Josiah Dewey (bef. 1641 - 1732)

Born before 10 Oct 1641 in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut Colony

Husband of Hepzibah (Lyman) Dewey — married 6 Nov 1662 in Northampton, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 7 Sep 1732 after age 90 in Lebanon, New London, Connecticut Colony

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rick Felsing [send private message]

Biography

Name: Josiah Dewey

Birth Date: Before 10 Oct 1641

Baptized: 10 Oct 1641

Birthplace: WINDSOR TWP,HARTFORD,CONNETICUT

Father's Name: Thomas Dewey

Mother's Name: Frances^[1]

Lineal ancestor of Adm. George Dewey, and Gov. Thomas E. Dewey of New York (Presidential candidate in 1944 & 1948).

Deacon and sergeant Josiah Davis was baptized Oct. 10, 1641, Windsor, Connecticut, son of immigrant Thomas Dewey and Frances (____) Clark; he d. Sept. 7, 1732 at Lebanon, Connecticut.^[2]

He resided in Windsor, CT until about 1660, then removed to Northampton, MA, removing to Westfield, MA abt 1680, where he had been granted land in February, 1668 at the age of 27 in payment for building the minister's house, and became the first deacon of the Westfield Church on 28 Dec 1692.^[3][4] He removed again to Lebanon, CT in 1700. He farmed.

He married Hepzibah Lyman in Northampton 6 Nov 1662.^[5] He did NOT also marry Mehitable Miller; it was his SON by the same name who married her.

During King Philip’s War, Josiah Dewey was sergeant of the guard at Westfield. The following is one of the orders to which his name was signed:

”Thes as to Ceartiefie whom it may Concearn that we whose names are hear under written doe give Leve unto thes tow Solgers George Maninge and William Rodgers to goe to Boston Alsoe from thens to Retturn unto us againe Iff the governor and Counsell hinder not as a witness or hands. [Signed:] Aaron Poole (Cook), Samuel Loomes, Josiah Dewey, Comitey of Malicia. Westfield, August 4th 1676.” ^[6]

Buried in Old Cemetery, Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut, USA^[7]

The son of Thomas "The Settler" Dewey & his wife Frances, later the wife of George Phelps. Dewey married on 6 Nov 1662 at Northampton, MA to Hepzibah Lyman the daughter of Richard & Hepzibah Ford Lyman. The Deweys located at Northampton, MA about 1663 where Josiah learned the carpenter's trade and became a freeman in 1666. During King Philip's War he was a Sargent of the Guard at Westfield, MA.^[7]

He was a Quaker and in his religious discovery he says; "When I was entred into a married state I saw myself now under former ingagemnts of attending heart-searching & hearing Mr. Mather on the hearts hardness assert that there was no plague like unto that, I was affrighted there at & soon after hearing Mr. Eliot (now of Gilford) on a lecture sermon was so awakened as to resolve no longer to delay but to fall to search my own heart. But I found it hard & difficult work to keep my mind to it & sometimes I found that my heart would slip from ye work almost as soon as I was at it. So that I could find little rest."^[7]

He seems to have found that rest as he became a Deacon in the church at Westfield. In 1696 he moved to Lebanon, CT where he helped found the town, and where his name appears often in the early records.^[7]

Inscription: Here lies the body of Dn Josiah Dewey He was born in Windsor 1640 Long Servd The Church of Christ in Westfield and Ordained Deacon Removed to Lebanon In the Begining where he done much Sarvis for God & Man he lived a Holy & a Religious life & lived to a great Age & he slept in Jesus Septemr 7, 1732 In the 92 year of his age.^[7]

Burial: Old Cemetery, Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut, USA^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906," database, FamilySearch [1]; citing ; FHL microfilm unknown.
2. ↑ Adelbert Milton Dewey, Life of George Dewey, Rear Admiral..., Westfield, MA: Dewey Pub. Co., 1898, p. 383
3. ↑ Josiah Dewey - BIO1 = Life of George Dewey, Rear Admiral, USN and Dewey Family History
4. ↑ Bates-Dyson-Hatch Families by Larry L. Krug, self-published in 1983
5. ↑ Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850, Northampton, vol I, p 515, citing p 1964, citing TR [Town Records] I-95: Dewey, Josiah Married Nov. 6, 1662 at Northampton, Hepzibah Limon.
6. ↑ Dewey Genealogy (1898), p 387
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5} Find A Grave Memorial# 29754839