Thomas Wight (1638 - 1690)

Born 1638 in Isle of Wight, England

Husband of Mehitable (Cheney) Wight — married 1660 in Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 25 Sep 1690 at about age 52 in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts

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Biography

When Thomas Wight was born in 1638, his father, Thomas, was 31 and his mother, Alice, was 30. He married Mehitable Cheney in 1660 in Massachusetts. ^[1] They had five children in 16 years. ^[2] He died on September 25, 1690, in Medfield, Massachusetts, at the age of 52.

CHILDREN

Mehetabel b. June 12, 1663

Thomas b. October 27, 1665

*Mary (Marie) b. Feb. 20, 1667

Eleazar b. Jun 1 1670

Joshua b. Jul 25, 1679

Thomas was one of the thirteen original settlers of Medfield. He was a cordwainer, and settled in the north part of the town. He was a church deacon in 1667. ^[3] Thomas and served nineteen years on the board of selectmen. ^[4]

Thomas was accepted as a citizen of Medfield in 1650.^[5] His home lot there was on Green street, east of his father's home. In the attack on Medfield by the Indians on Feb 21, 1676, his house was destroyed. His petition for relief can be found below. ^[6]

THOMAS WIGHT'S PETITION.

To the Honorable Governor. Deputy Governor & Magistrates, with the deputies sitting In general Court at Boston May 8 1678 the petition of Thomas Wight humbly sheweth :

That whereas it pleased God to visit us in our towne of Medfleld with the awful and solemn strook by the Indians and bereaving me of my habitation and six cattell being burnt in my barn, my horse taken away and even bereaved of most of the means for my sustenance. so that I have been exposed to greate sufffrings thereby, not having wharwith to get corn for my family but as I went to my daily labour for it : that had to help others in their want; and have had no way to procure cloathings but as we could by any means procure cotton or sheeps wool and for shous nesity have Inforced me to run in debt ever Hence and have not wharewith to pay am earnestly called upon for reats and have not wharewith to pay although I should leve none for my self or famely who are siz in all and many other difficulties that hoe atend me for want of a habitation and other nesserys, the consideration wharof have put me upon nesity of besiching and emploring this Honored Court to cast an aspect of favour upon the deserted estate of your poor petitioner in passing an order to remit my rats depending, being beetwe three find four pounds, which shall ever oblige me to endeavor to pay with cheerfulnis for the futer to publique charge as god shall enable me as aluo to pray the god of marcv to oast in abouudently upon you who are wilen to extend marcy to the efflicted in a day of thare destress which is and shall be the constant prayer of him who is your poor suppliant and humbel sarvent THOMAS WIGHT.

This is indorsed :—

The committee judged meet to hold him in one-half of the rates and extend the time till next March for the other half. The deputies voted to remit all his rates, which was consented to by the magistrates on the 7 (8) 78. (Tllden's Kedfleld, 95.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SOURCE: The Wights - A Record of Thomas Wight of Dedham and Medfield by William Ward Wight, page 8

Sources

1. ↑ * Torry, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004. (Spouse, Date)
2. ↑ * The Wights : a record of Thomas Wight of Dedham and Medfield and of his descendants, 1635-1890, page 8 [1]
3. ↑ * Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook). (Residence; 1667, Dedham)
4. ↑ The Wights - A Record of Thomas Wight of Dedham and Medfield by William Ward Wight, page 8
5. ↑ * Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook). (Residence; 1650, Dedham)
6. ↑ The Wights - A Record of Thomas Wight of Dedham and Medfield by William Ward Wight, page 8

See Also

• Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp.. Massachusetts Census, 1790-1890. (Medfield - Year; 1678)
• Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook). (Residence; Dedham, 1640)
• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. (Spouse; Mehitable, Birth-England, Marriage)
• Pope, Charles Henry. The Cheney Genealogy (Boston, MA, 1897) Page 34.