Weymouth New England Genealogy

Thomas Hartshorn (or Hartshorne) arrived about 1636-38 byunknown passage, and settled in Lynn by 1638. Some suggest thathe was of Reading, Berkshire, England but parish records therelist none of that sumame. More probably he was from an areabetween Derby and Leicestershire. A tailor, Thomas was living inReading in 1639, five years before its incorporation in 1644."About 1640 settled on Elm Street. The old Thomas Hartshornplace remained two hundred years in the family." [From LilyEaton, History of Reading] Arnold's history [James N. Arnold:The Arnold Genealogy] also states that a house on a hill wasoccupied by two Hartshornes who kept tavern, that Reading had 59houses in 1667, including those of Daniel Hartshorn and ThomasHartshorn. Probably the name Daniel is a misreading, and Thomasand one of his sons is meant. No other suggestion has been foundthat any other Hartshorn besides Thomas and Susanna were amongthe first settlers of Reading. Thomas was recorded as freeman 10May 1648. A member in full of First Church 29 Sep 1648, hisChurch rate was 1pd-9s-7d. Susanna was also a member, and Rev.Samuel Haugh was the pastor. In 1650, Thomas received a grant of10 acres; in 1655 a lot in Jeremiah Swain's meadow; in 1665, alot north of the Ipswich River, and in 1666, land in the GreatSwamp. Some of the old land records are clear enough during thetwentieth century to show the approximate location of his land.There is an interesting account in the Ipswich Court Records of28 September 1658 where a John Hakes took action against aJoseph Cooke for his questionable possession of "a mare colt."The action had lasted over six months and the writ was served byThomas Hartshorn who was serving as constable, an office he heldin 1658 and 1672. During the period of litigation, it appearsthat he had custody of the colt in question. The case waseventually decided for Mr. Cooke. Thomas was a Reading selectmanin 1661 and 1667. In 1662, he was one of 20 members who paid adog-whipper and in 1672 it was voted to hang any dog whose ownerrefused to pay the dog-whipper. In 1680, Reading enacted thatfreemen in voting should use Indian corn. In 1677, Mass. staterecords have a petition from Reading of which Thomas is asigner. He is listed as being a juror during the court held atHampton on 9 October 1677. After Susanna's death, several of herchildren were put out as apprentices, as most of the Lamsonchildren already had been. No legal record of theirapprenticeship had been found, except Jonathan. He was on therolls of the First Church on 6 Apr 1663, by letter from thechurch in Ipswich. He was old during the time of King Philip'sWar but was a sergeant in the Reading Militia Company in 1679.The will of Thomas Hartshorn, dated 26 October 168 1, is in faircondition in Middlesex County Court House, No. 10545. His estatewas inventoried 18 May 1683 and was entered probably inate 16June 1683. The will is very brief. The son Thomas is mentioned,perhaps because he is eldest; Benjamin was named executor andhad the home place, evidently by previous agreement; daughterSusanna received valuable keepsakes. The others are notmentioned at all, and we have no record of what had beenpreviously given them; some had been put to a trade orprofession, and we know that Timothy had enough Reading land tohand down to his children, some of it Hartshorn land. Theinventory included "..32 Ackers Land 74pd" .. "tables, chears,books, and other ware 1pd-7s-Od." Total 122pd-7s-Od. Sarah'sliving was carefully provided and laid out, unless she remarryor remove, in which case she was to have only a small yearlysum. Mr. Bartlett adds the comnient that "The will, still to beseen, is in the handwriting of Major Jeremiah Swain, ‘the mostprominent citizen in Reading in his generation.'"