1215.Dea. Thomas Loring. Born ca 1600 in Axminster, Devon. Thomas died in Hull, MA on 4 Apr 1661.45 Occupation: Farmer, innkeeper.
From the Loring Genealogy, pages 1–6:107
Deacon Thomas Loring, founder of the American family, was born at Axminster, Devonshire, England. So much his grandson, Rev. Israel Loring, learned from his father and left on record. But neither the name of his father, mother or any ancestor has come down to us. ... the parish registers of Axminster are sadly defective and wills thus far examined [1917] fail to show the origin of the pioneer. ...
Mr. Loring came here, Rev. Israel affirms, “December 23, 1634,” and joined the church colony at Hingham, which had come from Hingham, Norfolkshire, under the lead of an Independent minister, Rev. Robert Peck. Admitted “freeman” or citizen of the colony March 3, 1635-6, he was already established on a home lot near what is now the corner of Town and Ship Streets. He became the proprietor of other lots at later times. He was a farmer. As the fish that abounded along the shore furnished a large part of the food of the inhabitants, and were also “set” with the corn to enrich the soil, Deacon Loring and his neighbors, by permission of the town in 1637, built a weir to catch this floating wealth ; and the stream is called today Weir River. He was an innkeeper, too, perhaps the first in the plantation, licensed by the General Court along with some from other towns in March, 1637. ...
The church chose him one of its deacons and he was respected and influential in the town. From some cause fire robbed him of his dwelling, March 15, 1645-6, and he did not choose to rebuild. Instead, however, he bought property in the adjoining plantation of Hull, and took a prominent place there; was constable (which then meant court officer, tax collector, etc., and demanded a good business education as well as efficiency). He joined with some of his neighbors and others in taking stock in a new plantation, “Sickonke,” afterward called Seakonk and Rehoboth; but he did not remove to the place or continue his ownership of land there. He bought “for a valuable consideration,” May 30, 1660, of Thomas Chaffee “all that my house Housing orchard & two home lotts, lying in the town of Hull, Conteigning fower acres more or lesse as they were measured lying North East & South west John Loring on the South east Willam Chamberlaine on the North west the Towne streete on the South west & Ducke Lane on the North East wth my lott of meadow by Streights River & my two lotts at Sagamore hill and my two lotts at Strawbery hill as they stand recorded to be butted & bounded in the Towne booke of Hull aforesaid except one Cowes Comon formerly sold to William Chamberlaine with all my right interest & priviledges in all the Islands belonging to the towne of Hull aforesaid except on the island called Peddocks Island.”
This extensive property was the subject of careful appraisal and division by the sons after their father’s decease.
Deacon Loring died April 4, 1661, leaving no will. Administration was granted to his widow Jane and eldest son Thomas, April 18, following, and the required inventory was presented June 27, 1661. [The detailed inventory follows]
So much property was involved in the estate the brothers made an itemized agreement of division; each retained what the father had given him and the rest of the property was estimated and assigned in a fine, brotherly fashion. Thomas and John had lands in Hull, Josiah the Hingham homestead and Benjamin that in Hull. A later division had to be made; “'the 24 of the 2d month [April] 1672,” Thomas Dyer and John Holbrook reaffirmed the former inventory and added some items: “The small devisions at Slow Island & Bruisters Island wthye Comons at Hingham & eight Cow Comons at Hull and one divicon not yet laid out at hingam not yet aprised. More in money then left betwixt 30 and 40 £ wch some of the Brethren have declared ymselves willing yt mother shall continue to keepe it.” “Mrs Jane Lorin and Tho: Lorin & John Lorin her sons made oath to this in Court this 1st of ye 3 mo. 1672.”
The widow came to the end of her care of the money a short time after. She died August 25, 1672. She left a will which adds much to our acquaintance with her own nature and the fashions and conditions of the day.
“Thomas, came from Axminister, County of Devon, Eng., 23 Dec. 1634, and resided for a short time at Dorchester, Mass. Thence he removed to Hingam, and Sept. 18, 1635, drew a house-lot on Town (North), near what is now the corner of Ship St. He was made freeman 3 March, 1635-36; was early a deacon of the church in Hing., and was the progenitor of the families bearing this surname by birth in eastern Mass., and prob. throughout New England. On Marh 15, 1645-46, his dwelling-house was destroyed by fire. He subsequently removed to Hull, where he d. intestate, 4 Apr. 1661.”45
In 1637 Thomas was licensed by the General Court as an innkeeper; in the same year, he, with some of his neighbors, built a fish weir at Weir River. In Hull, he was a Constable, an office whih then included the duties of Court Officer and Tax Collector. In 1660 he purchased a valuable property in Hull of Thomas Chaffee including rights in all the islands belonging to the town of Hull, with the exception of Peddocks’ Island. He became a stockholder in the new plantation at Seakonk (Rehoboth), but did not move there.42
Thomas, of Axminster, Devonshire, amde with his wife and Jane and sons Thomas and John to New England, at the plantation at Dorchester 23 Dec 1634, where he remained only a short time. They went to Hingham where on 18 Sep 1635 he drew a house lot on the north side of what is now Ship Street. He was admitted freeman 3 Mar 1636, and soon became a deacon of the church. In 1646 his house was burned, and he moved to Hull.108
“Thomas Loring and his son John Loring are both found in the 1657 listing of early planters in Hull. Thomas had a four acre lot and adjoining meadow, abutting the Sound (now [1989] called Nantasket Roads) and land of Samuel Ward, on Further Hill. WHen his son John married in 1657 Thomas bought for him the land of Ralph Greene on Further HIll, between Thgomas Chaffee and Thomas Collier, where, on Town (now Spring) Street, the landmark ancient cape-style home is still standing. It is difficult to visualize this small building housing John Loring, his wife, and fifteen children! The large Loring families were prominent in the town [of Hull], and remained into the 20th century. It is the only one of the original families to represent Hull in both the Revolutionary and the Civil Wars.”109
There’s an article on Thomas Loring in The Great Migration.14
Ca 1625 Thomas married Jane Newton in England.14 Jane died in Hull, MA on 25 Aug 1672.45
Jane’s grandson, Rev. Israel Loring said ‘she was a woman of a lively spirit, ... skilled in the practise of physick.’107
Jane’s will is recorded in the Loring Genealogy, page 7.107 Dated 20 Jul 1672, proved 23 and 29 Oct 1672, inventory 16 Oct 1672. It mentions sons Thomas, John, Benjamin; Hannah eldest son’s wife; Mary wife of son John; Mary wife of son Benjamin; son Josiah and wife. Executor son Thomas. WItnesses Zechariah Whitman and Abram Jones.