Thomas Josselyn, our immigrant ancestor, also spelled his name Joslin in America. He probably received his portion of his father's estate at the time of his marriage, as his father, in his will of 1626, bequeathed to him only 5 pounds. Thomas' children's births are not recorded in the Parish Register of Roxwell, England, so it is probable that he was not living there when they were born. He was of Barham, County of Suffolk, England, just before his emigration to New England and his daughter, Mary, was baptized there, 16 March 1633/4. This family sailed for New England on the ship Increase out of London on 17 April 1635, arriving in July. The passenger list contained the names of Thomas Joslin husbandman (farmer) age 43, Rebecca his wife age 43, Eliza Ward a maid servant age 38, and the children of the said Thomas: Rebecca age 18, Dorothy age 11, Nathaniel age 8, Elizabeth age 6, and Mary age 1.

Some sources give Rebecca's maiden name (without citing a source) as Marlow. This is not correct. A deed found in the Essex Record Office, Chelmsford, reveals Rebecca's last name as Jude. The indications are that Rebecca was a close relative of John Jude or Radwinter, Essex, either his daughter or sister.

The family settled in Hingham, Massachusetts where Thomas bought land of his son-in-law, Thomas Nichols, in 1638. He was a proprietor and town officer. He and his son, Nathaniel, sold their lands in Hingham on 11 March 1652/3, to George Lane, Moses Collier, and Thomas Nichols, and moved to Lancaster, Massachusetts where Thomas signed the Civil Pact 12 November 1654.

Thomas and his wife Rebecca (Jude) Josselyn had seven children, all born in England:

• Abraham, b. ca. 1615-16; d. off the coast of Virginia in the ship Good Fame of New York, 9 July 1670; m. Beatrice Hampton. This couple lived in Hingham and Lancaster and had two children, probably more. Widow Beatrice (Hampton) Josselyn married (2) in Lancaster, Benjamin Bosworth, and lived in Hull and Stow, Massachusetts.
• Rebecca, bpt. 27 March 1617 in Ardleigh, Essex; d. in Hingham, MA, 22 Sept. 1675; m. ca. 1638, Thomas Nichols.
• Mary, bpt. 25 August 1619 in Ardleigh, Essex. Probably died young.
• Dorothy, b. ca. 1623; d. in Roxbury, MA, 2 Dec. 1645; unmarried; entered into the service of Gov. Thomas Dudley of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in whcih service she remained until her death.
• Nathaniel, b. ca. 1626; d. in Marlborough, MA, 8 April 1694; m. in 1656, Sarah King, who died in Marlborough 2 July 1706, daughter of Thomas and Anne King. This couple lived in Lancaster and, after the massacre of the Indians there in 1675, moved to Marlborough where they lived the rest of their lives. They had eight children, the first six born in Lancaster.
• Elizabeth, b. ca. 1628; m. (1) in Boston, MA, 21 June 1652, Edward Yeomans or Emmons; had one child; m. (2) in Boston, 9 May 1662 Edward Kilby.
• Mary, bpt. 16 March 1633/4 at Barham, County of Suffolk, England, 16 March 1633/4; d. in Milton, MA, 21 Aug. 1711; m. in 1656, Deacon Roger Sumner who was b. in Bicestor, County of Oxford, England, in 1632, d. in Milton, MA, 26 May 1698, son of William and Mary Sumner. This couple lived in Dorchester, Lancaster, and Milton. They had at least five children.