Thomas Chaffe, the emigrant ancestor of nearly all who today bear this surname in the United States and parts of Canada, came to New England, where in 1635 he owned land and was living in Hingham, MA. The place and date of his birth, his parentage, the time and place of his arrival and the name of the ship which bore him from the Old World to the New, are at present unknown.

The first mention of him in the records is found in the Town Clerk's office in Hingham under the date of 1635. His name is mentioned several times in the Hingham records up to October 1637. Between that date and April 9, 1642, nothing found regarding Thomas Chaffe. At that time his name appears in the records of Nantasket, later called Hull.

In both Hingham and Hull Thomas Chaffe was a fisherman and farmer.

The name of his wife and the date and place of his marriage are unknown. He was probably married in Hull, however the town records of Hull prior to 1657 have been lost. It is probable that the wife's christian name was Dorothy, as her sons both had daughters by that name, which was not a name found in the families of their wives; in that day it was the custom to name children for their grandparents.

Between 1657 and May 30, 1660, Thomas Chaffe had moved from Hull and probably settled in Rehoboth, then in Plymouth Colony. He was one of the proprietors of Rehoboth at least as early as December 25, 1660.

His will gives: "I Thomas Chaffe of Swansie in ye Colony of New Plymouth, In New England," is dated July 25, 1680. This is followed by "The Inventory of Thomas Chaffe, lately deceased, taken by ye subscribers hereof ye 15 day of May 1683."

Just what the date of Thomas Chaffe's death was we do not know, but probably not long before the filing of his will. He was doubtless buried in the ancient Chaffe Burying Ground on his own farm, though no stone to his memory remains. From information gathered and handed down by the older people of that place, we learn that the house stood but a few rods from the burial ground. This property, located on the west bank of what is now the Barrington River, is about two miles northwest of the present town of Barrington Center, Rhode Island.

Children, probably born in Nantasket (now called Hull):

i. Nathaniel Chaffe, probably b. between 1638 and 1642; m. experience Bliss

ii. JOSEPH CHAFFE , probably b. between 1639 and 1646; m. Annis Martin

From: 1909 CHAFFEE GENEALOGY, pp.1-13, compiled by H.L.Chaffee, 1970