Thomas Gleason, Jr. was born 3 September 1609 in Cockfield, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom to Thomas Gleason (-1610) and Ann Armesby (1572-1624) and died 1686 Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States of unspecified causes. He married Susanna Page (1611-1691) 31 July 1634 in Sulgrave, Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom.
Biography
"Thomas Gleason, our immigrant ancestor, was probably born in 1607 in Northants, Northampton County, according to one writer. The fact that he married Susanna Page and the Pages were numerous in Northants is probably one reason for this belief. It is not known just when Thomas came to this country. His name appears first among those taking the oath of allegiance in Watertown, Mass., on June 1, 1652. However, he was in Watertown before 1642 when a child was born there. He was living in Cambridge in 1657 and in 1658 he removed to Charlestown."
"On Dec. 3, 1658 he leased from a Capt. Scarlett, a portion of the Squa Sachem lands. One writer calls Squa Sachem the 'Queen of the Massachusetts Indians.' In 1639 Squa Sachem had deeded to the town of Charlestown, her land lying in what is now Medford, reserving to herself certain tracts on the west side of Mystic Pond. In her will she bequeathed all her property to certain prominent citizens, among whom were Gov. John Winthrop and Edward Gibbons. The latter secured possession of the lands on the west side of Mystic Pond, and this was the land subsequently leased to Thomas Gleason. Soon after the lease was made a question arose as to the rightful ownership of the land and in March, 1662, the town of Charlestown instituted a suit against Thomas Gleason for the purpose of obtaining possession. All of Thomas' resources were swallowed up in the litigation and the case was still unsettled when he died in the spring of 1686."
"Little is really known about Thomas, but it seems that he was of a somewhat arbitrary disposition which not infrequently got him into trouble with the town authorities over minor matters of conduct." Thomas and Susanna were the parents of nine children: Thomas 1637-1705, Joseph 1642-?, John 1647-?, Philip 1649-?, Nathaniel 1651-?, Isaac 1654-?, William 1655-?, Mary 1657-?, and Ann 1659-?. "This name has appeared with many spellings, such as Gleson, Gleeson, Glezon, Gleazon, but most frequently as Gleason. Historians believe, however, that the name in England was Leeson, as it invariably appears there without the letter 'G'. A rather numerous family of that name lived in Northampton County. This, coupled with the fact that in the earliest records in New England the name appears as Leson and Leason, affords grounds for belief that the immigrant, Thomas, was a descendant of the Leesons of Northampton. This belief is strengthened by the similarity of Christian names used by the English family and the early generations in New England."
Source: "HOPKINSON AND ALLIED FAMILIES, Ancestors and Descendants of Junius Greeley Hopkinson and Perry Hopkinson and their wives Jeanette Eveland and Lois Amanda Moffett", Co-authors Laura Huffman, Aura M. and Alsey E. Hopkinson, 1965, hardcover, publisher not noted
Children
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Thomas Gleason (1637-1705) | |||
Susanna Gleason (1639-1693) | 1639 Sulgrave, Northamptonshire, England | 26 September 1693 Sherborn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts | Thomas Pratt (1622-1676) |
Joseph Gleason (1642-1715) | |||
Frances Gleason (1643-1644) | |||
John Gleason (1647-1689) | 1647 Worcester County, Massachusetts | 1689 Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts | Mary Ross (1656-1688) |
Philip Gleason (1649-1689) | |||
Nathaniel Gleason (1651-1676) | |||
Isaac Gleason (1654-1698) | |||
William Gleason (1655-1690) | |||
Mary Gleason (1657-1711) | |||
Ann Gleason (1659-1741) |
Siblings
Residences
References