Thomas Borden (1682-1745)

Thomas Borden was born on 13 Dec 1682 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island as the fifth child of John Borden and Mary Earle. He had eight siblings, namely: Richard, John, Amey, Joseph, Hope, Mary, William, and Benjamin.

1682. That is 334 years ago! That helps explain why I know so little about Thomas and his life. This is probably one of my most boring birthday posts, but I will honor him with sharing the little bits of information that I do know.

He married first to Catherine Hull. Thomas Borden and Catherine Hull had no children. She died.

When he was 44, he married Mary Briggs, daughter of Job Briggs and Eleanor, on 24 Oct 1727 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. Mary was much younger than Thomas.

Thomas Borden and Mary Briggs had the following children:

1. Job Borden was born on 16 Feb 1727/28 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. He died a few days later on 22 Feb 1727/28.
2. John Borden was born on 12 May 1729 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. He married Susanna Pearse on 16 Oct 1746 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. He died on 11 Jun 1801 in Washington Hollow, Dutchess, New York.
3. Mary Borden was born on 01 Jan 1731 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. She married Robert Lawton on 12 Feb 1748. She died 01 Mar 1810 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.
4. Joseph Borden was born on 12 Aug 1733 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. He married Catherine Turner on 21 Apr 1751 in Rhode Island.
5. Sarah Borden was born on 29 Apr 1738 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.
6. William Borden was born on 25 Jan 1741 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. He married Sybil Smith on 25 Nov 1766 at Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. He died in 1803 in Hog Island, Rhode Island.

Thomas inherited the Borden homestead, lands in Portsmouth, a farm on Hog Island and other property from his father. Thomas lived in the same house his whole life.

In his younger years, Thomas operated the Bristol ferry that was owned by his father. As you can see in the map, Portsmouth sits on an island. In colonial times, the ferry was the primary way off the island to the mainland and Providence, Rhode Island. The ferries were large enough to cover stage coaches and horses. Thomas did very important work operating the ferry. The ferry area of Portsmouth was a transportation hub and the route to the ferry became a bustling community with taverns and shops.  In 1714, a piece of land near the ferry landing was set aside as a town commons area to make it convenient for people to import and transport livestock such as cattle, horses and sheep as well as goods such as wood and rails.

Portsmouth, RI 02871

In her book, Historical and genealogical record of the descendants as far as known of Richard and Joan Borden who settled in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, Hattie Borden Weld wrote, “He is spoken of as an active, energetic and industrious man, economical in his expenditures, with a mind intently bent upon the accumulation or property.” Through his work with farming, the ferry, land deals, and other means, Thomas was able to amass some wealth.

Thomas Borden died in 1745 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. He was 62 years old.

Where is he in the tree?

Sources:

Ancestry.com, Rhode Island, Vital Extracts, 1636-1899 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014).

“Bristol Ferry,” Portsmouth History Notes, 8 April 2012, Web, 12 December 2016, https://portsmouthhistorynotes.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/bristol-ferry/.

“Bristol Ferry Landing,” Portsmouth History Notes, 21 April 2012, Web, 12 December 2016, https://portsmouthhistorynotes.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/bristol-ferry-landing/.

“Briston Ferry Town Common,” Portsmouth History Notes, 8 April 2012, Web, 12 December 2016, https://portsmouthhistorynotes.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/bristol-ferry-area-of-portsmouth/.

Bristol Ferry Town Common – Some Information, Web, 12 December 2016, http://harddeadlines.com/sites/default/files/BristolFerryTownCommonBackground.pdf.

Cutter, William Richard, New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Vol. I-IV [ancestry / Google books] (New York, USA: n.p., 1915), ancestry.com, Volume 1, page 415; https://books.google.com/books?id=1tAUAAAAYAAJ.

Weld, Hattie Borden, Historical and genealogical record of the descendants as far as known of Richard and Joan Borden who settled in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, May 1638 (Los Angeles, Calif.?: unknown, 1899?), ancestry.com.