Aquila Chase

Personal and Family Information

Aquila was born on 7 JAN 1619 in England, the son of unknown parents.

He died on 27 DEC 1670 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony.

His wife was Ann Wheeler, who he married on ABT 1644. The place has not been found. Their only known child was Thomas (1654-1734).

Events

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Aquila Chase...

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Notes

Note 1

One of the earliest published works on the family of Aquila Chase is the book, "Seven generations of the descendants of Aquila and Thomas Chase," compiled by John Carroll Chase and George Walter Chamberlain and published in 1928. This book is attached under Sources. These authors gave a nod to several men who had collected infomation on the Chase family before them. This book dispelled the myth that Aquila and his brother Thomas were son of Aquila Chase of Chesham, England. This book also dispelled the myth that these brothers were also brother to William Chase of Roxbury. This book also indicated that the name "Aquila Chase" appears to be fairly rare in England.

We first see Aquila and Thomas in Hampton which was in the beginning part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. There were some settlements in New Hampshire which were allowed home rule, but the area was de facto under the authority of Massachusetts Bay Colony until 1741. In 1741 King George II ruled that the border with Massachusetts was approximately what it is today, and also separated the governorships of the two provinces. Aquila received land in Hampton in 1640. Aquila received more land in 1644, which he later sold to his brother Thomas when he removed to Newbury in 1646. It was this transaction, in which Aquila refers to Thomas as "his brother," which proves conclusively his relationship to Thomas.

Aquila married Ann Wheeler. Ann's maiden name and parentage are established by the will of John Wheeler of Newbury, which included a bequest to "my daughter Anne Chase." Based on the estimated date of birth of their first child (1645), Aquila and Ann were probably married about 1644. Their place of marriage is uncertain. Aquila was a resident of Hampton at that time, but Ann's parents were living in Salisbury, Massachusetts, so they may have been married there.

Children, all but the first born in Newbury:

1. Sarah Chase Annis (1645-1726)

2. Ann Chase Barber (1647-1690)

3. Priscilla Chase (1649-1697)

4. Mary Chase Stevens (1650-1725)

5. Aquila Chase (1652-1720)

6. Thomas Chase (1654-1733) Veteran King Philips War

7. John Chase (1655-1739) Veteran King Philips War

8. Elizabeth Chase (1657-1676)

9. Ruth Chase Silloway(1660-1676)

*10. Daniel Chase (1661-1707)

11. Moses Chase (1663-1743)

Note 2

Aquilla Chase, son of Aquilla, was born in 1618 in England. Lived in Newbury, Massachusetts. He made frequent voyages from there as "Shipmaster." The town of Newbury is said to have granted him in 1664 -- four acres of land for a house and lot, if he would go to sea, and do service to the town with a boat for four years. He is supposed to have built the first boat to go over the Newbury pass. Aquilla, a native of Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England; from whence he came to America and six years later settled in Newbury, Massachusetts on a grant of four acres, a house, lot which was given to him in consideration of his services as a mariner to the colony. At his death in 1670, he was survived by eleven children.

Copied from Josephine Smith's record 18 June 1959 by Golda Evans