas was the son of Nathan Lynde, Jr. and Elizabeth Digby. He joined brothers Enoch and Richard Lynde.

Although nothing more is known of Thomas’ childhood, his adulthood is well-documented. On 8 October 1618, Thomas Lynde married Hannah (surname unknown) in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. Together, the couple would have five known children: Thomas, Richard, Rebecca, Mary (my 10th great-grandmother), born circa 1629, and Zachary.

Sadly, approximately two months after son Zachariah was christened, Hannah died (circa December 1631), leaving their children motherless.

A year later on 27 November 1632, Thomas Lynde married Margaret Martin—daughter of John Martin and widow of Henry Jordan, a cutler—in All Hallows Bread Street, a parish church in London. Together, Thomas and Margaret would have five known children: William, born circa December 1634, who died young; Joseph, born 8 June 1636; Sarah, born in April 1639; Hannah, born 2 May 1642; and Samuel, born 14 October 1644.

Two years after the couple married, Thomas, wife Margaret, son Thomas, and stepson Henry emigrated to the New World, settling in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts (near Boston) in 1634.

Soon thereafter, on 4 February 1634, Thomas and Margaret Lynde were admitted as members of the Charlestown Puritan church, where Thomas served as a deacon.

Circa 4 March 1634, Thomas Lynde was made a freeman in Charlestown. A malter by trade, he was often connected to town business. He served as a member of the first board of selectmen in Charlestown and remained in that position for 14 years. He was also a deputy to the General Court for eight years, the first time in 1636 and the last time in 1652.

In 1635, Thomas Lynde’s six-year-old daughter Mary, chaperoned by John Winthrop, Jr., immigrated from England to Massachusetts aboard the ship Abigail.

In 1637, Lynde owned a ten-acre lot on the Mystic River side of Charlestown.

Circa 12 March 1637/8, “Tho[mas] Line” was “allowed to sell wine and strong water” at Charlestown.

In the 1638 Charlestown Book of Possessions, his real estate holdings totaled 14 lots. The first was the Lynde house (which stood on or near the site of the former Waverly House in Charlestown), malt house, and half-acre of land in the South Field, located on the southwest side of Mill Hill next to the Charles River (the Garden Land adjacent to this lot was known as “Malt Lane”). His holdings also included three acres in the South Field; four acres in the East Field, next to the Mystic River; two more acres in the East Field; three and a half acres in the Line Field, next to the Cambridge (now Somerville), Middlesex County, Massachusetts line; two acres of meadow; pasture (location not specified); ten acres in the Mystic Field; ten acres of woods, lot #35 in the Mystic Field (this lot measured 80 poles by 20 poles); three acres of meadow; eight cow commons (seven of these fell to him “in dividend” and one he bought from James Matthews); two more acres in the Mystic Field (which he bought from James Matthews); lot #26 comprising 35 acres in the Mystic Field (measuring 100 poles long); and 80 acres in the Rock Field and two acres of arable land in Line Field by the “Mystic Weare.” These lands would eventually be the site of Bay State Community College and the former state prison, known as Lynde’s Point during the American Revolution.

Sadness came to Thomas Lynde’s life when his son Henry Lynde died on 9 April 1646 in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

In 1650, Thomas Lynde bought five acres in the South Field, alongside the Charles River and seven cow commons located near Menotomy (now Somerville), Middlesex County, Massachusetts. This deed was recorded in 1658.

In 1650/1, he bought a half-acre of land from L. Dowse and a lot from John Baker.

In 1656, he sold two acres “of town, commons, next [to the] burying hill” to John March. This deed was also recorded in 1658.

In 1656/7, Thomas Lynde was the first on the list with 19 cow commons entered. In 1657, he sold one acre in the East Field, lying within Charlestown Neck, again to John March. That same year, he and March made a straight-up real estate exchange: Lynde gave to March two acres in East Field with a cart highway in exchange for a house, garden, and one acre of land. He then sold two acres “had of Leach” to W. Bachelder.

In 1661, Thomas Lynde sold a cow common to N. Rand. This deed was recorded in 1680.

He bought a wood lot and other property from John Myrick in 1658 and 1661/2.

In 1662, he purchased one acre from Thomas Hale “et. al.”

Soon thereafter, on 22 August 1662, Thomas’ second wife Margaret died in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

In 1664, Thomas Lynde sold five acres to N. Hutchingson in 1664. This deed was recorded in 1668. That same year he bought two acres from Joseph Stowers.

The next year, on 6 December 1665, Thomas Lynde married for a third time, this time to Rebecca, widow of Capt. Nicholas Trerice, a merchant and master of the ships Planter, Rebecca, and Chapman.

Finally, in 1670, he sold half an acre of land to I. Balcom and sold eight poles of land to R. Jenner.

On 21 December 1671, Thomas Lynde’s will was written. Nine days later, on 30 December 1671, Thomas Lynde died in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, “being 77 years old wanting 6 weeks” and was buried on 3 January 1672.

When the will was probated, the following bequests were made: To his wife Rebecca, Thomas Lynde left the lot that he had bought from Goodman Stowers in Charlestown, Massachusetts and “the house that Morgan [Richard Rose Morgan] dwells in.” However, a piece of land two poles wide at the end of the property next to Brigden’s land was designated for a road leading to Lynde’s other land. Wife Rebecca also received the servants “Negro Peter and girl Nan,” two cow commons, and the hay lot near the lands owned by Pierce Welch. She also received the use of half of the property for as long as she lived.

To his son Joseph, Thomas Lynde left the house with the provision that his widow Rebecca had the right to use 1/3 of the orchard adjacent to this house lot. Joseph also received the lot “bought of widow Nash”; six acres “toward Cold Harbor”; the “stinted common” near the town of Nottomy (Menotomy, now Somerville), Middlesex County, Massachusetts; and the wood lot “bought of John Mical [Mitchell].”

To his son Samuel, he left the house in which Joseph lived, the barn which stood on Goodman Stower’s land near T. Rand’s land. He also received four cow commons, a wood lot of 41 acres, a hay lot in “Dirty Marsh” and “1/4 part of ketch whereof Mr. Downes hath 5/8.”

To his son Thomas, he left a half-acre of land, four poles wide at the front that “adjoined Samuel’s land.”

Finally, Thomas Lynde left two cow commons to “the preaching Elder and Elders that are and shall be in the church of Christ [of Malden].

The inventory of Deacon Thomas Lynde’s estate was listed as the house, malt house, stable, wharf, garden, orchard and yard, and six acres ground worth £450; the house occupied by Richard Tose Morgan was valued for £120; three acres at Cold harbor formerly of Mr. Pratt was worth £50; the house willed to Samuel was valued at £320; and a half-acre “track of land at Cold harbor point,” 13 cow commons, hay lot, three acres near Goodman Pierce, five hay lots at Dirty Marsh, 40 acres woods (first division); 40 acres (second division), 1/4 of ketch, and two servants, worth in total £1,709.

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SOURCES

The Bi-Centennial Book of Malden: Containing the Oration and Poem Delivered on the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Incorporation of the town, May 23, 1849; with other proceedings on that day; and Matters Pertaining to the History of the Place. Boston: Geo. C. Rand & Co., 1850

Anderson, Robert Charles, Thomas Lynde: Featured Name. Great Migration 1634-1635. (Volume IV, I-L, Pages 369- 78)

Snow, Nora E., The Snow Estes Ancestry (Vol 1, Page 240) Hillburn, NY: N. E. Snow, 1939

Wyman, Thomas Bellows, The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown|The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown. (Vol K-Z, Page 637) Boston: D. Clapp, 1879

The Parish Register of Dunstable 1553-1812. Bedfordshire County Record Office 1951