Thomas DEWEY

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THOMAS DEWEY, the emigrant ancestor of a large and influential family, in early manhood seems to have become a dissenter and emigrated to America from Sandwich, Kent, England, as one of the early settlers, under Governor Winthrop and Rev. John Warham. There were twelve other vessels which arrived after the "Mary and John" up to as late as July 6, 1630. Some think Thomas came in the "Lyon," which arrived at Salem in February from Bristol, Eng.; others that he came in the "Griffin," Capt. John Haynes, which arrived September 4, 1633, but this could not be, as we have positive evidence he was here in August, 1633. Source: Dewey genealogy and family history. Compiled by Louis Marinus Dewey, Westfield, Massachusetts, 1898. The following is from "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633" by Robert Charles Anderson:THOMAS DEWEYORIGIN: UnknownMIGRATION: 1633FIRST RESIDENCE: DorchesterREMOVES: Windsor 1635OCCUPATION: Inventory indicates only agricultural activity at a subsistence level. CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Membership in Dorchester church prior to 14 May 1634 implied by freemanship.FREEMAN: 14 May 1634 [MBCR 1:369].EDUCATION: Signed will of John Russell by mark, 3 September 1633 [MBCR 1:153]; signed deed of 12 August 1635 by mark [DTR 12].OFFICES: Jury member for Particular Court of Connecticut on six occasions between 2 March 1642/3 and 22 November 1647 [RPCC 18, 23, 29, 36, 39, 48]. (Most sources say that Thomas Dewey was cornet of the troop, but the evidence for this has not been found.)ESTATE: Granted 8 acre lot in Dorchester, 1 December 1634 [DTR 9]. Granted 2 acres of mowing ground, 5 July 1635 [DTR 11]. Granted 4 acres, Lot #64, in Meadow beyond Naponset [DTR 321]. On 12 August 1635 "Thomas Duee" sold to Richard Jones five parcels in Dorchester: "4 acres of ground with my house and all thereto belonging, also 8 acres of ground of my great lot, also ten acres of meadow on the side Naponset, and 4 acres of meadow on the other side, and 2 acres of meadow in the fresh marsh" [DTR 12]. In the Windsor land inventory Thomas Dewey held on 28 February 1640 five parcels which he had received by grant: seven acre homelot; four acres and a quarter in Great Meadow; a planting lot over the Great River, eighteen rods wide; thirteen acres and a half in the Northwest Field; and a parcel of sixteen acres (the last two parcels annotated in the margin "sold to Thomas Stouton") [WiLR 1:89]. The same inventory (including additions after 28 February 1640) showed that Thomas Dewey had purchased several pieces of land: from Eltweed Pomeroy, a parcel of meadow; from William Hosford, an acre and eighteen rods in Norwest Field, and six rods in the Great Meadow; from Thomas Stayres, three acres and a quarter, and a parcel in Norwest Field; from John Mason, a lot over the Great River (in exchange for five acres in the Great Meadow); of Nicholas Denslow, half an acre in Norwest Field; and of Michael Try, three-quarters of an acre in the Great Meadow [WiLR 1:89].The inventory of the estate of Thomas Dewey, taken 19 May 1648, totalled ?213, of which ?118 was real estate: "one house and barn with the homelot, in quantity about one acre & quarter," ?40; seven acres of meadow adjoining the houselot, ?20; four acres and a quarter in the Great Meadow, ?13; three acres and a quarter in the Great Meadow, ?10; five acres, eight rods and a half in the Great Meadow, ?15; and "two parcels of upland about 29 acres & half," ?20 [Manwaring 1:6; Dewey Gen 225].The distribution of the estate was made on 17 October 1648: to the relict, ?60; to "his eldest son by name Thomas Dewy," ?30; and to the other five children ?20 apiece [Manwaring 1:7; Dewey Gen 226]. The children were listed as follows: "Six c- My descent from Thomas Dewey, the immigrant: Thomas Dewey & Frances Thomas Dewey & Constance Hawes Israel Dewey & Sarah Root Israel Dewey & Joanna Noble Joanna Dewey & John Morse Ezekiel Morse & Laura Scudder Romeyn Floyd Morse & Rachel Eliza Close Georgiana Myrtle Morse & Samuel Henry Bauman Bernice Bauman & George Noah Webster Workman Floyd Emerson W
orkman & Lola Pauline Sutherland Me (Sharon) January 18, 2005