Thomas DEXTER Jr. (1623 – 1686) was Alex’s 10th Great Grandfather; one of 2,048 in this generation of the Shaw line.

Dexter Coat of Arms

Thomas Dexter Jr. was born in 1623 in Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England. His parents were Thomas DEXTER Sr. and possibly Mary “Marie” PARKHURST. He married Elizabeth VINCENT 8 Nov 1648 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass. Thomas died 30 Dec 1686 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass.

Elizabeth Vincent was born in 1628 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass. Her parents were John VINCENT and Hannah SMITH. Elizabeth died 19 Mar 1714 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass

Children of Thomas and Elizabeth:

“Thomas Dexter, son of Thomas Dexter, was born in England and came to this country with his father. In 1647 he was chosen constable for the town of Sandwich. This proves that he must have been born before the family came to America, as he must have been over twenty-four years of age when elected constable. In 1648 he kept the mill that his father built in 1640. In 1655 he was commissioned Ensign of a company of militia, which office he held many years, and was known as “Ensign Dexter.” He served upon the jury very often between 1652 and 1659, and was elected surveyor of highways and collector of taxes 1675, and the record says he was an inn-keeper in 1680.

He did not have the fondness for lawsuits that his father had, but he did inherit some of his father’s quarrels about line fences, but these he settled by adjustment. In one case when there was a dispute between the town of Sandwich and him, the matter was left to Gov. Thomas PRENCE,  Gov.  Thomas Hinckley and Mr. Constant Southworth to settle. These men were among the most prominent men in the colony.”

Account of settlement of dispute, September, 1647:

“We whose names are here under written doe give our full and free consent that Thomas Dexter the younger shall have those two Islands of upland that lye in his mersh near John FREEMAN’s house.

Witness our hands this 20 Sept., 1647, Edmund FREEMAN, Edward DILLINGHAM, Wm. Wood, Gorg Knot, Thomas Dexter, Thomas Tupper.

“I doe acknowledge myself freely willing hereunto. Thomas Prence. “

Nov 1651 – At court John Fuller, aged thirty years, testified that “meeting his brother Dexter and Edward Brose at Boston they informed him that they were employed by the Lady Moodye to sell her farm … afterwards being at Lynne, his brother Dexter told him that the farm was sold to Mr. King”

How John Fuller might have been related to Thomas Dexter has not been determined. (Later, at Plymouth court 10 June 1662, Mr. Thomas Dexter, Senior, complained of Lt. Fuller and sundry other neighbors for pulling up a fence and turning in cattle; ; this was almost certainly not the John Fuller of the Essex case.)

In 1663 Gov.  Thomas Hinckley,Constant Southworth and Thomas Dexter Jr. were a “committee to settle the boundary between Sandwich and Plymouth.

In 1655 he was, according to the usages of the times, entitled to the honor of being styled “Mister,” and in the latter part of his life, being a large landowner, was styled “Gentleman.” He appears to have been a worthy man, enterprising, useful, a good neighbor and a good citizen. In addition to the land received from his father, he was granted 100 acres upland in Sandwich in 1667.

Dexter’s Grist Mill

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All five of Thomas and Elizabeth’s children, except Thomas III, were alive at the time of his 29 Dec 1686 death and are mentioned in the division of his property.

Agreement for division of property of late Thomas Dexter, Gentleman, February 16. 1686/87, between Elizabeth Dexter, Daniel Allen of Swansea for his wife Mary, Jonathan HALLETT of Yarmouth for his wife Abigail, and John Dexter:

“The widow to have one-third part of all the movable estate and chattles, the mill excepted, also to enjoy ye westerly end of the dwelling house, both cellar and “two lower rooms and chamber and garrett, for the rest of her life; but if she sees fit to rent her part she is to let her son John Dexter or his heirs have the refusal of it at same price others would pay. She is also to have the corn, rye wheat, butter and meat she now possesses: and her son John is to cut and carry home for her suitable and sufficient firewood while she dwells in Sandwich, to winter and summer two cows for her and to pay her £9 per annum while she lives.

The son John to have the rest of estate both real and personal paying to his sister Elizabeth Dexter £55 (£5 down and balance in four years, but if she marries within three years the £50 is to be paid within one year after her marriage).

To Jonathan HALLETT £50, one half on next Michaelmas day, the rest within three years from date of agreement. [Because Michaelmas falls on Sep 29, near the equinox, it is associated with the beginning of autumn and the shortening of days. In 17th Century England, Michaelmas marked the ending and beginning of the husbandman’s year]

To Daniel Allen £16 on or before 16 Feb 1688/89.

John is to pay all debts and receive all debts due the estate.”

Elizabeth Dexter, Jr., and Jonathan HALLETT signed by marks. Witnesses were Stephen Skiff, James Percival, and William Bassett, June, 1687.

Children

1. Mary Dexter

Mary’s husband Daniel Allen was born 21 Apr 1648 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Mass. His parents were John Allen (1604 – ) and Christian Bacon (1611 – ) Daniel died 1717 in Barrington, Rhode Island

Children of Mary and Daniel

i. Mary Allen b. 17 Dec 1671 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

ii. Elizabeth Allen b. 28 Sep 1673 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

iii. Christian Allen b. 26 Jan 1675 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

iv. Thomas Allen b. 13 Oct 1676 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

v. Sarah Allen b. 13 Aug 1678 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

vi. Daniel Allen b. 29 Aug 1680 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

vii. Ebenezer Allen b. 31 Aug 1682 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

viii. John Allen b. 6 Dec 1684 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

ix. Samuel Allen b. 16 May 1687 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

x. Joseph Allen b. 21 May 1690 in Swansea, Bristol, Mass.

4. John Dexter

John’s wife Mehitable Hallett was born in 1655 in Yarmouth, Bristol, Mass. She was his first cousin. Her parents were Andrew HALLETT Jr. and Anne BESSE. Mehitable died in 8 Nov 1725 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island

John was admitted freeman 1681. He was a member of militia in 1675, and while acting as guard was beaten by one Joseph Surge. Said Burge was fined £5, and 10s. was given to John.

In 1686 he sold to his brother-in-law, Jonathan HALLETT, a negro slave called “Harry,” aged 29 years, for £20.

Children of John and Mehitable: (born in Portsmouth RI?)

i. Elizabeth Dexter b. 1 Nov 1683 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Mass.

ii. Thomas Dexter b. 26 Aug 1686 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass.; m. 28 Apr 1710 to Mercy Fish

Thomas elected Representative in 1738. Was on jury in 1733.

iii. Abigail Dexter b. 26 May 1689 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Mass.; d. 6 Aug 1725; m. 10 Sep 1713 Portsmouth, RI to Job Lawton (1691 Portsmouth) Job’s parents were Isaace Lawton and Elizabeth Tallman. Abigail and Job had five children born between 1715 and 1724.

iv. John Dexter b. 11 Sep 1692 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Mass.; m. 12 Dec 1717 to Mercy Manchester

5. Elizabeth Dexter

In 1714 her mother left her all her estate.

6. Abigail DEXTER (See Jonathan HALLETT‘s page)

Sources:

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=2624555

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=77550440

“Genealogy of the Dexter Family in America, 1905″ by Warden and Dexter:

http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/famgen/getperson.php?personID=I340619&tree=tree1