Thomas Low

Maltster and deacon of Chebacco, son of Thomas Low the immigrant, born about 1631/2, perhaps the Thomas baptized at Groton, Suffolk, on 8 May 1631. On 4 July 1660 he married Martha Boreman at Ipswich. The Essex County court records show him on juries, in depositions and in the malt trade:

• 1668. "Thomas Low, jr.," "Martha (her mark) Low," Thomas Varny, "Goodman (his mark) Procktor" and other Chebacco neighbours petitioned for Thomas Wells and his wife, fined for "slanderous, reproachful and threatening speeches" against the magistrates: "we neuer found nor understood ainy thing in their speeches or behauior but that which was good and Christian like" (4:76).
• 1669, the killing of Reynold Foster's horse. His servant John Chub was charged with it. Neighbours testified that "Goodman Low came to work at a seasonable time the morning the horse was killed, when the sun was a half hour high," but John Burnum jr. "deposed that he saw Thomas Low, jr., run at Renall Foster's horse with a pitchfork." Chub was sentenced "to pay 5li. to said Foster and 5li. to the county or else to be whipped. Also to pay Thomas Low 10s.," and was to serve Thomas Low until his fines were paid off (4:124-126, 156-157).
• 1669-1671. Deposed about the Knowltons' spoiled planks (4:156); served a writ "as deputy for Robert Lord, marshal of Ipswich" (4:171); with Martha, testified that Thomas Brag was "one of few words and Therfor the mos apt for to be abused by any one" (4:243); malt attached "in the hands of Capt. Appleton and Goodman Low," 1671 (4:334; he or his father).
• 1676-1682. Trial juror (6:196); on the Chebacco committee of 1677/8 to seek preaching in Chebacco (Crowell p. 74); appraised timber cut on the Cogswell farm, 1679 (7:203-204); "Thomas Low took the freeman's oath," 26 Sept 1682 (8:377).

King Philip's War. Thomas probably served in the war, and only for a short time: in June 1676 he was at home, deposing at Ipswich as "Thomas Low, jr., aged about thirty-six" (6:159). Half a century later his son Jonathan ("Jonathan, s. Tho[mas], jr., July 7, 1665," who died at Chebacco in February 1750, record) drew land on his right in Narragansett Township No. 1, Buxton, Maine: "Low, Thomas," claimant "Jon[a]. Low" (Soldiers in King Philip's War, p. 415), "Jonathan Low on the Right of Thomas Low ... 14" in the first division and "Johnathan Low on the Right of Thomas Low ... 5" in a later one (source). His brother-in-law Joseph Safford, husband of his sister Sarah, rode in Capt. Nicholas Paige's troop to Mount Hope in the first weeks of the war (see his father's page). A "John Chub," perhaps his servant of 1669, was credited at the Hadley garrison on 24 June 1676 and under Capt. Daniel Henchman on 24 July, his wages assigned to Ipswich (Bodge pp. 58, 361, 370).

When the Chebacco church was organized and John Wise ordained in 1683, "the church chose John Burnham, and Thomas Low, deacons" (Crowell p. 93); he was deacon until his death and "for several years parish clerk." In 1685 he bought of the town two acres "bounded by his own land southerly, by the Common northeast, Goodman Reginald Foster's southeast, and Robert Kinsman's southwest" (Waters 1:335-337). "Tho. Low Sanor" signed the Ipswich petition of August 1692 for John and Elizabeth Proctor, whose first signer was Rev. John Wise, uncle of his son David's wife; John Proctor was the brother of Abigail (Proctor) Varney, whose granddaughter married his grandson Caleb. In 1702 the first Chebacco school-house was to stand "on the right hand of the way as you go from the Meeting-house to Dea. Thomas Low's."

His will, dated 17 June 1708 and proved 5 May 1712, opens "I Thomas Low, of Ipswich ... Maltster" and calls him "ancient, crazey & infirm in body." It leaves his wife Martha "the new end" of the house, which he had built a few years before, "a horse to ride on as she may have occasion," apples, cider, malt, corn, wool and flax. It names his children Jonathan, Samuel, David, Martha Dodge, Joanna Dodge, Sarah Low and Abigail Goodhue. Three sons died before him: Thomas (b. 1661, d. 1697/8), Nathaniel (d. 1695) and John (d. 1695). The "Asa" and "Daniel" of Mollie Pfeiffer's typescript were grandsons, sons of Samuel. He died at Chebacco on 12 Apr 1712, aged 80.

Open questions

• Whether he is the Thomas baptized at Groton in 1631: Edward E. Steele, "Descendants of Thomas Low, the Immigrant to Ipswich," NEHGR 174 (2020).
• Which Thomas Low served in King Philip's War: Steele (NEHGR 174) and the Narragansett claims of 1728-33 (Mass. Archives vol. 72).