Family of Benjamin Hewitt

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1. BENJAMIN³ HEWITT (T HOMAS², THOMAS¹) was born August 22, 1662 in Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut, and died April 26, 1725 in Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut. He married MARY FANNING September 24, 1684 in Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut, daughter of EDMUND FANNING and ELLEN BUTLER. She was born April 28, 1665 in New London, New London Co., Connecticut, and died December 14, 1743 in Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut.

Notes for BENJAMIN HEWITT:

HISTORY OF STONINGTON CT, by Wheeler, page 418 & 419.

DENISON GENEALOGY, by E. Glenn Denison, Josephine Middleton Peck, Donald L. Jacobus, The Pequot Press, Inc. Stonington, CT, 1963. Page 20.

Elmer Palmer has 10 Aug 1662 for Benjamin's date of birth. Need to find source.

DESCENDANTS OF CAPTAIN THOMAS HEWITT OF STONINGTON, CONN.. Compiled by Virginia Hewitt Watterson, 1996. Found in the Joseph Smith Library, Salt Lake City, Ut. Page 1 & 3.

Born in Stonington, Conn. in 1662 (Wheeler), son of Thomas Hewitt and Hannah Palmer, died in Stonington, 26 Apr 1725 in his 62nd year (tombstone). Benjamin married MARIE FANNING, 24 Apr 1663 at Stonington (VR). Marie was born in New London, Conn., 28 Apr 1663 (VR), daughter of Edmund and Ellen Fanning. Her father escaped the Irish Massacre of Protestants in Ireland in 1641 and after arriving in the Colonies, settled in New London, Conn. Marie died at Stonington, 14 Dec 1743 in her 78th year (tombstone). Both she and Benjamin were buried in the Old Plains Burying Ground at Stonington. Their headstones were still standing as late as 1905.

Benjamin was baptized at age 30 at the 1st Congregational Church of Stonington along with his first 3 children, 24 Jul 1692. He was called Lieutenant Hewitt in the town records for his service in the local militia. Elected a Selectman, he represented Stonington at the General Court in 1708 and in 1716. Benjamin became a prosperous and respected landowner in his community.

His will was written 25 April 1725, the day before Benjamin died. It was probated 20 May 1725 (New London Probate Records, Will Book C, p. 171). His wife Marie and all of their children were mentioned in the will except Thankful who had died as a child. The inventory valued his estate at 1543 pounds, 7 shillings, which was a sizeable estate at that time and in light of the fact that Benjamin had already deeded land to several of his son's in 1724.

All of Benjamin's children were baptized at the 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, Conn., also known as the Road Church. The Vital Records of Stonington listed the births of children Benjamin, Jr., Israel, Joseph, Elkanah and Henry Huett, son of Benjamin and Marie Huett.

References:

Vital Records of Stonington, New London and Preston, Conn.

Records of the 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, LDS film #547,508.

New London Probate Records, Will Book C, p. 171.

Walter F. Brooks, HISTORY OF THE FANNING FAMILY, Worcester, Mass: 1905, pp. 87-90.

Elizabeth Pearson White, JOHN HOWLAND OF THE MAYFLOWER, Camden, ME, 1990, pp. 454 & 455.

NEHG&R, GENEALOGY OF CONN. FAMILIES, Baltimore: 1983, Vol. 1, pp. 145 & 146, Rev. Creighton Spencer-Mounsey, "The Billings Family of Conn.".

Researching this line is Ginny Hewitt at GinChip@aol.com

Researching this line is William Hewitt at whewitt@dcmdw.dcma.mil

More About BENJAMIN HEWITT:

Burial: Old Plains Burying Ground, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

Christening: July 24, 1692, Road Church, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

Notes for MARY FANNING:

History of Stonington CT, by Wheeler, page 419.

Researching this line is Ginny Hewitt at GinChip@aol.com

More About MARY FANNING:

Burial: Old Plains Burying Ground, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

Christening: October 29, 1682, Congregational Church, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

More About BENJAMIN HEWITT and MARY FANNING:

Marriage: September 24, 1684, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

Children of BENJAMIN HEWITT and MARY FANNING are:

i. MARY⁴ HEWITT, b. Abt. 1688.

More About MARY HEWITT:

Christening: August 12, 1694, Road Church, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

ii. JR. BENJAMIN HEWITT, b. August 10, 1688, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; d. Bef. May 12, 1761, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; m. ANN PALMER; b. Bef. May 20, 1683, Stonington, by Rev. James Noyes.

Notes for JR. BENJAMIN HEWITT:

DESCENDANTS OF CAPTAIN THOMAS HEWITT OF STONINGTON, CONN.. Compiled by Virginia Hewitt Watterson, 1996. Found in the Joseph Smith Library, Salt Lake City, Ut. Page 6.

Born in Stonington, Conn., Aug 1688 (VR) and baptised at the 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, 24 July 1692, son of Benjamin Hewitt and marie Fanning; died in Stonington in 1761. Benjamin married ANN PALMER on 3 Mar 1707 at Stonington (Wheeler). Ann was born about 1682 and baptised at the 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, 20 May 1683, daughter of Gershom Palmer and Ann Denison; no date for her death has been found but she was sitll living in Jan. 1760 at the time her husband drew up his will.

Benjamin and Ann lived their lives on a farm in Stoningtohn. In his will written 3 Jan 1760 and probated 12 My 1761 (New London Probate Records, docket @2599), Benjamin left 1/3 of the land, the biggest room in the dwelling house, allo household goods, a cow and a mare to his wife Ann. Provisions were made for daughter Content to live with her mother until she married. Daughter Keziah and sons, Nathan and Jepthia, were given legacies of maney. Two grand-daughters (unnamed) and a grandson "if there is one", children of son Edmund who was deceased, were mentioned in the will.Sons, Walter and Abijah, were to divide the remainder of the estate equally and to be exedutors. The sons, Benjamin and Oliver, were not mentioned in the will so they eigher died young or predeceased their father and left no heirs.

While no tombstones remain, both Benjamin and his wife Ann were buried in the Hewitt family cemetery locatedd in his brother Isreal Hewitt's orchard in Stonington. Isreal made note of their graves in his will when he set aside 1/2 an acre in his orchard to be a permanent burying grounds.

References:

Vital Records of Stonington, Conn.

Records of 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, LDS film #5614.

Wheeler, HISTORY OF STONINGTON, CONN., pp. 420 & 510.

Buys, WALTER PALMER OF STONINGTON, CONN., p. 144.

Frederick W. Baily, EARLY CONN. MARRIAGES, New Haven, Conn., 1896-1906.

More About JR. BENJAMIN HEWITT:

Christening: July 24, 1692, Road Church, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

iii. ISREAL HEWITT, b. April 1691, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; d. Aft. 1777, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; m. ANNA BREED, March 08, 1713/14, Stonington, New London Co., CT; b. November 08, 1693, Stonington, New London Co., CT.

Notes for ISREAL HEWITT:

STONINGTON BRANCH OF THE DESCENDANTS OF ALLEN BREED, p. 230.

Anna-4 Breed b. Stonington, Nov. 8, 1693, m. Mar. 8, 1714 Major Israel Hewitt, bp. July 24, 1692, son of Lieut. Benj. Hewitt. He died after 1777.

VITAL RECORDS OF STONINGTON, NEW LONDON CO., CT., page 121, Vol. 3, page 82.

HEWITT, Israel, m. Ann Breed, Mar. 8, 1713/14 by Rev. James Noyes. Witnesses: John Breed, Benjamin Hewitt.

DESCENDANTS OF CAPTAIN THOMAS HEWITT OF STONINGTON, CONN.. Compiled by Virginia Hewitt Watterson, 1996. Found in the Joseph Smith Library, Salt Lake City, Ut. Page 7.

Born in Stonington, Conn. in April 1691 (VR) and baptised at the 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, 24 Jul 1692, son of Benjamin Hewitt and Marie Fanning; died in Stonington, 19 Jun 1770, age 87 years (tombstone), Isreal married 1st, ANNA BREED, on 8 Mar 1713/14 at Stonington (VR). Anna was born in Stonington, 8 Nov 1693 (VR), daughter of John Breed and Mercy Palmer; she died 23 July 1771, age 78 years (tombstone). Anna was the mother of all of Isreal's children. Both she and Isreal were buried in the Hewitt family cemetery which Isreal set aside in the orchard of his farm.

At age 81 years, Isreal married 2nd, MARY____. They signed a marriage agreement on 8 Dec. 1773, the date being mentioned in his will.

Isreal and Anna lived in Stonington on the farm inherited from his father. Through the years he added several more parcels to his holding, making him a large land owner. Isreal was a respected member of the community andheld the rank of major in the Stonington militia.

His will, dated 18 March 1776, was probated in 1770 (Stonington Probate Records, docket #1627). A copy 9of the will was printed in THE HISTORY OF STONINGTON, CONN., by Wheeler, pp. 176-8. Isreal left his considerable properties to his 3 sons, Isreal, Rufus and Charles. They were also named joint executors of the estate. Mary, his wife, was well provided for with a legacy agreed upon in their marriage contract. She was given Isreal's Negro servant, 2 rooms in the dwelling house, all needed provisions and a good riding horse for 12 months or as long as she remained in his house. Isreal's daughters had all predeceased him so were not named in the will. Three granddaughters were given lagacies. They were: Ann Hewitt, wife of Amos Hewitt (daughter of Simeon and Ann Miner), Ann Ledyard, wife of Col.\ William Ledyard (daughter of Nathaneil and Amy Williams) and Amy Stanton, wife of Job Stanton (daughter of Nathaniel and Amy Williams).

References:

Vital Records of Stonington, Conn.

Stonington Probate Records, LDS film #1, 032,097.

Cemetery Records of Stonington, LDS film #1,311,117.

Wheeler, HISTORY OF STONINGTON, CONN., pp. 244, 420, 665, 716-8.

John Augustus Miner, THOMAS MINOR AND HIS DESCENDANTS, Trevett, ME: 1981, p. 78.

Researching this line is Ginny Hewitt at GinChip@aol.com

Researching this line is Lawrence H. Bentley at larrybentley@csi.com

More About ISREAL HEWITT:

Burial: Hewitt Cemetery, No. Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

Christening: July 24, 1692, Road Church, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

More About ISREAL HEWITT and ANNA BREED:

Marriage: March 08, 1713/14, Stonington, New London Co., CT

iv. TABITHA HEWITT, b. Bef. July 24, 1692.

More About TABITHA HEWITT:

Christening: July 24, 1692, Road Church, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

v. JOSEPH HEWITT, b. September 1696, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; d. 1787, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; m. (1) MARY CHESEBROUGH, October 05, 1720, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; b. September 21, 1702, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; d. October 12, 1754, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; m. (2) MEHITABLE BROWN, June 04, 1755; b. August 1712.

vi. I ELKANAH HEWITT, b. March 1699/00, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; d. Aft. 1776, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; m. HANNAH STERRY, 1722, New London, New London Co., CT; b. February 22, 1703/04, Stonington, New London Co., CT.

Notes for I ELKANAH HEWITT:

THE CONNECTICUT NUTMEGGER, Vol. 24, #2 Sept. 1991

ELKANAH HEWITT, SR. AND FAMILY OF STONINGTON CONNECTICUT, CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS. by Walter R. Buss, CSG #9363.

For many years we had been searching for additional information on the wife of Elkanah Hewitt, Sr. who was born March 1999/1700 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut, the son of Benjamin and Marie (or Mary) Fanning Hewitt. Until three or four years ago, the only record we had was in Richard Anson Wheeler's HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON, NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT where on page 419 Elkanah is called Elkana and his wife is identified as Temperance Kenney, and on page 421 where, when listed with eight children, she is called Temperance Keeney, married 1722. (Notice the difference in the spelling of her surname.) Wheeler gives no sources for his information, but there are at least three glaring errors in this data. One is an actual error and two are errors of omission.

1. Elkanah's wife and mother of the children is not Temperance Keeney, but Hannah, maiden name unknown, as shown by the christening of the children in the North Stonington First Congregational Church (LDS FHL #005081). Here, except for Elkanah, Thankful, and Sarah, and either Jonas or Simeon, they are identified by name and as "son or daughter of Elkanah Hewitt and his wife Hannah." Also, a Mrs. Hannah Hewitt was baptized in this church about two months before the christenings of the three oldest, Elkanah, Thankful, and Sarah.

2. Silas, six child of this couple, is not listed in Wheeler, though his birth is recorded in the Stonington Town Records (LDS FHL #1309872).

3. There are three still younger children in the family whose christenings appear in the records of the North Stonington First Congregational Church - Hannah, Samuel, and Rogger. Samuel and Rogger do not appear in any other record found to date, but Hannah is named in her father's will dated 14 February 1776 (LDS FHL #1032097).

There is still another problem with this family, which has been cleared up with recent research. In his will, dated 14 February 1776, Elkanah names his wife as Temperance. At first glance is might appear that his wife was Temperance at home and Hannah at church. Actually, however, his wife at the time of the will was Temperance Grant of Norwich, whom he married in the Lisbon (New London Co.) Congregational Church. 16 September 1773 (LDS FHL #0004706). This marriage was reported in the New London Gazette 1 Oct 1773 where he is stated to be "of Stonington" and "age 70" (three years too young), but it adds that he was attended by his older brother, Israel, thus identifying him definitely as the son of Benjamin and Marie Fanning Hewitt.

The marriage is listed also in the Charles R. Hale Collection of Marriages in Connecticut Newspapers (LDS FHL #0003402), though the names are not in the general index.

Two other errors concerning the marriage of Elkanah Hewitt and Temperance Grant occur in Frederick W. Bailey's EARLY CONNECTICUT MARRIAGES PRIOR TO 1800 (LDS FHL #974.6 V25b). On page 87 of his "5th Book", (1) Elkanah is called Elkanah Hunt and (2) the date is given as 16 September 1773-75. In the original record in the Lisbon Congressional Church, it is clearly Elkanah Hewitt and the date is 1773, not 1775, which is further proved by the date of the newspaper item in the New London Gazette cited above.

DESCENDANTS OF CAPTAIN THOMAS HEWITT OF STONINGTON, CONN.. Compiled by Virginia Hewitt Watterson, 1996. Found in the Joseph Smith Library, Salt Lake City, Ut. Page 10 & 11.

Born in Stonington, Conn in March 1699 (VR), son of Benjamin Hewitt and Marie Fanning, and baptized at the 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, 7 May 1699; died at Stonington in 1776, between 14 Feb. and 16 May of that year. Elkanah married 1st, HANNAH STERRY, about 1722, Hannah was born in Stonington, 22 Feb. 1704 (VR), daughter of Samuel Sterry and Hannah Rose; she died before 1773. Elkanah married 2nd, Temperance (Lanthrop) Bishop Grant, widow of John Bishop and Capt. James Grant, 16 Sept 1773 at Lisbon, Conn (Lisbon CR). Temperance was born in Norwich, Conn., 6 Oct. 1704 (VR), daughter of Joseph Lathrop and Elizabeth Watrous; no date of death has been found for her but she was known to be living in Feb. 1776.

Elkanah owned and operated a sawmill on the east side of Cossaduck Creek near Stonington. He wrote his will on 14 Feb. 1776, and probated 11 June 1776 (Stonington Probate Records, docket #1623). An inventory of his estate was taken 16 May 1776. The will bequeathed a 54-acre parcel of land to his sons, Elkanah, Henry, Silas, Jonas and Simeon. That land was divided by consent of the 5 sons in April 1777. Temperance, the widow, and Elkanah's daughters, Thankful Kinne, Sarah Coye and Hannah Kinne were mentioned in the will. Sons Henry and Jonas were named executors of the estate. Not mentioned, because they had apparently died before Elkanah wrote his will, were his children, Arthur, Tabitha, Samuel and Rogger. Although it is assumed that Elkanah and his two wives were buried in the Stonington area, no grave markers have been found for them.

Wheeler, in the HISTORY OF STONINGTON, CONN., omitted Elkanah's 1st wife, Hannah, who was the matter of all his children. Mrs. Hannah Hewitt was baptized as an adult at the 1st Congregational Church of Stonington on 28 Nov. 1729, a few months before the baptism of their first 3 children at the same church. By 1733, Elkanah and Hannah had transferred their membership to the 2nd Church of Christ in North Stonington, which was organized under Rev. Joseph Fish. Hannah was listed as the mother of their last 9 children baptized 1733 to 1751 by Rev. Fish.

Walter Burges Smith, in THE STERRY FAMILY OF AMERICA, identified Elkanah's 1st wife as Hannah Sterry. It is to be noted that Elkanah and Hannah named their 10th child Sterry to honor Hannah's father, Samuel Sterry. In anticipation of an early death and too weak to be brought to the church, this child was baptized by Rev. Fish at the parent's home (CR). Elkanah and Hannah's son Henry also carried on the name of his maternal grandfather by naming one of Henry's sons Sterry.

Charles Allen Converse, in his book on descendants of Samuel Converse, identified Temperance Lathrop as first marrying John Bishop as his 2nd wife, 22 Aug. 1727. After his death, Temperance married Capt. James Grant, 14 Dec. 1763 and thirdly, Elkanah Hewitt, 16 Sept. 1773.

References:

Vital Records of Stonington, North Stonington, Norwich and Preston, Conn. Stonington Probate Records, LDS film #1,032,097.

Records of 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, Conn., LDS film #5615. Records of 2nd Church of Christ, North Stonington, Conn., LDS film #5081. Records of Lisbon, Conn. Congregational Church, LDS film #4706.

Stonington Town Records, LDS film #1,209,872.

Wheeler, HISTORY OF STONINGTON, CONN., pp. 419 & 421.

Walter Burges Smith, THE STERRY FAMILY IN AMERICA (private printing in Isreal:1973) pp. 8 & 9.

Joan S. Gilford, ANCESTORY OF DR. J.P. GILFORD Franklin, N.C. 1990, p. 477. Charles Allen Converse, SOME ANCESTORS AND DESCENDANTS OF SAMUEL CONVERSE, Boston: 1905, p. 828.

Cemetery Records of Gilford, Chenango Co., NY.

Charles R. Hale, Collection of Cemeteries in Conn., LDS film #3139.

More About I ELKANAH HEWITT:

Christening: May 07, 1699, Road Church, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

More About ELKANAH HEWITT and HANNAH STERRY:

Marriage: 1722, New London, New London Co., CT

vii. HANNAH HEWITT, b. Bef. June 29, 1701; d. December 17, 1748, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut.

More About HANNAH HEWITT:

Burial: Great Plains Cemetery, No. Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

Christening: June 29, 1701, Road Church, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

viii. HENRY HEWITT, b. September 1703, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; d. February 17, 1776, Canterbury, Windham Co., Connecticut; m. JOANNA DENISON, December 25, 1735, Stonington, New London Co., CT; b. January 28, 1717/18, Stonington, New London Co., CT.

Notes for HENRY HEWITT:

DESCENDANTS OF CAPTAIN THOMAS HEWITT OF STONINGTON, CONN.. Compiled by Virginia Hewitt Watterson, 1996. Found in the Joseph Smith Library, Salt Lake City, Ut. Page 12 & 13.

Born in Stonington, Conn. in Sept. 1703 (VR) and baptized at the 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, 30 July 1704 (CR), son of Benjamin Hewitt and Maria Fanning; died in Canterbury, Windham Co., Conn., 17 Feb 1776, age 72 years (tombstone). Henry married JOANNA DENISON on 25 Dec. 1735 at Stonington (VR). Joanna was born in Stonington, 28 Jan. 1717/18 (VR), the daughter of Joseph Denison and Prudence Miner; she died in Canterbury, Conn., 20 March 1776, age 57 years (tombstone). Both she and Henry were buried in the Old Weaver Place Cemetery at B Brooklyn, Conn. next to their son Amos Hewitt.

Henry was a farmer. He inherited the family homestead in 1725 from his father. Henry and Joanna resided in Stonington until about 1747 when they sold the farm and moved to Canterbury in Windham Co., Conn. They remained there the rest of their lives.

Henry wrote his will on 21 Nov 1775 and it was probated, 12 Mar 1776 in Plainfield, Conn. (Plainfield Probate Records, Vol. 6, pp. 277-9). His will provided for Joanna, his wife, by giving her all the household goods, 20 pounds sterling, a good riding horse and saddle, 2 cows, 2 swine and 10 head of sheep. She also was to have all the land and buildings until the youngest son, Stephen, became of age, at which time 1/2 the farm was to pass to him, and Joanna was to retain 40 acres. Upon her death, the son Increase was to have 35 of her 40 acres. The son Thomas and daughters - Joanna, wife of Uriah Cady; Zerviah, wife of John Howard: Content, wife of Stephen Webb; Hannah, wife of Nathan Day; and Anna, wife of Philip Abbot -- were all given small sums of money which together with what they had already received, made up their inheritance. Henry's wife, Joanna, and son Stephen were named executors of the estate.

Joanna drew up her will on her sick bed, 14 Mar 1776. It was probated 28 Feb 1778 (Plainfield Probate Records, Vol. 7, p. 178). She gave Stephen the 20 pounds sterling left her by her husband. The youngest daughters were to have enough out of her moveable estate to make them equal portions with what the 2 eldest daughters had been given. Any remaining estate was to be divided equally among all 5 daughters.

References

Vital Records of Stonington, Canterbury and Windham, Conn.

Plainfield, Conn. Probate Records, Vol. 6, pp. 277-9 and Vol. 7, p. 178, LDS film #5443.

Records of 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, LDS film #5615.

Records of 2nd Church of Christ, North Stonington, Conn., LDS film $5081. Cemetery Records of Brooklyn, Conn., LDS film #3325.

Bailey, EARLY CONN. MARRIAGES, Book 1, pp. 27-40.

Wheeler, HISTORY OF STONINGTON, CONN., pp. 243 & 421.

John Denison Baldwin and William Clift, DESCENDANTS OF CAPTAIN GEORGE DENISON, Worcester, Mass.., 1881, pp. 183-4.

Henry Hobart Vail, HISTORY OF POMFRET, VERMONT, Editor, Emma Chandler White, 1930, Vol. II, pp. 505-6.

White, JOHN HOWLAND OF THE MAYFLOWER, pp. 460-1.

John Adams Venton, THE GILES MEMORIAL, Boston, 1864, p. 520.

MASS. SOLDIERS AND SAILORS IN THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION, Boston, 1897, Vol.

7, p. 800.

More About HENRY HEWITT:

Burial: Old Weaver Place, Brooklyn, Windham Co., Connecticut

Christening: July 30, 1704, Road Church, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut

More About HENRY HEWITT and JOANNA DENISON:

Marriage: December 25, 1735, Stonington, New London Co., CT

ix. CONTENT HEWITT, b. Bef. April 03, 1708; d. September 20, 1749; m. (1) EBENEZER RUSSELL, June 14, 1727, Stonington, New London Co., CT; b. May 04, 1708, Branford, New Haven Co., CT; m. (2) JOSEPH DENISON, January 16, 1732/33, Stonington, New London Co., CT; b. September 21, 1707; d. February 15, 1795.