Thomas Treadwell1 appears to have settled first at Dorchester, Mass., where his proportion of land on the Neck (sometimes called Ludlow’s Neck) was 18 Mar. 1637, "3 acres, 3 goods, 20 rodes", and of other land, "8 acres, 8 goods, 26 rodes"; but prior to 23 Apr 1638 he had moved to Ipswich, Mass., on which date he sold his Dorchester holdings (Boston Rec. Com. Report, No. 4, pp. 31, 34). His wife was probably Mary Taylor, sister of Samuel Taylor who died in Ipswich, in June, 1695. In his will, Thomas Treadwell mentions "my sister Bachellor", and the inventory of his estate refers to "Bro. Bacheller". The names of Thomas Treadwell and his wife appear several times in the inventory of the estate of Henry Bacheller who died in Ipswich, 3 Feb 1678. Theophilus Wilson in his will, 1690, mentions Nathaniel Treadwell as his "cozzen"; and John Giddings, in a deposition made in 1664, recites a like relationship between Nathaniel Treadwell and Thomas Wilson. Thomas Treadwell was admitted freeman, 7 Sep 1638. Subsequently, he served on several juries in Essex Co. He died in Ipswich, 8 June, 1671 (will dated 1 Jun, 1671, probated at Ipswich, 26 Sep, 1671, in Essex Co. Probate, 28115) and his wife died in Ipswich 1 Dec, 1685 (will dated 28 Oct, 1682, probated at Ipswich 20 Apr, 1686, in Essex Co. Probate, 28102). Children all born in Ipswich excepting Thomas, who was probably born in England.

The author is indebted to Prof. George A Treadwell of New York City for liberal assistance, and to Mrs. George H. Treadwell (Connecticut branch) and Mr. Smith R. Treadwell of Baltimore, Md. for much valuable data. If sufficient encouragement be given, an extended genealogy will be published in book form, containing an account of all the descendants of Thomas and Edward Treadwell down to about 1900, the lines of daughters, where they have married, being carried one generation. In such a work it is proposed to present a great deal of collateral matter not here given, such as biography, copies of documents, including photographic copies of the original wills of Thomas Treadwell and his wife, facsimiles of early signatures, together with references and authorities, and exhaustive indices. The material for this is now well in hand.

  1. The earliest mention in this country of the name Tre(a)dwell found by the author is that of Thomas, in the records of Dorchester, Mass., under date of 18 Mar, 1637. Felt, however, in his History of Ipswich, Essex, and Hamilton, Mass., page 12, mentions a Mr. Treadwell as a settler in Ipswich in 1635; but that Mr. Treadwell was probably no other than this Thomas. Neither Savage nor pope refers to any other Treadwell for the year 1635. Both Felt and Savage mention a John Treadwell in Ipswich in 1638; but Pope omits him, and the author has never been able to find the original record upon which to base such a claim. In 1637, an Edward Treadwell first appears in this country on the Ipswich records. Later, he settled on Long Island, new York, where he died, leaving two sons from whom have sprung the Connecticut and Long Island Tre(a)dwells, a very numerous and widely scattered family. The aforesaid Thomas and Edward were probably brothers; but no other evidence for this statement has been discovered than this contemporaneous residence in Ipswich. In Hotten’s "Original Lists" we find that on 28 July, 1635, Thomas Tredwell, a smith, Mary Tredwell, each aged 30 years, and Thomas Tredwell, aged one year, embarked from London in the "Hopewell", with certificate from the minister of St. Giles Cripplegate, but an examination of the records at St. Giles Cripplegate made in 1889 by Mr. Benjamin F. Treadwell failed to disclose the Tre(a)dwell name.

[The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 1906, Vol. LX, pub. Boston by the Society. By William A. Robbins, LL.B., of Brooklyn, N. Y., p. 48-49 "Thomas Treadwell of Ipswich, Mass., and Some of His Descendants"] [HOVEY.GED]

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