• 4 June 1639, "Thomas Payne ... of Yarmouth, admitted freemen & sworne. The Comittees of Depties for eich Towne ... For Yarmouth, Thomas Payne, Phillip Tabor." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 1:126]
• 17 June 1641, "It is also ordered and concluded, that the inhabitants of the towne of Yarmouth shall psently meete together, and make a rate for the defraying of all the publike charges wch haue beene layd forth by any pticuler pson or psons for the good of the whole, saue that in the comittees charges wher ... were sent as comittees for the towne, these are to be exempted out of those rates, vizt: ... Thomas Payne ...; but in all other rats and charges to be rated pportionably wth the rest of the inhabits; and that, by vertue of this order, it shalbe lawfull for the constable to distraine all such psons as shall refuse to pay the sums they are rated vnto." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 2:20]
• 17 June 1641, "The Juries Names that tryed the foresd Cause at Yarm ... Thom Payne ..." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 8:20-21]
• c. 1643, "Freemen of Yarmouth. Thomas Payne ..." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 7:176]
• 6 June 1643, "Whereas Mr Dauid Offley did by warrant sumon Thomas Payne, of Yarmouth, to appeare here to answere to a suite, and had neither entred action against him nor appoynted any to psecute for him, but onely to vex the said Payne, & put him to charges, the Court doth order and award the said Dauid Offley to pay the said Thomas Payne xijs, according to the rate of ijs p day for vj dayes." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 2:57]
• Aug. 1643, "The Names of all the Males that are able to beare Armes from xvj Yeares old to 60 Yeares, wthin the seurall Towneshipps. Yarmouth ... Thomas Payne" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 7:187-194]
• 5 Mar. 1644, "Whereas informacon is giuen to the Court that there is a cowe or a heiffer in calue giuen or disposed by Mr Andrew Hellot, Sen, or Yarmouth, for the benefit of the poore of the said towne of Yarmouth, which for the ordering thereof was referred to the Court by the said Mr Hellot, by his letter vnder his hand, beareing date the first day of March, 1643, - the Court doth therefore order that the said cowe or heiffer in calue shalbe on Mayday next deliuered to Thomas Payne, of Yarmouth, who shall haue her for three yeares next ensuing, and the milk and thone half of the increase during that tyme, and after the said three yeares are expired, the poore of Yarmouth shall haue her & thencrease, to be disposed of by the townesmen of Yarmouth from tyme to tyme to other poore persons dwelling in the said towne as they shall think fitt, and for such terme, rescrueing the benefitt of the said stock for the benefitt of theire poore, and not be alienated to any other use." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 2:70]
• 14 May 1648, "At Yarmouth ... It is ordered by the said Captaine Standish, yt Thomas Payne shall inioy the first eight acars of land granted to him in the west feild, which hee denied to lay downe, and for the other twenty eight acars or therabouts, hee shall relinquish to the comons, as was formerly agreed vnto by the towne." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 2:128]
• 2 Oct. 1650, "Tho Payne ... do complaine against Mr John Crow, Willam Nickarson, and Leiuetanant Willam Palmer, in an action of trespas vppon the case, to the damage of sixty pound. ... In the contreuersy betwixte Leiuetenant Palmer and the towne of Yarmouth, about the land att Sasuett Neck, which hath reference to the two actions next aboue entered, they being allso refered to the Court to end, the said Court doth order as followeth: that the said towne doe suffer him to haue and peacably to enioy the land graunted him on the said necke, or the other place or farme to bee purchased, spoken of in the Court, belonging vnto John Wing on Sasuett aforsaid; which was latly Mr Mathews land." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 8:49-51]
• Austin, John D., compiler, Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower and His Descendants for Four Generations, 1988. On p. 9, "Thomas Paine, who d. Eastham 16 Aug. 1706 ... is believed to be the son of Thomas Paine who settled at Yarmouth in 1639."
• Paine, Josiah, "Thomas Paine of Eastham and Posterity", New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 1868. In 22:60, "Thomas Paine, the ancestor of the 'Cape family of Paines,' immigrated to this country, as tradition has it, in 1624, bringing with him an only son bearing the name of Thomas - a lad of ten years who had lost the sight of one of his eyes by an arrow before he left his native clime. From what part of England they came, the traditional accounts in the several branches of the family differ. The branch from which the late Robert Treat Paine, the illustrious signer of the Declaration of Independence, descended, has it, 'North of England'; while several of the other branches have it, 'Kent' - probably meaning the County. In what vessel they came, or at what place they landed upon the coast, tradition as well as records is silent. The general belief, however, is that they came over in some of those vessels that early visited the Eastern coast for fishing purposes. Of what became of the father there is nothing positively known. By some he is supposed to have been the Thomas Paine who settled at Yarmouth in 1639, and who was the first deputy from that place to the Colony Court of Plymouth; and who was living at that place as late as 1650."
• Shurtleff, Nathaniel B., ed., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, v. 1-8, 1855-1857. Transcriptions of the court records of Plymouth mentions Thomas Paine, abbreviated PCR in above references. Court Orders in v. 1-6, Miscellaneous Records in v. 7, Judicial Acts in v. 8.
• Virkus, Frederick Adams, ed., Immigrant Ancestors: A List of 2,500 Immigrants to America before 1750, 1986. On p. 52, "Paine (Payne), Thomas (1586-1650), from Eng., with his son Thomas, to Plymouth, Mass., 1621; settled at Yarmouth; freeman, 1639; 1st dep. Gen. Ct.; m Margaret, dau. Sir Thomas Pultney."

• 7 June 1653, "The Cunstables of the seuerall Townes ... Eastham, Thomas Payne." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 3:31]
• 1657, "The Names of such of the Towne of Eastham as haue taken the Oath of Fidelitie in the Yeare 1657. ... Thomas Paine" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 7:184]
• 1 June 1658, "Freemen admitted this Court, and sworne ... Thomas Paine." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 3:137]
• c. 1658, [Freemen of] "Eastham. ... Thomas Paine." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 7:197-202]
• 10 Mar. 1659, "The Register of Eastham ... Eliazer, the son of Thomas Paine, was borne the 10th of March, 1658." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 7:27]
• 3 June 1662, "Surveyors of the Highwaies ... Eastham, Gyles Hopkins, Thomas Paine" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 4:20]
• 8 June 1664, "The Grand Enquest ... Thomas Paine" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 4:61]
• 28 Nov. 1664, "An Account of the Liquors brought into the Towne of Eastham, as followeth ... Thomas Paine, 5 quarts of liquor" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 4:100]
• Apr. 1665, "An Account of the Liquors brought into the Towne of Eastham, as followeth. ... Thomas Paine, 1 gallon of liquor, and 2 gallons of Gorge Crispe." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 4:100]
• 5 June 1667, "Liberty is graunted vnto Thomas Paine to looke out some land for his accomodation." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 4:152]
• 24 Dec. 1667, "Eastham ... Wee, whose names are vnderwritten, being impannelled vpon a jury ... concerning the death of Robert Chapell, James Nicolls, and William Pidell, that were of the companie of Captaine John Allen, which by Gods prouidence was put on shore vpon Cape Codd, wee find, according to our best wisdome and descretion, that the cause of Robert Chapells and James Nicolls was wett, extream cold, and some liquors which they dranke; these thinges working together vpon them wee judge to be the cause of theire death; and concerning William Pidell, wee apprehend that former sicknes which we vnderstand was vpon him, and wett, and extream cold wee judge to be the cause of his death; herein wee all agree. Witnes our hands, ... Thomas Paine" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 4:176]
• 3 June 1668, "Nathaniell Soule, standing presented vntill this Court, and summoned thervnto to answare, for his telling of a pnisious lye, did put the case vpon trauerse, not owning the psentment. The names of the jury are as followeth:- ... Thomas Paine ... sworne. These found the psentment. And the said Soule, for telling of a pnisious lye, was fined, according to law, the sume of 00:10:00." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 4:187]
• 1 June 1669, "Accomodation of land graunted vnto Thomas Paine, to haue it att Namassakett, with Experience Michell, Henery Sampson, and Thomas Little, if it be there to be had; if not, that hee may haue some elswhere if hee can find it vndeposed of." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:20]
• 29 May 1670, "An exact List of all the Names of the Freemen of the Jurisdiction of New Plymouth ... Eastham ... Thomas Paine" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:274-278]
• 7 June 1670, "The Names of the Gran Enquest ... Thomas Paine" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:36]
• June 1670, "Wheras the Prouidence of God hath made Cape Cod comodious for vs for ffishing with saines; and some careles psons haue anoyed the same by casting theire ballast neare the shore where such conveniency is; or by leauing the Garbidge of ffish or dead ffish to lye there roting wherby such anoyance is; This Court doth therfore order that whosoeuer shall treaspas in any of the said kinds of Annoyance shall pay the sume of forty shillings to the Collonies vse for euery such default vnto the pson that the Court doth appoint to looke after the same; alsoe this Court doth further order that whosoeuer of our Inhabitants that draw Mackerell on shore there; shall pay to the Collonies vse sixpence p barrell for euery barrell soe taken or the quantity that may amount to a barrell; and for euery barrell of the quantitie therof soe taken by any fforaigners in the aforsaid place shalbe payed one shilling and sixpence to the Collonies vse by the pson or psons that soe ffish there and att the begining of any voyage attempted there; the pson or psons soe doeing shall att the enterance on the voyage put in sufficient Cecuritie vnto the pson appointed by the Court vnder this trust for the payment of the aforsaid sume or sumes; Thomas Paine is appointed by this Court and impowered as a bayley by land and water to demaund and receiue for the Collonies vse the aboue mensioned sumes as they may att any time become due or payable; and to take such Cecuritie for theire prformance as abouesaid; and is heerby Impowered to comaund such aide as hee att any time shall Judge requisite respecting the prmises." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 11:228]
• 5 June 1671, "The Names of the Deputies of the seuerall Townes of this Jurisdiction whoe serued theratt and att the Adjournments therof ... Thomas Paine ... The Celect Men ... Eastham ... Thomas Paine ... For the prevention of great abuse by the execssiue drinking of liquors in ordinaryes, this Court doth order, that euery ordinary keeper in this goument shalbe heerby impowered and required, that incase any pson or psons doe not attend order, but carry themselues vnciuilly, by being importunately desirous of drink when deneyed, and doe not leaue the house when required, such ordinary keeper shall returne theire names to the next Court, that soe they may be procecuted according to the nature of the offence; and incase any ordinary keeper shall neglect soe to doe, hee shalbe fined fiue shillings for euery default. It is further ordered by this Court, yt some two or three men be appointed in euery towne of this jurisdiction to haue the inspection of the ordinaries, or in any other places suspected, to take notice of such abuses as may arise in reference to the pmises or otherwise, and make report therof to the Court. The mens names appointed heerinto in each towne are as followeth:- Eastham, Ensigne Smith, Jonathan Sparrow, Thomas Paine. ... The Oath of the Water Bayley. You shall faithfully serue in the office of a water bayley in the jurisdiction of New Plymouth, and shall carefully obserue such orders of Court as concerns youer said office, with speciall reference vnto the improuement therof att Cape Cod and places adjacent; you shall faithfully discharge the trust imposed vpon you in demaunding and receiueing whatsoeuer shalbe due vnto the collonie by such fish as shalbe there taken, and shall seasonably giue in a true accompt therof vnto the Treasurer yearly. So healp, &c. Thomas Paine was chosen to be the water bayley of the jurisdiction of New Plymouth, and sworne att this Court." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:55-62]
• 5 June 1672, "The Names of the Deputies of the seuerall Townes ... Thomas Paine ... The Names of the Celect Men in each Towne ... Eastham ... Thomas Paine" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:90-92]
• 29 Oct. 1672, "An Order directed to Thomas Paine, the Water Bayley. This Court being enformed that few or none of ours are like to fish att the Cape by saine, and that diuers strangers desire libertie there to fish, these are therfore to impower you, in the behalfe of the Court, to giue libertie to such strangers as shall desire there to fish, carrying orderly and paying such dues as by Court order is prouided; and this shalbe youer warrant therin for this psent season." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:104]
• 3 June 1673, "The Deputies of the Seuerall Townes of this Jurisdiction that serued att this Court, and the seuerall Adjournments therof ... Thomas Paine." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:114]
• 3 June 1674, "The Constables of the seuerall Townes ... Eastham, Thomas Paine, sworne." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:145]
• 7 Mar. 1676, "The Names of the Jury ... Thomas Paine" [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 8:197]
• 1 Nov. 1676, "The Names of the Deputies that serued ... Tho Paine." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:214]
• 13 July 1677, "... seuerall acts and order made and enacted by them as followeth:- ... The country haue sett and to farme lett theire privilidges and proffitts of fishing att the cape vnto the Treasurer, Mr Huckens, Mr Gray, and Thomas Paine, for the tearme of seuen yeers from the date heerof, for and in consideration of the sume of thirty pounds a yeer, to be payed in currant siluer mony, to be payed att or before the first of May yeerly. It is mutually agreed between the Court and the ptenors, that it shalbe improued by our owne people, but incase they shall refuse, that then it shalbe att the libertie of the ptenors to admitt of any other, out of the collonie, to improue it with them; and the Court appoint Cornett Studson and Mr Nathaniel Thomas to make leasses to the ptenors, and to receiue the countryes mony for it, for the countryes vse, as it is due and payable." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:244]
• 5 June 1678, "The Deputies ... Thomas Paine ..." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:256]
• 5 July 1678, "Thomas Paine, of Eastham, doth acknowlidg himselfe to stand vnto the Gou and Court of Plymouth in the penall sume one hundred and twenty pound sterling; for the payment wherof well and truely to be made, hee heerby acknowlidgeth himselfe, his heires, executors, adminnestrators, and assignes, feirmly by these psents. The condition of the abouewritten obligation is such, that wheras Mary Rogers, of Eastham, widdow, hath obtained of this Court lres of adminnestration to adminnester on the estate of James Rogers, of Eastham, aforsaid, late deceased, if therfor, the said Mary Rogers, widdow, the relict of the said James Rogers, shall and due pay all such debts and legacyes as are due and owing to any from the said estate, soe farr and by equall prortion as the said estate will amount vnto, and dispose of the remainder therof according to order of Court in that case prouided respecting the same, and keep a faire accoumpt of her said adminnestration, and saue and keep harmles and vndamnified the said Gou and Court from any damage that may acrew vnto them by her said adminnestration, that then the next aboue written obligation to be void and of non effect, or otherwise to remaine in full force & vertue." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 5:265]
• 1 June 1680, "The Deputies of the seuerall Townes chosen to serue att this Court, and the seuerall Adjournments therof ... Thomas Paine." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 6:36]
• 7 June 1681, "The Names of the Celect Men in each Towne of this Jurisdiction ... Ea: Capt Sparrow, Daniel Cole, Thomas Paine, Marke Snow, John Done ... The Names of the Deputies of the seuerall Townes of this Gourment ... Thomas Paine." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 6:59-61]
• 1683-4, "List of the Names of the Freemen of the Colonie of New Plymouth ... Eastham ... Thomas Paine ..." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 7:202-209]
• 3 June 1690, "The Names of the Deputies of the severall Towns ... Capt Jonathan Sparrow, Thomas Paine, for Eastham ... The Names of the Select Men of ye Severall Towns in ye Colony ... Eastham, Thomas Pain, Senr, Mark Snow, John Done, Senr, Jabiz Snow, Benj: Higgins." [Massachusetts, Plymouth, Court Records, in PCR 6:240-242]
• Austin, John D., compiler, Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower and His Descendants for Four Generations, 1988. On p. 9-10, "Mary Snow ... d. suddenly at Eastham 28 April 1704, according to the journal of her son John Paine. She m. bef. April of 1651 Thomas Paine, who d. Eastham 16 Aug. 1706, 'aged,' the year erroneously given as 1707 in his son's journal. He is believed to be the son of Thomas Paine who settled at Yarmouth in 1639. The will of Thomas Paine, dated 12 May 1705 and proved 2 Oct. 1706, left mills, house and housing and specified lands to son Nicholas Paine, ten shillings to dau. Mary, wife of Israel Cole; and the residuary estate equally to Samll Paine (executor), Thomas Paine (executor), Elisha Paine, John Paine, Nicholas Paine, James Paine, Joseph Paine; Dorcas Vickerie, wife of Benjamin, and three eldest ch. of dau. Mary (wife of Israel Cole), viz. James Rogers, Mary Cole and Abigail Yeats."
• Higgins, Mrs. Katharine Chapin, Richard Higgins, A Resident and Pioneer Settler at Plymouth and Eastham, Massachusetts, and at Piscataway, New Jersey, and his Descendants, 1918. On p. 48-49, "Thomas Paine ... came to America with his father at ten years of age, landing at Plymouth. He was at Eastham ... and was a leading citizen at East Orleans ... In 1696 he bought land and a home in Boston; but he returned to Eastham in 1697. Thomas was well educated, a splendid penman, signed his name 'Tho. Paine'."
• Pagel, William Rush, A Mayflower Lineage of Twelve Generations Principally Through Paine and Cross, 1974. On p. 22-25, "One of her sons, Deacon John Paine, kept a diary from 1695 to 1717, parts of which are still in existence, and from this we learn something about the character of Mary Snow. ... His diary describes her as a 'faithful wife', 'careful mother', 'a good and quiet neighbor', 'a diligent reader of God's Word', and 'a lover of an attendant at God's House of Worship'. ... Her son, Deacon John, tells of his mother's final hours as follows: 'On the 28th day of April, 1704, my honored mother, Mary Paine, departed this life, being suddenly taken ill about sunset so she never after spoke reasonable, but gradually decaying, gave up the ghost about the dawning of the day'. ... In 1694 [Thomas Paine] moved his family to Boston but resided there for only a short time before returning to Eastham ... While a cooper by trade he seems to have been able to build a mill as easily as a barrel."
• Pulsifer, David, ed., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, 1859-1861. Transcriptions of the court records of Plymouth mentions Richard Higgins, abbreviated PCR in above references. Acts of the Commissioners in v. 9-10, Laws in v. 11, Deeds &c. in v. 12.
• Shurtleff, Nathaniel B., ed., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, v. 1-8, 1855-1857. Transcriptions of the court records of Plymouth mentions Richard Higgins, abbreviated PCR in above references. Court Orders in v. 1-6, Miscellaneous Records in v. 7, Judicial Acts in v. 8.

To avoid the confusion that has resulted regarding our relative Thomas Paine of Eastham who married Mary Snow, we recognize several other Thomas Paines:

• Thomas Paine of Yarmouth, who has been conjectured to be the father of Thomas Paine of Eastham. That conjecture is quite plausible, and we have used it here.
• Thomas Paine of Martha's Vineyard, who also shows up in the Plymouth Colony records (PCR 10, pages 165 and 186). His father is Thomas Paine who died in London in 1635. His mother is Jane Gallion, who married as her second husband Thomas Mayhew, and they both died on Martha's Vineyard.
• Thomas Paine of Salem, weaver, who arrived on the ship Mary Anne in 1637 with his wife and 6 children. His will was dated 1638 and proved in 1642 or 1644. Most likely, this Thomas Paine was the individual baptised at Wrentham in 1586, the son of Thomas Paine who married Catherine Harssant in July, 1578. Also, this same Thomas Paine is most likely the individual who married Elizabeth (Tuttle or Bloomfield?) about 1610 in Wrentham.
• Thomas Paine of Dedham, who married Rebecca Ware about 1640. This is most likely the Thomas Paine who was baptised at Wrentham, Suffolk, on 18 Jan. 1613 (or 1612), son of Thomas Paine and Elizabeth (Tuttle or Bloomfield?).

Unfortunately, many genealogies have merged several of these individuals, and many myths have resulted. As a result, we have avoided adopting some of the following "facts" about the Thomas Paine who married Mary Snow.

• Thomas Paine of Eastham was allegedly born in 1612 or 1613, and came to America in 1622 (or 1624) at age 10. This appears to combine the "age 10" story with the Wrentham baptism, but if he had come in 1622, he ought to have appeared in Plymouth records far earlier than he does.
• Thomas Paine of Eastham was allegedly born about 1627. This appears to combine the "age 10" story with the 1637 arrival at Salem. At least the birthyear is reasonable (Thomas of Eastham would have been 23 at his marriage), but the Salem arrival was a different individual.
• Thomas Paine of Eastham allegedly married twice, the name of his first wife was Elizabeth Litchfield, whom he married in 1633 in London. Their son Thomas was born 1635 "at Sagus", they came to America in 1637, and son Samuel was born in 1645, and Elizabeth died shortly thereafter. Apparently this information was provided by Forrest R. Paine in 1912 as a review to the book Paine Ancestry: The Family of Robert Treat Paine, Signer of the Declaration of Independence. It certainly conflicts with the "age 10" story, and this would make his sons Thomas and Samuel aged 43 and 37 at their respective marriages, much older than necessary. And chronologically there is time available after Thomas Paine's marriage with Mary Snow that Thomas and Samuel could easily have been sons of Mary. We do not have any evidence one way or the other.
• The mother of Thomas Paine of Eastham was allegedly Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas Pulteney. Again, we have no evidence to judge.