Allen line: Thomas Dewey 1639-1690

 To write a blog post about an ancestor, someone has had to pull hen's teeth.  Sometimes there just aren't very many teeth to pull, and an ancestor's life story can be given in just a few short sentences.  Sometimes, someone has managed to find so much information that for the purposes of my post, I have to pick and choose how much to present.  It's a happy problem indeed.  And yet, I'm always left with questions.

Thomas Dewey is a first generation American, born in Windsor Connecticut on Feb. 16, 1639 (I have seen the year given as 1638 and 1640 as well, so I'm steering a middle course here) to Thomas and Frances widow Clark Dewey.  He was the first of at least 6 children the couple would have, and his step-sister Mary Clark was also part of the family.  Our Thomas was just ten years old when his father died, and Frances later married George Phelps and had three children with him.  I like to think of all those little, and slightly larger, faces sitting around the table or gathered at the fireplace to hear the evening devotions.

Since Thomas was born in Windsor, I am not at all sure how he ended up marrying Constant Hawes, the daughter of Richard and Ann Hawes of Dorchester.  Had Thomas traveled there for work, or had Constant come to Windsor to work?  The marriage took place in Dorchester on June 1, 1663 according to Dorchester records.  

Thomas and Constant had eleven children together.  Their children married people with the same last names as many we have looked at previously in these posts, Nobles and Roots and Ashleys, among others.  

Thomas was granted land in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1662 on condition that he settle on the land within one year and stay for at least two years.  The land was sold so apparently Thomas held up his end of the bargain, but he and other families moved from Northampton to Springfield, where he owned several parcels of land, and then went on to what became Westfield.  Here he was granted 30 acres in 1666, on condition he live there within a year, continue there for at least 5 years, and help to settle a minister there.  

In Westfield, Thomas was a busy man.  He was a miller and a farmer by occupation, but he spent considerable time in public service, too.  He was a freeman, served on committees of the church when a new pastor was needed, and helped lay out town roads and boundaries.  He was representative to Boston (to the General Court, I suppose), from 1677-1679.  He helped defend the town during King Philip's War and it's hard for me to think he didn't go on at least one of the expeditions, as he was later appointed as cornet (similar to second lieutenant) of the Hampshire Troop, and it seems that this position was likely filled by someone with military experience.  He was also a constable, and he was given a license for a "house of entertainment", including a license to sell liquor.  

Thomas died April 27, 1690 and his mother died a few months later.  I know there was a smallpox epidemic in New England about this time but I don't know if it had yet reached Westfield.  Still, something killed him in his 52nd year.  I've not seen his will but it reportedly listed 8 different tracts of land, plus two mills, and 1/16 part of a ketch.  Thomas was doing rather well for himself.  Constant died in Westfield in 1702/03, as Thomas's widow.  Both are buried in the Old Burying Ground at Westfield, along with many other ancestors.  

The line of descent is:

Thomas Dewey-Constant Hawes

Elizabeth Dewey-Thomas Noble

Thomas Noble-Sarah Root

Stephen Noble-Ruth Church

Ruth Noble-Martin Root

Ruth Root-Samuel Falley

Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr

Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott

Edith Knott-Edward Allen

Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook

Their descendants