Josiah Chapin (bef. 1637 - 1726)

Born before 29 Oct 1637 in Berry Pomeroy, Devon, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (King) Chapin — married 30 Nov 1658 (to 30 May 1676) in Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Husband of Lydia (Brown) Chapin — married 20 Sep 1676 (to 8 Oct 1711) in Braintree, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Husband of Mehitable (Hand) Chapin — married 22 Jun 1713 in Dedham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 10 Sep 1726 after age 88 in Mendon, Suffolk, Province of Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Josiah Chapin immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

Josiah/Josias Chapin was born in England, son of Samuel and Cicely Chapin ^[1] and baptized at Berry, Pomeroy Co., Devon on October 29, 1637. ^[2]

Military Records: Captain of Massachusetts Colonial forces at Mendon. Sergeant in 1685; Ensign in 1687; Lieutenant in 1689 and Captain in 1692.

Josiah, his parents and several siblings, came to New England sometime after Josiah's baptism in October 1637, and by 1639, when his father Samuel is known to have been at Roxbury. ^{[2] [3]}

• c1639: Arrived in New England ^[2]
• 1656: Took the Oath of Fidelity.
• 1663: August 1: Admitted to be an inhabitant of Springfield. ^[1]
• c1661-1681: He was a resident of Braintree, Massachusetts.
• 1664: May 18: Samuel Chapin of Springfield petitions the court for a land grant for services done; he was granted 200 acres. ^{[1] [3]}
• 1664: June 28: by instrument, Samuel Chapin makes over to his son Josiah, his right and title to said land in Mendon. ^{[1] [3]}
• 1670: December 27: The Selectman lease to Josiah Chapin and John Baxter for seven years, 5 acres meadow and 40 acres upland for pastures. ^[4]
• 1670: December 27: Selectman also lease to Josiah Chapin for seven years, 5 acres of salt marsh. ^[4]
• Served as a Selectman there in 1673, and was made a Freeman of the Colony in 1678.
• c1681/2-1726: He was a leading citizen of Mendon.
• He was a selectman for many years; Chairman of the Board for 11 years; and was Justice of the Peace by a commission said to have come from the British Parliament.
• 1682: January 11: Sergeant Josiah Chapin chosen to serve on a committee at Mendon to oversee the building of a house for Minister Rawson. ^[1][5]
• 1682: October 25: Sgt. Josiah Chapin was chosen a surveyor. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1682: Chairman of the Selectman. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1682: Josiah Chapin to build a saw mill on 80 acres due him. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1683-86: Sgt, Josiah Chapin, Selectman. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1687-88: Selectman as Ensign Josiah Chapin. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1689: Selectman as Lieut. Josiah Chapin. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1692: Captain Josiah Chapman chosen Chairman of the Selectman. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1694: 95: 96: 97: 98: 99: Chosen Chairman of the Selectman. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1700: 01: 02: 03: 04: 05: Again, Chairman of Selectman.^{[1] [5]}
• 1712: Again, chosen Chairman of the Selectman and as Assessor. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1683: Surveyor of Highways in Mendon. ^[1]
• 1686: June 24: Josiah Chapin Sr.nominated as Lieutenant of the militia. ^[5]
• 1687: Lieut. Josiah Chapin among others, chosen to collect subscriptions to build a third meeting house and oversee the work, as the previous building had been destroyed by Indians. ^[5]
• 1689: May 6: Chosen to join and serve on the Committee of Safety. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1689: Elected Representative to the General Court. ^[1]
• 1690: Lt. Josiah Chapin on the committee to build the meeting house. ^[1]
• 1691/2: February: Josiah Chapin and others purchase a tract of land from John Awassamog and other Indians in order to expand the township of Mendon. ^[5]
• 1693: March 3: Chosen Clerk of the Market. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1693: May 1: Capt. Josiah Chapin granted 4 score and 10 acres of land for service as Representative. ^[5]
• 1700: Chosen among others, to serve of the committee for the division of lands. ^[1]
• 1708: February 6: Capt. Josiah Chapin chosen Commissioner of Assessments. ^[5]
• 1712-17: Served five years as Commissioner of Assessments. ^{[1] [5]}
• 1715: March: Justice Chapin chosen Commissioner and to serve on a committee to provide a minister for the town. ^[5]
• Moderator in 1716 and 1718. ^[1]
• 1713: May 12: Josiah Chapin, Esq., chosen to serve as Representative to the Court. ^[5]
• 1718: May 6: Chosen as Representative to the General Court. ^[5]
• 1719: February 16: Received additional lots in the sixth division of Town lands. ^[5]
• 1720: May 10: Chosen as Representative to the General Court. ^{[1] [5]}
• Served for many years as the Justice of the Peace at Mendon. ^[1]
• For many years he was the largest taxpayer in Mendon. ^[1]

Josiah died at Mendon, Massachusetts on September 10, 1726 in his 92nd year. ^{[6] [1]} He is buried in the Old Cemetery at Mendon. His inscription reads: Here Lyes the Body of Josiah Chapin, Esq. Died Sept. 10th 1726 in ye 92 Year of His Age^[7]

His will was written on December 28, 1724 and presented to the court on September 21, 1726, by the named executors, Seth Chapin, Daniel Taft and Ebenezer Read, and acknowledged by witnesses Nathaniel Rawson and William Boyce. ^[8]

In it he left bequests to:

• son Seth Chapin
• son Ephraim Chapin
• daughter Lydia Taft
• daughter Sarah Read
• daughter Hannah Holbrook
• granddaughter Mary Chapin, alias Mary Gannett
• granddaughter Mary Joan and her sister Abigail Chapin
• granddaughter Deborah White
• granddaughters Mary Tyler and Hopestill Holbrook
• executors - son Seth Chapin and sons-in-law Daniel Taft and Ebenezer Read ^[8]

His estate inventory was taken on October 3, 1726 and valued at L1056 14s 2d and included the homelot with 50 acres and buildings valued at L500 and other land holdings valued at L149. ^[8]

Marriages

He married first on November 30, 1658, Mary King, of Weymouth, Massachusetts, ^[9] daughter John King. She was born at Weymouth on June 15, 1639. ^{[10] [11]} They had eleven children, Samuel, John (died without issue), Mary, Deborah (died young), Josiah (died in early manhood, without issue), Shem (died young), Seth, Joseph (died unmarried), Henry (died young), Ephraim, and another Deborah. ^{[1] [3]} Mary died at Braintree on 3rd mo., 30, 76. (May 30, 1676) ^[4]

He married second at Braintree, Massachusetts on September 20, 1676, widow Lydia (Brown) Pratt ^{[4] [1]}, of Ipswich, born inNovember 1658 , died October 18, 1711 at Mendon. ^{[6] [11]}Children: Lydia, Sarah, David (died at twenty-four years of age, probably without issue), and Hannah.

His third wife was Mehitable Metcalf, whom he married on June 22, 1713, but had no children. Mehitable died on December 2, 1724. ^[1] Mehitable may be Mehitable Hand, who married first John Savil, and second Thomas Metcalf. ^[12]

An account of my own (Josiah Chapin's) marriages, and of the marriages of my children, and of ye births of my children and grandchildren, and of the deaths of my wives, children and grandchildren, which began in the year of our Lord, 1658. ^[1]

In the month of November, 1658, I was —

I. Married to Mary King in Weymouth. ^[1]

II. I was married to my second wife, Lydia Brown, at Ipswich, ye 20th of Sept., A. Dom., 1676. ^[1]

III. I was married to my third wife, Mehitabel Metcalf, in Dedham, the 22d of June, A. Dom., 1713. ^[1]

Births of my Children. These were the children of Mary, my first wife. ^[1]

1. Samuel Chapin, b. in Weymouth, Nov. 11th, A. Dom., 1659; drowned at sea, April 10, 1692.

2. John Chapin, b. in Braintree, June 11th, 1661: died at sea Feb. 22, 1686.

3. Mary Chapin, b. in Braintree, ye 27th of August, 1662.

4. Deborah Chapin, b. in Braintree, ye 16th of June, 1664; died Aug. 16, 1668.

5. Josiah Chapin, b. in Braintree, ye 17th of December, 1665; died May 20, 1693, slain in Lord Russell's fight.

6. Shem Chapin b. in Braintree, ye 11th day of May 1667; died June 6, 1667.

7. Seth Chapin, b. in Braintree, ye 4th of August, 1668; married first Mary Read May 23, 1689; married Bethiah Thurston March 25, 1691.

8. Joseph Chapin, b. in Braintree, 17th of May, 1670.

9. Henry Chapin, b. in Braintree, 15th of Feb. 1671; died March 20, 1671.

10. Ephraim Chapin, b. in Braintree, 18th Dec., 1673; married Margaret Torrey Jan. 23, 1705.

11. Deborah Chapin, 2d, b, in Braintree, Feb. 12th, 1675; married Samuel Read July 8, 1693; died April 9, 1702.

By second wife: ^[1]

12. Lydia Chapin, b. in Braintree, the 29th of Sept. 1677; married Daniel Taft Dec. 6, 1706.

13. Sarah Chapin, b. in Braintree, 12th March, 1679; married Ebenezer Read Feb. 7, 1703/4.

14. David Chapin, b. in Braintree, 11th Nov. I680; died Oct. 4, 1704.

15. Hannah Chapin, b. in Mendon, 11th Nov. 1684; married John Holbrook June 13, 1706. ^[1]

Research notes

Weymouth Marriages

CHAPIN, Josiah and Mary King, Nov. 30, 1658. (p. 45)

Weymouth Births

Chapin, Samuell s. Josiah and Mary Nov. 11, 1659. (p. 71) ^[9]

KING, Mary daughter of John King born 15 (4) 1639. ( Vol. 8: p. 348 & Vol. 9: p. 171) ^[10]

Braintree Marriages 1640-1793 (Groom)

Chapin, Joseph Pratt, Lydia 07m 26d 1676 by Maj. Denison. (p. 719)

Josiah Chapin & Lydia Pratt widew were maried the 7th mo., 26, 76 by Majr. Denison.(p. 719) ^[4]

Braintree Births

John Chapin the son of Josiah & Mary born 4 mo., 11, 1661. (p. 819)

Mary Chapin daughter of Josiah & Mary born 6 mo., 1662. (p. 819)

Debora Chapin the daughter of Josia Chapin & Mary his wiffe born 4th mo., 16th, 1664 . (p. 644)

Josia Chapin son of Josia Chapin & Mary his wiffe, borne 10th mo., 17, 1665. (p. 645)

___ (Shem) Chapin son of Josia Chapin & Mary his wiffe, born 3rd mo., 11th, 1667. (p. 646)

Joseph Chapin son of Josia Chapin & Mary his wiffe, borne the 3rd mo., 17, 1670. (p. 648)

__am (Ephraim) Chapin son of Josiah Chapin & Mary his wiffe borne (1673). (p. 650)

Debora Chapin daughter of Josia Chapin & Mary his wiffe borne 12 mo., 13, 75. (p. 652)

Lidia Chapin, daughter of Josia Chapin & Liddia his wiffe was borne 7th mo., 29, 77. (p. 652)

Henry Chapin son of Josia Chapin & Mary his wiffe borne 12 mo., 15, 1671. (p. 650)

David son of Josiah Chapin & Lydia his wife borne November 9th 1680. (p. 655)

Braintree Deaths

Mary Chapin wife to Josiah Chapin 3rd mo., 30, 76. (p. 640)

Shem Chapin son of Josia Chapin and Mary his died wiffe, dyed 4th mo., 6th, 1667. (p. 639)

Debora Chapin, daughter of Josia Chapin and Mary his wiffe, dyed 6th mo., 17th, 1668. (p. 639)

Samuel Chapin Master of a small vesell coming from Mevis was drowned upon the 19 of Aprill 1692. (p. 659) ^[4]

Mendon Deaths

CHAPIN, Lydiah, w. Josiah, Oct. 8, 1711. (p. 455)

CHAPIN Josiah, Esqr., Sept. 10, 1726. In his 92d y. GR1 (p. 455)

Chapin, David, s. Capt. Josiah, Oct. 4, 1704. [a. 24 y. GR1 (p. 455)^[6]

New England Marriages

Metcalf, Thomas ( -1702) Dedham & Mehitbale (HAND) SAVIL, Braintree, w. of John ? m/3 Josiah Chapin 1713 ?; 22 Jan. 1688/9; Braintree. (p. 507; p. 653) ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36} The Chapin Genealogy Containing a Very Large Proportion of the Descendants of Deacon Samuel Chapin who Settled in Springfield, MA in 1642, by Orange Chapin, Metcalf & Co., Northhampton, MA 1862.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} The English Ancestry of Deacon Samuel Chapin In: Vital Records from The NEHGS Register. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (Compiled from articles originally published in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Chapin, Howard M. Life of Deacon Samuel Chapin, of Springfield, Snow & Farnum, Printers, Providence, Rhode Island, 1908
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5} Records of the town of Braintree, 1640-1793, Samuel Bates, editor, D.H. Huxford, printer, Randolph, MA, 1886
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23} Metcalf, John, compiler. Annals of the Town of Mendon, from 1659 to 1880, E.L. Freeman, Printers to the state, Providence, Rhode Island,1880
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Baldwin, Thomas, compiler. Vital records of Mendon, Massachusetts, to the year 1850. NEHGS, Boston, Massachusetts, 1920
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23102202/josiah-chapin: accessed 28 May 2023), memorial page for CPT Josiah Chapin (29 Oct 1634–10 Sep 1726), Find A Grave: Memorial #23102202, citing Old Cemetery, Mendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by lydia (contributor 47140991). (Includes gravestone photo and inscription.)
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Case 5311: p. 1-9: Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017-2019. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized mages provided by FamilySearch.org)
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Vital Records of Weymouth Massachusetts to the Year 1850, Published by NEHGS, Boston, Massachusetts, 1910
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Vital Records from The NEHGS Register. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (Compiled from articles originally published in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.)
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Chapin, Gilbert. The Chapin Book of Genealogical Data with Brief Biographical Sketches of the Descendants of Deacon Samuel Chapin Vol. I First Seven Generations, Chapin Family Association, Hartford, CT, 1924
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence Almon Torrey, Genealogical Publishing Com, 1985

See also:

• The Proprietors' Records of the Town of Mendon, Massachusetts: Incorporated May 15, 1667, Rockwell and Churchill Press, Boston, MA, 1899
• Roberts, Gary Boyd; Ancestors of American Presidents. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to Chris Hoyt for creating this profile 3 July 2013.