Joseph Jewett (1732 - 1776)

Born 13 Dec 1732 in North Lyme, New London, Connecticut Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Lucretia (Rogers) Lee — married 18 May 1758 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut Colony

Descendants

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Biography

Captain Joseph Jewett served with 17th Continental Regiment (1776), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

CAPTAIN JOSEPH JEWETT (Nathan, Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, Edward), was born in North Lyme, Conn., Dec. 13, 1732. He married at Norwich, Conn., May 18, 1758, his second cousin, Lucretia Rogers, who was born in Norwich May 4, 1740. She was the youngest daughter of Dr. Theophilus and Elizabeth (Hyde) Rogers of Norwich. Dr. Rogers was the sixth in descent of John Rogers, the martyr, burned at Smithfield Feb. 4, 1555.

He settled in Lyme, Conn., was on the Lexington alarm list April, 1775, and served 31 days; was Captain of the 8th Connecticut Regiment from July 6, 1775, to Dec. 10, 1775 ; was made Captain of the 17th Continental Regiment (8th reorganized) Jan. 1, 1777. This Regiment was stationed on Long Island Sound until Sept. 14, 1775, when, on requisition from Washington, it was ordered to the Boston camps, and took up its post in Roxbury in General Spencer's Brigade. Here it remained until the expiration of its service Dec. 10, 1775.

Jan. 1, 1777, he re-enlisted in the 17th Continental Regiment, In which he served until his death, which occurred while a prisoner after the battle of Flatbush, Long Island. 'There are two accounts of his death. Deacon N. Richards, one of his non-commissioned officers, speaks of him as follows:

"Captain Joseph Jewett of Huntington's Regiment, an officer much respected and beloved, of elegant and commanding appearance and unquestionable bravery, was murdered in cold blood, having surrendered his sword when demanded, the British officer, on receiving it, instantly plunged it through his body" (Vermont Chronicles). The other version of his death is a statement of Lieutenant Jabez Fitch, who was in Captain Jewett's Company and was taken prisoner at the same time. He says that the Captain was three times wounded by bayonet stabs "after he had surrendered,"but makes no mention of his having been run through by a British officer with his own sword after he had given it up. The original statement of Lieutenant Fitch is now in the possession of C. J. Bushnell of New York "(A Memoir of the Long Island Historical Society 1878). Captain Jewett died Aug. 29, 1776.

Captain Joseph Jewett, of Lyme, Connecticut, commanded a company at the siege of Boston during the American Revolution, and was killed in action at the Battle of Long Island August 1776 [DAR Lineage Book, 102:283, lineage of Mrs. Mary P. Jewett Gillette #101930].

Sources

• Jewett, Frederic Clarke, History and Genealogy of the Jewetts of America, Volume I, The Grafton Press, New York, 1908. Pgs. 193-4.
• United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783, , FamilySearch (Thu Oct 05 02:25:01 UTC 2023), Entry for Joseph Jewett, 6 Jul 1775.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #19615838, Marvin Cemetery, Lyme, New London, Connecticut, USA