Joseph Bemis Sr. (abt. 1619 - 1684)

Born about 1619 in Dedham, Essex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Unknown) Bemis — married before 1643 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 7 Aug 1684 at about age 65 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Lydia Vierson [send private message], Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree [send private message], and Kim Richey [send private message]

Joseph Bemis Sr. migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Joseph Bemis was born in England about 1619 (he deposed in 1657 that he was about 38 years of age) He was in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, by 1640.

He was married to Sarah Unknown by 1643, possibly in Watertown, Massachusetts.^[1]

His will was signed on August 7, 1684, the day he died.^[2]

Birth

Birth:

Date: 1619^[3]

Occupation

Occupation: Selectman

Date: 1648, 1672, 1675^[4]

Occupation: Farmer and Blacksmith^[5]

Children

Children by Sarah:: ^[6]

Sarah, b. January 15, 1643^[7]

Mary, b. November 10, 1644^[8]

Joseph, b. November 28, 1647, buried January 4, 1648^[9]

Ephraim, B. November 28, 1647, buried January 4, 1648^[10]

Martha, b. March 24, 1649

Joseph, b. December 12, 1651

Rebecca, April 17, 1654

Ephraim, August 25, 1656

John, b. August 1659

Death

Death:

Date: 07 AUG 1684

Place: Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA^[11][12]

Will

Event:

Type: Will Proved

Date: 07 OCT 1684^[13]

Date: 1684^[14]

Notes

^[15]Resided at Watertown, MA was a Blacksmith and farmer JOSEPH3 BEMIS (JOSEPH2, JOHN1)1 was born 1619 in probably in Dedham, England2, and died August 07, 1684 in Watertown, MA3. He married SARAH4.She died November 18, 1712 in bur. Watertown, MA. Notes for JOSEPH BEMIS: Resided at Watertown, MA was a Blacksmith and farmer.

Bond, was in Watertown as early as 1640; was selectman 1648, '72, and'75, and d. Aug 7, 1684. By his wife, SARAH, he had 9 chil. Mary Bemis, perhaps a sister of Joseph, m., Mar. 20, 1644-5, William Hagar... Will dated Aug. 7, 1684, proved Oct. 7, 1684. Wid. Sarah admin. Oct. 7, 1684. She d. about 1712.

The History of the Bemis, Perkinson, Fay and Lawrence Families, Ted H. Bemis, 1981: Joseph Bemis, the American progenitor, was born in England in 1619 and came to America with his sister Mary Bemis in 1640, both settling in Watertown. Although I have not found any evidence, Draper (:2.1) feels there is strong evidence that this Joseph had a wife prior to his marriage to Sarah, even though it was Sarah who came to America with him. He was a blacksmith and farmer by trade, and on 11/8/1647 was one of seven men chosen to order the prudentiall affayers of the town (Watertown). On 2/12/1649 he was fined three pounds for felling trees on the common. Fifty shillings of this was returned to him with the provisio he pay the other ten shillings and have no share in the wood or timber on the common. Joseph was granted a strip of land against the meadow to make in lune, or fence, straight, and to pay the town what it was worth. On 1/14/1655 he was fined one shilling for a hog, disorderly. By August of 1656, he was one of two overseers of fences and hogs (perhaps this was his easiest means of assuring that he would not again be fined for disorderly hogs! - ed.) On 1/3/1658 he was elected surveyor of highways, and a Constable on 11/4/1667. Joseph Beamis and two other men were chosed by the town on 11/2/1674 to see that all children were taught to Read the Inglish tung (and who was the judge of that? - ed.)and the orthodox catechism, and that each man have in his home a copy of the 'Capital Laws'. He was a selectman of Watertown in 1648, 72, and 75.:1.1 states that he was a soldier in King Philip's War.

Joseph Bemis' will is as follows: The Last Will of me Joseph Beamase I comit my soule unto god my Creator and my body to the Earth to the dust from whence it (was) taken and my Worly goods as foloeth. It is my will that my wife Shall have all my estate during hir life for hir maintinance: and hir Daughter Martha It is my will that my daughter martha shall have all my orchard During hir Life and a comfortable Roome in my Dwelling house hir Lif time I give my Sone Joseph Bemase my farme to him and his ars: but if he di without an are Lafuly begoten after his deces to be equally devid amongst ye rest of my children It is my will that after my Wife' deces all my Estate that is left to fe devid Equaly amongst other 5 children the 7 day of 7 month 1684 The mark of Witnes by us Joseph Beamase John Whitney Senior The mark of Susana Harrington "7.8.84. Sworn in Court by sd witnesses & admr granted to his relict widd. Bemas" His inventory lists his books. (Middlesex Probate docket#1541) It is not know when 'his relict' died, but in 1712 the heirs began to divide the property which included 'the ffarme' and the orchard.

Sources

1. ↑ New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Vol. 1 p. 128 $subscription required
2. ↑ [#S101] Vol. I, page 163.
3. ↑ Source: #S1
4. ↑ Source: #S00264 Page: 12
5. ↑ Source: #S00264 Page: 12
6. ↑ [#S101] Vol. I, page 163.
7. ↑ Watertown Records Comprising the First and Second Books of Town Proceedings with the Land Grants and Possessions also the Proprietors' Book also the First Book and Supplement of Births Deaths and Marriage (Prepared for Publication by the Historical Society)(Watertown Mass Press of Fred G Barker 1894)(Free e-book)(Records are also available at ma-vitalrcords.org) p. 9
8. ↑ Watertown Records Comprising the First and Second Books of Town Proceedings with the Land Grants and Possessions also the Proprietors' Book also the First Book and Supplement of Births Deaths and Marriage (Prepared for Publication by the Historical Society)(Watertown Mass Press of Fred G Barker 1894)(Free e-book)(Records are also available at ma-vitalrcords.org) p. 11
9. ↑ Watertown Records Comprising the First and Second Books of Town Proceedings with the Land Grants and Possessions also the Proprietors' Book also the First Book and Supplement of Births Deaths and Marriage (Prepared for Publication by the Historical Society)(Watertown Mass Press of Fred G Barker 1894)(Free e-book)(Records are also available at ma-vitalrcords.org) p. 13
10. ↑ Watertown Records Comprising the First and Second Books of Town Proceedings with the Land Grants and Possessions also the Proprietors' Book also the First Book and Supplement of Births Deaths and Marriage (Prepared for Publication by the Historical Society)(Watertown Mass Press of Fred G Barker 1894)(Free e-book)(Records are also available at ma-vitalrcords.org) p. 13
11. ↑ #S171 Vol. 1, Page 97
12. ↑ Source: #S00264 Page: 12
13. ↑ Source: #S00264 Page: 12
14. ↑ #S172 Case #1541
15. ↑ Source: #H00066

• Source: S171 Watertown Marriages, Births & Deaths (on file in Office of Town Clerk), part of Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 Ancestry.com [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).

• Source: S172 Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Index, 1648-1870 Author: Flint, James, comp. Ancestry.com [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. Original data: Index to the Probate Records of the County of Middlesex, Massachusetts. Cambridge, MA, USA: 1912.

• Source: S101 Title: A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England before 1692. Author: James Savage; published by Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1860. Found at: Internet Archive (Volume 1, page 163)

• Source: H00066 Title: The Distinguished Name of Bemis Origin : England Spelling variations include: Beamish, Beemish, Beames, and others.First found in Durham.Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: Charles Beamish who settled in Philadelphia Pa. in 1832; William Beames who settled in Boston Mass. in 1651 and others.

• Source: S00264 Title: Bemis Lovell Family History 1619-1987 Author: Kenneth Eaton Bemis Jr. Publication: Date: 1988; Repository: #R00001 Call Number: G929.2 B432bem NOTE: Private printing.

• Source: S-2054436552 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Repository: #R-2056789322 Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Text: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/12167402/person/1229950299/facts

• Source: S1 Title: Lang.FTW Note: Source Media Type: Other Data: Text: Date of Import: Apr 2, 2004 Repository: #REPO1

• Repository: REPO1

• Repository: R-2056789322 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com

• Repository: R00001 Name: Denver Public Library, Denver, CO

Acknowledgments

• This person was created through the import of Dickinson Family Tree.ged on 31 March 2011.
• WikiTree profile Bemis-201 created through the import of my family 10.ged on Aug 1, 2012 by Lydia Vierson.
• WikiTree profile Bemis-131 created through the import of Hummel Bigelow Roots.ged on Jul 8, 2011 by Gail Hummel.
• WikiTree profile Bemis-87 created through the import of Lent_Vise_2011-05-11aa.ged on May 26, 2011 by Bryan Sypniewski.
• WikiTree profile Bemis-114 created through the import of Timerson Family Tree May162011.ged on Jun 6, 2011 by Brad Timerson.
• WikiTree profile Bemis-162 created through the import of 3214733.ged on Sep 17, 2011 by Kim Richey.

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