Ninth Generation

44. Deacon Thomas ROOT III (=) was born on 11 April 1667 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.^13,14,24 (His birth date may have been 13 Apr 1667.)

He was the first town clerk and deacon, and served the church and town in many other positions.

From Richard Ripley's Research: "Much of Northampton's past is documented in James Trumbull's History of Northampton Massachusetts from its Settlement in 1654, published 1898 in Northampton. I found this at Forbes Library in Northampton. Trumbull describes Thomas Roote as follows:

'Thomas Roote was at Salem in 1637, at Hartford two years afterwards, and removed to Northampton in 1655. He was among the first settlers to arrive here, and was one of the signers of the original petition. A quiet, substantial farmer, though a weaver by trade, he never arrived at the position of leader. He was several times elected a selectman, and was one of the officers in the town when careful men were in demand. His home lot was on the easterly side of Pleasant Street, below what is now known as Pearl Street. He died in 1694, at the advanced age of 84 years. He had six sons and one daughter, all born before he removed to Northampton.'

Thomas has many entries in Trumbull's History:

He attended the first meeting of the planters (proprietors), 3 Oct 1653.
He was one of eight men to sign the original petition.
He signed the petition to obtain the first minister, 18 Mar 1658.
From court records of the first court held in Northampton, 28 Sep 1658: "Upon wch 28th Day of September Thomas Roote Complayned of Robert Bartlett in an action of the Case for strikinge his the said Thomas his wife wth a long stick to prjudice. Robert Bartlett acknowledginge his offence in the Court Both Plaintiffe & Defendt agree about the matter between themselves."
He was chosen a selectman 10 Jan 1659. As a selectman, he signed a petition for abatement of taxes 17 Nov 1659. This was not a popular petition among the settlers.
Along with most of the rest of the settlers, he contributed land for the minister, 6 Jan 1658.
He took the freemen's oath, 26 Mar 1661: "the oath of fidellity to this Comen Wealth in ye psence of the Corte."
He was one of the eight founders of the church that was gathered at Northampton on 18 Apr 1661. He signed the church covenant there.
He served as part of a committee formed 29 Aug 1670 to "settle" the new (second) minister, Rev. Mr. Solomon Stoddard.
In 1672/73, he contributed "bushell ½ and ½ peck wheate" to Harvard College."

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After 1716 he was a farmer in Coventry, Kent County, Rhode Island Colony, British Colonial America.¹³ Between 1744 and 1756 he was a selectman and town clerk in Coventry, Kent County, Rhode Island Colony, British Colonial America.¹³ Thomas died on 19 January 1759 at the age of 91 in Coventry Township, Tolland County, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America.^13,14,36 There is no record of his estate at the Windham Probate Court. He was buried in Coventry Township, Tolland County, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America.³⁷ in the Nathan Hale Cemetery.

Deacon Thomas ROOT III (=) and Thankful STRONG were married on 4 March 1691 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.^13,14,36,37 (According to the Richard Ripley Research, they also were parents of: John, born 17 May 1691 in Preston, New London County, CT; Jabez, born 7 Feb 1693/94 in Norwich, North London County, CT; and William, born 17 Jan 1694/95 in Northampton, Hampshire County, MA.) Thankful STRONG, daughter of Jedediah STRONG and Freedom WOODWARD, was born on 15 April 1672 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.^13,14,38 She died on 16 April 1742 at the age of 70 in Coventry Township, Tolland County, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America.^13,14,38

Deacon Thomas ROOT III (=) and Thankful STRONG had the following children: