Chaffee - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Joe Chafee From Russia

kbrownst — 2009-10-21 23:22:22Z

I have not seen any info of family in Russia until I found this. I have no other infomation but it would be interesting to see the relationship (if any) with Thomas Chaffee.

A picture of the document is attached or you can see it at:
http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid...

Elmer and Mary Chaffee

kbrownst — 2009-08-02 23:15:49Z

Pictures of their gravestones have been posted to Findagrave. Search for Old Baptist Cemetery in Michigan. A gravestone for Newberry Chaffee in the same cemetery was not located.

Re: Amanda Chaffee-Walbridge

kbrownst — 2009-07-28 15:40:49Z

I'm still trying to verify this info listed in the Walbridge Family book. Porter and Amanda Chaffee Walbridge had 8 children; Eunice, Moulton, Wing, Sandford, King, Austin, Adeline and Porter Jr. Born btwn 1815 and 1827 suggesting that Amanda would have been born around the 1790's. Thanks in advance for any info.

Re: Mary Belle Chaffee

kbrownst — 2009-06-14 03:16:06Z

Found in Census records:

1880: Mary B. Chaffee - Henvelton, Saint Lawrence, New York
Living with James E (Father) Sarah J (Mother) , Florence, Mabel, and William .

1900 Mary Ballantine - Watertown Ward 5, Jefferson, New York
Living with Jas R Ballantine, Russell Ballantine, Raymond Ballatine, William Chafee and Isabelle Ballantine (Jas's Mother>?)

1910 Mary B Ballantine -Albany Ward 16, Albany, New York
James and Mary alone

Re: Mary Belle Chaffee

tcbjammon — 2009-06-13 17:26:20Z

Father: James Eber Chaffee (Elisha H., Rufus, Ezra, Ebenezer, John, Joseph, THOMAS) was born in Oswegatchie, NY March 16, 1839, and married in Canton, NY, July 11, 1864, Sarah Jane, daughter of Bela Bell of Heuvelton, NY. She has a light complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. Mr. Chaffee has a dark complexion, black eyes and hair, and is five feet, eight and one-half inches in height. He lived in Oswegatchie until 1858, when he went to Wisconsin and worked on a farm. Returning to Oswegathchie, he worked for his brother until the fall of 1861, when on October 1st he enlisted as a Private in the 16 New York Volunteer Infantry and went to Virginia via New York City. He served until February 14, 1863, when he was discharged on account of disability. He returned to his home and after partially regaining his health, entered the construction department of the army and returned to the South, where he repaired railroads and built bridges until the close of the war. During this time he obtained leave and returned to Canton to be married, remaining two weeks. He continued on duty in the South until October, 1865. He bought a farm near Heuvelton and lived there seven years, at the end of that time selling it, and buying a hardware business in Heuvelton, where he was living in 1891. Mr. Chaffee united with the Methodist Church, of which his wife is also a member, at the age of twenty-eight, and was for twenty years a Steward in it. He was also a Sunday School Superintendent for four years. He was at one time Postmaster, was Notary Public two terms, Superintendent of the Poor three terms and Surveyor four terms.

Children:
Florence Angeline Chaffee, born March 21, 1867; married Walter L. Millard

Mary Bell Chaffee, born May 19, 1869

Mable Coralie Chaffee, born July 10, 1874

Willie James Chaffee, born December 26, 1879

From the William H. Chaffee book "The Chaffee Genealogy" 1909 Grafton Press

There is no other information in the book about this family

1900 census Jas R. and Mary living in Watertown Ward 5, Jefferson, NY married 1896 [2 children]

1910 census James and Mary living in Hounsfield, Jefferson, NY [more children]

follow those children. maybe you can connect with living descendants

hope this helps, twchaffee tcbjammon@yahoo.com

Mary Belle Chaffee

TerryBallantine — 2009-06-12 22:04:11Z

Seeking information about Mary Belle Chaffee (b. May 19, 1869, d. January 15, 1918); she married my Great-Grandfather, James Ballantine. Thanks for any information or direction; I'll be happy to share what I have.
Cheers,
Terry Ballantine

Sandford H Chaffee

kbrownst — 2009-06-05 02:59:36Z

Im looking for info on Sandford. he was born 22 Mar 1837 and Died 1891 both in Connecticut. In the 1880 Census he is shown as living with his wife Sarah D and child Alice.

Re: Matthew Chaffe of Boston & Newbury c1640

tcbjammon — 2009-05-29 16:03:07Z

kac1144, could glen be correct on the arrival ship of Thomas Chaffe? wish we knew which ships left england for massachusetts colony in the spring or early summer of 1637. glen seems to have named them all, but i really don't know... i see in april 1637 the DILIGENT went to boston. i just wonder if that was the same ship Mathew was on... i wonder if ships which went to boston also went to hingham and dropped off passengers? but i feel thomas knew some of those people who left for hingham before him. have you ever heard one had to be "invited" to hingam to settle? it could be true, correct?
anyway, thanks for the information and views.
sincerely,
terry w. chaffee

THOMAS CHAFFE'S ARRIVAL SHIP - 1637 [thanks to Glen Chafe]
"There were many ships that carried settlers to the Boston Harbour area in the late 1630's. The Hopewell from London carried Thomas Turner in August 1635. The John & Dorothy from Ipswich (57 passengers) with master William Andrews and the Rose from Great Yarmouth/Ipswich (57 passengers) carried William Ludkin and family of Norwich in April 1637. Ludkin and Turner would later become neighbours of Thomas in Hingham. Thomas' other neighbours were Ralph Woodward who was in Hingham in 1636; John Prince who was made a freeman in the Commonwealth in 1634; Ralph Smith departed Isle of Wight in 1633 and John Tucker was in Hingham in 1635. Families such as the Bosworth's and the Peck's would be his neighbours and fellow migrants to the Seekonk and Barrington in the 1660's/70's. Other ships in 1637: name - Unknown (112 passengers), leaving Weymouth in April to New England, Master: John Driver; Hector , (5 passengers) from London to Salem ; Hercules, (78 passengers) from London to the Massachusetts Bay, Master: John Witherley; Hopewell from Exeter, to Virginia, Master: John Cobbold; Mary Anne (112 passengers) from Great Yarmouth/ Ipswich, to Boston, Master: William Goose; Speedwell (62 passengers) from Weymouth 22, April 1637, to Boston, Master Robert Corbin; and two ships captained by Master William Pierce and three more ships with 360 passengers from Ipswich. Stephen Paine from Norfolk, England, Thomas' later neighbour in Seekonk may have come over on the Diligent in 1638. The Diligent was captained by John Martin who's sister may have married one of Thomas' sons. A Henry Smith from Norfolk, also on the Diligent also followed Thomas in Hingham to Rehoboth following a strong disagreement and split within the Puritan church."

SHIPS LEAVING FOR NEW ENGLAND IN 1637 [thanks to Glen Chafe]
"From the Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1660 by Peter Wilson Coldham (1988) the following can be found (referenced source Public Record Office PRO; E190/876/11 on Chancery Lane, London."
April 1637, Passengers on the [ -------- ], Mr. John Driver, bound from Weymouth to New England: [Elizabeth Poole], two friends and 13 (servants); Henry (Cogan), his wife, 7 men and two maids; Thomas Farwell and two servants; William Longe and his brother; John Cornish, his wife, two brothers, one sister & one man; Anthony Buxtone; William Harvey; Thomas Tayer, his wife and four children; John Derby, his wife, brother and two servants; Walter Deane and six servants; John Reade and six servants; John Gilbert, two men, one maid and two boys; Richard Smith, two children and one servant; Henry Webb, his wife, mother, child, five men & one maid; Edward Rawson, his wife, two children, two maids & four men; Henry Smith, his wife, four children, four menservants & four women (servants); Richard Babson, his mother and brother.
22 April 1637, The Speedwell - Goods shipped by Thomas Tayer and William Longe in the Speedwell, Mr Robert Corbin, bound from Weymouth to [New England]. Passengers on the same ship: Edward Wiett and his wife, Elizabeth Winter and her two children, John Crocker, his wife and his boy, Thomas Claff, his wife and two friends, William Scaddinge, Walter Harris, his wife, six children & three servants, Thomas Farwell and two servants, Thomas Cooke his wife and three children, Wiliam Longe and his brother, Elizabeth Poole, two friends and 14 servants, Henry Cogan, his wife, seven menservants and two maidservants.
The 60-ton Speedwell carried 62 passengers from Weymouth to Boston in 1637. The Speedwell could have been the same ship that was planned to accompany the Puritans on the 180 ton Mayflower ton in 1620 to America. The Speedwell was outfitted in Holland, and arrived in Southampton to meet the Mayflower. The two ships began the voyage on 5 August, but the Speedwell with 67 passengers was leaky and returned to Dartmouth to be refitted. On the second attempt, Mayflower and Speedwell sailed about 300 miles beyond Land's End in England, when Captain Reynolds of the Speedwell returned the ship again to Plymouth because of leaks. Some of the Speedwell passengers crowded onto the Mayflower to compete their famous voyage. The Speedwell eventually followed, arriving at Plymouth Colony exactly one year later on 10 Nov. 1621.
"A" Speedwell travelled to Virginia in 1635 (59 passengers, captain Jo. Chappel) and to Boston in 1656 (41 passengers, captain Robert Lock). It should be noted that the ship name "Speedwell" was popular, and also ships did not last long, and owing to it's condition in 1620, the 1637 Speedwell may not have been the same ship as the one that was planned to leave with the Mayflower. Even the Mayflower was likely scrapped in 1624. From the internet Speedwell passenger, Thomas Cooke was from Netherbury, Dorset. Walter Harris with wife and 6 children were baptized at Honiton, Devon. This puts some of the emigrant passengers of the Speedwell from the Devon area. A ship, name - Unknown left Weymouth for New England in April as well. It carried Walter Deane and his brother John. Walter Deanewas baptized in 1612 at St. Mary, Chard, Somerset. Edward Rawson also on this ship was born at Gillingham, Dorset. There is some indication on the internet that the "Unknown" ship accompanied (or was) the Speedwell. Henry Cogan and Elizabeth Poole, as well as their family and servants, are mentioned in both ships lists by Coldham.
From Charles Edward Banks' "The Winthrop Fleet of 1630", 1930, The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, a history of the fleet from its origins to its landing: "What has come to be called the Winthrop Fleet of 1630 was chartered under an agreement made in Cambridge, England 26 August 1629 under the auspices of the Massachusetts Bay Company. The Company bought the ship "Eagle," made it the flagship, renaming it the "Arabella" and then chartered 10 additional ships to transport about 700 passengers to Massachusetts. Some ships brought passengers from London, the main contingent of ships were loaded at Southampton on the south coast of England during the month of March, 1630. According to records Matthew Craddock, a former governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company, didn't arrive from London to send the ships off until April 6th, on which day four ships, led by the Arbella, sailed down The Solent only to anchor off Yarmouth at the western tip of the Isle of Wight and await the remaining seven which were still being loaded in Southampton. At six in the morning on April 8th, the four ships set sail for the New World, passing the Needles, a series of jutting formations off the western tip of the Isle of Wight that mark the beginning of the open ocean, shortly before noon. The "Arabella" was the first to arrive at Salem on 12 June 1630, followed by the "Jewel" on 18 June. Therefore Thomas had neighbours from his southwest England homestead."

THESIS ON THOMAS CHAFFE'S ARRIVAL SHIP: [thanks to Glen Chafe]
"From the above document Thomas Claff is reported to have brought over his wife and two friends. It was thought that Thomas Chaffee married in Hingham, however this might explain why there have been no local marriage records of this event. On the LDS site the frequency of the Claff surname before this date in England is nonexistent, with the most ancient being c.1739 Germany. It is assumed that Claff is a transcription or spelling error in Coldham's document. Adding to the mystery, from the Hingham records of 1637 there is also a Thomas Clapp noted as an inhabitant. The Clapp/Chappe/Chap surname is found in Dorset (starting 1504), Sussex and Northumberland. However a Thomas Clapp from Devon arrived in Boston in 1633. A Thomas Shave is also mentioned in the 1637 Hingham records, and while possibly sounding the same, is not even close in surname spelling. At this point it is uncertain that Thomas Chaffe was in fact Thomas Claff. However the closeness of the surname spelling in the ship list, the match with the first name; Thomas, the fact that Claff is an uncommon surname, the departure date, the arrival year in Hingham, that fellow passengers were from Devon and Dorset and the proximity of the departure point of Weymouth to Dorset/Somerset/Devon makes the 1637 voyage of the Speedwell the most likely ship. If this link to the Speedwell is correct, it is also doubtful there was two Thomas Chaff's, one arriving in 1635, and another who arrived in 1637 as W H Chaffee has indicated.
The 1901 England Census shows 34 Claffs in Lancaster and London and at the same time over a thousand for Chaff/Chaffe/Chaffey (40% from Dorset, Somerset and Devon). Rootsweb has 197 listings for Claff but most appear to be redundant/duplicates and none are born in England. On the same site there are hundreds of Chaff/Chaffe/Chaffey's born in England. The present US Census Bureau shows a significant population of the Chaff/Chaffe/Chaffey surname but Claff cannot be found. The Bureau does show a a large population of Claffey's. Switchboard.com lists 9 Claff's in their US directory and many Claffee's, Claffery and Claffey's. On LDS, Claffey appears to be 99% from Ireland and Germany. LDS show no Claff's in England, and four from Germany.
If Thomas departed from Southern England and was from a Chaff, Chafe, Chaffe family there is a 92% chance he was from Devonshire. If he was from a Chaffey or Chafy family there is a 31% chance he was from Somerset and 65%chance he was from Dorsetshire. Overall, looking at England as a whole, the odds he was from outside either of these three shires around 15%.
On July 17th 1637 Thomas took ownership of land on Batchellor Street - 86 days from his departure date. The Mayflower took 66 days to cross the Atlantic. The first of the Winthrop Fleet took 61 days in 1630. The Mary & John took 71 days to sail from Plymouth to Nantasket in 1630. With is in mind Thomas, on average, could have had a 66 day voyage and arrived around June 27th, 1637. His first documented date of a land transaction was July 17th, 1637. He likely had a least one neighbour from his homeland; Ralph Smith who left from the Isle of Wight in 1633."

Re: Matthew Chaffe of Boston & Newbury c1640

kbrownst — 2009-05-29 12:06:00Z

HI Terry

One theory that no one seems to think about is that its possible Thomas came over as a "child/teen" not yet a man, possibly indentured to someone and that would explain him not being listed by name on any ships roster. It would be great to find some long lost record of his voyage. Maybe he worked his way over as a crewmember I remember looking at Glens' tree and seeing a Thomas listed that "could" be our Thomas but Glen could not 'connect" him to our Thomas even though the records for that Thomas ended in England around the time Our thomas may have left... Just another theory to throw into the pot.

Re: Matthew Chaffe of Boston & Newbury c1640

tcbjammon — 2009-05-28 21:37:18Z

dear kac1144, thanks for some of your views regarding what glen had questioned. as far as what i have seen and read, it appears that thomas could not write his own name, which leads me to believe he could not read. so thomas was uneducated, common for those who where not born into upper class. thomas a commoner in england, wherever he hailed from; a farmer, fisherman and maybe kept some stock. do you think he knew one or some of those who went before him to hingham? i have read somewhere or heard that one had to be "invited" to live in hingham, one just couldn't show up in those early years without knowing someone there and an invitation. if that is true, he knew someone who went there ahead of him and he came with a few others who knew someone already living in hingham. that is maybe why he became, like ludkin, a freeman almost immediately in 1637. i believe thomas came in the spring of 1637 and by july 1637, was getting the land grant from hingham township. just because he received land on bachelor st. doesn't 100% prove he was single. although the wife has never been mentioned in any record i have read about thomas, nothing. wish those records of hull were around but that is history. do you believe that glen's theory was correct about the ship thomas and his wife came over on? i could see the name being hacked because of phoenetic spelling and even those people could barely write or spell like the ship's captain. so, thomas is either from dorset, somers or devon counties. how do we know his marriage was even recorded?
how do we know his baptism was recorded? we don't. for some reason i believe thomas knew mathew chaffe someway. maybe they were cousins?
are you related to thomas btw? have you done a dna test yet? i have to do it, hoping something will come out of it. how do i get chaffee's in england to do dna testing? i believe thomas's ancestors blood still alive in england but that is wishful thinking on my part. anyway, would like to discuss more with you.
would you contact me: tcbjammon@yahoo.com ?

thanks very much if you would,
sincerely, terry w. chaffee

Re: Matthew Chaffe of Boston & Newbury c1640

kac1144 — 2009-05-23 00:07:21Z

I can also answer a few of the unanswered questions posed in the post:

1. Thomas and his wife moved to Batchellor Street. Was this street reserved for bachelors exclusively since Hingham's founding two years earlier? W.H. Chaffee indicated he was not married when he arrived (perhaps based on the Batchellor Street residence). *He may however have been married earlier.

2. Was Thomas affluent enough to build and manage a house and up to 21 acres of land in four locations so soon after arriving? Then again, he was a settler in a new world so land acquisition may not have been an issue. Was he a fisherman, a farmer or both as this may lead to clues as to where his England family lived.

*Thomas raised sheep and was indeed a fisherman. All his residences (Hingham, Hull, Swanze which became Barrington, RI) were near salt water. He may have acquired whatever land was freely or cheaply attainable to maintain a greater number of livestock even if his holdings were miles apart (Hingham to Hull 10 miles; Rehoboth, Swanze and Barrington were essentially the same original township).

3. Early Hingham land transactions show properties adjacent to the ocean, but on meadows suitable for ploughing or livestock, and two were definitely inland. In Barrington, the property also appears more inland. *Thomas had property (and is probably buried) on Phoebe's Neck in Barrington harbor (just as his land in Hull harbor).

5. Thomas' son Joseph married into the influential Barrington Martin family. The Martin family may have come from Devonshire. Are the families closely tied?

*Joseph's wife Annis (Ann) Martin was daughter of Richard Martin of Batcombe, Somersetshire and his wife Elizabeth Salter of Ottery St. Mary, Devon. Richard arrived in Rehoboth, MA late in 1663 after the death of his brother Robert Martin who knew the Chaffee's there (Swanze and Rehoboth shared boundries). Richard Martin bequeaths to "son-in-law", Joseph Chaffee, "ffourteen pounds estate in commonage,' in Rehoboth, which was given him by the will of his brother, Robert Martin."

13. Did he become a freeman in America. There is no record of this prior to 1636.
*Thomas became a freeman in Hingham in 1637, which implies but does not prove he arrived earlier. Typically men became freemen after about 2 years in the community/church. But there are many exceptions. Thomas' neighbor receiving land in 1637, William Ludkin, also became a freeman that year. He (William) arrived on the John & Dorothy 1637.

15. In a deed of sale documented by W.H Chaffee in 1660 his name was signed as a mark Thomas J Chaffye. Was J for Joseph?
*No person in the 17th century had a middle given name. This was an invention of the latter 18th century. The "J" in question was his "T" mark, interposed by Thomas between his first and last name that had been scribed by another hand.

Re: Matthew Chaffe of Boston & Newbury c1640

kac1144 — 2009-05-22 18:55:59Z

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. It had previously been thought Mathew & Sarah were lost to history after they left the church... now it appears the lived to old age in the Boston area. WH Chaffee (in his correcpondence) suspected Mathew and Thomas were related, but to date, no connection has been found except their coincidental presence in MA (to include a common land reference for both Thomas and Mathew to property adjoining a John Prince in Hingham, MA. Glen and I corresponded for a couple years. I miss him and his site was wonderful. I disagreed however with the emphasis he placed on the spelling of Chafe/Chaffey/Chaffie/Chaffe etc. I see no significance to early spellings of surnames, as there was no proper (or correct) spelling.. all names were commonly spelled phonetically. Glen himself showed had photographic signatures of the family of Thomas' son Joseph and wife Annis and son, each spelling their surname differently. This held true for church and secular records in England as well... so the spelling doesn't help trace Thomas' ancestry in my mind. WH Chaffee thought Thomas and Mathew hailed from Dorset. My research leads me to believe he may be correct, but that Thomas at least may originally be descended from the family of Robert, Mayor of Exeter, whose grandchildren founded separate lines in Devonshire and Dorset. There is a Thomas Chafe m. Joanna Ellet 1601 Exeter; Thomas Chafe b. abt 1604 m. Alice Adams 25 Jan 1631 Buckfastleigh; Thomas Chafe, Gent. m. Margery Elston 1 Aug 1627 Ashreigney, Devonshire [parish record]; and Thomas Chafy who m. Rebecca Forward 10 Jan 1615 Stock-Gayland, Dorset.

Re: Matthew Chaffe of Boston & Newbury c1640

tcbjammon — 2009-05-22 18:07:14Z

Thomas is believed to be the first or second Chaffee [a Matthew Chaffe Boston 1636? - see NOTE below] in the New World as his name shows up the records in the Town Clerk's office in Hingham, MA dated July 17, 1637, for land given to Thomas for house and later, in October 1637 for planting. The place and date of his birth, parentage, the time and place of his arrival, his wife and the name of the ship which bore him from England to the New World are still unknown. The amount of land granted to him at first shows he was probably not married yet. The original lot is thought to be close to Batchellor St. (now Main St.) in Hingham, Plymouth Colony, MA. In both Hingham and Hull (Nantasket),MA, Thomas was a fisherman and farmer. He could not read or write as the signature on documents shows a "mark" and a second signature of witness(possibly superstitious). Between October and April 9, 1642 nothing is found in the records regarding Thomas Chaffe and then his name appears in the records of Nantasket, later called Hull, a town adjoining Hingham and situated on the point of a penninsula jutting out into Massachusetts Bay as his name was mentioned "Thomas Chaffey" in a letter for receving land for planting and home and fishing with some other citizens by the order of Nantasket Geunerall Court. He might have been married in Nantasket (Hull), but the town records of Hull prior to 1657 have been lost. Probable that his wife's Christian name was Dorothy, as both sons both had daughters by that name, which was not a name found in families of their wives. On July 25, 1680 Thomas filed his will and the exact date of his death is not known, but probable a short time after the filing of his will. His will was exhibited publicly in March of 1683 and the inventory of his will was taken in May of 1683 "on ye oath of Joseph Chaffey". Possible he was buried in ancient Chaffee Burying Ground on his own farm but no stone to his memory remains. The house was close to the burial ground. In Thomas's time his property was located on the west bank of what is now the Barrington River, but known then as the Sowams River, about two miles northwest of the present town of Barrington, Bristol Co., RI. To present date, there is no information of where Thomas's wife is buried.
[NOTE: Perhaps it's a typesetting error, but there is a late (1684) record of Matthew and Sarah in America. In Dec 1649 Mathew purchased the large farm of Dr. John Clark in Newbury and his dwelling house in Boston.
Strangely thirty five years later, the Suffolk Deeds By William Blake Trask, Frank Bradish, Suffolk County (Mass.), 1626-1687, p. 24 of the Index of Grantors (appendix) states: 14 May 1684 Mathew Chafe ship carpenter et ux Sarah grant to John Clark by deed - Thanks to a message on Ancestry.com from kac1144 (user name) on 10 May 2009]
[NOTE: Most of the infomation on the decendants of Thomas Chaffe has come from The Chaffee Genealogy book, written in 1909 by William H. Chaffee, on Grafton Press and some of the information used by William Chaffee came from the Plymouth Colony Record of Wills, Vol. IV, page 36]
[NOTE: According to some information sent to a Chaffee descendant (two volumes totaling 580 pages) by an unknown researcher, Thomas Chaffe was born 1616 England, died 05-15-1683 Barrington, RI, married in Hull, England 1635 to Dorothy Thomas and she was born abt 1620 Hull, England. There is no documentation, to my knowledge, that this information is completely factual]

THE FOLLOWING WAS WRITTEN BY THE LATE GLEN CHAFE:
"In part from: History of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc. 1920
The family in America dates from 1637 (or maybe as early as 1635 according to William H. Chaffee), and is traced to one Thomas Chaffe , immigrant ancestor and founder, large land owner and prominent member of the early settlements at Hingham, and Hull, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. His progeny has been prominent in New England for many generations, and the family has contributed many men whose names are notable in the history of New England life and affairs.
Background on Hingham: In the year 1633, Edmond Hobart, with his wife, their son Joshua, and daughters Rebekah and Sarah landed in Charlestown. Two other sons, Edmond Hobart Jr. and Thomas, and their families also arrived from England, as did Nicolas Jacob, his wife and children, and Thomas Lincoln, a weaver. These settlers found that the existing settlements had no room for them, and they chose a harbor lying inside the peninsula of Nantasket, named Bare Cove because the cove looked bare when the tide was out. The time of settlement is unknown, the first time Bare Cove was mentioned was in tax records dated September 25, 1634. The settlement was assessed a tax of 4 pounds to be paid to the colonial government. In 1635, Peter Hobart and his family arrived in the colony from Hingham England.. Another son of Edmond Hobart, and a minister, he settled with his family in the little settlement. On September 2nd in the year 1635, the Massachusetts court allowed the change of Bare Cove to Hingham, and on the eighteenth of the same month the first 29 proprietors of Hingham drew their house lots.
Thomas Chaffe, immigrant ancestor and founder, immigrated from England to America in 1637 (or as early as 1635 according to William H. Chaffee), in which year he settled in Hingham, Mass., where he received a grant of land. Early records of Hingham show one of Thomas' neighbours awarded land in 1635. Thomas Chaffey's name is on this document which was filed in 1637 - most likely because he was a current neighbour. He was not in the list of property owners in 1635. Under the same date there is another entry showing that the town gave him about two acres of salt marsh, and July 17, 1637, two acres of land on Bachelor Street (or Bachelor's Rowe - now Main street) for a house. This small amount proves that he was unmarried at the time, as the amount of land for a house was given with regard to the size of the family. In October, 1637, he was given a lot of ten acres abutting on Thomas Turner's land on the north and Ralph Smith's land on the south.
On 8th April 1637 when he was fifteen, Samuel Lincoln in the John and Dorothy of Ipswich for America, eventually settling in Hingham, Massachusetts. Samuel was born in 1622 in Hingham, Norfolk, England. Samuel's great-great, great, great, grandson was Abraham Lincoln who became the 16th President of the USA in 1860.
Thomas Chaffe's settlement in 1637 is noted in the Early Settlers of Hingham, Massachusetts by John D. Long in the History of Hingham published 1893, pages 201-209.
The 1635 entry for land given to John Tucker in the Hingham records: "Given unto John Tucker by the towne of Hingham for a planting lott of six acres of land lying upon the Worlds End Hill bounded with the land of Thomas Chaffe and the land of John Prince, Southward and with the land of Ralph Woodward, Northward, butting upon the Sea Eastward and Westward". This is the first mention of Chaffe in the new world, according to William Chaffee in the book. However Thomas Chaffe is not mentioned as land holder in 1635 as stated in William Chaffee's book. It is most likely that this date should be interpreted as 1637.
In 1637, there is this transaction:
"The severall parsells of land and meadow legally given unto Thomas Chaffe by the towne of Hingham," ..."Given unto Thomas Chaffe by the Towne for a planting lott seven acres of land upon the worlds end hill bounded with the sea eastward and southward and with the land of John Prince westward and with the land of John Tucker northward."
Under the same date we find another entry:
"Given unto Thomas Chaffe all the salt marsh on the south side of straitts pond for two acres and he is to have alI the sd parsells of land to him and his heirs for ever be they more or less as they were measured."
"July 17th 1637 . . . Given unto Thomas Chaffe by the towne for a house lott two acres of land Butting upon Batchellor street eastward bounded with the land of William Ludkin southward."
According to William Chaffee this small amount of land was for Thomas Chaffe's house or home lot. Chaffee believed this indicated that at this time he was unmarried, as it was the custom of those days to grant small parcels of land to bachelors, as being sufficient for their needs. Bachelor Street is now known as Main Street, and the original Chaffe home lot is about opposite the old meeting-house.
One more piece of property was given in that year to Thomas Chaffe by the town:
"Oetobr 1637 . . . Given unto Thomas Chaffe by the Towne for a greatt lott tenn acres of land lying upon the great playne on the second furlong to the westward of the centre, bounded with the land of Ralph Smith southward and with the Land of Thomas Turner northward. Butting upon the high wayes east-ward and westward.)"
From: History of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations: The American Historical Society, Inc. 1920:
The next record of Thomas is dated April 9, 1642, in Nantasket, later called Hull (close to Hingham), where he was admitted with several others as a planter, and given two acres between the two hills next Pedcock's (Peddock's) Island. Nantasket is older than Hingham, as the first building was built by emigrants of Plymouth on or before 1624. There were to be at least thirty-two lots, and the planters were to take them in order; they were to have four acres of planting land and two acres of meadow land also. On May 29, 1644, the name was changed to Hull, and in July, a church was formed there. In both Hingham and Hull, Thomas Chaffe was a fisherman and farmer. The name of his wife is not known. He probably married in Hull, as no mention of him or his family is found in the notes of Rev. Peter Hobart, of Hingham. The town records of Hull, before 1657, have been lost. It is probable that his wife's name was Dorothy, as her sons both had daughters named Dorothy, and it was the custom to name children for their grandparents.
The next mention of him in the records is a deed, February 4, 1650, in which he gives land over to Thomas Gill, of Hingham, and he and his son Joseph must have made a trip from Swansea, where they were living, in order to sign it. The last mention of him was in 1657, when a list of his lands was given. Between 1657 and on May 30, 1660, he had removed from Hull and settled in Rehoboth, then in Plymouth Colony. A deed has been found, dated May 30, 1660, in which he sells to Thomas Loring Sr. of Hull, his house, orchard and two home lots containing four acres; a lot of meadow by 'Streights River'; two lots at Sagamore Hill, and two at Strawberry Hill; and also all his rights and privileges in all the island except Pedcock's (Peddock's) Island. In this deed he calls himself 'some time of Hull in the colony of Suffolke', but does not say where he was living then. However, in the proprietor's records of Rehoboth, he was one of the proprietors at least as early as December 25, 1660, and the records also contain a description of the boundaries of land belonging to him. A few months after the sale of his property in Hull he made his first recorded purchase of land in Rehoboth, of Stephen Paine, Sr., February 9, 1660. The farm in Rhode Island was located on the west bank of the Barrington River (in Thomas' time Sowams River) about two miles northwest of the present town (1909) of Barrington Centre, RI.
On April 11, 1664, Thomas then of Wannamoisett, sold to Captain Thomas Willett and James Brown one of the two lots he received in the division of home lots. When Swansea was set off from Rehoboth in 1668, his home in Wannamoisett became a part of the newly created town. He very likely owned land in Rehoboth, as in a deed in 1675 he calls himself of Rehoboth. In 1669 he sold to Joseph Carpenter property in New Meadow Neck (near Barrington). During King Philip's War he and his family, as well as near neighbours, doubtless lived in 'Chaffe's Garrison', a stone building near his house, and during that time he bought a house, an orchard and a house lot from Francis Stevens in Rehoboth. On December 28, 1676, there is a record of an agreement in regard to 'lands purchased of Asamequin and Wamsitto his sonne.' The last mention of him in his life is March 16, 1679-80, in an agreement concerning the Paine Lots and also 'pasturing neck.' He made his will, July 25, 1680, and in it mentions his two sons, Nathaniel and Joseph. Thomas Chaffe died March 6, 1683, and an inventory of his estate taken May 15, of the same year. He was probably buried in the ancient Chaffee Burying Ground on his own farm. Thomas Chaffe was prominent and highly respected in the towns in which he resided."

THOMAS CHAFFE'S ARRIVAL SHIP - 1637 [thanks to Glen Chafe]
"There were many ships that carried settlers to the Boston Harbour area in the late 1630's. The Hopewell from London carried Thomas Turner in August 1635. The John & Dorothy from Ipswich (57 passengers) with master William Andrews and the Rose from Great Yarmouth/Ipswich (57 passengers) carried William Ludkin and family of Norwich in April 1637. Ludkin and Turner would later become neighbours of Thomas in Hingham. Thomas' other neighbours were Ralph Woodward who was in Hingham in 1636; John Prince who was made a freeman in the Commonwealth in 1634; Ralph Smith departed Isle of Wight in 1633 and John Tucker was in Hingham in 1635. Families such as the Bosworth's and the Peck's would be his neighbours and fellow migrants to the Seekonk and Barrington in the 1660's/70's. Other ships in 1637: name - Unknown (112 passengers), leaving Weymouth in April to New England, Master: John Driver; Hector , (5 passengers) from London to Salem ; Hercules, (78 passengers) from London to the Massachusetts Bay, Master: John Witherley; Hopewell from Exeter, to Virginia, Master: John Cobbold; Mary Anne (112 passengers) from Great Yarmouth/ Ipswich, to Boston, Master: William Goose; Speedwell (62 passengers) from Weymouth 22, April 1637, to Boston, Master Robert Corbin; and two ships captained by Master William Pierce and three more ships with 360 passengers from Ipswich. Stephen Paine from Norfolk, England, Thomas' later neighbour in Seekonk may have come over on the Diligent in 1638. The Diligent was captained by John Martin who's sister may have married one of Thomas' sons. A Henry Smith from Norfolk, also on the Diligent also followed Thomas in Hingham to Rehoboth follwoing a strong disagreement and split within the Puritan church."

SHIPS LEAVING FOR NEW ENGLAND IN 1637 [thanks to Glen Chafe]
"From the Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1660 by Peter Wilson Coldham (1988) the following can be found (referenced source Public Record Office PRO; E190/876/11 on Chancery Lane, London."
April 1637, Passengers on the [ -------- ], Mr. John Driver, bound from Weymouth to New England: [Elizabeth Poole], two friends and 13 (servants); Henry (Cogan), his wife, 7 men and two maids; Thomas Farwell and two servants; William Longe and his brother; John Cornish, his wife, two brothers, one sister & one man; Anthony Buxtone; William Harvey; Thomas Tayer, his wife and four children; John Derby, his wife, brother and two servants; Walter Deane and six servants; John Reade and six servants; John Gilbert, two men, one maid and two boys; Richard Smith, two children and one servant; Henry Webb, his wife, mother, child, five men & one maid; Edward Rawson, his wife, two children, two maids & four men; Henry Smith, his wife, four children, four menservants & four women (servants); Richard Babson, his mother and brother.
22 April 1637, The Speedwell - Goods shipped by Thomas Tayer and William Longe in the Speedwell, Mr Robert Corbin, bound from Weymouth to [New England]. Passengers on the same ship: Edward Wiett and his wife, Elizabeth Winter and her two children, John Crocker, his wife and his boy, Thomas Claff, his wife and two friends, William Scaddinge, Walter Harris, his wife, six children & three servants, Thomas Farwell and two servants, Thomas Cooke his wife and three children, Wiliam Longe and his brother, Elizabeth Poole, two friends and 14 servants, Henry Cogan, his wife, seven menservants and two maidservants.
The 60-ton Speedwell carried 62 passengers from Weymouth to Boston in 1637. The Speedwell could have been the same ship that was planned to accompany the Puritans on the 180 ton Mayflower ton in 1620 to America. The Speedwell was outfitted in Holland, and arrived in Southampton to meet the Mayflower. The two ships began the voyage on 5 August, but the Speedwell with 67 passengers was leaky and returned to Dartmouth to be refitted. On the second attempt, Mayflower and Speedwell sailed about 300 miles beyond Land's End in England, when Captain Reynolds of the Speedwell returned the ship again to Plymouth because of leaks. Some of the Speedwell passengers crowded onto the Mayflower to compete their famous voyage. The Speedwell eventually followed, arriving at Plymouth Colony exactly one year later on 10 Nov. 1621.
"A" Speedwell travelled to Virginia in 1635 (59 passengers, captain Jo. Chappel) and to Boston in 1656 (41 passengers, captain Robert Lock). It should be noted that the ship name "Speedwell" was popular, and also ships did not last long, and owing to it's condition in 1620, the 1637 Speedwell may not have been the same ship as the one that was planned to leave with the Mayflower. Even the Mayflower was likely scrapped in 1624. From the internet Speedwell passenger, Thomas Cooke was from Netherbury, Dorset. Walter Harris with wife and 6 children were baptized at Honiton, Devon. This puts some of the emigrant passengers of the Speedwell from the Devon area. A ship, name - Unknown left Weymouth for New England in April as well. It carried Walter Deane and his brother John. Walter Deanewas baptized in 1612 at St. Mary, Chard, Somerset. Edward Rawson also on this ship was born at Gillingham, Dorset. There is some indication on the internet that the "Unknown" ship accompanied (or was) the Speedwell. Henry Cogan and Elizabeth Poole, as well as their family and servants, are mentioned in both ships lists by Coldham.
From Charles Edward Banks' "The Winthrop Fleet of 1630", 1930, The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, a history of the fleet from its origins to its landing: "What has come to be called the Winthrop Fleet of 1630 was chartered under an agreement made in Cambridge, England 26 August 1629 under the auspices of the Massachusetts Bay Company. The Company bought the ship "Eagle," made it the flagship, renaming it the "Arabella" and then chartered 10 additional ships to transport about 700 passengers to Massachusetts. Some ships brought passengers from London, the main contingent of ships were loaded at Southampton on the south coast of England during the month of March, 1630. According to records Matthew Craddock, a former governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company, didn't arrive from London to send the ships off until April 6th, on which day four ships, led by the Arbella, sailed down The Solent only to anchor off Yarmouth at the western tip of the Isle of Wight and await the remaining seven which were still being loaded in Southampton. At six in the morning on April 8th, the four ships set sail for the New World, passing the Needles, a series of jutting formations off the western tip of the Isle of Wight that mark the beginning of the open ocean, shortly before noon. The "Arabella" was the first to arrive at Salem on 12 June 1630, followed by the "Jewel" on 18 June. Therefore Thomas had neighbours from his southwest England homestead."

THESIS ON THOMAS CHAFFE'S ARRIVAL SHIP: [thanks to Glen Chafe]
"From the above document Thomas Claff is reported to have brought over his wife and two friends. It was thought that Thomas Chaffee married in Hingham, however this might explain why there have been no local marriage records of this event. On the LDS site the frequency of the Claff surname before this date in England is nonexistent, with the most ancient being c.1739 Germany. It is assumed that Claff is a transcription or spelling error in Coldham's document. Adding to the mystery, from the Hingham records of 1637 there is also a Thomas Clapp noted as an inhabitant. The Clapp/Chappe/Chap surname is found in Dorset (starting 1504), Sussex and Northumberland. However a Thomas Clapp from Devon arrived in Boston in 1633. A Thomas Shave is also mentioned in the 1637 Hingham records, and while possibly sounding the same, is not even close in surname spelling. At this point it is uncertain that Thomas Chaffe was in fact Thomas Claff. However the closeness of the surname spelling in the ship list, the match with the first name; Thomas, the fact that Claff is an uncommon surname, the departure date, the arrival year in Hingham, that fellow passengers were from Devon and Dorset and the proximity of the departure point of Weymouth to Dorset/Somerset/Devon makes the 1637 voyage of the Speedwell the most likely ship. If this link to the Speedwell is correct, it is also doubtful there was two Thomas Chaff's, one arriving in 1635, and another who arrived in 1637 as W H Chaffee has indicated.
The 1901 England Census shows 34 Claffs in Lancaster and London and at the same time over a thousand for Chaff/Chaffe/Chaffey (40% from Dorset, Somerset and Devon). Rootsweb has 197 listings for Claff but most appear to be redundant/duplicates and none are born in England. On the same site there are hundreds of Chaff/Chaffe/Chaffey's born in England. The present US Census Bureau shows a significant population of the Chaff/Chaffe/Chaffey surname but Claff cannot be found. The Bureau does show a a large population of Claffey's. Switchboard.com lists 9 Claff's in their US directory and many Claffee's, Claffery and Claffey's. On LDS, Claffey appears to be 99% from Ireland and Germany. LDS show no Claff's in England, and four from Germany.
If Thomas departed from Southern England and was from a Chaff, Chafe, Chaffe family there is a 92% chance he was from Devonshire. If he was from a Chaffey or Chafy family there is a 31% chance he was from Somerset and 65%chance he was from Dorsetshire. Overall, looking at England as a whole, the odds he was from outside either of these three shires around 15%.
On July 17th 1637 Thomas took ownership of land on Batchellor Street - 86 days from his departure date. The Mayflower took 66 days to cross the Atlantic. The first of the Winthrop Fleet took 61 days in 1630. The Mary & John took 71 days to sail from Plymouth to Nantasket in 1630. With is in mind Thomas, on average, could have had a 66 day voyage and arrived around June 27th, 1637. His first documented date of a land transaction was July 17th, 1637. He likely had a least one neighbour from his homeland; Ralph Smith who left from the Isle of Wight in 1633."

There are still questions that remain unanswered for this thesis to be proven correct: [thanks to Glen Chafe]
1. Thomas and his wife moved to Batchellor Street. Was this street reserved for bachelors exclusively since Hingham's founding two years earlier? W.H. Chaffee
indicated he was not married when he arrived (perhaps based on the Batchellor Street residence).
2. Was Thomas affluent enough to build and manage a house and up to 21 acres of land in four locations so soon after arriving? Then again, he was a settler in a
new world so land acquisition may not have been an issue. Was he a fisherman, a farmer or both as this may lead to clues as to where his England family lived.
3. Early Hingham land transactions show properties adjacent to the ocean, but on meadows suitable for ploughing or livestock, and two were definitely inland. In Barrington, the property also appears more inland.
4. No boat ownership records seem to exist.
5. Thomas' son Joseph married into the influential Barrington Martin family. The Martin family may have come from Devonshire. Are the families closely tied?
6. No marriage certificate in America or England exists to prove his marriage.
7. Why did he own a number of houses and various different disconnected properties?
8. Thomas was a Congregational Puritan and attended the Congregational Church in Seekonk. Did he leave England because if his beliefs?
9. Did he arrive on the Speedwell in 1637? Who were his two friends on the speedwell and why were they not neighbours?
10. Did he arrive in 1635 as W.H. Chaffee stated? Was he on another ship other than the Speedwell?
11. Where was Thomas' original homestead in Devon, Dorset or Somerset? Many of his fellow passengers were from Dorset or Somerset, but if his surname was Chaffe/Chaff the odds are he was from Devon.
12. Was he related to the affluent family descended from Robert Chaffe, mayor of Exeter in 1568/9 and in 1576/7?
13. Did he become a freeman in America. There is no record of this prior to 1636.
14. If he was from good stock in England, why was he not able to sign his name on his deeds and instead left his mark - T.
15. In a deed of sale documented by W.H Chaffee in 1660 his name was signed as a mark Thomas J Chaffye. Was J for Joseph, the name of this second son
(1639-1694), a grandson (1677-1759) and a great grandson (1797), also the name of his father in England? This theory is weak in that middle initials were not common for the English in 1600.
16. Was Thomas related to Mathew Chaffe, who had large land holdings (even wharfs in Boston Harbor). Matthew was a carpenter and a fisherman/planter,
married to Sarah, and was in Boston in 1636. He was said to be a "Goodman" in Boston. A goodman means someone of your social standing or slightly higher;
a husband; the male head of a household; a courtesy title before the surname of a man not of noble birth.

WHERE DID THOMAS SETTLE IN AMERICA? [thanks to Glen Chafe]
Hingham, Massachusetts - 1637-1660
The following is a possible location of where Thomas Chaffe had his first home in Hingham. It is based on the following recorded events in 1637:
- Two acres of land butting upon Batchellor Street (Batchelor's Rowe) now Main Street - Land nearly opposite the present meeting-house of the First Parish
- Neighbour Ralph Smith - Pear Tree Hill
- Neighbour William Ludkin - nearly opposite Water Street
Based on documents from the History of Hingham 1893. It is possible the land is on the other side of the street as another reference indicates that Batchellor St. is to the east and William Ludkin to the south. Current thought in the town is that the site is adjacent (south east) of the First Parish which is located at 90 Main Street.

THOMAS CHAFFE: [thanks to Willam Chaffee and Glen Chafe]
Most probably the ancestor of all who have borne this surname in the United States up to the present century, came to Hingham among the early settlers, and in 1637 drew a house-lot of two acres on Batchellor, now Main St., nearly opposite the present meeting-house of the First Parish. Other lands were also granted him the same year for planting purposes. He probably remained here until 1642, when he occupied land granted him at Nantasket (Hull), and resided there until ab. 1659. He then removed to Swanzea. In his will of 1680, reference is made to his being "of great age." He died in 1683 leaving sons Nathaniel and Joseph, from whom have descended a highly respectable posterity.
July 17th 1637 . . . Given unto Thomas Chaffe by the towne for a house lott two acres of land Butting upon Batchellor street eastward bounded with the land of William Ludkin southward.
SMITH (SMYTH), RALPH appears in Hing. 1637, when he drew a house-lot on Batchellor (Main) St. at or near "Pear Tree Hill." He continued to reside here until 1653, when he removed to Eastham, Mass. It is said that he was twice m., the first w. being the mother of his ch. Oct. 27, 1685, adm. was granted to Grace Smith, the relict of Ralph Smith, and Samuel Smith, son to the said Ralph Smith, all of the town of Eastham, in the Colony of New Plymouth, in New England, decrease etc.
LUDKIN, WILLIAM, the smith (locksmith) also from Norwich Eng. and prob bro. of the preceding, had a grant of a house-lot on 1637 on Batchellor (Main) nearly opp. Water St. His w., ch., and a serv. came with him.
TURNER, THOMAS, had a grant of land in Hing. at "Goose Point" 1637. On Apr. 13, 1646, he sold his est here, consisting of five acres of land with a dw. house, thereon, which was located where St. Paul's Catholic Church now stands, to John Otis, Sr., together with two acres in the Broad Cove Meadows, and twelve acres beyond Crooked Meadow Bridge, which had previously been granted and laid out by the town. In 1650 he completed a contract for finishing a "barke" at Boston, and prob. removed from here ab. that time, or shortly after. In 1644 a Thomas Turner was one of four young men who were permitted to build a gallery in the first meeting-house, but whether it was this Thomas or his s. is a problem for investigation. Deane's History says the name afts. appears in Scit.
Mathew Chaffe also has land in the area. In 1657-58, gives to his son William a lot at Capts Tent (now Hewitt's Cove) in Hingham. Thus
Barrington, Rhode Island and Seekonk, Massachusetts - 1660-1683
As much as 60 percent of the original settlers of Hingham left before their deaths. There was disenchantment with the way the town was being run by local officials as well as religious-political differences with the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
On May 30, 1660 Thomas Chaffe sold his assets in the Hingham area. "Sell aljene enfeoffe and Confirme vnto the sajd Thomas Loring of the Towne of Hull his heires and Assignes for euer all that my house houseing orchard & two home lotts lying in the Towne of Hull aforesajd Conteigning fower acres more or lesse as they were measured lying North East & South west. John Loring on the South East willjam chamberlajne on the North west the Towne streete on the South west & Ducke Lane on the North east wth my lott of meadow by Streights Riuer & 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 aforesajd except one Cowes Comon formerly Sold to willjam Chamberlajne wth all my right Interest & priviledges in all the Islands belonging to the Towne of Hull aforesajd except one the Island Called Peddocks Island..."
On 25 December, 1660, land transactions commenced in the areas of Swansea, Sawomes, Rehoboth and Popanomscut.
Apparently after King Philips' War (1675-76), Baptists moved into Thomas' area and Congregationalists, including Thomas, moved closer toward Barrington. Infant baptism was a primary religious division among Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay area. Baptists were against infant baptism which Congregationalists practiced. Thomas bought this land in Popanomscut in 1679.
The records of W.H. Chaffee cover the land transactions of Thomas Chaffe. The maps below show the historical land names of the location of Chaffee homesteads in Seekonk MA, and Barrington RI, a diagram of the land transactions over Thomas' lifetime as well as a map of possible homesteads and burial sites.
Thomas Chaffe's land transactions in the Swansea area were as follows:
- Dec 1660, 10 acres Rices Neck, Sawomes Lands (Seekonk area)
- April 1664, 25 acres 9th lot Wanamoisett (Seekonk area)
- June 1670, 17th share New Meadow Neck (land east opposite Barrington town center)
- Sep 1675, 6 acres Town of Rehoboth
- April 1679, Popanomscut Peebees or Phebes Neck (the neck of land on which Barrington resides along the Sawomes/Barrington River)
- May 1683, 10 acres long beach
- May 1683, 4 acres Meadow Mount Hope Neck (this Neck is 9.5 miles long south of Barrington towards Bristol)
It has been reported that a house at 464 Chestnut Street in Seekonk, MA that was owned by Cyrus Chaffee (1814-1885), was a home of Thomas Chaffee. It resides next to the Chaffee-Peck Nature Conservatory. The house is dated from the early 1800's, however a local historian believes it to be rebuilt on an original homestead of the Chaffee family. The historian refers to King Phillips War (1676/6) and how families were hold up in the cellar which contained narrow slits in which rifles could defend the homestead. This could be the "Chaffe's Garrison," W.H. Chaffee wrote in this Chaffee History. Eventually the house was burned during the War and another build on the foundation and cellar. Some structural stone elements of the house could predate the 1800's. According to local settlement patterns Baptists moved into the present day Swansea area and the Puritans families, which included the Chaffee's, moved to the west toward Rehoboth and Barrington. The cemetery located between the house and the Chaffee-Peck Conservatory has two graves for WWII vets; a Chaffee and a Peck. According to William H. Chaffee, Nathaniell & Israell Peck owned land to the north of Thomas Chaffee in 1660 near Rices Neck, Sawomes Lands.
Thomas had a farm in Popanomscut:
From W.H. Chaffee:
"The settlers from Hingham and Weymouth located in Seekonk in 1643, the latter including in their number Reverend Samuel Newman, and in 1645 the name was changed at his request to Rehoboth, a scripture name; this first minister of Rehoboth compiled the third Bible Concordance, which far surpassed the other two. Three editions of it were published, the second having been revised from the first, while the author was living in Rehoboth, where he died July 5, 1663. His church was about five miles north of Thomas Chaffe's house, and our worthy ancestor doubtless profited by his sermons and sorrowed with his neighbors over his death."
"He was doubtless buried in the ancient Chaffe Burying Ground on his own farm, a picture of which is here given, though no stone to his memory remains. From information gathered and handed down by the older people, we learn that the house stood but a few rods from the burial ground. This property, located on the west bank of what is now the Barrington River, though in Thomas Chaffe's time it was called the Sowams River, is about two miles northwest of the present town of Barrington Centre, R. I, and is owned by Mr. L. R. Peck."
Thomas likely attended the Newman Congressional Church (formerly in Rehoboth), later in Seekonk, Mass., and now in the village of Rumford, East Providence, R.I.; It is supposed to be the burial place of Nathaniel Chaffe, Thomas' son."

POSSIBILITIES FOR THOMAS CHAFFE'S BURIAL LOCATION: [thanks to Glen Chafe]
"Popanomscut - on farm land 2 miles north of the Barrington Town Hall adjacent to/or north of the mouth of the Barrington River at the level of 100 Acre Cove (most likely).
Prince's Hill - on farm land 0.4 miles north of the Barrington Town Hall.
Cemetery adjacent to the Barrington town Hall at the base of Prince's Hill.
Cemetery grounds on the Newman Congressional Church, Rumford.
Cemetery on Chaffee-Peck Conservatory land, Chestnut Street in Seekonk."

Per the Chaffcombe Parish records, Chaffcombe is derived from a possible name of "Caeffa's Clumb", from a Norman settler in the valley near Chard now known as Chaffcombe.

Per the Book, the Chaffee Name In History, Ancestry.com: CHAFFEE - English (of Norman origin): descriptive nickname from a derivative of Old French [word] chauf = 'bald' (Latin [word] calvus = bald).

Matthew Chaffe of Boston & Newbury c1640

kac1144 — 2009-05-20 04:35:19Z

Perhaps it's a typesetting error, but there is a late (1684) record of Matthew and Sarah in America. In Dec 1649 Mathew purchased the large farm of Dr. John Clark in Newbury and his dwelling house in Boston.
Strangely thirty five years later, the Suffolk Deeds By William Blake Trask, Frank Bradish, Suffolk County (Mass.), 1626-1687, p. 24 of the Index of Grantors (appendix) states: 14 May 1684 Mathew Chafe ship carpenter et ux Sarah grant to John Clark by deed.

Charlotte Meyn Chaffee, age 83,born in Erie, co, pa,"daughter of, Gustav and Emma Habercam .Meyn.** Gifted Vocalist,

KENNELLYMARKA — 2009-04-08 01:30:31Z

Chaffee, Charlotte Meyn,,

Charlotte Meyn Chaffee Loving Mother an" Accomplished Vocalist"
Charlotte Meyn Chaffee, age 83, of Millcreek pa.
, and formerly of 224 Woodbriar Lane, Erie,pa, died Sunday, April 5, 2009
She was born in Erie on May 30, 1925 daughter of the late Gustav and Emma Habercam Meyn.
Mrs. Chaffee graduated from Academy High School in 1942 and attended Bryant and Stratton College and Wittenberg College. She was a member of the Oakdale Corporation family that operated five Holiday Inn Hotels in Erie, Edinboro, Oil City, Pa. and Jamestown, N.Y. Charlotte was an accomplished and gifted vocalist and vocal coach who served in the Luther Memorial Choir and was a frequent soloist with the Luther Memorial Concert Series. She was active in the Arts Council of Erie and was honored with their Lifetime Achievement Award. She was a member of the Tuesday Morning Music Club, a member of Luther Memorial Church, and one of the founders of Luther Memorial Learning Center.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert
and her brother, Dr. Otto A. Meyn.
Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Chaffee of Pittsburgh, Pa.;
five sons, Robert C. Chaffee, Mark Chaffee and his wife Maryanne, and Alan Chaffee all of Erie; Brian Chaffee of Pittsburgh, and Douglas Chaffee
and Kristin Mayer of Girard;
a sister, Margaret Piper Penna; eight grandchildren: Jeremy, Jessica, Rebecca and Benjamin Chaffee and their mother Meg Gould; Hannah Chaffee, and Emma, Chase and Madison Chaffee; four great grandchildren,
and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Burton Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 602 West 10th Street, on Tuesday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. and are invited to the funeral service to be celebrated on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Luther Memorial Church. Burial in Laurel Hill Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Luther Memorial Church, 225 West 10th Street, Erie PA 16501; NWPA Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 1030 State Street, Erie PA 16501,
Send condolences at www.Burtonfuneralhome.com. .
Erie Times-News from 4/6 to 4/7/2009

Luther Memorial Church,"

Re: Ruth Chaffee Stillwagen, Norwalk, Ohio

tcbjammon — 2009-04-05 15:57:42Z

hello. this chaffee family not a "direct" member of my family. my family came to san buenaventura in 1861 (gg grandfather) from madison county, ny.

there could be a relationship back to thomas chaffe, 1637 hingham, massachusetts. he is my and almost 90% of chaffee's in america. most likely there is some connection. there is a book in most libraries "The Chaffee Genealogy" written in 1909 by William Chaffee. if you can go back to the 1800's with your chaffee family, you might find the link back to thomas.

thanks for the msg.

sincerely, terry chaffee
carlsbad, ca
i moved here from san buenaventura 4 years ago

Ruth Chaffee Stillwagen, Norwalk, Ohio

santarosacoops — 2009-04-04 01:00:56Z

I was looking up family history of my fiance and saw an obituary for Norman Chaffee. It listed a surviving sister, Ruth Chaffee in Carlsbad, CA.
Ruth Chaffee Stillwagen was born in Norwalk, Ohio 12/12/1918
and unfortunately she passed away last year, 01/25/2008, in San Diego, CA. at the age of 89. Her husband Colin A. Stillwagen predeceased her in 1993.
She had only 1 child, my fiance Colin E. Stillwagen.
She listed a living brother as Marshall Chaffee.

Re: Chaffee/Creighton

tcbjammon — 2009-03-14 15:06:43Z

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&=&...

go to this link on ancestry.com
i put in the name Deforest Chaffee, born abt 1896 NY so i am sure he died aft 1930 so you can contact the State of NY Vital Records or the county he died in for his death cert. there are WWI enlistment papers on the link.

hope this helps,
terry chaffee
carlsbad, ca

Re: Chaffee y-DNA

Robbie55 — 2008-05-23 19:56:50Z

Obviously, I'm no a Chaffee, but my mother was and she is descended from Thomas, Joseph, John, Ebenezer, Ezra, Rufus, Eber, Fernando and Elmer. I am glad to learn that at least two of you are going the y-DNA route. Now, if we can just find some Chaffees in England to do the same, we might just be able to find if (1) Thamas was a Chaffee, and (2) where he came from in England.

Robbie in Meridian, ID

Re: Chaffee y-DNA

Robbie55 — 2008-04-26 16:40:15Z

My thoughts were to find several descendant males of Thomas Chaffee in the USA and then see if we could talke some English Chaffee males into having their y-DNA done. My thought is to find a link to Thomas Chaffee's English family.

Chaffee y-DNA

robbie58 — 2008-04-25 21:58:54Z

Have any Chaffee males had a y-DNA test? If so, I have missed it.

Photo: Dorcas Patrick Chaffee

rfalvo — 2007-12-14 00:54:17Z

I have a photo of Dorcas Patrick Chaffee, and on the back is written her birth and marriage dates, and that she is the wife of Francis M. Chaffee. The photo has Abingdon, IL on the back.

I would love to give this photo to a descendant. I am not related to the Chaffee or Patrick family at all, I just would like to see this photo in a family member's hands.

Thank you!

Re: Jonathan Chaffee

jmlippens1 — 2008-05-06 04:07:38Z

Hi, I was wondering if you had any more info on Jonathon Chaffee? His son Jasper married Zeruah Titus. Their son, Marion Daniel married Lora Ann Spidel. Their daughter, Lora Minnetta married Floyd West. Floyd and Lora were my grandparents.

Re: Sr. Estelle Agnes Chafe

EdwardChafe — 2009-01-01 12:10:19Z

I knew Estelle. She was the daughter of William Chafe
and Catherine Dalton of St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.

Richard Chaffee, 83, born, in Union City, Pa.,"son of, Alton and Matie M. (Thiem) Chaffee.* Served US, Army, Korean War,*

KENNELLYMARKA — 2009-02-14 05:48:23Z

Chaffee, Richard,

Richard Chaffee
Richard Chaffee, 83, of Wattsburg, Pa. passed away at his residence after a short illness, on Thursday, February 12, 2009. He was born March 18, 1925 in Union City, Pa., the son of the late Alton and Matie M. (Thiem) Chaffee.
He was a veteran of the Korean War serving in the United States Army, and had retired from Corry Jamestown Corp in 1986 after 27 years. He enjoyed woodworking, gardening, was a dedicated hunter, the cutting and selling of firewood, and making maple syrup with his good friend, Lee Morton.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Alton and Matie Chaffee;
his wife, Marie Chaffee,
a stepson, Ivan Lawrence, and his wife, Hazel;
a great-grandson, Joshua Baumgardner;
and a grandson, Larry Lawrence.
He is survived by a stepdaughter, Charlene Yost, of Wattsburg, Pa.; stepsons, Ronald Lawrence, and his wife, Murriel, of Mercer, Pa., and Raymond Lawrence and his wife, Dorothy, ten grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, and a very dear and special lady, Daisey Hazelett; and special friend and caregiver, Bonnie Allen; and dear friend and helper, Jack Ellsworth.
Friends are invited to call at the Glenn Funeral Home, 62 S. Main St., Union City, Pa. on Sunday, February 15, 2009 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and may attend funeral services there on Monday, February 16, 2009 at 11 a.m. Rev. Brad Yost, grandson of Mr. Chaffee will officiate with interment in Lawn Cemetery, Beaverdam, Pa.
Erie Times-News ,
on 2/14/2009,

Glenn Funeral Home,"

Amanda Chaffee-Walbridge

kbrownst — 2009-01-28 23:55:13Z

Looking for information on Amanda Chaffee's family. She was born in Wales Mass and died in 1832 in Vernon Ct.

She was the 2nd wife of Porter Walbridge ( 7-7-1780 / 7-7-1830) son of Daniel Wallbridge and Jerusha Rogers. I understand that her mothers name was Amanda Colby - but I can find no info on her father. Was this her 2nd marriage as well? What Chaffee was her father or husband? She and Porter had 7 children the last of which was Porter Jr. B. 1827. Any info greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Re: Sr. Estelle Agnes Chafe

kbrownst — 2009-01-01 15:52:44Z

Thank you for the info .. I found a story about her on the internet and was trying to connect her into the US Chaffee family tree.

Re: Chaffee/Creighton

kbrownst — 2009-03-14 12:24:32Z

Hi I have not been able to find any infomation on the deaths of Elsie or Deforrest. I did find a Deforest chaffee in the Soc Sec Death records but his birth yr is listed as 1911 - now that may be an error but the only way to find out is to request the original application. I have thousands of Chaffee's in my tree and only one Deforest so its possible it is him. But without looking deeper into the records we won't know. Good Luck!

Re: Belle Martin Chaffee and Cora Wing Chaffee UPDATE

kbrownst — 2008-08-05 13:14:03Z

I've identified Belle Martin as a wife of George E Chaffee - Thanks to her gravestone. But I'm still at a loss on Cora Wing Chaffee. Was she a wife of George or possibly his father Abel?
Thanks!!!

Belle Martin Chaffee and Cora Wing Chaffee

kbrownst — 2008-08-04 15:45:20Z

Hello all I'm trying to find out if the women listed above were other spouses of George Elmer Chaffee or ? They are buried in the Abel M Chaffee family plot with George E and Mary Trainor Chaffee Georges wife. Belle was born in 1877 and cora was born 1861. Thanks In advance!! Note: cross posting on Wing and Martin boards as well

Ithamar Stowe Chaffee

kbrownst — 2008-07-21 01:08:38Z

Hello all .. The chaffee Genealogy shows Ithamar as the son of Reuben and Sally Danforth. According to the Book, Ithamar married ____ Hall. one of Ithamars children was John Ethel. While researching John Ethel I found info that he was the son of Palmer Stone Chaffee and Eliza Hall. So my Question is .. is Ithamar really Palmer or did Reuben and Sally have another son named Palmer Stone? Or have I somehow crossed the family lines. Thanks in advance!!

Sr. Estelle Agnes Chafe

kbrownst — 2008-10-30 11:46:01Z

Born 4-28-1902 Died 2-13-1988 in Florida. Looking for information on her family. She was a sister of St. Joseph from 1924-1945

Re: Edmund Bigelow Chaffee Labor Temple NYC

kbrownst — 2007-08-29 23:05:33Z

I'm sorry to hear about your mother, please accept my sympathies. If you get a moment could you send me Dugalds line? (and your moms too if you would) I don't have him in my tree and if you don't mind I'd like to add him in. Also if you like I can add you to my tree so you can access it since I have tons of info on the Chaffee Line and related branches. Thanks!

George A Chaffee

kbrownst — 2009-02-21 16:06:18Z

Looking for the parents of George A Chaffee. 9-5-1902 / 1-23-1992. I know he died in Washington and thats all I can confirm. He may have had a Sister/Wife named Clara. Any info greatly appreciated.

Re: Lyman Chaffee and Julia Ann Hamilton - Update

kbrownst — 2008-03-03 21:06:14Z

His name was Lyman Chaffee Tower I believe, but I'm still not sure how he ties into the Chaffee line.

Lyman Chaffee and Julia Ann Hamilton

kbrownst — 2008-03-03 19:36:09Z

Can anyone identify Lyman Chaffee who married Julia Ann on 4-25-1850 in Vt. as noted in "Abel Hamilton and his Decendants"? Children are listed as Marcia Isora, Myra Augusta, Minnie Alice and Charles Henry (1864-1866)

Olatus Chaffee

kbrownst — 2008-02-11 15:50:02Z

I found his family in the 1900 census showing he was born December 1864 but I cannot find any other info on him prior to that. The family consist of wife anna, children James 1890, charles 1892, Ruth 1893, Olen 1896 and orlo 1899. I found info that orlo died from wounds received September 1918. Is Olatus the correct name? Who was his father? Any info greatly appreciated. :-)

Arthur Chaffee and Perlea Messenger

kbrownst — 2008-02-11 13:08:19Z

According to "The Messenger family in Portage and Geauga Counties, Ohio, New Connecticut" Perlea (or Leslea) Messenger married Arthur Chaffee 9-4-1901 in Garrettsville, OH. They had the following Children born in Portage, OH. Newman K. b. 10-5-1902 and Ruth Elnora b. 1-10-1912. I am trying to identify which Arthur she married. So I can connect them into my tree. Any Help Greatly appreciated

Re: Lamb Chaffee b. 1824 North Carolina Update

kbrownst — 2008-02-11 12:46:59Z

Lamb Chaffee is listed as Black on the census and may have been at one time a slave owned by the Chaffee Family who took on their last name. If anyone can add any more insight I'd love to hear it. Thanks!!

Lamb Chaffee b. 1824 North Carolina

kbrownst — 2007-12-20 21:13:13Z

Looking for info on the Lamb Chaffee family in Mississippi. They appear on the 1880 census as Lamb, his wife martha and the following children Ambrose 1856, Turner 1859, Lamb Jr. 1860, Bettie 1862, Nancy 1864, Caroline 1868, Burrus 1870, Mattie 1875, and Columbus 1876. I have not been able to find any info on Lamb Srs father.

Chaffee/Creighton

rcodyj1 — 2009-03-13 19:52:55Z

Looking for info on a Deforest Covert Chaffee, born in Campbell, Steuben County, NY, Jul. 9, 1896. Father was Leroy Chaffee. Leroy b. Newfield, Tompkins County, NY.
Deforest married Elsie Creighton 1916. Need death and burial info on Deforest and Elsie. They had 3 children: William Deforest, Howard A. and Mary A. Any info is appreciated

Re: Photo: Dorcas Patrick Chaffee

Constance_Leaman — 2007-12-15 22:15:16Z

Dorcas Patrick Chaffee is the wife of my great-granduncle. However, I am in touch with a direct descendant of Marion and Dorcas Chaffee. Please contact Penelope: pinab @ earthlink.net (without the spaces) directly, she is a great granddaughter of the couple.

Re: Chaffee y-DNA

mchaffee55 — 2008-05-27 03:21:30Z

Terry,
I am glad that you are interested in doing your DNA. Please check their site first. If they require my "permission" to join the Chaffee group, please contact me. Regarding Robbie, if his mother is the Chaffee "ancestor", then he cannot test for the Chaffee DNA, only his father's DNA. The mtDNA test can provide some information on his mother's line. Much information on all this at the HeritageDNA website.
Maurice

Re: Chaffee y-DNA

mchaffee55 — 2008-05-22 05:10:03Z

I have posted Y-DNA results for the surname “Chaffee” at Ybase.org. I had the Y-STR test done, which is the test used to match with others having the same surname. I also did the Y-SNP test, which tells me where my haplogroup (R1b3) originated (probably northern Spain about 10,000 years ago). Go to the Ybase.org site and enter the Chaffee surname. You will get 2 hits. One is mine. The other is for families in Newfoundland and is a different spelling and is not a match with my DNA results. I had 43 markers tested. To the best of my knowledge, I believe that I am a legitimate direct descendant of the emigrant, Thomas Chaffe. My line in the Chaffee (1909) genealogy is: Herbert (my grandfather), Clarence, Ezra, Luther, Samuel, Ebenezer, John, Joseph, Thomas (the emigrant). My testing was done by DNA Heritage, but there are obviously other reliable companies doing testing. However, if you are a male with a Chaffee surname (or a spelling variant of the name), please contact me if you plan to be tested. If you sign up as part of my Chaffee group at my site at DNA Heritage, you will get some sort of discounted rate from the company. Please note that I have no financial interest in that deal. The DNA Heritage site has a lot of details about DNA testing.

Re: Chaffee y-DNA

tcbjammon — 2008-04-27 14:59:41Z

that would be great robbie. put a post up, if you get feedback from a couple males descended from thomas, then i will do it, for shure, to see what the test says for us. they would have to keep in touch with you, me and we would use the same testing service and tell them what we are trying to achieve. let me know.

thanks, terry chaffee

Re: Chaffee y-DNA

tcbjammon — 2008-05-23 15:23:22Z

hi, that is great news! i know, for a fact, i am descended from Thomas Chaffe, the immigrant thru his son Joseph Chaffe: Thomas/Joseph/John/Joseph/Asa/Walter/Enoch/Walter/Arthur/Grant/Arthur/Terry (me)

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cabin/1066/11familytree.h...
http://www.gencircles.com/users/twchaffee/1/data/12393

i am close to doing the test. i will use the same company as you did for the test.

thanks cousin, terry w. chaffee tcbjammon@yahoo.com

Re: Chaffee y-DNA

tcbjammon — 2008-05-23 20:24:30Z

hi robbie, you have the blood too, so you are Chaffee.
HEY, ENGLAND! anyone there want to do the DNA test? i believe Thomas Chaffe/Chaffy's blood still in England somewhere going. Obviously, he must have had siblings....
PLEASE, anyone in England who might know of their roots and want to do the test, please reply to this message.
Thankyou so much. robbie, nice to talk to you. keep in touch: tcbjammon@yahoo.com

terry w. chaffee
carlsbad, ca

Re: Chaffee y-DNA

tcbjammon — 2008-04-26 15:31:09Z

If they have, nothing has been posted. Have been considering the test but don't know what it will tell me about a matchup, if it can, with Thomas Chaffe or farther back to Europe. Course we can't get Thomas Chaffe DNA so I am still thinking about it and what it could tell me.
Will post if I do. Thanks.

Terry W. Chaffee

Arthur (Corttis) Chaffee

michellbrill — 2008-08-19 21:59:02Z

gailscanlon13--are you related to Gwendolyn Chaffee Mulheron. If so, I am Muriel Chaffee's granddaughter....I think that I may be able to help you. Let's talk!

Re: Photo: Dorcas Patrick Chaffee

Penelope_Bright — 2007-12-16 09:46:03Z

Dorcas Patrick Chaffee was my great-grandmother on my mother's side (my maternal grandfather's mother). My sister is named after her. Her husband, Rev. Francis Marion Chaffee, was my great grandfather, and (we were told) the bishop of the Methodist Church in Evantston, IL.