| Notes |
- Name also spelled Welsh
The first record found of Thomas was in 1642 when Seth Sweetser was to have paid him money. 72,623
In 1646, he was reported in Cambridge. He was admitted to the First Church in Charlestown on 12 April 1650. He was admitted a freeman on 22 May 1650.
Sometime in 1650/51, he must have married Elizabeth Upham of Malden. Their first child, John, was born Nov. 16, 1651 but he died as an infant. Since most English immigrants named their first son after the father's father, Thomas' father may have been a John. He tried twice more to name sons John and 4 times to name them Jonathan before one lived to grow up.
Thomas' exact birthdate is, to date, unknown. He was deposed several times in a Middlesex County court and gave a different age each time. In 1677, he said he was age 50 and in 1690, he said he was 60 which would give birthdates of 1627 and 1630. Age on his gravestone would give him a 1622 birthdate. That would make him 10 years older than his wife so perhaps the 1627 is more reasonable.
Thomas was a yoeman or farmer and settled in Charlestown with his wife, Elizabeth Upham. He is listed in the group of ten families who were given 30 acres of woods and 5 acres of commons of the land divided on the " Mystick syde". Land records show that in 1654 he bought the Sybley estate from William Mead. In 1663, he bought two acres from Timothy Wheeler.
The Selectmen's records show he was allowed a common in 1672. He bought lots from Thomas Mousal in 1680 and in 1681, he was granted 6 1/4 commons. He also had 6 acres between Mr. Russell's land in 1681. In 1685, Sargent T.W. was granted 21 acres bounded on the N.W. by 2-pole way and Joseph Lynde, on the N.E by John Fosket and Josiah Wood, on the SE by S. Lord and the SW, the highway. "minde there is within these bounds Welch one quarter of a acre left for a common Quarry, 1685" Again in 1685, Thomas is granted 1 1/4 acres 7 on East side road to Menotomy. To P. Hay, he sells 15 acres in 1689-90. In 1691, he buys 3 acres from R. Lowden. In 1698, he buys 2 3/4 acres marsh from J. Mousal, Jr. and in 1700, 7 acres from the S. Kettle heirs.
In 1710, Charles Hunnewell bought of Jonathan Welsh of Charlestown the "Dwelling house and barn, with all the land adjoining," given to the latter by his father's will, and situated in the second division of the town, so called (now Somerville). There were fifteen acres of land bounded south by a way leading to Menotomy. The plan was about a mile northeast of Cambridge meeting-house, and three miles west by north of that in Charlestown, on what was long called "Milk Row". About fifty feet north of this road stood the house, built probably in 1691, when Thomas Welsh had, by Selectmen's record, liberty to build. This house, as known long ago by the writer, was of wood, two stories high, and had a sloped roof. In the centre was a very large chimney, before which were a stair and the front door. On each side of thee was a fair siced room with a beam across a mastered ceiling. The windows were narrow. At the back was a kitchen on which was subsequently put a second story. In front were two terraces, on the top of which the house stood, and by the road a gate flanked each side by a long hedge of lilacs fully ten feet high, and back of these by trees. The place was the most picturesque of its age, or nearly its age, that the writer remembers in the region. It was not a "colonial mansion," but it was decidedly superior to the usual old farmhouse. Long ago it disappeared.
Thomas and his wife were the parents of 13 children, at least 6, 3 Jonathan's and 3 John's dying as infants.
John b. 16 Nov. 1651 died soon
Deborah b. abt 1653 - 18 Oct 1689
Thomas b. 7 Jul 1655 -15 Jun 1703
John b. 8 Jul 1657-1657
John b. 26 Nov 1658 - 23 Mar 1659
Jonathan b. Oct 1659 - young
Jonathan b. Jun 1662 - 22 Apr 1663
Dorcas b. 3 Sep 1663 -
Nathaniel b. 9 Sep 1665 - 10 Jul 1689
Jonathan b. 15 Sep 1666 - 30 Sep 1666
Elkanah b. 5 Jan 1667 - 1755
Jonathan b. 23 Dec 1670 - 13 Dec 1744
Ebenezer b.9 Apr 1672 -
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1622 - 1701 (79 years)