William Chase
"America's First Ancestor"
William Chase was born in 1595 in Hundrick Parish, Chesham, Buckingham, England. He was christened at Rogate Parish in Suffex, England. It is believed that his parents were Aquila Chase and Sarah Jelliman, but others say his parents were Robert Chase (1565-1601) and Jean Tokefield (1565-1591). He married Mary Townley before 1621 in England. William, Mary and their son, William Jr., emigrated to Roxbury, Massachusetts with Govenor Winthrop during the Great Migration in 1630.
Mary Townley was born on March 5, 1603 in Norfolk, England. Her parents were John Townley and Mary (Marjerie?). She and William had two children- William and Mary. There was a sixteen year gap between the births of her children William and Mary because she was “much afflicted by a long and tedious affliction. She had a paralytic humor which fell into her backbone, so that she could not stir her body, but as she was lifted, and filled her with great torture, & caused her backbone to go out of joint, & bunch out from the beginning to the end of which infirmity she lay 4 years & a half, & a great part of the time a sad spectacle of misery. But it pleased God to raise her again, & she bore children after it”. Mary died on 6 Oct 1659 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, MA. William remarried to Philippa Sherman in 1673 in Freetown, Massachusetts and had a son, Benjamin, in 1640 in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Benjamin passed away on February 27, 1686.
William’s father Aquila Chase was born on August 14, 1580 in Hundrich, Chesam, Buckingham, England. He married Sarah Jelliman (JELLIS N) on June 11, 1606 in Of Chesham, Buckingham, Aquila died on August 29, 1670 in St Nicholas Cole, Abby, Chesham, England. He was buried on February 9, 1643 in St. Nic Col Aby, London, London, England. William’s mother Sarah Jelliman(JELLIS N) was born on November 10, 1588 in Hundrich, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England. She was christened on November 10, 1588 in , St. Thomas, London, England. She died on Aug ust 15, 1643 in England. She was buried on Aug ust 15,1643 in St.Nich.Coleabby, Chesham, Bucks, England. Mary's father, John Townley was born in about 1576 in Norfolk, England.
William Chase requested to be a Freeman on October 19, 1630 and was admittied on May 14, 1634. William was admitted to Roxbury as a member of the church. In 1638, William leaves Roxbury and goes to Yarmouth, Massachusetts.
He worked as a houseright (carpenter).
(On 25 November 1639 Thomas Starr of Duxbury sold to Andrew Hellot of Plymouth a house and land in Yarmouth, and as part of the agreement stated that “The frame of the said house is to be made & set up with a chimney and to be thatched, studded and lathed (daubing excepted) by Will[ia]m Chase” )
He was also the Yarmouth constable on March 5, 1638/1639 and Yarmouth Surveyor of the high ways on June 3, 1657. He was also on the list of men able to bear guns in Yarmouth in 1634. On 8 June 1642, William Chase, in consideration of a debt of £5 which he owed to Mr. Stephen Hopkins, mortgaged to Hopkins “all that his house and lands in Yarmouth containing eight acres of upland and six acres more lying at the Stony Cove” As part of the settlement of disputes over Yarmouth land, made on 14 May 1648, it was ordered that “Mr. Hawes shall enjoy 8 acres of upland or thereabouts, in the West Field, which he bought of Goodman Chase” and “there was granted also to John Darby to have six acres of meadow in the Easteren Swan Pond Meadowe, in lieu of 4 acres due to William Chase, for a debt the town owed him”. In October 1659 a coroner’s jury “having made search and inquiry, according to our best light and understanding, into the cause of the death of Mary Chase, viz: of our town of Yarmouth, do with joint consent present, the day and year abovesaid, that we can find no other but that she died a natural death through inward sickness, as is evident to all men naturally”. Late in his life William Chase was frequently associated with Robert Dennis and his wife Mary. On October 3, 1654 Robert Dennis acted “in the behalf of William Chase” in settling a debt. Mary Dennis witnessed the will of William Chase, Robert Dennis was one of the appraisers of the estate, and Robert Dennis was ordered to divide the estate. This is merely suggestive, and may only reflect a friendship developed after having resided for several years in Yarmouth. William Chase’s appearance as constable of Yarmouth on March 5, 1638/9 implies that he had settled there in 1638 as one of the earliest inhabitants. Eliot’s use of the word “intending” to describe the move to Scituate suggests that he was joining with Reverend John LOTRHOP and his party, who were at that same time making the move to Barnstable, as further evidenced by the burial of his daughter Mary at Barnstable, entered in Lothrop’s records.
Mary Townley was born on March 5, 1603 in Norfolk, England. Her parents were John Townley and Mary (Marjerie?). She and William had two children- William and Mary. There was a sixteen year gap between the births of her children William and Mary because she was “much afflicted by a long and tedious affliction. She had a paralytic humor which fell into her backbone, so that she could not stir her body, but as she was lifted, and filled her with great torture, & caused her backbone to go out of joint, & bunch out from the beginning to the end of which infirmity she lay 4 years & a half, & a great part of the time a sad spectacle of misery. But it pleased God to raise her again, & she bore children after it”. Mary died on 6 Oct 1659 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, MA. William remarried to Philippa Sherman in 1673 in Freetown, Massachusetts and had a son, Benjamin, in 1640 in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Benjamin passed away on February 27, 1686.
William’s father Aquila Chase was born on August 14, 1580 in Hundrich, Chesam, Buckingham, England. He married Sarah Jelliman (JELLIS N) on June 11, 1606 in Of Chesham, Buckingham, Aquila died on August 29, 1670 in St Nicholas Cole, Abby, Chesham, England. He was buried on February 9, 1643 in St. Nic Col Aby, London, London, England. William’s mother Sarah Jelliman(JELLIS N) was born on November 10, 1588 in Hundrich, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England. She was christened on November 10, 1588 in , St. Thomas, London, England. She died on Aug ust 15, 1643 in England. She was buried on Aug ust 15,1643 in St.Nich.Coleabby, Chesham, Bucks, England. Mary's father, John Townley was born in about 1576 in Norfolk, England.
William Chase requested to be a Freeman on October 19, 1630 and was admittied on May 14, 1634. William was admitted to Roxbury as a member of the church. In 1638, William leaves Roxbury and goes to Yarmouth, Massachusetts.
He worked as a houseright (carpenter).
(On 25 November 1639 Thomas Starr of Duxbury sold to Andrew Hellot of Plymouth a house and land in Yarmouth, and as part of the agreement stated that “The frame of the said house is to be made & set up with a chimney and to be thatched, studded and lathed (daubing excepted) by Will[ia]m Chase” )
He was also the Yarmouth constable on March 5, 1638/1639 and Yarmouth Surveyor of the high ways on June 3, 1657. He was also on the list of men able to bear guns in Yarmouth in 1634. On 8 June 1642, William Chase, in consideration of a debt of £5 which he owed to Mr. Stephen Hopkins, mortgaged to Hopkins “all that his house and lands in Yarmouth containing eight acres of upland and six acres more lying at the Stony Cove” As part of the settlement of disputes over Yarmouth land, made on 14 May 1648, it was ordered that “Mr. Hawes shall enjoy 8 acres of upland or thereabouts, in the West Field, which he bought of Goodman Chase” and “there was granted also to John Darby to have six acres of meadow in the Easteren Swan Pond Meadowe, in lieu of 4 acres due to William Chase, for a debt the town owed him”. In October 1659 a coroner’s jury “having made search and inquiry, according to our best light and understanding, into the cause of the death of Mary Chase, viz: of our town of Yarmouth, do with joint consent present, the day and year abovesaid, that we can find no other but that she died a natural death through inward sickness, as is evident to all men naturally”. Late in his life William Chase was frequently associated with Robert Dennis and his wife Mary. On October 3, 1654 Robert Dennis acted “in the behalf of William Chase” in settling a debt. Mary Dennis witnessed the will of William Chase, Robert Dennis was one of the appraisers of the estate, and Robert Dennis was ordered to divide the estate. This is merely suggestive, and may only reflect a friendship developed after having resided for several years in Yarmouth. William Chase’s appearance as constable of Yarmouth on March 5, 1638/9 implies that he had settled there in 1638 as one of the earliest inhabitants. Eliot’s use of the word “intending” to describe the move to Scituate suggests that he was joining with Reverend John LOTRHOP and his party, who were at that same time making the move to Barnstable, as further evidenced by the burial of his daughter Mary at Barnstable, entered in Lothrop’s records.
The Will of William Chase:
4 May 1659 Will
William Chase, of Yarmouth, the elder, being aged and sick in body, but of perfect memory, thanks be to the Lord, do make my last will and testament, as followeth: First, I give and bequeath unto my son Benjamin, after my decease, on heifer claf and two steer calves, of a year old and upwards; also I give to my son William, who hath had of me already a good portion, the sum of five shillings, to be paid in any good pay, if he demand it. All the rest of my goods, cattle and chattels, I give and bequeath unto Mary, my wife, together with this my dwelling house, the land and all the appurtenances thereunto belonging: as also half of my lot of land at the Bass pond, which I bought of William Palmer, a middle line made, and that half part next to Darbey’s I give unto her, Mary, my wife aforesaid, as also my orchard and land I bought of Goodman White, now in my possession, all unto her use and disposing during her natural life, if she continue a widow, and when she dies, to dispose oa third part of that estate God shall leave her, as she shall thing good; the other two parts to our son Benjamin’s part; but if it shall please God that she shall marry, my will is that she shall have a third part of that estate, and the other two parts to be to our son Benjamin aforesaid. Also I do make my wife Mary aforesaid, the executrix of this my last will and testament, and do appoint my neighbors Robert Dennis and Richard Taylor, tailor, overseers of this my last Will and Testament and have hereunto subscribed my hand this 4th day of May, 1659.
His William X Chase mark.
Witnesses hereunto,
Richard Hoar
Mary Dennis
These Witness deposed before me, Thomas Prince, Gou'r this 13th of May, 1659.
4 May 1659 Will
William Chase, of Yarmouth, the elder, being aged and sick in body, but of perfect memory, thanks be to the Lord, do make my last will and testament, as followeth: First, I give and bequeath unto my son Benjamin, after my decease, on heifer claf and two steer calves, of a year old and upwards; also I give to my son William, who hath had of me already a good portion, the sum of five shillings, to be paid in any good pay, if he demand it. All the rest of my goods, cattle and chattels, I give and bequeath unto Mary, my wife, together with this my dwelling house, the land and all the appurtenances thereunto belonging: as also half of my lot of land at the Bass pond, which I bought of William Palmer, a middle line made, and that half part next to Darbey’s I give unto her, Mary, my wife aforesaid, as also my orchard and land I bought of Goodman White, now in my possession, all unto her use and disposing during her natural life, if she continue a widow, and when she dies, to dispose oa third part of that estate God shall leave her, as she shall thing good; the other two parts to our son Benjamin’s part; but if it shall please God that she shall marry, my will is that she shall have a third part of that estate, and the other two parts to be to our son Benjamin aforesaid. Also I do make my wife Mary aforesaid, the executrix of this my last will and testament, and do appoint my neighbors Robert Dennis and Richard Taylor, tailor, overseers of this my last Will and Testament and have hereunto subscribed my hand this 4th day of May, 1659.
His William X Chase mark.
Witnesses hereunto,
Richard Hoar
Mary Dennis
These Witness deposed before me, Thomas Prince, Gou'r this 13th of May, 1659.
Above: William Chase First American Ancestor. Born 1595-Died 1659. Served in Narragansett War 1644. John Chase Born 1735. Served in French and Indian War 1760. Died While Crossing the Deleware River with George Washington at the Battle of Trenton.
Location:Baptist Church Cemetery, West Harwich, Massachusetts, USA
Location:Baptist Church Cemetery, West Harwich, Massachusetts, USA