AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT

Cliff McCarthy, 2016

Thomas Talmage was born in England, date unknown. His brother John Talmadge of Newton Stacey, parish of Barton Stacey in the county of Hampshire (Hants), left a legacy for Thomas’ children when he wrote his will in 1638/39.

A William Talmage is said to have come to Boston in 1630 with the Winthrop Fleet. Often said to be his brother, this was most likely Thomas’ son, William. For many years it was believed that Thomas himself came to America in 1631 in the ship Plough, which carried only ten passengers. However, Robert Charles Anderson, in the The Great Migration Begins, asserts, based on a letter written in March 1631/32, that Thomas was still in England in 1632, but that at least two of his sons, William and Thomas, Jr., had already arrived in America.

However he traveled, Thomas Talmage landed at Charlestown, moved to Boston and then Lynn. On 14 May 1634, the “Genall Court” at Massachusetts Bay made “Thomas Talmage” a freeman. In 1637 a committee composed of Daniel Howe, Richard Walker and Henry Collins, was appointed to layout farms, and in 1638 they allotted one of 200 acres to “Thomas Talmage” and one of twenty acres for “Thomas Talmage his son.” His name is recorded in the Proprietors’ Book for that year. On 11 March 1638/39, Thomas Talmage was one of the inhabitants of Lynn who petitioned the Massachusetts Bay government to allow them to build a bridge over the river.”

On September 3, 1640, a letter of attorney by the emigrants seems to have been executed at Boston. Mr. S. C. N. Talmage in his Talmage Genealogy, 1901, writes that Thomas Lechford was an English lawyer who came to Boston, 1638, and returned to England, 1641. He was the first practicing lawyer in Massachusetts and kept a notebook of legal memoranda which has been published and contains these entries:

“William Talmage, of Boston, in New England, Thomas Talmage, Robert Talmage and Richard Walker, husband of Jane Talmage, deceased, sonnes and daughter of Thomas Talmage, brother of John Talmage of Newton Stacey, in the county of Southampton, deceased, make a letter of attorney to Richard Conying and William Dowlying, overseers of the will of the said John Talmage, deceased, to receive of the executor and administrator of the last will and testament of Symon Talmage, our brother, and of John Talmage aforesaid, the summes of money due unto us by the will of the said John Talmage (and a certificate under the public seal. (L. S.).”

“A letter of Attorney by William Talmage, Thomas Talmage and Robert Talmage aforesaid, and Richard Walker, to Mr. Ralph King to receive the money of the said overseer, dated Sept. 3, 1640. (A certificate made under the public seal. (L. S.).”

These notations indicate that Thomas’ children received the legacy from John Talmage in England. Lechford was the lawyer who managed the transaction and Ralph King collected the money on their behalf. Perhaps it was this bequest that allowed Thomas’ sons Robert and Thomas, Jr. to purchase land at Southampton, Long Island.

We next hear of Thomas, Sr., at Southampton. This town was founded 1640, and most of the early settlers came from Lynn, Mass. Thomas Talmage, Sr., arrived shortly after the town was settled and in 1642 he was granted a home lot. By order of the court on March 7, 1644, the town was divided into four wards and Thomas, Sr., lived in the first, while his sons Thomas, Jr., and Robert lived in the second ward. Among the freemen listed on 8 March 1649 is Thomas Talmage, and on 10 May 1649, he was number 13 in the list of “townsmen” or proprietors. He is not in the list of inhabitants in 1657, and it is thought that he left about 1650 for Easthampton, Long Island, where his son, Thomas, Jr., was one of the founders in 1649. For his absence from town meeting at Easthampton, Thomas, Sr., was fined on 24 May 1651.

Thomas probably died in 1653, for on 9 December of that year, the town records show it was “ordered that the share of whale in controversy between Widowe Talmage shall be divided even as the lott is,” and in February, 1654, Thomas Talmage (no Sr. or Jr. attached to name), was given five acres of land. Also it is recorded “possessor of the land formerly granted to Thomas Talmage, senior, deceased,” and on the same page Thomas Talmage (no Sr. or Jr. attached to his name), is mentioned as living. There is no date on this page, but the following contains records dated May 24, 1655.

1. Simon Talmadge b. Abt. 1611 m Katherine Hay buried: 23 Mar 1639/40 Wherwell, Hampshire, England	Symon Talmadge buried 23 Mar 1639 Wherwell, Hampshire, England
2. William Talmadge b. Abt 1613 m. Elizabeth m. Elizabeth Pierce d. Bef. 9 Jan 1672 Boston, Suffolk, MA	On 2 June 1670 "John Peirce of Boston, bricklayer, and his son-in-law William Talmage of the same, carpenter," agreed that John Pierce would "keep & maintain the said william Talmage and his two young daughters" for sixteen years in return for the lease of Talmages property in Boston. On 9 Jan 1672 two witnesses verified his signature.
3. Christian Talmadge b. Abt. 1615 m. Bef. 1638 William Wormwood m. Edward Belcher	In will of her uncle John Talmadge written Jan 1638 she is named as Christian Wormlum. She was not mentioned in the joint letter of Sep 3, 1640 from the other heirs of John Talmadge. After the death of her first husband she married Edward Belcher, who lived next to her brother William in Boston. Her daughter Ann is sole heir of her uncle William Talmage and in 1702 was the widow of Samuel Flack. July 29, 1704, it was testified by several people that Christian Belcher and William Talmage, both of Boston, and at that time deceased, were brother and sister; she was supposed to be his only sister and Ann Flack, widow of Samuel, was her daughter and the only surviving next of kin.
4. Thomas Talmadge b. Abt. 1617 m. Abt. 1642 Elizabeth Bancroft d. Apr 1691 East Hampton, Suffolk, Long Island, NY	Will written 23 Apr 1787 leaving wife Elizabeth his dwelling house, etc. He gives land to his sons Nathaniel, Shubaell, Onesimus and mentions land sometimes used by Thomas Bee. Mentions grandson Thomas Talmage son of Nathaniel. Daughters: Naomi, Mary Hand, Hannah Talmage, Sarah Bee. Will proved Sep 1691
5. Jane Talmadge b. Abt. 1618 m. Abt. 1639 Richard Walker d. Bef. 3 Sep 1640 Lynn, Essex, MA	She is mentioned in the will of John Talmage in Jan 1638 as "Jane Talmadge". She was "deceased" on Sep. 3, 1640 when the heirs wrote regarding the estates of John and Symon Talmadge. “William Talmage, of Boston, in New England, Thomas Talmage, Robert Talmage and Richard Walker, husband of Jane Talmage, deceased, sonnes and daughter of Thomas Talmage, brother of John Talmage of Newton Stacey, etc.
6. Robert Talmadge b. Abt. 1622 m. Abt. 1648 Sarah Nash d. Bef. 3 Oct 1662 New Haven Colony	The invoice of his estate was taken on Oct 3, 1662. It was estimated at £131.14