Ref:

(1) Mass. Archives- Vol.10, p.300

Old Kittery and Her Families- Everett S. Stackpole,p.701
Genealogical Dictionary of Maine & New Hampshire- p.590

1. JOHN-

of Woolaston

Issue-

2I. THOMAS (JOHN 1)

m. REBECCA ______ (d. by 1673)
will 27 Sept. 1673-30 June 1674

Thomas was said to have come with the Hiltons which is very probable as he was a fellow member of the Fishmongers Company of London with Edward Hilton, both marked "in New England" in a list from 1641. The New Hampshire State Papers states that Thomas was here with Edward and William Hilton as the only settlers on Dover Neck in 1623.(2) Thomas Roberts, son of John Roberts of Woolaston was apprenticed on 29 Apr. 1622. In 1639/40 he was elected President of the Court an office of agency for the Bristol Co., the proprietors of Dover, from which fact he is sometimes called "Governor" although the territory under his authority was only one town.(3)

"Northam, 4, 1 month (1.40).

Honored Sir: We, the Inhabitans of Northam, make bould to trouble you with these few lynes, certifyinge you that whereas wee suppose Captaine Underhill hath informed you and the rest of your brethren of the Matechuseth baye, that wee are all willinge, voluntarily to submit ourselves to your Government upon fformer articles propounded; truth it is wee doe very well aprove of your judicious wayes, and shall be very joyful, yu please God to enlarge us, that wee may be free from other ingagements and promises wch some of us are obliged in to the owners or patentees, from whom under his Mat's Letter Patents we enjoy our free liberty, wch causeth us not for present to submit to any other government than that wch wee have already entered into combination to observe according to the King's Mat's lawes, until such time as the owners come over to us, wch we suppose will be about three months hence, and then our prpositions considered as the Lord shall direct us, we will labor more to satisfy you. But for the proceedings of Captain Underhill seeking to undermyne us, and contrary to his oath and fidellyty as we suppose intrusted to him, hath went from house to house, and for his own ends, by flattery and threatening gotten some hands to a note of their willingness to submitt themselves under your government, and some that have no habitation to bring his purposes to pass; we doubt not but you are well acquainted with his stratagems in plotting his owne designe wch wee refer to your grave indgments. Some of those that subscribed to his note have this day utterly prtested against their own act, for he hath raysed such a mutinie amongst us wch if we take not course for the stoping thereof, it may cause the effusion of blood, by reason he hath by his designes privately rent the combination as much as in him lyeth, contrary to his act, that is that wee should continue in the same govemnt except an agreement or cause showed to the contrary in open court, agreed on by the major p'te, thus much we thought good to acquaynt your wor'p with all beseeching your favourable construction, hoping you will weigh our case in equity and conscience, and not any way to enforce us to any act whereby wee should break prmise or covevant wth the patentees or amongst ourselves whchin soe doinge we should sinne greatly. Wee heartyly desire your prayers for us, and comit you to the prtection of the Almightye at yor- to be comanded.

Thom. Larkham, William Jones, John ffollett, Robert Varney, Thomas Durston, Thomas Roberts, Samuel haines, Bartholomew Smith, John Dam, Barthol'ew Hunt, William Waldern, John Tuttle, henry beck, Thos. Layton, Edward Starbuck, William Pomfrett, William furber, William Storer, John Hall, Phillip Swaddon, Richard Waldern, Edward Colcord, Robert Huckins, Richard Pinkcom, Thomas Tricky." (4)

Thomas was on the grand jury in 1643, 1646 and 1656. In 1670 he gave land to sons John and Thomas and in 1671 half his remaining estate to his daughter Sarah Rich.(5)

I Thomas Robearts Senr of the Towne of Dover in Piscattaqua River, in New England yeoman beeing weake of Body...

Item I give and bequeath unto my Sone John Robearts, of Dover, aforesaid, the sume of Twenty shills in Currant money of New England, to be paid, by my Executor, three monethes, after my discease

Item I given and bequeath, unto my Sone, Thomas Robearts, the sum'e of fiver shillings, in money to be paid at or within the Space of three monethes, after my disease, by my Executor

Item I give, and bequeath, unto my Daughter, Hester (now the wife of John Martyn, of New Jarze) the sume of five shillings in money, to be paid, by my Executor, three monethes, after my discease, if demanded-

Item I give, and bequeath unto my Daughter Anne (now the wife of James Philbrooke of Hampton) the sum'e of five shills in money to be paid, by my Executor, at or within the Space, of three monethes, after my discease, as is above men'coned.-

Item I give, and bequeath, unto my daughter Elizabeth, no the wife, of Benjamin Heard, of Cochechock, the sume of five shillings, in money to be paid, at, or within, the Space, of three monethes, after my discease by my Executor.

Item I give, and bequeath, unto my Sone, in Law Richard Rich, the husband, of my dearly beloved daughter Sarah, and to his heires, Lawfully begotten (or to bee begotten) on the Body of my said Daughter (be it Either Males, or females) the Males, to bee Ever prferred, before the females, and the elder, before the younger, and to his, and their assignes forever, my dwelling house, where in, I now dwell, Lieing and Scituate, in Dover aforesaid, to gether also, with all, and Singular, the Out houseing, Orchards, planting Land, and pastures, within fence, or Laying, in Common priviledge, of Commons, proffitts, or Commodities, Advantages, hereditamts, and appurtenances, whatsoever, thereunto belonging, or in any wise, appertaining, and now in my owne Tenure, and occupac'on, and also, a Lott of fouer Acres, of planting Land, lieing and Scituate, in Dover aforesaid, neare my Said dwelling house, and Likewise three Acres, of marsh, by Estimac'on, bee it more or Lesse, Lieing, and Scituate, at the mouth of Winnycott River, neare Greeneland, in Piscattaqua River, aforesaid, which I doe now possess, and Enjoy, and also, I doe nomminate, make choice of, and appoint, my sd Sone in Law Richd Rich to bee my whole and Sole Exeuctor, (& in Case of Mortallity, my Daughtr Sarah above menc'oned) to Execute, or see Executed, this my Last will, and Testament, according to the purport, true Intent, and meaning thereof, and in Testimony, that this is my Last will, and Testament, Irrevocably, I have hereunto, putt my hand and seale Dated in Dover, aforemenc'oned, this Twenty Seaventh day of Septembr, One Thousand Six hundred Seaventy & three. 1673.

Signed Sealed and Delivrd
in the presents of us.
Job Clements Sener
Job Clements Ju witnesseth
Richard Allexander" [proved 30 June 1674].(1)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire- Albert Batchellor, Ed., New Hampshire State Papers, Rumford Printing, Concord, 1907- Vol. XXXI, pp. 145-6
(2) New Hampshire State Papers-Vol. I, p. 118
(3) Ibid- p. 119
(4) Ibid- p. 126-8
(5) Genealogical Dictionary of Maine & New Hampshire-p. 589