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The life of Nicholas Snow
Biography
Nicholas Snow arrived at Plymouth, the English colony on the coast of present-day Massachusetts, aboard the Anne in 1623. The colony's land division places his allotment toward the Eel River, near Hobbs Hole. Four years later, the cattle division names Nicholas and Constance Snow together in the group headed by her father, Stephen Hopkins. Their marriage had therefore taken place by May 1627.
The court records show Nicholas participating in Plymouth's practical government. He appears on the 1633 list of freemen and among those appointed to lay out highways in 1634. He served on juries and was chosen with two other men to arbitrate a dispute between Joseph Beedle and Edward Doty in 1636. Road descriptions even use his house as a landmark, placing it along the route toward Stephen Hopkins's home.
Those records also expose a less comfortable aspect of his household. In 1635 the indentured servant Twiford West asked to leave Nicholas's service and return to Edward Winslow, who had assigned him to Snow. West offered an additional year of service to secure the change. The agreement was recorded, but the reason for his dislike of living with Nicholas was not explained.
The family moved to Nauset, later Eastham, on Cape Cod in the 1640s. In March 1645, as dated in the published record, Nicholas sold Thomas Morton his Plymouth house, buildings and associated land, described as about fifty-two acres. Half the £12 price had been paid; the balance was due at the next harvest in corn or cattle.
On the Cape, Nicholas continued in public work. He was named a highway supervisor in 1647, represented Eastham at the colonial court, served as constable in 1662, and appears repeatedly among the town's selectmen into the 1670s. In 1660 he also helped appraise Richard Sparrow's estate. These records document the work of maintaining roads, settling property matters and conducting local government over decades.
His own inventory, made after his death in November 1676, contains both cooper's and carpenter's tools: drawing knives, augers, chisels, planes and saws. It also lists books, livestock, grain, household furniture and three beehives. The tools suggest skilled woodworking, although an inventory alone does not establish the terms on which he practiced a trade.
Nicholas's will divided land among his sons while reserving substantial resources for Constance. She could use the livestock and movable goods for her support and retain her part of the house for life. The document also left ten shillings, payable after her death, toward equipment for the communion table at Eastham's church. He signed it on November 14, 1676 and died the next day.
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Children with Constance Hopkins Snow
A life in dates
16 events
- Migration
Arrived at Plymouth, on the coast of present-day Massachusetts, aboard the Anne.
Plymouth (Patuxet), Massachusetts, United States
Show on map → - Connection to this place
Eel River/Hobbs Hole allotment and early household — Plymouth (Patuxet), Massachusetts.
Plymouth (Patuxet), Massachusetts, United States
Show on map → - Civic Status
Appears on Plymouth’s list of freemen in the published court records.
Plymouth (Patuxet), Massachusetts, United States
Show on map → - Public Service
Named among those appointed to lay out highways at Plymouth.
Plymouth (Patuxet), Massachusetts, United States
Show on map → - Servant Agreement
Indentured servant Twiford West requested transfer from Nicholas’s service back to Edward Winslow and offered an additional year of service. The recorded agreement does not explain his reasons.
Plymouth (Patuxet), Massachusetts, United States
Show on map → - Arbitration
Chosen with two other men to arbitrate a dispute between Joseph Beedle and Edward Doty.
Plymouth (Patuxet), Massachusetts, United States
Show on map → - Property Sale
Sold Thomas Morton his Plymouth house, buildings and about fifty-two acres, dated March 1645 in the published record. The £12 price was partly paid, with the balance due at harvest in corn or cattle.
- Public Service
Named a highway supervisor in the Cape Cod community later known as Eastham.
Historical Nauset / Eastham township, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States
Show on map → - Estate Appraisal
Helped appraise Richard Sparrow’s estate.
Historical Nauset / Eastham township, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States
Show on map → - Public Office
Served as constable at Eastham, Massachusetts.
Historical Nauset / Eastham township, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States
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Probable burial area — Cove Burying Ground, Eastham, Massachusetts.
Cove Burying Ground, Eastham, Massachusetts
Show on map → - Will
Signed a will dividing land among sons while reserving resources and lifetime housing for Constance.
Namskaket / Skaket, present Orleans, Massachusetts
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Probable death locality — Namskaket / Skaket, present Orleans, Massachusetts.
Namskaket / Skaket, present Orleans, Massachusetts
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Marriage and cattle division household — Plymouth (Patuxet), Massachusetts.
Plymouth (Patuxet), Massachusetts, United States
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Cape relocation and household — Namskaket / Skaket, present Orleans, Massachusetts.
Namskaket / Skaket, present Orleans, Massachusetts
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Notes & sources
Family records
- DNA consolidated biography and timeline evidence and decisions
- Location evidence: person 271