"Thomas Noble was the emigrant ancestor of the largest family in the US bearing the name of Noble. ... His exact origin and early history are involved in obscurity, the place of his birth, the names of his parents, and the year in which he came to this country, being alike unknown. He was, without doubt, here in 1653, and was the man mentioned by Drake, (History of Boston, p. 331) as admitted, on the 5th of January of that year, an inhabitant of Boston. The same year, he removed to Springfield, MA and opened an account at the store of John Pynchon. Though not one of the founders, he may be considered as one of the early settlers of that ancient town, the first settlement having been made in 1636, only 17 years before. A few years after removing to Springfield, he visited England, as appears from an account book of Mr Pynchon. On the 1st of Sep 1657, he was indebted to Pynchon to the amount of 32 pounds in which account is this item: "To what I pd. for your passage to and fro Engld., and for yo charges (beside what I give you) as in my pocket booke, 16 pounds"
"In 1664, in connection with several of his townsmen, he had liberty granted him to erect a sawmill on the west side of the Connecticut,.. (a note quoted in the reference giving specifics)."
"Mr. Noble, though a man of activity and industry, seems to have early fallen into a habit (which it is to be hoped that his descendants will carefully avoid) of living "beyond his means," and as a natural result, soon found himself in debt. To secure the sums due to Henry Smith and John Pynchon, he was obliged, in 1667, to make over to Pynchon his house in Springfield, and all his land, except a grant towards Windsor. In the hope of improving his condition, and providing for the wants of a large and growing family, he was therefore ready to join those who were beginning a settlement at Westfield. The precise time of his removal to that place is not known. The lands there granted to him, July 1666, on condition that he settled upon them before the last of May 1667 having been forfeited by non-settlement, the grant was renewed, Jan 9, 1668, and the time of settlement extended to Nov 10, 1668. At all events, he was there as early as Jan 21, 1669, for at a meeting at Warronoco (Westfield), at that date it was "voted that Ja. Cornish, Geo. Phelps, Thomas Dewey and Thomas Noble shall go to Springfield the first Tuesday in Feb next, at a town meeting, to propound to the town for the settlement of our place and affayres, in particular to determine wherethe lyne shall run betwixt Springfield and us, and to appoynt persons to lay out the bounds granted us by the honored Gen Court, and to allow us to be a township by o'selves and signify the same to the honored Gen Court."
"In his historical sketch of Westfield, Rev. Dr. Emerson Davis states, that Mr. Noble's residence in Westfield was about 2 and a half miles east of the present center of the town, on the farm where his son, Dea. Thomas Noble, afterwards resided, and which remained in the family until after the death in 1791 of his great grandson, Lt. Stephen Noble, when it passed into the possession of Ambrose Day. There, he doubtless lived in peace and quiet, until the commencement of "King Philip's" War, in 1675. In this war, says Rev. Dr. Davis,
"Mr. Noble was much exposed. One night during family prayers, GrayLock (an old Indian) stepped up and pulled the string and let the doorswing open, and as soon as all was quiet, he would pull the string again. Mr. Noble was persuaded by his friends to move into town. Gray Lock said he had several opportunities of killing most of his children... but did not want scalps as much as captives. "
"Having been chosen constable of Westfield, the records of the Hampshire county court show, that on the 7th April 1674, he "was sworne to discharge ye s office," which in those days was one of honor and trust. He took the oath of allegiance to his Majesty, Jan 23, 1678; joined Westfield church, Feb 20, 1681; was made a freeman, Oct 12, 1681, and at the Hampshire county court, Sept 26, 1682, took the freeman's oath."
"The Hampshire county records show that about this time he suffered the penalty of the law for travelling on Fast day"... had to pay 5 shillings.
"In 1684, his name is with the most influential of his townsmen, upon the jury of inquest on the body of Eliezer Weller of Westfield..." (names include John Maudsly, Samuel Loomis, Sen, Isaac Phelps, Thomas Noble, John Root, John Sacket, John Ponder, Josiah Dewey, Ramuel Root, Jacob Phelps, John Williams, and Thomas Dewey.... inquest signed by John Pynchon.
"The town of Westfield, on 6 Sep 1685, granted to him, in connection with Isaac Phelps, Nathaniel Weller, and David Ashley, liberty to erect a sawmill "on the NE side of the river" and at the same date, together with GEORGE SEXTON, he was chosen to" join with the Selectmen to prize buildings." (Details later about being chosen to settle difference between towns of Westfield and Suffield over boundary). He was later chosen as county surveyor. (1696)
"Agriculture, necessarily the main pursuit of every one in the early history of a country, was his principal employment, although while at Springfield, during the winter, he worked a portion of the time as a tailor."
"At Westfield, he was so much prospered in his labors, as not only to bring up a large family of children well, but also to leave them at his death a respectable estate. " (Copy of his will is included in the reference)
[4743] as quoted in PAF file: Boslow_Anc_Stevens.paf, rec'd via EMail 0n 14 APR 2002 from Wayne Olsen.
His second daughter, Lydia,
married Mr. (Wilbur "Wil") Rice, who is in the employ of the Government, and lives in Sacramento.
_Charles STEVENS _______+
| (1829 - 1917) m 1864
_Addison Archibald STEVENS _|
| (1865 - 1952) m 1895 |
| |_Catherine PATRIQUIN ___+
| (1835 - 1920) m 1864
|
|--Marion Delores STEVENS
| (1918 - 2004)
| _William Andrew GRAHAM _
| |
|_Zema Ann GRAHAM ___________|
(1877 - 1963) m 1895 |
|_Rebecca Jane SMITH ____
Line 1 318 laurel St. dwelling # 53 Family # 90
Stevens, Addison Head Rents age 52 m imm: 1870 Nat: 1910 NS WI WI occ: coal Miner wage
Zenia wife 42 m OR OH VA none
Roxie dau 17 s OR NS OR school
Mildred dau 15 s ID NS OR school
Wayne son 13 s ID NS OR school
Roy son 8 s ID NS OR school
Lloyd son 6 s ID NS OR
Catherine dau 3 s ID NS OR
Marion dau 1 s WA NS OR
Line 98 2305 1st St. Dwelling # 28 Family # 29
Stevens, Wayne head rents $30/mo age 23 s ID Can/Eng OR
Roy brother 19 ID Can/Eng OR
Lloyd brother 16 ID Can/Eng OR
p. 2A Line 1
Stevens, Katherine sister 13 ID Can/Eng OR in school
Marion sister 11 ID Can/Eng OR in school