Thomas Savage (major)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Savage was an English
soldier and New England
colonist and merchant, attaining the rank of major
in King Philip's War
.
, Somerset
, he was son of William Savage, a blacksmith
. Thomas was apprenticed to the Merchant Taylors
of London on 9 January 1621.
He went to Massachusetts
with Sir Harry Vane
aboard the Planter in 1635. He was admitted a freeman of Boston
in 1636, and became a member of the artillery
company in 1637. In the same year he took the side of his mother-in-law, Anne Hutchinson
, in the controversy that her teaching excited. He was compelled in consequence to leave the colony, and with William Coddington
he founded the settlement of Rhode Island
in 1638. Savage was a signer of the Portsmouth Compact
. After living there for some time he was permitted to return to Boston, and in 1651 became captain of the artillery company.
On 12 March 1654 he and Captain Thomas Clarke were chosen to represent Boston at the general court, of which he continued a member. He was elected speaker
of the assembly in 1637, 1660, 1671, 1677, and 1678. After representing Boston for eight years, he became deputy for Hingham
in 1663. In 1664 he, with many other leading citizens, dissented from the policy of the colony in refusing to recognise four commissioners sent by Charles II of England
to regulate its affairs, and in 1666 he and his friends embodied their views in a petition. In 1671 he was chosen deputy for Andover
, and in 1675 commanded the forces of the state in the first expedition against Metacomet
. In 1680 he was commissioned, with others, by the Crown
to administer an oath to Sir John Leverett the governor, pledging him to execute the oath required by the act of trade. In 1680 he was elected ‘assistant’ or magistrate
, and retained the office until his death on 14 February 1682.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
soldier and New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
colonist and merchant, attaining the rank of major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
.
Life
Born in TauntonTaunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, he was son of William Savage, a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
. Thomas was apprenticed to the Merchant Taylors
Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors
The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London.The Company, originally known as the Guild and Fraternity of St...
of London on 9 January 1621.
He went to Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
with Sir Harry Vane
Henry Vane the Younger
Sir Henry Vane , son of Henry Vane the Elder , was an English politician, statesman, and colonial governor...
aboard the Planter in 1635. He was admitted a freeman of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in 1636, and became a member of the artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
company in 1637. In the same year he took the side of his mother-in-law, Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson was one of the most prominent women in colonial America, noted for her strong religious convictions, and for her stand against the staunch religious orthodoxy of 17th century Massachusetts...
, in the controversy that her teaching excited. He was compelled in consequence to leave the colony, and with William Coddington
William Coddington
William Coddington was an early magistrate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and later of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving as the Judge of Portsmouth, Judge of Newport, Governor of Portsmouth and Newport, Deputy Governor of the entire colony, and then Governor of the...
he founded the settlement of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
in 1638. Savage was a signer of the Portsmouth Compact
Portsmouth Compact
The Portsmouth Compact was a document signed on March 7, 1638 that established the settlement of Portsmouth, which is now a town in the state of Rhode Island...
. After living there for some time he was permitted to return to Boston, and in 1651 became captain of the artillery company.
On 12 March 1654 he and Captain Thomas Clarke were chosen to represent Boston at the general court, of which he continued a member. He was elected speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the assembly in 1637, 1660, 1671, 1677, and 1678. After representing Boston for eight years, he became deputy for Hingham
Hingham, Massachusetts
Hingham is a town in northern Plymouth County on the South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and suburb in Greater Boston. The United States Census Bureau 2008 estimated population was 22,561...
in 1663. In 1664 he, with many other leading citizens, dissented from the policy of the colony in refusing to recognise four commissioners sent by Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
to regulate its affairs, and in 1666 he and his friends embodied their views in a petition. In 1671 he was chosen deputy for Andover
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
, and in 1675 commanded the forces of the state in the first expedition against Metacomet
Metacomet
Metacomet , also known as King Philip or Metacom, or occasionally Pometacom, was a war chief or sachem of the Wampanoag Indians and their leader in King Philip's War, a widespread Native American uprising against English colonists in New England.-Biography:Metacomet was the second son of Massasoit...
. In 1680 he was commissioned, with others, by the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
to administer an oath to Sir John Leverett the governor, pledging him to execute the oath required by the act of trade. In 1680 he was elected ‘assistant’ or magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
, and retained the office until his death on 14 February 1682.