Family Notes
Index
It is reported that John and Anne (Vicars) Thompson had a total of eight children.
That "John the Mariner" had a son William is proved by two deeds to the latter, and mention of him in the will of William Thompson (no. 1) in 1682; but there has been considerable doubt as to his identity, as there were two Williams who could be eligible. One, called William, Sr., was a man of some importance, is called "joiner" and "surveyor" in deeds, and frequently had "Mr." prefixed to his name; he married in 1682 Joanna Daniel, widow of John Glover and died in 1741. The other, called William Jr., married before 1708 Martha ____, and died in 1717. The obvious theory is that William, "Sr." was one of the oldest sons of John, and that William, "Jr.," was son of William "Sr.," but this hypothesis, which is generally accepted, proves untenable. The chronology of William, Sr's, recorded family leaves no room for the birth of a son William. Moreover, William, Sr.,, deeded no land to William, Jr., nor did he mention him or his heirs in his will, wherein he made careful provisions for his sons. Nor do the heirs of William, Jr., appear in deeds in which all the heirs of William, Sr., appear; but there is positive evidence to prove that William Jr., was son of John the mariner. First: William, son of John Thompson was born 17 Jan 1674, which is much too late for the birth of William, Sr.; Secondly; John the mariner deeded to his son, William, along with other land, on-third part of his whole division and tract of land (1702), which property was afterwards(1707) deeded away by William Thompson, husbandman (New Haven Deeds, vol 3, pp. 21,34); showing that John's son William was a farmer, whereas William, Sr., always appears as a joiner or surveyor; thirdly; the other land deeded by John the mariner to his son William (New Haven Deeds, vol.3, pp 21,22) is to be found mentioned in the inventory of William, Jr. (New Haven Probate records, vol. 6, p.1); and finally,; Caleb Thompson, who is known to be a son of William, Jr., deeded land that was laid out to his father William Thompson, deceased and other land that was laid out to his grandfather John Thompson, deceased (New Haven. Deeds, vol 8, p 331). The only question that could remain is whether, as sometimes happened, John could have had two sons name William, but evidence is against it, for in John's deed to William, he is referred to as his "son William". also, the will of William Thompson (no. 1) where in he mentioned his "cousin William, son of nephew John", would have distinguished between them if there had been two sons named William. William Jr., who died 13 Mar 1717, married Martha ______ who died after 1755. His estate was not settled until 1730 (New Haven Probate Records, vol 6, p. 1).