Lt. Thomas Hale, my sixth great grandfather, was born in Boxford, MA on January 22, 1743/44. He was the second son of Captain Thomas Hale and Mary Kimball. He had 12 siblings. William, Mary, Joanna, Eunice, Anna, Mercy, Joseph, Abigail, Mordicai, Amy, Elizabeth, and Lydia. On July 21, 1768 Thomas Hale married Ruth Hardy of Westboro, daughter of Phineas and Prudence Warren-Hardy. The Warren line goes back to Mayflower. They had seven children: Perley, Ruth, Thomas, Lucy, Daniel, Mary, and Anna. He, his wife, and children were all professors of Religion.
In Thomas Hale's earlier days he removed with his father to Brookfield MA, and was a farmer and assessor and later a selectman. Thomas Jr as he was called, enlisted as 2nd Lieutenant, 9th Company, 4th Worcester County Regiment of the Massachusetts Militia. He was Commissioned Sept 7, 1779 as a LT. in Capt William Henry's Co; engaged Oct 2, 1779. He was discharged Nov 10th, 1779 service one month, 12 days at Castle and Governors Island,including time to return home. The Company was raised in Worcester Co., roll sworn to in Suffolk Co. After the Revolutionary War, Lt. Thomas was a Massachusetts State Representative for nine years, and a Massachusetts Senator for twelve years. While in the Senate, he was a member of the legislative committee before office of the Auditor was created. He held seats in both houses, and several times was chosen Governor's Councilor while in the Senate but declined the office. In his earlier years he was a Civil Engineer, but afterwards relinquished that part of his business to his son Perley, who practiced it for many years. He was mostly engaged later as a State magistrate and was engaged in the settlement of estates and other judiciary and fiduciary matters as well as more public business. As magistrate he tried more civil cases than any other in his vicinity. Thomas Hale was a man of high integrity and sound judgment and had the deserved respect and confidence of the whole community. North Brookfield was set off from Brookfield, as a separate precinct in 1812.
Lt. Thomas Hale died in North Brookfield on January 2, 1834. His wife Ruth Hardy-Hale died on Oct 3, 1828, six years prior to him. Thomas did leave a will naming all his children. Perley was named executor of his estate.
Source: Western Histories of NY families, by William Richard Cutter
