Thomas Snow’s birth is estimated to have been about 1613 in England.1 Nothing is known about his parents or his home in England. He had migrated to Boston, Massachusetts, by 1635 based on a grant of land at Boston on 14 December, 1635.2
Milcha was the daughter of Walter Kelway, and she was christened in Chelmsford, Essex England on 11 October 1617.2
Milcha came to Massachusetts with her two sisters. She married Thomas Snow about 1637, probably soon after her arrival.3 There is no marriage record and the date is estimated from the birth of their oldest daughter. However, the Boston First Church Records show that on 5 September 1641, "Thomas Snow a barber" was admitted to Boston Church. On the "18th Day of the 4th Month 1643 Milcah Snow, the wife of our brother Thomas Snow" was also admitted.4 This, along with her father’s will, establish their marriage. Walter Kelway of Chelmsford, Essex,"included in his will a bequest to 'my three daughters in New England, namely my daughter Margaret Mountague, my daughter Melcas Snow and my daughter Mary Lane'"; William S. Appleton identified these three women as the wives of Griffin Mountague, Thomas Snow and William Lane.5, 6
On 11 January 1637/38, "Thomas Snow" received a 10-acre land grant at Muddy River (now Brookline) between the lots of Isaac Grosse and Capt. John Underhill.7 Capt. Underhill was the military leader hired by the Massachusetts Bay Colony to train the militias and head the defense of the Colony.
Thomas Snow also possessed a houselot in "Roxbury Neck". The "Genealogical" column of the Boston Evening Transcript, 4 November 1907: places Thomas and Milcha (Kelway) Snow's lot "about on the northwest corner of Tremont and Boylston Streets" in Boston.8 This is now part of the Boston Common, next to the Old Cemetery. The Great Migration says, "This lot was the north east corner of present Boylston and Tremont streeets.4
Children of Thomas and Milcha Kelway Snow, all born of record in Boston, include:
Melatiah/Milcha (Julia's ancestor), born 30 September 1638. Married Deacon Samuel Fisher 22 March 1658/59. Died 14 March 1709/10.
Hannah, Christened 21 April 1644. There is no further record of her.
Samuel, Christened 6 May 1649, married Sarah Parker 9 August 1686 in Woburn.
Abigail, born 10 March 1650/51, married William Wright in Boston by 1671.
Mehitabel, born 8 February 1653/54.
On 25 April 1664, "Thomas Snow" was one of four Boston residents granted "liberty to draw beer for the year ensuing." On 24 April 1665, "Thomas Snow" was one of three Boston residents "licensed to draw beer for the year ensuing."
On 29 April 1667, "Thomas Snow [was] licensed [to draw beer] but for half year unless he remove his dwelling into the street leading into town from Roxsberry."
On 27 April 1668, "Tho[ma]s Snowe is approved of to keep a house of public entertainment for the year ensuing." 4
On 16 December 1667, "Thomas Snow of Boston …, innholder, and Milcah his wife" in consideration of a £100 loan made to them by the late Henery Shrimpton of Boston, brazier, mortgaged to the overseers of the estate of Henery Shrimpton, … "Thomas Snowe’s old dwelling house to which the Sign of the Dove is fastened."4
Thomas Snow died something between 10 November 1668 when he wrote his will, and 26 April 1669 when "widow Snowe" was one of six Boston residents "approved of to sell beer and keep houses of public entertainment." On 28 April 1669, his will was proved.
After Thomas died, his widow, Milcha, married William Wright Sr. Milcha’s daughter, Abigail married William Wright Jr. William and Milcha sold the pasture that was part of the estate, to Thomas Platts on 24 May 1672. 7 The mortgage to the Shrimptons was cleared on 19 June 1672.4
Milcha Kelway Snow Wright died intestate sometime before 27 December 1677 when "administration on the estate of "Milcha Wright formerly Milcah Snow relict and sole executrix of the last will of Thomas formerly of Boston was granted unto Samuel Fisher and Benjamin Thurston ." 4
In 1678 the heirs made a division of Milcha’s estate. They were:
Samuel Snow (in 1683 Samuel sold his lot to Platt.)
Meletiah, wife of Samuel Fisher of Braintree
Abigail, wife of William Wright, Jr.
Mehitable Snow – singlewoman.
His first known child was Melatiah Snow, born 30 September 1638 (Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 - Births and Deaths 1630-1634). Based on that, his date of marriage is estimated to have been 1637. If he were 24 at the time of his marriage, he would have been born about 1613.
England, Essex Parish Registers 1593-1997, Image 841.
Willard & Related Families ID: I9613 · Name: Milcah KELWAY
Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635 Volume VI, R-S by Charles Anderson
Find A Grave Memorial# 37181153
Boston Evening Transcript, 4 November 1907
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=merrygo&id=I9612 - Thomas SNOW
Boston Evening Transcript, 4 November 1907
Suffolk County Wills Chapter: Abstracts of the Earliest Wills Upon Record or on File Page: 345 - Thomas Snow.