Henry WIGHT

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Henry Wight born ?, settled with his parents in dedham in 1637. He became a member of the church August 14, 1646, and was admitted a freeman May 26, 1647. In 1652 is recorded the sale of two acres of land which "Whomas Wight doe alienate and grante unto Henery Wight his sonne." About the time of this grant occurred Henry's marriage to Jane Goodenow of Sudbury. Henry Wight remained in Dedham when the remainder of hi father's family removed to Medfield. he is firth mentioned in Dedham records in connection with town affairs in 1653, having been appointed to the discharge of a town office. In 1658 he was made constable by the General Court. He was selectman for ten years his first service being in 1661, and he held that offie at his death. In 1665 is recorded a grant of 120 acres from the town to Henry Wight. The records furnish few instances of so large a gift and no reason is assigned for a favor so unusual. On February 24, 1673(?), Henry Wight was one of thee Dedham citizens appointed to lay out a house lot for Rev. Samuel Mann at Wrentham, and to take care about the church lot there. Henry is mentioned in his father's will as "my eldest son," "my well beloved son," and is appointed one of his executors. Henry received by this will all his father's "houses and lands lying and being in Dedham. This devise included the original grant of 12 acres from the town to Thomas Wight.

Henry's children were born in Dedham, and here he died intestate, Febeuay 27, 1680, or, as the record puts it, "Sergt. Henery Wight deceased 27:12:80." Under March 14, 1680, occurs the following, "At a General Meeting it was proposed to the Town whether they would chose another selectman in the room of Sergt. Wight, deceased." Power to administer upon his estate was granted April 26, 1681 "unto Jane, his relict widow and Joseph Wight his eldest son." The inventory, accepted two days later, aggregated L524.1.0.

Jane Wight, who had joined the church June 12, 1653, died in Dedham, May 16, 1684. Her estate inventoried L462.08.03 - Joseph Wight and Nathaniel Chickering being administrators.

Henry married Jane GOODENOW about 1652. Jane died on 16 May 1684 in Dedham, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Joseph WIGHT was born on 11 May 1654 in Dedham, Massachusetts; died on 23 Jun 1729.

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I know nothing of Thomas Wight's arrival in New England, or his history there previous to the winter of 1635/6, at which time he seems to have been in Watertown. Over a year later he appears tangibly in Dedham. "the 18th of ye 5th month, comonly called July 1637" Thomas Wight with eleven other persons, having been duly certified by the magistrates, and having subscribed unto the covenant, was admitted an inhabitant of Dedham. At tis time his family consisted of his wife Alice or Elsie, and his children Henry, John, Thomas and doubtless Mary. In the distribution of lands for homesteads, Thomas Wight received from the town the portion, twelve acres, allotted to each married man....

The life, then, which our ancestor had abandoned in England, he begins anew in quiet and seclusion in the New England wilds. Far from the excitement of the contests between Charles I and his embittered subjects, the career of Thomas Wight was, as I believe, most congenial and adapted to his character. He and his wife, were received into the church "ye 6th of ye 7 mo. 1640." On October 8, 1640, he became a freeman. For six years, beginning in 1641, he was a selectman of Dedham. His name frequently occurs in the earl records. He took an active part in the concerns of the town and was repeatedly selected for the performance of various public services. The earliest mention of his name in the Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths ,occurs in 16389, in the following style: "Samuel, the son of Thomas & Alice Wight, was borne the 5 of the 12 mo."...

Of his first wife I know but very little. The Dedham records state that Alice, wife of Thomas Wight, was received into the church the 6th day of the 7th month of 1640. The Medfield records give her death July 15, 1665. It is with sincere regret that I am compelled to leave our great mother so meagerly chronicled. On December 7, 1665, Thomas Wight married for this second wife Lydia, widow of James Penniman of Boston, and sister of John Eliot the apostle to the Indians. Lydia Elliot was probably, baptized at Nasing, England, July 1, 1640, her father being Bennett Eliot....

Thomas married Alice/Elsie ?. Alice/Elsie was born in England; died on 15 Jul 1665. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]