Dewey

David Dewey b. 1721

/ Kirstin Miller

David Dewey 7th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

David Dewey was born January 3, 1721 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut. His parents were Jabez and Deborah York Dewey.

On July 5, 1741 David and his brother Jabez were baptized in the First Congregational Church, “David Dewe and Jabez Dewe, adult bretheren”. In the same church David married Deborah Tracy on September 28, 1741. They had 4 sons and 7 daughters.

David was in a few court records of the time. In 1753, at his dad’s death younger brother Israel, “petitioned to have brother David appointed his guardian.” And “At the General Assembly of Connecticut in May, 1773, David Dewey, of Stonington, being unable to pay his debts, prays to be freed from arrest.” He was appointed administrator of the estate of “Rebecca Dewey, late of Stonington”. Rebecca’s identity isn’t known, most likely a sister in law or distant Dewey cousin.

A sketch of New London & Groton … British troops 1781 [British Fleet at the bottom, Road to Stonington mid top, right.]

David lived through the American Revolution, 2 of his sons were soldiers. British ships were in the harbor, New Londoners saw many battles. The Battle of Groton Heights was the biggest with Benedict Arnold commanding the British. When the revolution was won, President Washington in 1789 spent the night in New London. The President toured New England states to “become better acquainted with the principal Characters & internal Circumstances of the states, as well as to be accessible to number of well-informed persons, who might give him useful information and advices on political subjects.”

Sources

Sarah Dewey b. 1770

/ Kirstin Miller

Sarah Dewey 6th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Sarah Dewey was born on February 14, 1770 in Vermont, the 2nd of 7 kids of David and Sarah Witter Dewey. Sarah’s 4th great grandpa was Thomas Dewey, in colonial America in 1631, from England. Some say all American ‘Dewey’s’ are descended from this Thomas Dewey. No proof, just a rumor.

Connable-Dewey

Sarah Dewey married John Connable, a widow, on November 5, 1786. They lived in Franklin, Massachusetts, 10 miles north of Rhode Island. They had at least 10 children. At their home they farmed and John had a mill pond and mill yard. Sarah had her last child Samuel Connable in 1805. It’s stated in a family history book that Sarah, with her baby Samuel, her husband and her dad. they all went to Oneida County, New York to visit family. Sarah died there on October 25, 1806 and is probably buried in Bridgewater, New York. She was 37 years old.

Sarah’s children married, had families and stayed in the Massachusetts, New York area, except for 2: John Jr. went to Ohio. Daughter Leydia and husband Obed Gaines moved west, all the way to Iowa where their son, William’s daughter Mary Gaines, married James Miller, whose son William was the dad of Faber, husband to Gladys Cable.

Sources

 

David Dewey b. 1721

/ Kirstin Miller

David Dewey 7th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

David Dewey was born January 3, 1721 in Stonington, Connecticut. His parents were Jabez and Deborah York Dewey. This Dewey family includes Admiral George Dewey, 1837-1917, as a distant cousin, so the family is documented in published sources. This David’s 2nd great grandpa, Thomas, was the original American ancestor, he arrived in 1631 or so. David was the 4th generation of Deweys born in America.

David and his brother Jabez both joined and were baptized on July 5, 1741- in their 20s. They joined the First Congregational Church, known as The Road. The church was the 1st in Stonington, organized in 1674, it still stands in the same location with a newer building after a fire in 1829. The plain Puritan design, beams and box style pews were built in to the new building. The church doors open to the front of the church so walking in a person faces the whole congregation.

First church Stonington

On September 28, 1741 David married Deborah Tracy in the same Stonington church. David and Deborah had 7 daughters and 4 sons. Three sons were in the Revolutionary War: David Jr was a minuteman, Jabez was in the Battle of Harlem Heights and Christopher was the fife-major in the War of 1812. 

David’s granddaughter Sarah married John Connable, their daughter Leydia Connable and husband Obed Gaines moved west all the way to Iowa where their granddaughter Mary Ella Gaines married James Miller, grandpa of Faber Miller, husband to Gladys Cable.

Sources

Jabez Dewey b. 1755

/ Kirstin Miller

Jabez Dewey born in 1755, probably in Connecticut, had joined the American Revolution by 1776 at age 21. He fought in the Battle of Harlem Heights, September 1776. The  battle was the first real victory of General Washington. “Upon receiving Washington’s orders to return to their lines, the troops gave a loud -huzzah- and left the field in good order.” Page 86, Johnston, Battle of Harlem Heights, 1897.

Jabez’s next battle was at Fort Washington in November 1776 and one of the worst defeats in the Revolution. Jabez along with 2,837 men were captured by the British then held on a prisoner of war ship. He died on this war ship probably in 1776. In his short life Jabez didn’t marry and didn’t see America freed from British rule. Forward to November 16, 1901 a dedication of a Fort Washington monument, Jabez’s relative Admiral George Dewey is recognized for his accomplishments in the Spanish American War. Page 21, Sons of the American Revolution, Fort Washington 1902

This Dewey family in America descended from Thomas Dewey b. 1613 and is researched well in: Dewey, Adelbert M. Life of George Dewey, Rear Admiral, U.S.N.; And Dewey Family History Westfield, Mass.: Dewey publishing company, 1898

Sources

Israel Dewey b. 1738

/ Kirstin Miller

Not many details on Israel Dewey (8th great uncle) b. 16 Sep 1738, d. 1806 in Connecticut. Israel may have asked his brother  David Dewey (8th great grandfather) to be his guardian in 1753. Israel’s Probate (on Ancestry.com  Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999) contains 32 pages or images. There’s a cover page, inventory, assorted notes and this is image 13:

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Israel may have been a deacon and may have been married to Bethiah, still searching.