Thomas FLEGG, Sr ^{1 2}

   Another name for Thomas was FLAGG.

   User ID: 4800.

   General Notes:

Immigrated 1637 Scratby England> Watertown MA "John & Dorothy". Founder of the American branch known as the FLAGG family, Freeman 1674, Released from Training 5 Apr 1681, Selectman Watertown 1671, '74-76, '78, '81, '85, and '87.

NAME
Family name changed FLEGG (England) > FLAGG (America)

BOOK
A Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New England, John Farmer, Genealogical Publishing Co, Lancaster MA 1829, p108: GERSHAM (sic) FLAGG, Massachusetts, admittted freeman 1674. There had been 10 graduates of this name at the NE colleges in 1828. Thomas, Watertown 1644. Son John born 1643. This and the preceding is spelled "Fleg" (sic).

FAMILY RECORDS of the Descendants of GERSHOM FLAGG [Born 1730] of Lancaster Massahusettes (sic) with Other Genealogical Records of THE FLAGG FAMILY Descended from THOMAS FLEGG OF WATERTOWN MASS and Including THE FLEGG LINEAGE IN ENGLAND Compiled and Published by Norman Gersom Flagg and Lucius C S Flagg 1907
Chapter II William Flegg and Descendants in England 1426-1637
pg 15 The son,
John Flegg of Whinbergh and Edlings Close, in Yaxham, county Norfolk, by his will, dated 3 Sep 1613, and proved in Norwich 16 Feb 1617, gave his close called 'Edlings' in Yaxham, to his three children, Allan, Bartholemew and Rebecca; also special legacies to Rebecca and nephew, Edward Bennington; 'All other goods' to Allan and Bartholemew. His son Bartholemew was executor. He married Aveline, widow of J Robinson and daughter of ---- Bennington, and had issue,
(1.) Allan of Shipdham, who by Alicia his wife had issue,
(a.) Elizabeth, baptized 1598.
(b.) Allan, baptized 1610.
(2.) Bartholemew, of whom presently
(3.) Rebecca...
...Bartholemew Flegg of Whinbergh and Shipdham, county of Norfolk, by Alicia, his wife, left issue,
(a.) Samuel, baptized at Whinbergh, 1613.
(b.) Thomas, of whom presently.
(c.) Francis, baptized at Whinbergh, 1617.
(d.) John, baptized at Whinbergh, 1620.
The second son, Thomas Flegg, baptized at Whinbergh, 1615, sailed for America in 1637, when twenty-one years of age, and settled in New England at Watertown, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. He was the founder of the American branch known as the FLAGG family.
Chapter III.
The Flagg Lineage from Thomas Flegg of Watertown, Mass, to Gershom Flagg (Born 1730) of Lancaster, Mass 1637-1758
The Genealogical dictionary of New England Settlers states that 'Thomas Flegg of Watertown (Mass) came as servant of Richard Carver from Scratby in the hundred of East Flegg, Co Norfolk, a few miles north of Yarmouth, where they emigrated in 1637.'
So his descendants must not claim that their ancestor came over in the Mayflower, neither will they claim that he was driven from England by the religious persecutions of the times. For, if the family tradition is correct, a love affair brought Thomas Flegg to New England. In the words of our kinsman Charles A Flagg of the Library of Congress, Washington,
'The tradition of Thomas is that he loved a girl in station below his own; their union was opposed by his family, so they decided to emigrate and did so, coming in two vessels which sailed in company, and marrying soon after arrival. We do not know the maiden name of the wife Mary, nor the date of the marriage.
'The record in Hotten gives Thomas Flegg as servant of Richard Carver. That he was not a servant in the usual meaning of the word is sufficiently attested by appearing in Watertown very soon after as a landowner, and later serving as Selectman. This was a post of real honor in the early days, and the social distinctions were carefully observed. A more careful investigation than I have ever found time to make would probably show that Flegg's relation to Carver was for the voyage only, and was necessitated by some English law requiring that unmarried men below a certain age could not leave the country unless in the train of some man of family.
'At all events, I am told by those who have examined the Watertown records that Thomas was not a very good Puritan, that he fell under church discipline more than once, so whatever the cause of his emigrating, it evidently was not for conscience's sake.'
We find further in Dr Bond's History of Watertown Mass, p219 that 'Thomas Flegg settled in Watertown as early as 1641, and was probably the ancestor of all families bearing that name in this country. He was Selectman 1671, '74-76, '78, '81, '85, and '87. He lost his left eye by a gunshot accident previous to 1659.'
Thomas Flegg was a son of Bartholomew Flegg, as mentioned in the previous chapter, and was baptised in 1615. Leaving Scratby, England in 1637, he sailed in either the 'ROSE' or the 'JOHN & DOROTHY'- the two ships sailing in company.
From manuscript preserved in the State Paper department of His Majesty's Public Record Office, England:
'A Register of persons about to pass into forraigne parts. AD 1637. 13 Charles I These people went to New England with William Andrews of Ipswich, Mr (Master) of the John and Dorothy of Ipswich and with William Andrews, his son, Mr of the Rose, of Yarmouth.
'11 Apr 1637. The examination of Richard Carucar, of Strathby, in the County of Norfolk, husbandman, aged 69 years, and Grace, his wife, aged 49 years, with two children, Elizabeth aged 18 years, and Susanna aged 18 years, being twynnes.
'Mor 3 servants, Isaace Hartt aged 22 years, and Thomas Flege (sic) aged 21 years, and one Marable Underwood, a mayd servant aged 20 years; goes all for New England, to inhabitt and remaine.'
Whether this 'Marable Underwood' is the 'Mary', who married Thomas Flegg soon after his arrival in Massachusetts is a matter of conjecture; for Thomas' sweetheart may have crossed the ocian in the other ship, or may not have been in Carver's family, if on the same vessel. Dr Bond's History of Watertown states that Mary, wife of Thomas Flegg was born 1619, which wwould make here two years younger than 'Marable' was said to be.
As to the location of Thomas Flegg's real estate holdings in Massachusetts, we find in Dr Bond's History of Watertown- 'Thomas Flagg (Flegg) of Watertown, as early as 1641; died 1698; proprietor of two lots in 1644, one of which was the great Dividend lot of 20 acres granted to John Rose; the other a homestall of 6 acres, bounded S by Main St, W by E How, N by J Bemis, E by R Harrinton.' And on page 1092- 'The next west of Harrington was the 6 acre homestall of Thomas Flagg (Flegg), and it was probably his permanent residence. He was not the original grantee of it, nor do the records how to whom it was granted.' A map of the original allotments of land in Watertown is included in the History above quoted, and shows that Thomas Flegg's homestall of six acres was in the extreme south-west part of Watertown, one-hal mile north of the Charles river and almost adjoining the town of Waltham being on the 'Sudbury road', now Main St.
Thomas Flegg was never admitted 'freeman', but was 'released from training Apr 165-, by paying the co 5s per annum, and was fully released therefrom by the Court 5 Apr 1681, when his eldest son was 40 yrs old.' He died 6 Feb 1698 and was probably buried in 'The Old Graveyard of Watertown,' situated at the SE corner of Mt Auburn St and Grove St , that being the only cemeterey in the vicinity of Watertown until 1704 (see Hist of Watertown, p 1043).
The will of Thomas Flegg, dated 5 Mar 1697 and proved 16 Feb 1698, mentions only a part of his children, namely, the sons Thomas, Michael, Allen and Benjamin, and the daughter Rebecca Cook (the eldest son Gershom was already dead). The will of his wife Mary, dated 30 Dec 1702 (the year preceding her death) mentions only the son Benjamin and the daughters Mary Bigelow, Elizabeth Bigelow, and Rebecca Cook, Samuel Bigelow being executor.
Eleven children were born to Thomas and Mary Flegg, the eldest being Gershom, with whose descendants this Record is particularly concerned.
(See Chapter VII for complete list of Thomas Flegg's children and for explanation of change of spelling the name, Flegg-Flagg.)

INTERNET
Ancestry.com 20 Jul 2000
Ancestry World Chart, Ancestors of Earl Randolph GERTZ c1925, File Name 147139, Seanandnikki@email.msn.com

Ancestry.com 20 Jul 2000
Ancestry World Chart, Ancestors of Eugene Worth GRAVES c1903, File Name 117205, Ayres@prodigy.net: Born Winberg, Died 1697. Parents Allen FLEGG/FLAGG (Abt 1578-1632) and Nazareth Elizabeth DEVOROYS (1586- ).

Ancestry.com 13 Aug 2000
Database: THE PIONEERS OF MASSACHUSETTS,
Thomas, ae. 21, came in April, 1637, as servant of Richard Carver. Settled at Watertown; yeoman, lieut., propr., town officer. He petitioned 4 (2) 1659, concerning the loss of his left eye by a gun. [Mdx. Files.] Wife Mary deposed in 1657, ae. about 38 years; ch. Gershom b. April 16, 1641, John b. June 14, 1643, Bartholomew b. Feb. 23, 1644, Thomas b. April 28, 1645, Michael b. March 23, 1650-1, Eleazer b. May 14, 1653, Elizabeth b. 22 (1) 1654-5, Mary b. Jan. 14, 1657, Rebecca b. 5 (7) 1660, Benjamin b. June 25, 1662, Allen b. May 16, 1665. He d. Feb. 6, 1697-8. Will dated 5 March, 1697, prob. Feb. 16, 1697-8, beq. to wife Mary, sons Michael, Thomas, Eleazer, Allen and Benjamin, daus. Mary and Elizabeth Bige-low and Rebecca Cooke; to gr. ch. John F., and the heirs of dec. son Gershom. The widow's will, prob. April 21, 1703, names ch. Mary and Elizabeth Bigelow, Rebecca Cook, and Benjamin F.

Http://www.ooten.com/famtree/wga11.html#l1168.

   Events:

1. Immigration; Apr 1637, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. "John & Dorothy" from Scratby England.

2. Selectman; 1671-1687, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. 1671, '74-76, '78, '81, '85, and '87.

3. Freeman; 1674, , , Massachusetts, USA.

4. Will Proved; 16 Feb 1697/98, Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Mentions only part of his children: sons Thomas, Michael, Allen, and Benjamin (Gershom already dead), and daughter Rebecca Cook.

   Marriage Information:

Thomas married Mary GERSHOM after 1637 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. (Mary GERSHOM was born in 1619 in Norfolk, Norfolk, England ^{1 2} and died about 30 Dec 1702 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA ^{1 2}.)