Thomas Pierson finished his apprenticeship as a surveyor in 1675 and journeyed to London early in 1675/6 and in September 1676 sailed for Maryland on the Joseph & Benjamin, Mathew Pain, commander, in company with one William Dixson [believed by most researchers to be William Dickson, his subsequent brother-in-law]. On 14 February 1681/2 Thomas Pierson left Maryland aboard the Bristol Comfort, commanded by Thomas Whitop, and arrived back in Bristol on 20 March 1681/2 as confirmed in the Bristol port books. On or about 25 July 1683 he embarked once more in the Bristol Comfort and arrived, he says, at Upland (meaning probably New Castle on Delaware) on 28 September 1683.

Thomas Pierson was Deputy Surveyor for William Penn from 1684 to about 1709. His real claim to fame was to help do the very first survey of what is now the northern "arc" of Delaware. Thomas' appointment to perform this survey occurred the same day as the signing of the famous Charter of Privileges (28 October 1701), which was law in Penn's province and territories until the Revolution.

Fifty years later (after October 28th, 1701), an historic bell was cast in order to commemorate the fiftieth year of the Charter of Privileges. It later came to be called the historic LIBERTY BELL. So this Liberty Bell in effect also marked the fiftieth year of Thomas Pierson's marching orders!