Index Card to SGT:"Thomas Dexter of England died 29 Dec 1686, Father
Thomas Dexter; Mother, Mary. Married 8 Nov 1648 to Elizabeth or Mary
Vincent. Dwight Harding rel."
GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES, a reprint of the AMOS
OTIS PAPERS, orig pub in the Barnstable Patriot. Revised by D.F.Swift,
Vol l, F.P. Gross, Publishers and Printers, Barnstable, Mass. 1888.
p 315-326. All regarding "MR. THOMAS DEXTER, SENIOR, and descendants.
p 322-323;
1643 THOMAS DEXTER, JR. "not an inhabitant of Sandwich" yet
1645 "probably was as early as March [inhabitant of Sandwich].
1647 June, - Thomas Dexter Jr., chosen Constable of town of Sandwich.
1648 - Thomas Dexter Jr. kept the grist mill built by his father before
1640.
1655- Commissioned by the court, at the request of inhabitants of
Sandwich, Ensign of the Company of Militia. He held the office many
years. "Entitled to the honor of being styled Mister."
1680- Licenced to keep an ordinary or public house for the entertainment
of strangers.
1686 Dec 30 -Thomas Dexter died intestate.
1687 Jan 12- Estate appraised at 491,5 (?) pounds.
He owned 240 acres of land at the Plain,
4 valuable tracts of meadow
2 dwelling houses, the one he resided, 1/2 mi S from Glass Factory
Village was a large two story building; his home lot 10 acres, 20 acres
adjoining.
His other dwelling occupied by his son, John, and it was 28 acres and 2
parcels of meadow, est 8 acres.
The estate was settled by an agreement of the heirs in writing, dated
16 Feb 1686-7, and signed by the widow, Elizabeth Dexter, Senior; John
Dexter, son of Thomas Dexter, late of Sandwich, gentleman deceased in
his own rights; Elizabeth Dexter Jr., in her right; Daniel Allen of
Swansea, in the right of Mary his wife, Jonathan Hallett in the right of
Abigail, his wife.
Will of Elizabeth (Vincent) Dexter, dated 29 Aug 1689, leave whole
estate to dau, Elizabeth.
p.317, footnote: "In my investigations, I have been unable to ascertain
who built the first mill on the stream now known as Jones's mill stream
at West Barnstable. Mr. Dexter's lands were partly bounded by that
stream, and I should not be surprised if some future investigator should
ascertain that he built the first mill at West Barnstable, also the Old
Stone Fort, to which frequent reference is made in the Crocker article.
On Wed last I was at Sandwich, and for the first time examined the
records of that town for information respecting the Dexter family. I
found much that I regret that I had not known before writing this article.
The records, in almost every instance, and I am not certain but in every
instance, refer to the SECOND THOMAS DEXTER. A deed of his to the
town of Sandwich, is an exceedingly interesting document." (Otis)
pg 320: "In 1657 MR. DEXTER [Sr.] took the oath of fidelity and was
admitted a freeman of the Plymouth Colony June 1, 1658. For the
suceeding 18 years he appears to have lived a quiet retired life, on his
farm at Scorton Hill. . .During his life, he appears to have conveyed his
mill and his large real estate in Sandwich to his son THOMAS, and his W
Barnstable farm to WILLIAM, retaining his Scorton Hill farm and his
personal estate for his own use. The latter farm he sold about the year
1675 to William Troop and removed to Boston...last days with a married
daughter, where he died in 1677 at an advanced age."
p 319: "After his death his administrators, Capt. James Oliver, his
son-in-law, an eminent merchant of Boston, and his grandson, THOMAS,
of Sandwich. . . and in 1695, after the death of THOMAS DEXTER ,3d,. . ."
p321: "It is certain that he [Thomas Dexter SR.] had
I. THOMAS, born in England, settled in Sandwich.
II. MARY, who md Oct 1639, Mr. John Frend, who died young.
Before Aug 1655, as is shown bya deed in Suffolk Registry, she had md
Capt. James Oliver. They left no children.
And he probably had
III. WILLIAM who settled in Barnstable.
IV. FRANCIS, who md Richard Wooddy. They had eight children.
They lived some years in Roxbury. In 1695 Mary and Frances, who were
then widows brought the 4th suit in behalf of their father's claim upon
Nahant, against the town of Lynn, once more in vain."
Genealogy of the Dexter Family in America, compiled by Warden and
Dexter, Worcester MA 1905 pg 10, has more extensive information on
the will of THOMAS DEXTER II.
SOURCE: (1) From charts prepared by Miriam Dexter; (2) Children and death dates of John and Mehitabel, from Abstracts of Portsmouth, R.I. Wills, Portsmouth Town Council & Probate, Vol 2, 1697-172?; (3) Copied from Rhode Island Genealogical Register, April 1981 (Abstracts);
MARRIAGE:date noted Paul Dexter research, (DEX001) pg 21 quoting Amos Otis Papers,