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THOMAS PEVERLY BIOGRAPHY 1623 - 1670 of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Thomas Peverly was born about 1623 or 1624 probably in the southwestern part of England. Some accounts say he was born in 1625. Some accounts say he was born abt 1625 in Charleston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Thomas was approximately 8 years old when his father, John Peverel-Peverly was murdered in an Indian massacre on 3 Oct 1631 on Richmond, Island. He married Jane - the daughter of Thomas & Jane Walford about 1643 probably in Kittery, Maine. Her mother was the Jane Walford who was accused and acquitted in the Salem witch trials. The accusations and defamation followed in Jane's daughters until Thomas Walford went to court to defend the Honor of his wife and won a defamation of character suit against an accuser of his wife. Thomas may have owned an estate in England since his will requests 'Dispose of the minor children abroad'. A declared daughter Mary was born ca 1645 in England on one of their back and forth trips. Thomas collected Laconia Company land in 1639 when they dissolved the company. Thomas had been in charge of caring for the yellow cattle that had been transported from Denmark. The pasture included the Strawberry Bank near the Great House. There was a division of holdings of the defunct Laconia Company, formerly known as Mason and Gorges who were Peverel blooded cousins to his father, John Peverly. In 1652 he was listed in the town records as having an "outlot" of 50 acres. PEVERLY PONDS  As a free commoner prior to 1657, Thomas was granted 42 acres of the common lands in 1660 in addition to 68 acres which he had then received. At least a part of this land, if not all of it, was in the part of Portsmouth to the south of the "Plains" and extended from Sagamore Creek to what is still known as Peverly's Hill. He and his wife Jane Walford built a house right where a stream flows from Peverly Brook and dumps into Sagamore Creek. Peverly Hill and Peverly Brook were named after the Peverlys. He also owned land by ponds & marsh lands. We have an old hand drawn map of some of his neighbors. Thomas took the 'Oath of Allegiance' in July 1657. He was a Freeman at Exeter in 1657. The Portsmouth town records show Thomas was a surveyor of highways in 1664 and 1665. He became a minister sometime before 1658 as he is listed in the "New Hampshire Residents 1633 - 1699" as paying tax at a 'minister's rate'. After his death sources lists his widow as paying tax at a 'minister's rate' in 1671. Thomas' will is dated 19 April 1670 and is found in the 'New Hampshire Probate Records 1635-1753' on pages 116 - 117. His death in Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts, would have occurred between then and 26 May 1670, the date his estate was inventoried. This will names his wife Jane and children Mary, Martha, John (all of whom were "of age" -- 21 for boys and 18 for girls), Thomas, Lazarus, Samuel, Jeremiah and Sarah (all of whom were still minors). In 1713 descendants of Thomas Peverly separated parts of Dover, Bloody Point, and Portsmouth into a new town named Newington, New Hampshire. This couple has left a mass of descendants. Thomas Peverly's Family page has more information on his wife Jane and their children. SOURCES |