2461.Thomas Flagg. Born ca 1617 in England. Thomas died in Watertown, MA 6 Feb 1697/8. Religion: Thomas did not become a church member un til 22 Jun 1690.
Thomas settled in Watertown as early as 1641, and was probably the ancestor of all families bearing that name in this country. He was selectman five years form 1671 through 1678. He lost his left eye by a gunshot accident previous to 1659.30
Thomas “sailed for America in 1637, being then twenty-one years of age, and settled at Watertown, in the province of Massachusetts Bay. He came as a servant of Richard Carver from Scratby in the hundred of East Flegg, a few miles north of Yarmotuh. Tradition says that a love affair brought him to England, and he may have registered as a servant of Richard Carver in order to avoid the difficulties which were trhown in the way of immigration to the nonconformist colonies of New England. He was settled at Watertown as early as 1641, and was selectman there in 1671- 74- 75- 76- 78- 81- 85-87. He was proprietor of two lots in 1644, one of which covered twenty acres previously granted to John Rose, and the other a homestall of six acres. He was not the original grantee of either. His homestall was in the extreme southwest part of Watertown, one-half mile north of the Charles river and not far from the present line of Waltham, being on the Sudbury road, now Main street. He was numver admitted freeman, but was released from training before 1660 by paying the company five shillings per annum, and was fully released by the court, April 5, 1681, when his eldest son was forty years old. He lost an eye by the accidental discharge of a gun previous to 1659.”108
Thomas’s will, dated 5 Mar 1697, proved 16 Feb 1697/8, mentions his wife Mary, sons Thomas, Michael, Allen, Benjamin, and Eleazer, deceased son Gershom, daughters mary Bigelow, Rebecca Cook, and Elizabeth Bigelow, and grandson John Flagg. Witnesses: John Mixer, Thomas Underwood, and Shuball Child. Inventory taken by Abraham Browne, Zacheriah Cutter, and Edward Harrington, recorded 16 Feb 1697/8, amounted to 75£ 10s. The inventory stated Thomas’s death date as 6 Feb 1697/8.
There are two possibilites for Thomas’s ancestry.
A. Thomas may have been the son of Allen and Nazareth Flegg,
B. Thomas may have been the son of Bartholomew and Alice Flegg.
Thomas married Mary. Born say 1620 in England. Mary died in Watertown, MA bet 30 Dec 1702 and 21 Apr 1703.30
Mary’s will, dated 30 Dec 1702, left her whole estate to be equally divided among her three daughters Mary Bigelow, Elizabeth Bigelow, and Rebecca Cook. The will also mentions son Benjamin Flagg, and son Samuel as executor. Witnesses: Nathaniel Willder, Ephraim Wilder, and John Warren.