Timothy Dwight (Massachusetts politician)

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This article is about the representative from Dedham, Massachusetts and progenitor of the Dwight family. For others with the same name, see Timothy Dwight.
Timothy Dwight's tombstone
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Captain Timothy Dwight (1629–1718) represented Dedham in the Great and General Court[1] of Massachusetts and was the progenitor of the Dwight family.[2]

Personal life[]

Dwight was born in England in 1629 to John and Hannah Dwight[1] and was brought to Dedham, Massachusetts in 1635 as a child.[3][1] John Dwight was one of the first settlers of Dedham.[4] 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. The first time was on November 11, 1651 to Sarah Perman, who died in childbirth on May 29, 1652.[5][6] On May 3, 1653, he married Sarah Powell, who died on June 27, 1664; she gave him four children.[5][6][a] Anna Flynt, his third wife on January 9, 1664-5, gave him 10 children, including Josiah Dwight.[7][5][b]

His fourth wife, the widow Mary Endwind of Reading, Massachusetts, married him on January 7, 1686-7 and died August 30, 1688 without any children.[8] Esther Fisher became his fifth wife on July 31, 1690 and died on January 30, 1690-1.[c] Bethia Morse, his final wife, married him on February 1, 1691-2 and died on February 6, 1717-18.[6] He had 14 children.[3]

Military and public service[]

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[]

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] He died on January 31, 1718 and was buried on February 7, 1718, the same day as his wife,[2][1][8] Bethia, who died the day before.[6] His pallbearers included Governor Joseph Dudley and Judge Samuel Sewall.[2]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Sarah was the daughter of Michael Powell[4][5]
  2. ^ Flynt was born September 11, 1642. Her maternal uncle was Leonard Hoar, President of Harvard College.[5]
  3. ^ Esther was the daughter of Daniel Fisher[4]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dwight 1874, p. 102.
  2. ^ a b c d Smith 1936, p. 147.
  3. ^ a b Goodwin 1982, p. 41.
  4. ^ a b c Goodwin 1982, p. 40.
  5. ^ a b c d e Dwight 1874, p. 104.
  6. ^ a b c d Goodwin 1982, pp. 40–41.
  7. ^ Sewall, Samuel (1882). Diary of Samuel Sewall: 1674-1729. Massachusetts Historical Society. p. 194. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Dwight 1874, p. 105.
  9. ^ a b Dwight 1874, p. 103.
  10. ^ Worthington 1827, p. 79.
  11. ^ Hanson 1976, p. 70.
  12. ^ Worthington 1827, p. 79-81.
  13. ^ Smith 1936, p. 146.

Works cited[]

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