52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 24: JOSHUA FISHER OF MEDFIELD, MA.

For Week 24 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2016 it's time to turn to the family of Jeremiah Dean's
wife Mary Fisher, beginning with her great grandfather and immigrant ancestor Joshua Fisher. He
was the first of three with that name, and yet another of my ancestors who was a blacksmith.

Family genealogist Philip A. Fisher wrote this about Joshua:
2. Joshua2, son of Anthony (1) and Mary (Fiske) Fisher, of Syleham, England, was baptized there, Feb. 24, 1585; m. 1st,--------- ;m. 2d, Feb. 7, 1638, at Syleham, England, Anne Luson, a sister of John Luson, who also came to New England, settled at Dedham, and received his houselot there at the same time as the Fishers. Joshua Fisher came to New England in 1639, with his second wife, (Anne Luson), and daughter Mary. His son Joshua had preceded him, arriving some time in 1638; for on "The First of ye 11th Month (1638)," Jan. 1, 1638-9, Joshua, Jr., enters upon the lot granted the smith and is to hold it and make improvements for '' the behalfe of his Father wch is expected this next somer." Joshua was made a freeman, May 13, 1640; was a blacksmith by trade; settled first in Dedham, from there going to Medfield at its settlement in 1650. He drew his houselot in the center of the town of Medfield, where the house of William P. Hewins now stands. Was the first deacon in the Medfield church, and was a selectman in 1653 and 1655. The value of his property in 1652 was L180. In 1656 Joshua and Anne Fisher deeded part of the homestead and other property to their son, John Fisher (7); for an account of which see under John (7). The Medfield homestead was inherited by John3 (7), John4 (16), Samuel5 (37), and finally John6 (78), who, dying childless in 1802, left it to his nephew, Samuel Hill, of Medway. Joshua d. in Medfield, Nov. 9, 1674; his widow d. Jan. 27, 1676-7.-pp4-5

The children are listed as following:


Children b. in England, and by first wife, were:
Elizabeth3, bapt. at Syleham, England, July 3,1619; probably married aud settled in England; no record of her in New England.
6. Joshua3, bapt. at Syleham, April 2, 1621; m. 1st, Mary.Aldis, Nov. 15, 1643; m. 2d, Lydia Oliver, Feb. 16, 1654.
61. Mary3, b.------ ;m. Thomas Battelle, Sept. 5, 1648; d. Aug. 7, 1691.
7. John3, b.------- ;m. Elizabeth Boylston, April 6, 1658. -6

The Fisher genealogy: A record of the descendants of Joshua, Anthony, and Cornelius Fisher, of Dedham, Mass., 1630-1640   Massachusetts Pub. Co.,   Everett, Ma.  1898


I'm descended from Joshua Fisher Junior and his wife Mary Aldis.

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 23: JEREMIAH DEAN OF DEDHAM, MA.

The subject for week 23 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is 7x great grandfather and my
source is again Marion D. Cooper's DESCENDANTS OF JOHN DEAN OF DEDHAM, MASS. :

JEREMIAH DEAN2, husbandman, b Dedham Mar 24, 1684-5 ch Uov 3, 1745
He styles himself "husbandman" in signing a deed.
His will (SR 51-181) was written Mar 25, 1747 at Dedham and
and was probated Feb 20 I756 He m at Dedham Jan 26,
1710-11 MARY FISHER [31} (DR 36) dau Capt. Joshua and Esther
(Wiswall) Fisher [13] She was b July 24, 1687 (Fisher Gen)
made a will (SR 69-249 July 9, 1770 which was probated Sept
7, 1770 Jeremiah Dean is mentioned in several places in the
Dedham Town Records in connection with surveys and apprais-
als. The last such mention was in March, 1735,  at which
time he was 50 years of age.



Ms. Cooper lists these children for Jeremiah and Mary Dean's family:

Mary b Dec 10, I711 d before 1747, m Dedham Dec ??,
1731 Isaac Bullard who was b Apr 4, 1709

Jeremiah II, b May 13, 1713 m-1 Mary Fisher  May 13, 1741
m-2 Rebekah Scott Nov 23, 1750

Joseph b June 3, 1715  married
-1 Martha Starr Jan 5, 1736
-2 Mary (Wight) Baker Jan 2, I753

Joshua3, b Aug 30, 1718 married
-1 Mary Macnab Feb 13,1746
-2 Mrs. Rachel Clark June 25, 1760
-3 Mary Morse May 9, 1782

Sarah h July 5, 1720 m Jonathan Starr Feh 22, 1737-8

Abigail b July 21, 1721  m Jan 2 , 1737 Nathaniel Dana of Boston

David, twin b.July 28 1723  d Jan 19. 1747

Jonathan, twin b.July 28 1723  d Jan 9. 1725

Esther b June 20, 1725 bapt June 26, 1726
d Dec 21, 1793 unmarried aged 68, "insane for many years,
died of a fever."

I'm descended from Abigail Dean and her husband Nathaniel Gay.

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 22: JOHN DEAN OF DEDHAM, MA. PT2

Here's the transcription of my 8x great grandfather John Dean's will that was done by
Marion D. Cooper in her DESCENDANTS OF JOHN DEAN OF DEDHAM, MASS. :


THE WILL OF JOHN DEAN
In the name of God, Amen
Dedham Septemter the 30, 1727 I John Dean of the Town of
Dedham of the County of Suffolk within His Majesties Pro-
vince of the Massachusets Bay in New England Yoeman Having
been Some time thinking of Setling my Estate and heing now
Weak and infirm of Body But of a disposing mind am come to
a full determination to doe it as is hereafter expresed
therefore doe make & Ordain this my Last Will and Testament
That is to say Principally & First of all I Give my Soul in-
to the Hands of God that Gave it Hoping for Salvation
through the Merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ and my Body I
Recommend to the Earth to be Buried in Decent manner att the
descresshion of my Executors Beleving it Shall he Raised
again at the General Resurection by the Mighty Power of God —
And as Touching such wordly Estate wherewith it hath pleas-
ed God to Bless me in this Life I Give demise and dispose of
the same in following manner and form.

That is to say I Will and Ordaine that my Just Debts & Fun-
eral Charges be duly & Timely paied out of my Estate

Imprimus I Give and Bequeath to my Son John Dean toe what he
hath already had one Fifth part of all my stock and House-
hold Stuff (not otherwais particularly disposed of) to Him
and His Heirs for ever.

Item I Give and Bequeath to to my Son Ebenezer Dean toe what
he hath already had one Fifth part of all my Stock and
Household Stuff (not otherwais perticularly disposed of) to
Him and his Heirs forever.

Item I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Sary Harden one
fifth part of all my Stock and household Stuff (to what shee
hath already had) not otherwise perticularly disposed of to
her & her Heirs or Representitive forever.

Item I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Macknab
toe what She hath already had one fifth part of all my Stock
& Household Stuff (not otherwise perticularly disposed of)
to her & her Heirs or Representitive forever.

Item I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Abigail Fairbanks
toe what She hath already had one fifth part of all my Stock
& Household Stuff (not otherwies perticularly disposed of)
to her her Heirs or Representitive forever.

Item I Give & Bequeath to my Gran daughter Sary Dean Daughter
of Joseph Dean upon Condition that She Lives with me as long
as I live) my Iron Pot and Citle & a pare of Sheets My bed
in the Chamber & my Fryingpan.

Item I Give & Bequeath to my Son Jeremiah Dean (In Consid-
ering that he has lived with me & been helpfull toe me &
done for me for this Severall Years & what he may still doe
for me) to Him And his Heirs forever my House my hom Lots
on both Sides the way with all the Rights Profits Priviliges
and Apurtenances thereuntoe belonging. And further I Give
& Bequeath to him my Carpenter & Husbandry Tooles & Utensils
& my part in the Oxen & Medow att Purgitory

And I Doe Make Constitute And Ordain My Two Sons John and
Jeremiah to be the Executors of this my Last Will & Testa-
ment & 1 Doe hereby utterly disalow Revoke & Disanull all
and every other & all other Wills Testaments & Bequests
Legacies & Executors by me any otherwaies before named.
Ratifying & Confirming this and noe other to be my last will
& Testament,

And. now to all you My Children I Doe In the Name of God and
with the Compasshion & Authority of a father Exhort & Charge
you that you be contented & satisfied with this my disposall
& cary it one towards another with the affections & cores-
pondence of Christians & Brethren & Sisters & Live in Love
and Peace & the God of Love & Peace shall be with you.
I Recomend you to God & the word of his Grace which is able
to Build you up & give you an Inheritance amongst them that
are Sanctified Amen

John Dean

Signed, Sealed, & Pronounced,
Published, & Declared by the
said John Dean, as his Last Will
& Testament, in ye presence of
us. the Subscribers-

John Metcalfe
John Metcalfe Jr
James Richards Jr
Desember 4, I727

The said John Dean Did in Addition to his will Declare be-
fore these witnesses that Whereas he had don considerably
for his son Joseph Deceased in assisting him in purchasing
and building and other ways that his will further was that
the Children of his said Son Joseph should have Six pounds
to be paid to them equally divided Amongst them by my son
Jeremiah out of what I have given him.

John Metcalfe
John Metcalfe Jr
James Richards Jr


I was struck by that last paragraph. Was John Dean afraid that his children would
squabble over their inheritance? Or had there already been tension among them
before his death?

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 22: JOHN DEAN OF DEDHAM, MA.

This will begin a series of posts about the family of my 6x great grandmother Abigail Dean,
wife of Nathaniel Stow. As has happened in the past, researching a family line for the 52
Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge has pushed that line back another generation further. In
this case it's to my 8x great grandfather John Dean of Dedham, Ma.


John Dean's early years are a bit of a mystery. He apparently was born after the Great
Migration but there doesn't seem to be any record of his birth so far. I did find a family
genealogy by Marion D. Cooper on the Internet Archive entitled DESCENDANTS OF 
JOHN DEAN OF DEDHAM, MASS. I believe it was self-published in 1957. The pages
are not numbered. It contains a chronology of the various Dedham town offices John
Dean held after his arrival in town around 1672, and this information about his children:   


"JOHN DEAN, carpenter and husbandman, was born about 1650,
the place of  birth and his parentage "being un-
known." He married SARAH, date of marriage unknown,
although probably in I675 or I676. John and Sarah joined
the First Church of Dedham, Mass., on May 29_, 1726 (DC 80)
Sarah died May 20, I727 (DE 52) and John died Dec 13, 1727
(DR 55)* They had seven children, all of whom, exception-
ally for those times, grew to maturity. These children
were all born in Dedham.

*2 John2 b Apr 25, 1677 (DR I4)
m Hannah Savil (WRC, JWD)

3 Sarah b Dec 13, I678 (DR 16) j ch Sept 22, 1728 (DC 80)
d after Sept I727. m -----Harden (SR 26-90) No record
of marriage or children in Dedham.

*4 Ebenezer b May I7, 168I (DR 18)
m-1 Mary White Uov 25, I706 (DR J>S)
m-2 Judith lewis [3] (Lewis Gen)

*5 Joseph b Mar I4, 1683 (DR 18)
m-1 Mary Faxon May 7, 17 07, at Braintree (Br R)
m-2 Prudence Saunders May 25, I72I at Boston {JWD)

*6 Jeremiah b Mar 24, I684-5 (DR 21)
m Mary Fisher [31] Jan 26, I7II (DR 36)

7 Elizabeth b Oct 13, 1689 (DR 23) d before Sept I727
Mentioned as Elizabeth Macknab in her father's will
(SR 26-90) m Dec I7 , I718 John Macnab (DR 43) who was
b Oct 23, 1678 s James and Sarah Macnab (DR I6)

a Mary Macnab b Dedham Oct 5, 1722 (DR 48) d Dedham
Apr 12, 1756 m [32] Joshua Dean s [5] Jeremiah Dean
Feb 13, 1745-6 (DR 74)

b Sarah Macnab b Dedham Jan 4, 1724 (DR 51) m Mar 19,
1752 Seth Fuller, husbandman, of Dedham (DR 83)

c Abigail b May 2, I727 (DR 53) unmd in 1760

8 Abigail b June 12, I694 (DR 26) m at Dedham May 3, I716
Joseph Fairbanks [20] (DR 37) Her father's will mentions
"daughter Abigail Fairbanks." (SR 26-90) Joseph was a
great-grandson of Jonathan Fairbanks, who, in 1636,
built the "Fairbanks House" in Dedham, which was owned
and occupied by eight successive generations of that fam-
ily, and which stands to this day, now used as a museum
of early Americana. In this house Joseph and Abigail
raised their family of eight children..."


I'm descended from John Dean's son Jeremiah. Also, Abigail Dean's husband is my distant
cousin through our mutual ancestor Jonathan Fairbanks.

Ms. Cooper also did a transcription of John Dean's will, which I'll discuss in part 2.