According to the English ancestry section (by J. Gardner Bartlett) in the Shed Genealogy533, Thomas Shed “was baptized at Great Easton, County Essex, 13 Mar. 1574/5, but when an infant was taken by his parents in their removal into the adjoining town of Thaxted where he was brought up, and like this father and grandfather he became a husbandman or yeoman or farmer. Soon after he became of age he married and settled in Finchingfield in Hinckford Hundred, County Essex, a rural parish of which the church lies five miles east of Thaxted Church, the two parishes being separated only by the parishes of Little Sampford and Little Bardfield. Unfortunately the parish registers of Finchingfield before 1617 are lost, although completely preserved from the latter year, so that the record of the marriage of Thomas10 Shed and the baptisms of his children are not found, but their names are supplied by his will.

“Finchingfield is about forty-five miles north-east from London by charming motor road through Chigwell, Ongar and Great Dunmow, the last-named place, nine miles distant, being the nearest railroad station. The parish is rather flat and low, covers over eight thousand acres, has a population of about fifteen hundred, and near the centre and church is a large village built about Finchingfield Green. The church, located on a slight hill, is a large and ancient structure of flint, consisting of chancel with side-[p. 20]chapels, long nave with aisles, north and south porches, and a square western tower with embattled parapet, formerly surmounted by a lofty spire which was blown down in 1702. In the tower there is a chime of eight bells requiring restoration. In the chapels are several fine altar tombs of families who were lords of the manors in ancient times. There are several manors in the parish, of which Spains Hall and Cornish Hall are the most important. Finchingfield was the birthplace of the emigrant Daniel12 Shed and the home of his father and grandfather.

“Thomas10 Shed was the first of the family to locate in Finchingfield, and all the Sheds there in the seventeenth century were descended from him. As ‘Old Thomas Shed’ he was buried there 9 Sept. 1637, leaving the following will, literally copied:

“In the name of God, Amen, the fowertene day of August 1637, I Thomas Sheade of Fynchingfield in the Countie of Essex, Husbandman, beinge of good & perfect remembrance, thankes be to Almightie God therfor, Do make and ordayne this my Laste will and testement in maner and forme followinge. First, I give and bequeath my soule into the hands of God who gave it me, hopinge and trustinge throw the merittes of Jesus Christe my onlye Saviour to have forgiveness of my synnes and Lyffe everlastinge in Hevene. Secondly, concernigne my goodes, I dispose of them as hereafter: First, I give and bequeath unto Kathren my wyff xx s. of good and lawfull money of England to be payed by my Executor within one yeare after my Decesse. Itm. I give unto Thomas Shede my sonne and unto Suzan my Daughter and Elizabeth my Daughter xijd. apece within one weeke next after my Decese. All the rest of my goods and chattels and moveables, goods within howsse and without howsse whatsoever, I give and bequeath unto Danyell Sheed my sonne, to be ordered and Dispossed at the Discrission of my executor. And I Doe ordayne and apoynt my sonne Danyell Shead ny sole Executor of this my Last will and testement, prayinge and desieringe hime to Deale truly as I hoope he will. Memaru’. I doe give unto Suzan Kent my grayndchilde the Beed and beddinge she lye on, and a whele and rele. Sealed, delivered, acknowledged, and published this to be the Last will of me the said Thomas in the presence of us, Robert Cracknell, Francis Mascall, William Mascall, John Mascall. [Signed] The mark of H Thomas Shead. Proved 15 Oct. 1640. (Archdeaconry Court of Middlesex, Essex and Herts, Bundle ‘Brown,’ No. 52.) The spelling in this will seems strange, but spelling was not standardized before 1700, even among the educated; witness the History of Plymouth by Gov. Bradford, of college education.”