Daniel THURSTON (1631 – 1693) was Alex’s 10th Great Grandfather, He is one of 2,048 in this generation of the Shaw line.

Daniel Thurston – Coat of Arms

Daniel Thurston (the Kinsman, see below) was born in 5 May 1631 in Cranbrook, Kent, England. His parents were Robert THURSTON and Martha [__?__].  His uncle arrived in Newbury around 1638.   He married Ann PELL on 20 Oct 1655 in Newbury Mass.  Daniel died 19 Feb 1693 in Newbury, Mass.

Daniel Thurston – Memorial Burying Ground of the First Settlers Newbury MA

Alternatively, he was  born Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England and was the son of Daniel or Stephen THURSTON

Daniel’s uncle Daniel Thurston was born about 1590 in Gloucestershire, England. His parents were Fadanbro Thurston and [_?__]. He married 29 Aug 1648 – Newburyport, Essex, Mass to Ann Lightfoot. Daniel died 1665 – Newbury, Essex, Mass. Some sources say Ann Lightfoot’s husband was Robert Thurston and others say Nathaniel Thurston.

Ann Pell was born in 1635 in Lynn, Mass. Her parents were Joseph PELL and Elizabeth JAMES. Ann died in Newbury after 1692.

Children of Daniel and Ann:

Daniel was a trooper in Captain Appleton’s company, and was paid £4., 10s., June 24, 1676.

There were two early settlers in Newbury named Daniel Thurston.  It is likely they were nephew and uncle.  One came to Newbury in or prior to 1638 because in the town record this entry appears : ”24 Nov., 1638, there was granted unto Daniel Thurston an house lot on the Neck over the great river of four acres next to John Osgood.”

Savage says that Daniel Thurston, the uncle, married on the 29th day of August, 1648,  Ann Lightfoot, the widow of Francis Lightfoot, of the town of Lynn, as his second wife, his first wife having died May 20, 1648. As this couple had no children they probably adopted the nephew Daniel junior, to whom the elder Daniel by his will, in 1665, left his estate after the death of his wife, calling him in the will my “kinsman.”

We know that the relation of nephew and uncle subsisted between these two Daniels from a petition relating to the militia, to which petition objection was made that some who signed it were boys. The petition objection notes ” Young Daniel Thurston is under his uncle.” which fully establishes that relationship because there were no others of the name of Thurston at that time in the town of Newbury.  Daniel Thurston “the kinsman,” first appears from the town records of Newbury, married 20 Oct 1655, to Ann Pell, supposed by Savage to have been a daughter of Joseph Pell, of the town of Lynn, from which town,  Daniel the elder married his wife, Ann Lightfoot, a circumstance which adds probability to Savage’s conjecture.

Three English emigrants named Thurston:  Edward, John, and Daniel, arrived in Massachusetts between 1635, the first year of the settlement ot Newbery, and 1647, the year in which Edward married the Quakeress Elizabeth, the daughter of Adam Mott, who was six years old when she came with her father from  Cambridge, England. Edward Thurston was born in 1617. He married Elizabeth Mott, daughter of Adam Mott and Sarah Lott, in June 1647.   Edward Thurston died in March 1707 at Newport, Rhode Island. Edward Thurston marriage to Elizabeth was the third marriage on the record of the Society of Friends in Newport. He was a freeman in 1655, a commissioner and assistant deputy 1663 to 1690. On Aug 26, 1686 he, with others, signed an address from the Quakers of Rhode Island to the King.

We don’t know that these three Thurstons bore were related to each other, much less that they were the traditional “three brothers,” although there is a probability that John and Daniel may have been related.

Daniel bequeathed to his son James his pistols and his “houlsters”, to his son Joseph a gun and to his son Steven  his carbine.

The Newbury Thurstons perhaps were weavers, for the “kinsman ” bequeathed in his will to his sons Joseph and Steven “looms and the tackling belonging to the same.” The kinsman was also a military man. He bequeathed to his son James his pistols and his “houlsters”, to his son Joseph a gun and to his son Steven  his carbine. He was a soldier in King Philip’s war in 1675, a trooper in Capt. Appleton’s  company. Eight of the “kinsman’s” descendants were soldiers in all the various wars prior to Revolution.  Sgt. Oliver Thurston was with Sullivan in his  expedition asainst the six nations, and was wounded at the battle of Newtown.

Will of Daniel Thurston – It  looks like our ancestor Hannah got five shillings while her sibblings all got at least thirty pounds in Cattell (Cattle I presume) because she had borrowed money from her father in the past.  Why was this document scorched as if it had been in a fire before being consumed?

Be it known to all men by these presents that I, Daniel Thurston, Sen, of Newberry in the county of Essex in New England, being weak of body, but of perfect memory, doe hereby make my last will and testament.
Commending my soul to God and my body when it shall depart this life to decent buriall in an assured hope of a blessed resurrection. And for my worldly goods which God of his mercy hath given me I dispose of as followeth, viz. :
I have by deed of gift under my hand and seale made over to my sonne Daniel Thurston one-half of my lands and meadow that I have in the town of Newberry known by the name of Rake Lott, which was done upon his marriage , with all priviledges and appurtenances yerto belonging, and I doe now make over to my sonne Daniel Thurstain All my buildings with the other half of my lands and meadows with priviledges and appurtenances yrto belonging on conditions as follows:
First. That he, my said sonne Daniel, and his heirs Doth take care of and provide comfortably for his mother soe long as She shall remain my widow.
Secondly. I do oblidge my son Daniel to pay my daughter Sarah the sum of thirty pounds in Cattell within two years after my decease.
Thirdly. I doe oblidge my sonne Daniel to pay my sonne Joseph the sum of thirty pounds Cattell within fower yeares after my decease.
Fourthly. I doe oblidge my sonne Daniel to pay my sonne Steven the sum of thirty pounds in Cattell Five years after my decease.
Fifthly. I oblidge my sonne Daniel to pay my daughter Abigail the sum of thirty pounds in cattell within eight years after my decease.

Item. I also give and bequeath to my sonne James a parcel of land lying in Newberry known by the name of my Rake Lott with all my pistols and houlsters, which is held in full of his portion.
Item. I also give to my sonne Joseph a pr of loomms with the tackling belonging to them and also a cowe and a gun.
Item. I give to my son Steven a pair of loomms and my carbine.
Item. I doe also give to my daughter Hannah five shillings which is to be with what I have before given her in full of her portion.
Item. I give to my daughter Sarah fiveteen pounds which she shall have out of my household good which is to be in full of her portion.
Item. I doe also leave all the rest of my moveable estate in my sonne Daniel’s hands, except a fether bed and furniture belonging to it and to the value of other five pounds in other household stuff, which I do leave my beloved wife to make use of during her life.
And I give to my son Daniel full power as administrator to recieve all my debts due to me by bills or otherwise. And I doe also order him, my said sonne Daniel, to pay for my funerall expenses and also pay all my lawful debts which he is to do out of my moveable estate. And if there be any overplus the rest of it is to be divided amongst four of my children, viz., Joseph, Stephen, Sarah, and Abigail. But if it soe fall y yer be not enough of my moveable estate to pay all my lawfull debts then I order that my son Daniel shall be abated so much of the hundred and twenty pounds which he was to pay to his brothers and sisters above mentioned as will discharge the reaminder of my debts, and my four children, Joseph, Steven, Sarah, and Abigail, shall beare it equally among them, and I doe desire my loving friends John Poore, Henry Poore, to be overseers of this my last will and testament. I hereby revoking all former will of myne. In confirmation of what is before written as my last will and testat., I have hereunto set my hand and seale the 17 day of January 1692-3. The mark of Daniel Thurston.
Signed, sealed, and declared in ye presence of John Poor, Thomas Hale. The Mark of Stephen Thurston.

“Note: I have inspected the original document in the probate office in Salem, and it is scorched as though it had been thrown in the fire and rescued from flame before being consumed. It is mere conjecture that this was done, and that the addendum following, was made to appease somebody who was dissatisfied with the first part of the will. – A.S. Thurston.”

For some addition to what is above written, Whereas it is expected that my beloved wife shall haive a feather bed and furniture and five pound more out of the house during life and also that my daughter Sarah shall have fourteen pound out of the household stuff, And whereas I left the rest of my moveables within doors to my son Daniel, My will now is that after my daughter Sarah shall have had her fiveteen and my beloved wife her bed with furniture and her five pounds that then what is left of my moveable estate within doors shall be equally divided between my daughters Sarah and Abigail and prized to them as part of their thirty pounds apeace, and so much as it amounts to shall be taken off from the sixty pounds in Cattell which my son Daniel was to pay to them. And my will is that my son Daniel shall pay all abatement of said sixty pounds to my two sons Joseph and Stephen. And whereas it is above provided that if my moveable estate without doors will not pay all of my lawfull debts, that then my son Daniel shall be abated so much of the hundred and twenty pound which he was to pay his brothers and sisters as would discharge the remainder of my debt, and that my sons Joseph and Stephen and my two daughters Sarah and Abigail should bear it equally between them, My will now is y if my moveable estate without doors will not discharge all my lawfull debts that then my said Daniel shall take out of what I ordered him to pay my two sons Joseph and Stephen soe much as will dishcarge the reaminder of my engagements.
And Whereas I have given to my beloved wife a bed with furniture and five pounds more out of the house which she is to have during her life, my will is that at her decease it shall be equally divided between my two daughters Sarah and Abigail. My will further is that whereas I did order my son Daniel to pay his brothers and sisters portions in Cattell, my will is that it shall be paid in neat cattell under seven years old.
As witness my hand the 17 Jan 1692/93 The Mark and seal of Daniel Thurston.
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of us, John Poore, Thomas Hale. The Mark of Stephen Thurston.

Children

Reverse of Memorial – Children of Daniel Thurston

2. Hannah THURSTON (See Benjamin PEARSON‘s page)

3. Daniel Thurston

Daniel’s wife Mary Dresser was born 24 Dec 1667 in Rowley, Essex, Mass. Her parents were John Dresser and Martha Thorley. Her grandparents were our ancestors Richard THORLEY and Jane [__?__]. Mary died 7 Dec 1735 in Newbury, Essex, Mass

6. Joseph Thurston

Joseph’s first wife Mehitable Kimball was born Aug 1657 in Wenham, Essex, Mass. Mehitable died before 25 Aug 1707 in Bradford, Essex, Mass.

Joseph’s second wife Elizabeth Woodbury was born 3 Apr 1670 in Ipswich, Essex, Mass. Her parents were John Woodbury and Elizabeth Tenney.

8. James Thurston

James’ wife Mary Pearson was born 27 Oct 1671 in Rowley, Essex, Mass. Mary died in 1702

10. Stephen Thurston

Steven’s wife Mary Knight was born 1686 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. Her parents were John Knight and Rebecca Noyes. Mary died 13 Mar 1754 in Stratham, Rockingham, New Hampshire

11. Abigail Thurston

Abigail’s husband Joseph Chase was born 25 Mar 1677 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. His parents were Aquila Chase 3rd & Hester (Esther) Bond.  His grandparents were Aquila Chase 2nd & Ann Wheeler and his great grandparents were our ancestors Aquila CHASE and Martha JELLIMAN.  Joseph died 1763 in Littleton, Mass

Sources:

http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/b_t.htm

http://helenesgenes.com/Thurston.html

http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/brown-thurston/thurston-genealogies-ruh/page-3-thurston-genealogies-ruh.shtml – 1887