Doreen,
My Thomas Caswell was from England - his first son was John Caswell b. 1656
Taunton, Bristol County, MA - married to Elizabeth Hall. He also had a son
named Thomas but I don't remember when/where he was born.
Thomas Caswell & Mary ?
John Caswell & Elizabeth Hall
Notes for John Caswell:
John and Elizabeth lived in that part of Taunton which became Norton in
1711. His estate was appraised on 20 Mar. 1713/1714. He was the son of
Thomas Caswell, a pioneer settler of Taunton, and his wife Mary. On a list
of Taunton inhabitants dated 1681, his name appears. His name also appears,
along with the names of his father and of his brothers, Stephen, Thomas, and
Peter, on a rate list made 16 October 1683 to defray the cost of plastering
the meeting house (Town of Taunton Records 1642-1816). In his first land
transaction, on 1 June 1685, he was deeded land by his father-in-law and
mother-in-law when they sold him, for a "valuable sum," part of the Great
Lot, so called, which formerly belonged to George Hall, deceased (Bristol
County Deeds 8:296-297). On 23 March 1691/92, Thomas Hall, for fatherly
love, deeded two acres of land in Taunton on both sides of a run of water
called "Pools Brook" to his son John (ibid., 2:38-39). Other land
transactions are on record.
A picturesque anecdote has been preserved in the account book of Thomas
Leonard of Taunton, who was a Justice of the Peace there and who heard minor
court cases. The story is as follows, verbatim: "May the first 1699 John
Caswel was Convicted before Thomas Leonard Justice of suffering musick &
dancing in his house the Evining before being the Evining after the Lords
day and Ebenezer hall and Thomas Caswel Junior were then also convicted of
Dancing at said place on said Evining all by their own Confession and partly
by the sight and hearing of said Justice and the Information of Elisabeth
the wife of John caswel & Sarah hall for which said John caswell and
Ebenezer hall and Thomas Caswell were sentenced to pay each of them a fine
of five shillings. Ebenezer hall paid then. John Caswel promised to pay: &
Thomas Caswel Senior promised to pay for his son" (The Thomas Leonard
Account Book. Manuscript, Old Colony Historical Society, Taunton, Mass., Box
51; n.p., n.d.).
John Caswell did not make a will or testementary deed. Administration of
his estate was granted to his widow. (More detailed information can be
obtained from Gerald E. Sherard, 429 South Moore Street, Lakewood, CO
80226-2629 as of 7 April 1994.)
Of note, in 1883, an Alvaris Caswell, at the age of 84, was living on a
portion of the estate in Norton which was owned by his ancestors. His twin
brother Alexis Caswell was a professor and president of Brown University in
1868-1872 and was a distinguished scholar and scientist. Alexis was born in
Taunton 29 Jan 1799.
* Change Date: 14 Nov 1999 at 00:00:00
Marriage 1 Elizabeth Hall b. 28 Oct 1670 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA
* Divorced: Y
* Married: 16 Mar 1688/1689 in Taunton, Bristol Co., MA
Thomas Caswell married Mary ?
John Caswell married Elizabeth Hall
John Caswell II married Hannah Hoar
John Caswell III married Mary (Mercy) Tiffany
Beal Caswell married Patricia Newland
Anna Caswell married David Herrick
Rosalba Caswell Herrick married Phineas Moore Martin
Lucy Lovica Martin married Nathaniel Martin, Jr. (they were first cousins)
Emma Maria Martin married William H. Welch
George Francis Welch married Genevieve Lynch
Colleen Welch married William R. Wilcox