Thomas Lemaster (originally LeMaistre) was born on Jersey Isle in the Channel Islands, England, and came to America where he served as a seaman in the Revolutionary War.

Jane Besome (spelled in various ways - Bessom, Bisson, Bessome, etc.) was the daughter of a man who also came to America from the Jersey Isle. Her mother was descended from two old Marblehead families.

Unfortunately, not much more information can be obtained about this family. There were other Lemasters in the area at the time, including a Thomas who married Tabitha Holman when our Thomas was about 11 years old. Our Thomas and Jane had a daughter whom they named Tabitha, so it's very possible the two were related. There was a George Lemaster, "son of Hannah", who drowned, and the name George is also one which would indicate a close relation to this family.

Thomas and Jane had at least eight children. Their oldest child Thomas married Lydia Giles, but no records can be found that indicate whether they had any children other than the two who died as infants (or when they died). It's possible they moved away from Marblehead a few years after their marriage.

Their next five known children were daughters. There are no marriage or death records for Jenny, so we don't know what became of her. Mary may have been called Martha. A census record in 1850 shows Martha and her sister Sarah (the 2nd), both unmarried, living together in Marblehead next to their brother George and his family. The first Sarah born to Thomas and Jane died as an infant.

 

 

Polly Lemaster has a death record which identifies her marriage status as single. This death record also confirms the identity of her parents as Thomas and Jane.

Our direct ancestor George Lemaster married first Remember Bean, who died a few months later. He then married the widow of one of his militia brothers, Mrs. Mary Oliver Martin Valentine. George and Mary had six children, only two of whom grew to adulthood.

Thomas' and Jane's last known child Tabby (or Tabitha) gave birth to an illegitimate daughter who died as a toddler before she herself died at the age of 27 a couple of years later.

We assume that the probate record found for Thomas Lemaster is for our Thomas (although it could also be his son). It appears that he was a mariner.

Thomas died somewhat young. His widow Jane fell down the steps and broke her neck when she was 72 years old. She is the second of our female ancestors to die that way.