Thomas Pope 1670

• Birth: 26 Nov 1670
• Immigration:
• Marriage:
  • 2 Jan 1705, Margaret Downing
  • by 1727, Mercy
• Death:
• Burial:

A History of the Dorchester Pope Family

A History of the Dorchester Pope Family, published 1888

p. 91 - Father Thomas, the oldest son of "John Pope, jr.," [aka naughty John] had but one son of whose marriage we have evidence... Married 1669-70 to Elizabeth dau. of Henry Merrifield, bapt. 16 April 1649.

They note that he signed a petition to King Charles II "on the threshold of majority" (1664). He was chosen as a fence-viewer about the time of his marriage.

In 1675, he was given permission to cut railes from the town lands, and in 1679 he was permitted to cut sufficient timber to build a 18 ft x 16 ft house, but he was needy enough to participate in the legacy of Jane Burges.

Several children had been born by this point, when their mother died, date unknown. He married Margaret Long 18 Nov 1881.

In 1683, he was engaged in settling his local debts in order to get permission to emigrate. He moved to the Connecticut (river?) valley and live for some years. Suffield records the death of a John Pope on 20 Aug 1683, presumably the first child by his 2nd wife. Mindwell, dau. was also born here in 1687. However, a year later they are in Springfield where Margaret's death was recorded for 28 Dec. 1688.

In 1739, "Thomas Pope of Haverhill yeoman" conveyed 1/4 part of the land laid out by Dorchester and Stoughton in "the right of his late Father Thomas Pope deceased"... and 1/12th of the land that was laid out to "Henry Merrifield deceased (grandfather by the Mother's side unto the said Thomas Pope)."

Children by Margaret Downing, married 1705:

• Thomas, baptized 28 October 1705, married Hannah Austin of Methuen on 14 October 1742.
• Margaret, baptized as an adult in Boston, 30 Oct 1719

Children by Mercy:

• Elizabeth, joined 2nd Church, Gloucester 1737
• Margaret, ditto

In 1740-1, Mercy Pope's membership was transferred to Haverhill, although Elizabeth Pope stayed behind to get married to David Haskell on Jan. 15th.

In 1741, the boundary between Massachusetts and New Hampshire was set, and passed through Haverhill with Thomas Pope finding himself on the New Hampshire side. This town came to be known as Plaistow, NH.