Thomas Savage (major)
| Major Thomas Savage | |
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Major Thomas Savage, 1679, attributed to Thomas Smith
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| Born | 1608 Taunton, England |
| Died | February 14, 1682 (aged 73) Boston, Massachusetts |
| Occupation | Merchant and soldier |
| Known for | King Philip's War |
| Spouse(s) | Faith Hutchinson |
Thomas Savage (1608 - February 14, 1682) was an English soldier and New England colonist and merchant, attaining the rank of major in King Philip's War.
Born in Taunton, 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. The next 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 and many others 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.
He became a member of the Military Company of Massachusetts in 1637. In 1639 he was elected as the company's second sergeant and in 1640 he became its first sergeant. In 1641 he was elected for a one year term as lieutenant of the Military Company of Massachusetts.
He was reelected as lieutenant in 1645 and was elected as captain of the Company in 1651. He was also re-elected as captain in 1659, 1668, 1675 and 1680. He was probably the only person to be elected as captain of the Company five times.
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.
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