Thomas Tupper Captain

  General Notes:

New England Historical and Genealogical Register
Publication: 26 Mar 1995

  Noted events in his life were:

• Emigration. ^75,82,673
Thomas Tupper of Co. Sussex, England, who was a ship's carpenter and member of the crew, is believed to have voyaged to America first about 1621. He came again in 1624 & when he remained a year. On his a third trip, in 1631, he stayed at Cape Ann for an uncertain period.

From Lynn, Massachusetts, he went to Sandwich, Massachusetts in 1637 where he settled and remained until his death.

According to Thomas Tupper and his descendants, Thomas Tupper was never on the Abigail, although, there were friends of him among the passengers. One was the grandson of his friend William Geere named Dennis Geere. Geere died before leaving the ship, and left five pounds to Thomas Tupper in his will made abord the Abagail while awaiting his own death. Geere also left another ancestor, Benjamin Nye, thrity shillings in this same will. Benjamin Nye later married Thomas's daughter Katherine Tupper.

• Background Information. ⁶⁷³
Thomas Tupper worked as an apprentice of Thomas Hampton in the leather business, and learned the trade of shoemaking from 1592-1599. Thomas likely remained in London, engaged in the trade of leather-working. About this time the British East India Company was formed and the London and Plymouth companies were organized. Thomas Hampton had friends who were actively engaged in building ships for foreign mercantile venture, and through them, Thomas Tupper became acquainted with the Planckes, Henry Groves, Matthew Cradock and other prominent London merchants who sponsored the first settling of what is now New England.

This association lead to his first departure from England in 1621, when he was one of the crew with Captain William Pierce for the West Indies for Browne and Cradock of London, during which voyage he learned the craft of carpentry to add to his trade as shoe marker. He sailed a second time in 1624, on a ship owned by Matthew Cradock. He remained in New England for more than a year, and returned to England with a cargo returned fur and rare woods. Thomas's third voyage was in 1631 with Captain John Pierce went from London to Cape Ann. On these voyages, he was listed as one of the crew, worked at his trade, received wages and part of the profits. Through his friendship he became closely associated with Thomas Mayhew, a merchant and employee of Matthew Cradock from 1623, and also Edmund Freeman. He formed lasting friendships as well with Mr. Henry Geake, goldsmith of London and John Carman, master mariner, both of whom, along with Thomas, became proprietors of the town of Sandwich in 1637.

Thomas Tupper, for all the available data, did not marry until forty-four years of age. There is evidence that he married twice in England, losing both spouses by death before 1635. The first wife was Katherine Gator, daughter of John Gastor of Sussex county, whom he married, 29 Apr 1622, in the parish of Chelmsford, Essex, England. They had several children, among whom was a son Roberts whose death is recorded in 1630, and Katherine, born 31 Jan 1623. Thomas's second wife was Susan Turner, a widow, whom he married 25 Jan 1628, and they had a son Thomas who died in infancy, another son named Robert, Christened 3 Nov 1633, who was with him later in New England, and other children all of whom died young.

Thomas's wife Susan died before 1634, and Thomas had a twelve year old daughter and a two year old boy. These two children likely came with their father to New England son after their mother's death.

The third wife of Thomas was a widow by the name of Anne Hodgson or Hudson. They married 21 Dec 1634 at Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay colony. With his third wife, they had a son named Thomas who was born at Sandwich in 1638.

Plymouth records who that Thomas Tupper served his community in many ways. He was a represented in the General Court at Plymouth in 1644, a deputy between 1647-1667, and never missed a session. He served on juries, local boards and commissions, and for three years beginning in 1667, he was a selectman until he retired when he was over selectman years old.

~Thomas Tupper and his descendants, pg. 8-13

Thomas married Katharine Gator, daughter of John Gator and Unknown, on 29 Apr 1622 in Parish Chelmsford, Essex, England.⁶⁷³ (Katharine Gator was born in 1580-1581 in Chelmsford, Essex, England, died about 1627 in Massachusetts and was buried in 1627.)