Timothy Dwight (Massachusetts politician)
Captain Timothy Dwight (1629–1718 N.S)[a] represented Dedham in the Great and General Court[1] of Massachusetts and was the progenitor of the Dwight family.[2]
Personal life
[edit]Dwight was born in England in 1629 to John and Hannah Dwight née Close[1][3] and was brought to Dedham, Massachusetts in 1635 as a child.[4][1] John Dwight was one of the first settlers of Dedham.[5] Timothy was made a freeman in 1655 and was a member of the First Church and Parish in Dedham beginning in 1652.[1]
Dwight was married six times and fathered 14 children.[4]
His first marriage was to Sarah Perman née Sibley, on November 11, 1651. Sarah Sibley Dwight died in childbirth on May 29, 1652.[6][7]
His second marriage was to Sarah Powell (daughter of Michael Powell (Massachusetts politician), on May 3, 1653. Four children were born to them. Sarah Powell Dwight died on June 27, 1664.[6][7]
His third marriage was to Anna Flynt (Flint), niece of Leonard Hoar, on January 9, 1664 (January 9, 1665 N.S.). Ten children were born to them, including Justice Nathaniel Dwight, Reverend Josiah Dwight,[6] and Captain Henry Dwight. (See Dwight family).[6][8][b]
His fourth marriage was to Mary Edwards née Pooll (Poole), widow of Mathew Edwards, on January 7, 1686 (January 7, 1687 N.S.). They had no children together. Mary Pooll Dwight died August 30, 1688.[8]
His fifth marriage was to Esther Fisher (daughter of Daniel Fisher (Massachusetts politician) on July 31, 1690. They had no children together. Esther Fisher Dwight died on January 30, 1690 (January 30, 1691 N.S.).[5][8]
His sixth marriage was to Bethia Morse, on February 1, 1691 (February 1, 1692 N.S.). They had no children together. Bethia Morse Dwight died on February 6, 1717 (February 6, 1718 N.S.), just a week after her husband. They were buried together, on the same day, in the family vault.[7][8]
Military and Public Service
[edit]Dwight served in the Great and General Court from 1691 to 1692 and perhaps later.[1] He also served for 10 years as Town Clerk and 25 years as selectman.[1] His public service was praised by Rev. Samuel Dexter, who called him "a man of renown."[1]
Dwight, with Richard Ellis, served as the agent of the Town when negotiating with King Phillip for title to the land today known as Wrentham, Massachusetts in 1660.[9] He was also town clerk for a total of 10 years, having first been elected in 1661.[10][11] He served 24 terms as selectman, beginning in 1644.[12]
He was a cornet of a cavalry troop as a young man and later served as a captain of foot soldiers.[1] He fought against the native peoples in the area ten times, and either killed or took prisoner nine.[1]
Death
[edit]Dwight built the first tomb in the Old Village Cemetery around 1700.[13][9] In that tomb are laid his body, Eleazer Lusher, William Adams,[2] and his wife, Bethia Dwight.[8] He died on January 31, 1717 (January 31, 1718 N.S.), and was buried on February 7, 1717 (February 7, 1918 N.S.), the same day as his wife, Bethia, who died the day before.[1][2][7][8] His pallbearers included Governor Joseph Dudley and Judge Samuel Sewall.[2][14]
Notes
[edit]- ^ N.S. is the abbreviation of New Style (Gregorian Calendar) and O.S. is the abbreviation of Old Style (Julian calendar). See Old Style and New Style dates for more information.
- ^ Flynt was born September 11, 1642. Her maternal uncle was Leonard Hoar, President of Harvard College.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dwight 1874, p. 102.
- ^ a b c d Smith 1936, p. 147.
- ^ Filby 2012, p. 50.
- ^ a b Goodwin 1982, p. 41.
- ^ a b Goodwin 1982, p. 40.
- ^ a b c Dwight 1874, p. 104.
- ^ a b c d Goodwin 1982, pp. 40–41.
- ^ a b c d e f Dwight 1874, p. 105.
- ^ a b Dwight 1874, p. 103.
- ^ Worthington 1827, p. 79.
- ^ Hanson 1976, p. 70.
- ^ Worthington 1827, p. 79-81.
- ^ Smith 1936, p. 146.
- ^ Sewall, Samuel (1882). Diary of Samuel Sewall: 1674-1729. Massachusetts Historical Society. p. 194. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
Works cited
[edit]- Smith, Frank (1936). A History of Dedham, Massachusetts. Transcript Press, Incorporated. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
- Goodwin, Nathaniel (1982). Genealogical Notes Or Contributions to the Family History of Some of the First Settlers of Connecticut and Massachusetts. Genealogical Publishing Com. ISBN 978-0-8063-0159-4. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- Dwight, Benjamin Woodbridge (1874). The History of the Descendants of John Dwight, of Dedham, Mass. J. F. Trow & son, printers and bookbinders. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- Worthington, Erastus (1827). The history of Dedham: from the beginning of its settlement, in September 1635, to May 1827. Dutton and Wentworth. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
- Hanson, Robert Brand (1976). Dedham, Massachusetts, 1635-1890. Dedham Historical Society.
- Filby, P. William (2012). Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Gale Research. Retrieved November 8, 2019.