Josiah Litchfield (1647 - 1708)

Born 3 Apr 1647 in Scituate, Plymouth Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Baker) Litchfield — married 22 Feb 1672 in Scituate, Plymouth Colony

Descendants

Died 29 Jan 1708 at age 60 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Biography

Josiah (Josias) Litchfield was born April 3, 1647 to parents Lawrence Litchfield and Judith (Dennis) Litchfield.

Timeline

• 1649: "Lawrence Leichfeild lying on his deathbed sent for John Allen, and Ann, his wife and desired to give and bequeath unto them his youngest son Josias Lichfeild (age 2) if they would accept of him and take him as their Child." ^[1]
• 1657/8: "20th of March 1657/8 Judith, the wife of Willam Peakes acknowlidged that her former husband...(Lawrence Litchfield) The said Josias (age 10/11) being asked if hee did consent and chuse to live with the said John and Ann (Allen) Willingly answered yea" ^[2]
• 1663: On 5 May 1663, “In answer unto a petition preferred to the Court by Judith, the wife of William Peakes, of Scittuate, in reference unto her son, Josias Leichfeld, the adopted son of John Allin, deceased, the Court have ordered and do hereby give liberty unto the said Josias Leichfeild to choose two guardians, and to present them unto the next General Court.” On the same day, “In answer unto a particular in a letter directed to the Court from Mr. Hatherley, wherein he desired the Court would take other security for the estate of John Allin, there being no other appearing to give in security, do hereby signify that they look at him as standing bound and engaged unto them in that behalf, and are not willing to a release untill some other do appear to be engaged, and therefore do advise him to take the best course he can to secure himself.” ^[3]

^[4]

• 1663: "On 1 Jun 1663, “Whereas John Allin, of Scituate, and Anna, his wife, long since took Josias Leichfeild as their adopted child, with purpose to bring him up, and to do for him as their child, and so faithfully performed during the said Allen his life, and not long before his death was mindful of him yet being suddenly taken away, left not his mind so full and particular concerning him as he intended and might have been desired; yet so much appeared to the Court upon oath as in their apprehensions carried the true intent and force of will. The said Josias having chosen Lieutenant James Torrey and Cornet Robert Studson his guardians, it was at this Court agreen between Anna, the relict of the said Allin, and the boy’s abovenamed guardians, with the Court’s approbation and liking, that the said Josias should have twenty pounds sterling paid into the hands of his guardians about Michaelmas next, by them to be improved for him, and soon after that time to be freed & to be put forth to a trade, and conveniently fitted out with suitable apparel and necessaries; and when he shall come to the age of twenty-one years, to be possessed of the farm and appurtenances given him by the said John Allin, deceased.” ^[5]

^[6]

• 1663: "On 2 Jun 1663, “Nicholas Baker of Scittuate aged 53 years” deposed that “I and Mr. Hatherley, being desired by John Allin of Scittuate to come to him to help him in making his will, were with him but two days before he died, and Mr. Hatherley being gone forth, and not returning so soon as he was expected, the said John Allin told me that he had sent for us to write his will and that his intent was to give Josias Leichfeild that house and land where he then lived, when he came of age, and that his wife should have the other house and land of his where Jonas Pittles then lived and that for the rest of his estate it should be in his wife’s power to give to the said boy as she did see him carry himself, for said he I would have the boy beholden to my wife, and not my wife to the boy.” ^[7]
• 1663: On 5 Nov 1663, “Cornet Robert Stetson and James Torrey, of Scituate,” gave a receipt to “Michaell Peirse, of Hingham,” for £20 “the said Micaell Peirse was appointed to pay unto us for the use of Josias Leichfeild, of Scituate aforsaid; which twenty pounds the said Micaell peirse was appointed to pay unto us for the use of Josias Leichfeild aforsaid by the Court holden att N. Plymouth in New England in the month of june last past. In witness wee have heerunto sett our hands the day and yeare forst above written. The marke of Cornett, Robert Stetson; James Torrey. ^[8]
• 1664: "On 7 March 1664/5, “Mr. Micaell Peirse came before this Court, and desired that an order passed by the Court in reference e unto the disposing of the estate of John Allin, deceased, with special reference unto the portion of Josias Leichfeild, might be considered by the Court, and amended in respect that some detriment is likely to accrue unto him by the said order, it standing as it doth; in answer whereunto the Court returned, that forasmuch as diverse of the magistrates were absent, whose help is very requisite for the right regulating thereof, it is referred unto a more full Court for the doing of it”^[9]
• On 9 Jun 1665, “Whereas there was an agreement made between the Court and Lieutenant James Torrey and Cornet Robert Studson, as guardians unto Josias Leichfeild and Anna, sometimes the wife of John Allen, bearing the date June, 1663, and stands upon record particularly to be seen, we do hereby declare and testify, that the said agreement we did and do clearly understand was for a full and final issue and settlement of what pertained unto the said Leichfeild from Goodman Allen’s estate.”^[10]
• 1669 5 April 1669, Josiah having attained the full age of 21 years was put into full position of the farm and other items left to him by his adoptive father John Allen.
• 1671 Josiah married Sarah Baker in Scituate 22 Feb 1671.
• 1707 Josiah Litchfield died 29 January 1707/08, in Scituate, Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, and was buried in First Parish Cemetery, Norwell, Plymouth County, Massachusetts Bay Colony. Find A Grave: Memorial #63402257 ^[11]
• 1707 On 13 February 1707, his widow Sarah was granted the letter of administration for his estate. He died intestate. His inventory was taken on 29 January 1707/8 in Scituate and recorded in Plymouth.^[12]
• 1713 In 1713, his real estate was appraised and the estate settlement was distributed to the widow, Sarah, and the children, Josiah (eldest son), Nicholas, and Samuel, and the sons paying the daughters, Judah Litchfield, Sarah, wife of Ichabod Damon and Hannah, wife of Israel Cowing for their share of the estate.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ Litchfield family in America, Publication date: 1901, Topics: Litchfield family (Lawrence Litchfield, d. 1649 or 1650), genealogy, Publisher [Southbridge, Mass. : W.J. Litchfield], Collection allen_county; americana, Digitizing sponsor MSN, Contributor Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center; (https://archive.org/details/litchfieldfamily11sout/page/36/mode/2up) p. 38
2. ↑ Litchfield family in America, Publication date: 1901, Topics: Litchfield family (Lawrence Litchfield, d. 1649 or 1650), genealogy, Publisher [Southbridge, Mass. : W.J. Litchfield], Collection allen_county; americana, Digitizing sponsor MSN, Contributor Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center; (https://archive.org/details/litchfieldfamily11sout/page/36/mode/2up) p. 38
3. ↑ [Shurtleff, Nathaniel B., and David Pulsifer, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, William White, Boston 4:28]
4. ↑ Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, Vol IV, Court Orders, 1661-1668," 1855, p 35
5. ↑ [Ibid, 4:35]
6. ↑ Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, Vol IV, Court Orders, 1661-1668," 1855, p 39
7. ↑ [Ibid 4:89]
8. ↑ Records fo the Colony of New Plymouth in New England. Printed by order of the legislature of the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Edited by Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, M.D., Vol. IV. 1661-1668. Boston: From the Press of William White, 1855.
9. ↑ [Ibid 4:81-82]
10. ↑ [Ibid 4:89]
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63402257/josiah-litchfield : accessed 17 October 2021), memorial page for Josiah Litchfield (3 Apr 1647–29 Jan 1708), Find a Grave Memorial ID 63402257, citing First Parish Cemetery, Norwell, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by tbickellb (contributor 47136488) .
12. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-897D-6392 : 24 March 2023), Probate records 1702-1710 vol 2 > image 61 of 106; State Archives, Boston.
13. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-ZFQB : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1708-1717 and 1817-1861 vol 3-3P > image 164-166 of 710; State Archives, Boston.

• Litchfield, W. J. (1901). Litchfield family in America. Southbridge, Mass.: W.J. Litchfield. pp.37-60

Also see

The Society of the Descendants of Colonial Clergy, 1620-1776, Rev. Nicholas Baker, A.B., A.M., Scituate, Massachusetts, Page 266. (Note: the Society of the Descendants of the Colonial Clergy exists even today and Nicholas Baker who was this individuals fater-in-law and was a known clergyman, I have been unable to locate this material.)