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Thomas Sparrow
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Thomas Sparrow was born about 1600 in England. He came to America with a group of Puritans in the 1630s. In 1640 he received a land grant in Lower Norfolk County, Maryland. He received 300 acres on the western branch of the Elizabeth River in payment for paying transportation costs for 5 people from England to Virginia. He was a constable while in Norfolk County.

Gov. Bekeleu of Virginia prohibited the practice of the Puritan religion in Virginia in 1644. The Puritans were required to attend and pay tithes to the Anglican Church. In 1649, the high sheriff brought 8 members of the Puritan congregation to court, including Thomas, for refusing to attend the Anglican Church. They were ordered to conform to the Anglican church by Oct 1650. This started an exodus of 300 Puritans to Maryland, where Lord Baltimore had obtained a charter and established a religiously tolerant colony in 1634. Maryland's Act of Toleration passed on 21 April 1649 allowed freedom of worship to Puritans who migrated to Maryland. Thomas, his family, and their servant, John Dennis, were part of this migration to Maryland in 1649.

Thomas acquired 590 acres on the west side of the Rhodes River in the East River Hundred and named the property, Sparrow's Nest. After the treaty with the Susquehannock Indians in 1652 more land north of Sparrow's Nest was available. Thomas purchased 600 acres called Sparrow's Rest at the mouth of Broad Creek and running south to what is still known as Sparrow's Point. He purchased another 200 acres called South Canton. He died about 1662 in West River, Anne Arundel, Maryland.