Individual Details

Thomas Roberts is one of the founding fathers of New Hampshire, with Edward Hilton an original settler in Dover in 1623, the first permanent settlement in New Hampshire. He was, with Edward Hilton, a fellow member of the Fishmongers Company of London and was sent to establish a fishing station under the auspices of the Council of New England, the Council which had been granted most of northern New England by King James I. He was elected 'President of the Court,' an office agency for the Bristol Company, the proprietors of Dover. He signed the Dover Combination October 22, 1640 and in March 1640 was chosen Governor, or President, of the County in place of Governor John Underhill, a position he held until Dover (then Northam) came under Massachusetts rule in 1643. He served on the grand jury 1643, 1646 and 1656. In 1661 he was fined by the town of Dover for missing meetings for thirteen days and ordered to forfeit one cow.

In 1662 he publicly rebuked his sons, both constables of Dover, for their harsh treatment of the local Quakers. One of whom whipped the Quakers at the cart-tail out of town. After that, the father arose in church and publicly asked the pardon of God for having such sons, and immediately adopted the Quaker faith.

Birth	1600	Woolaston, Gloucestershire, England
Emigration	1623 - 1627	England to British America
Marriage	1625	Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, British America - Rebecca HILTON
Occupation	Apr 1640	Governor and "president of the court," and served two years, until the town [of Dover, NH] came under formal control of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1642 - Dover, New Hamphire
Death	23 Sep 1674	Hilton Point River, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, British America
Alt name		Governor Thomas ROBERTS
Burial		First Settlers Burial Ground, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, British North America

Spouse	Rebecca HILTON (1602 - 1674)
Child	Sarah ROBERTS (1643 - 1692)