Thomas Bliss

Thomas Bliss was born about 1588 or circa 1590, although supplied accounts also give 1583 and disagree about his English birthplace. Older family tradition placed him at Okehampton in the village of Belstone, Devon, and identified him as a son of Thomas Bliss of Belstone. Later research cited in the supplied material states that this Belstone identification has not been proved and may be mistaken. Gloucester, England, is also given as his birthplace or home.

On 18 October 1621, Thomas Blisse and Margret Hulings were married in the parish of St. Nicholas, Gloucester. Margaret is identified in the supplied material as the daughter of John Hulins of Rodborough, Gloucestershire; another account gives her parents as John Anthony Hulings Jr. and Margaret Lawrence/Hulings. Their son Nathaniel was baptized at Rodborough on 28 December 1622. The supplied research regards him as likely their first child.

Thomas and Margaret reportedly immigrated to New England with their family about 1635. On 24 February 1639/40, Thomas received a grant of 36 acres at Braintree in Massachusetts Bay Colony, assessed at three shillings per acre on the basis of a family of nine. In the same month, Hartford records listed him as holding several parcels of land. He was a Hartford proprietor “by courtesie of the town” in 1639–40 and was described as a freeman. His Hartford home lot, numbered 58, adjoined the lot of his son Thomas, numbered 59. He is listed on the Founders Monument, though the supplied research says he was not an original proprietor of Hartford.

On 4 March 1646, Thomas was fined two shillings and six pence for “not trayneing.” He died before 14 February 1650, when Nathaniel Ward and Joseph Mygatt took an inventory of his Hartford estate totaling £86 12s. 8d. A nuncupative will was admitted on the testimony of John Pinchon, Henry Smith, and Thomas’s daughter Mary Parsons of Springfield. It stated that Margaret was to have the whole estate during her life, for her use and for the education of the children. On 20 February 1650/51, the court granted administration to Margaret and directed that, after her lifetime, the estate be divided among Lawrence, John, Samuel, Hester, Elizabeth, Hannah, and Sarah. The account suggests that Thomas, Ann, Mary, and Nathaniel had already received portions at marriage.

Thomas and Margaret’s children are listed in the supplied material as Nathaniel, Ann, Thomas, Mary, Lawrence, Hannah, John, Sarah, Hester, Elizabeth, and Samuel. After Thomas’s death, Margaret moved with much of the family to Springfield, where she died on 28 August 1684.