Which Thomas Jameson Was on the Ship "Lime" in 1738 ?

There is a question as to exactly which Thomas Jameson may have been aboard the ship "Lime" when it sailed from Port Rush, Ireland, to Boston, in 1738.[1] The fact that a Thomas Jameson was a part of this voyage is not in question, only which Thomas Jameson.

It has been accepted for some time now, that this was the Thomas Jameson, married to a Mary and that they lived in Windham, New Hampshire, in the mid 1700's. This is told as such by E.O. Jameson in his book "The Jamesons in America" and echoed several places elsewhere and since, apparently as a result of this single entry. This was later repeated by Scott Jameson, in his work "The Argyle Jamesons." However, Scott goes further and proves[2] this Thomas Jameson as the son of a William Jameson, and has Thomas' birth to be about 1725.[3] A more recent examination and analysis of the known facts surrounding this Thomas suggest, at least the part about him on that ship, may not be accurate.

Please see a related article about these two separate Jameson families here.

There are several problems with this Thomas Jameson being on board the "Lime" in 1738. Apparently the only real source of his connection to that voyage is from a subsequent court case involving this troubled passage.[1] His inclusion in this legal action would have required him to have "been of age" (at least 21 years old) at the time of sailing, which would have meant he had to have been born no later than 1717. As the son of William Jameson in Windham, New Hampshire, and there is considerable evidence beyond Scott Jameson's saying so,[2] that would have made his father about sixteen years old at the time of his birth. This seems unlikely. Furthermore, this Thomas' marriage and children would not have began until he was in his mid thirties, also unusual for that time. If however he was born about 1725, as Scott believes and states, both his birth in relationship to his age and his marriage and children would make far more sense. But then this passage in 1738 aboard the "Lime," would have made him only thirteen and not likely a party to any court case. Far more fundamental and convincing to this argument is however, the extreme unlikelihood that his parents would have left such a young child behind at the time of their emigration, whenever that was, and for him to find his way later on his own. It is much more likely that this Thomas was not on that ship and either an (unrecorded) infant with his parents when they immigrated in 1722-1727, or was born in New England after they had arrived.

It is possible and much more likely that a different Thomas Jameson from that same time, was aboard the "Lime" on that passage. However, the only other possible Thomas Jameson (b.c.1709), is often assumed to have immigrated from Ireland in 1746 aboard the sloop "Molly" along with his brother Hugh Jameson (b.c.1713) and their sister Elizabeth Boyd Woods. Again, this is as told by E.O. Jameson, in his book, "The Jamesons in America." But unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any real evidence of this, or for that matter even any clues on the subject. Several years after the arrival of Hugh and the others aboard this ship in 1746, Hugh was the subject of a civil court case involving passage payment issues.[4] There are several depositions from the passengers on that vessel, including that from Hugh's sister Elizabeth, who was then living in a town nearby. There was however, no deposition by, or mention of, Thomas Jameson, who was living in the same town as Hugh at the time of the trial. Far more decisively however, is that Thomas Jameson was named in the December 4, 1741 will of Jonathan Jameson in Londonderry, New Hampshire, identifying him clearly. This is some five years prior to the time the "Molly" arrived.[5]

Given these facts, the only logical conclusion is that Thomas Jameson (b.1725) was not the Thomas Jameson on the "Lime" in 1738 and that the Thomas Jameson (b.c.1709) a more likely and reasoned probability. And, if not him, then who?

The Not So Good Ship Lime - A story, study and analysis.