Thomas Paine came to New England at the age of ten with his father, also named Thomas Paine. He lost the sight of an eye by an arrow before he was 10. He married Mary Snow before April of 1651 at Eastham, Massachusetts. Eastham had been settled but a very few years when Thomas Paine became a resident. He was resident at Eastham in 1653 and served in several ways after being made a freeman. One was as water bailiff of Plymouth Colony Court and served many years in that post, requiring him to regulate fishing at Cape Cod. On March 14, 1696, he purchased a home in Boston and lived there until he sold the same on October 13, 1697, and moved back to Eastham. He was also known as a cooper (builder and repairer of barrels and casks) as well as the builder of mills. In 1662 he was appointed, with Nicholas Snow, Jonathan Sparrow and Giles Hopkins, to view and lay out the meadow between Namskaket and Silver Springs, then within the limits of Eastham; and the same year, with Giles Hopkins, was selected a surveyor of highways. In 1664, for the first time he was chosen deputy to the Plymouth Colony court, and a juryman. In 1667, with eleven others, he was called to investigate the causes of deaths of three men of Captain John Allen's company, who were put ashore at Cape Cod. The same year he was allowed by the Colonial court to select a tract of land for his use, and in June, 1669, he was allowed to purchase land at Namasket, now Middleboro. In 1670, with Jonathan Sparrow, he was appointed an inspector of the ordinaries in town, to see that there was no excessive drinking. He was selectman (an officer) of Eastham in 1671. In 1676, he was one of the committee to collect a debt of Sandwich and to superintend the building of the meetinghouse in Eastham. This meetinghouse was the second one built there and stood near the ancient burying ground. The first one was thatched roof and stood nearby, and had been erected many years. It was now considered unsuitable for the congregation of their minister, Rev. Samuel Treat, who was now regularly settled. Mr. Paine was clerk and treasurer of Eastham as well. Mr. Paine was many years a "rate maker" or assessor. In 1685, with Rev. Samuel Treat, Captain Jonathan Sparrow, John Mayo, Sen., and Jabez Snow, he was chosen by the town "to hear and determine the difference between those called the purchasers of the town," respecting land within the limits of Eastham.
The will of Thomas Paine, dated 12 May 1705 and proved 2 Oct. 1706, left mills, house and housing and specified lands to son Nicholas Paine; ten shillings to daughter Mary, wife of Israel Cole; and the residuary estate equally to Samll Paine (executor), Thomas Paine (executor), Elisha Paine, John Paine, Nicholas Paine, James Paine, Joseph Paine, Dorcas Vickerie (wife of Benjamin), and three oldest children of his daughter Mary (wife of Israel Cole), namely James Rogers, Mary Cole and Abigail Yeats.
See Family History of Mary Elizabeth Flint Hatch , annotated transcription of an untitled 1904 manuscript by J. P. Flint, Esq., the original of which is now archived at NEHGS