Holbrook line: Thomas Wilson Immigrant

Thomas Wilson, among other things, is one of the very few reasons I have to research in New Hampshire.  Fortunately, some of his records, including his will, are in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, which simplifies research somewhat.  It also complicates research.  Where do I go to research?

I'd really not paid any attention at all to this name in the Holbrook tree, probably because I dreaded going into another state.  What I'm finding is that he has a story to tell, even if, as usual, the story begins "in the middle". 

It seems to be accepted that his father's name was William and his mother's name was Anne.  One William has been suggested as his father, born in 1578 in Dunnington, Lincolnshire, England.  I'm not willing to say for certain whether these folks were or were not his parents, so I have no additional information for Thomas as far as his English origins go. 

We do, however, know that he arrived at Roxbury, Massachusetts Bay Colony during the "Great Migration", which means his life in America has been researched. He arrived in the Colonies in 1633 and was made a freeman Maaay 14, 1634.  It seems that he came to America with his wife, Anne, who may have been Anne Frieston, and three children.  Humfrey, Samuel, and Joshua were on the ship with him and daughters Deborah and then Lidia were born during the Roxbury years. 

The family lost their home and all their belongings in a house fire, apparently while they will lived in Roxbury.  Thomas and family left Roxbury in 1638 and helped establish and then settle the town which became known as Exeter. Thomas left Roxbury with Rev. John Wheelwright, who had been excommunicated because he espoused some of the same doctrines as his sister in law, Anne Hutchinson.  Thomas was also ex-communicated by the church in Roxbury, but later repented of his "heresies" and was accepted back into the church.

Thomas was a miller, or a millwright, or both.  He built the first grist mill in Exeter, on land that was given him on an island in the river, and built at least one bridge so that people could more easily bring their grain to him to be ground.  He was "ruler", or head of the town civil government, in 1642 but died by September 20, 1643, when his will was proved.  His widow was to be provided for during the time of her widowhood, and the younger children were to receive 10 pounds each at the age of 21 or at their marriage.  Oldest son Humfrey was to receive the land and house, (he also took over the mill).  From this, he must have been at least 21 at the time, and some have drawn the conclusion that Humfrey was a son of an earlier marariage.  It's possible, but there is no evidence one way or the other.

His widow remarried in 1644, to John Legat or Leggett, so the youngest children grew up with a step-father.

Thomas is interesting, not just because he went to New Hampshire, but because he seems to have been a true seeker of God, and eventually decided that the Puritan church was the best church.  Generally when one was ex-communicated, the social pressure was intense to return to the church, but Thomas seems to have had a genuine change of heart.  He was also a clever man, to build and operate a grist mill in the wilderness that was Exeter.  And he was brave, because this was wilderness and the native tribes may not have taken well to the sale of their lands for the purpose of building a town.

The line of descent is:

Thomas Wilson-Anne
Deborah Wilson-John Warren
Mary Warren-John Burr
Mary Burr-Thomas Marsh
Deborah Marsh-Isaac Lazell
Deborah Lazell-Levi Rockwood
Susannah Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants