James was born in 1804. He was the son of David Dewey and Roxy Holmes. He passed away in 1858.
He married in Mansfield, Conn., in 1783, Olive Goodell, born there, Nov. 28, 1761, and died July 7, 1845, in the house of her daughter, Olive Richards, in South Richland, daughter of Aaron<5> and Amy (Tyler) Goodell. (Her line is Olive<5>, Aaron<5>, Ebenezer<5>, Thomas<5>, Zachariah<2>, Robert<1> of Salem.) She was fair complexion, light hair, blue eyes, stout in form, had great energy and force of character, with much tact and winsomeness. In 1781, when the British made their attack on New London, Jezaniah joined the ranks to repel the invaders. Jezaniah was said to be a handsome man, with dark brown eyes, pleasing address, and a total abstainer. He became converted at a Congregationalist revival in Tolland, Conn. The chang was great, as he was much given to hilarity and mirth. Soon after this revival (about 1793) he moved into New York State, and settled in Litchfield, now known as North Winfield. Mr. O. B. Holmes now lives on the place. Jezaniah was the first of his family to emigrate. After the Revolution, and New England people knew that all the vast territory west of them belonged to their nation, a steady stream of emigrants flowed into the newly-opened country. About 1796 he changed from a Congregationalist to a Baptist, and was elected deacon. In 1803 he was ordained as minister, at the earnest request and judgment of his brethren. His voice was clear and strong, a remarkable one for preaching. He preached in various places for twenty-five years with great acceptance. In 1827 he went to South Richland to live with his children.
Children, the first three born in Pomfret, Conn., or near vicinity, the next three born in Tolland, Conn., and the last thrre born in Winfield, N.Y.:
78. I. John,<6> b. July 5, 1784 ; d. Mar. 2, 1854.
79. II. Roswell, b. Dec. 27, 1785 ; d. Sept. 8, 1840.
III. Roxy, b. Oct. 31, 1787; d. in Winfield, N. Y., Oct. 13, 1853; m. in Winfield, Jan. 3, 1804, David Dewey (a young man of great energy of character who acquired a large property), {p62} b. Feb. 15, 1781 ; d. in Winfield, Mar. 1, 1838. Children, all except the last one, b. in Winfield: 1. James Nelson, b. Apr. 27, 1804 ; d. Sept. 6, 1858 ; m. Feb. 25, 1830, Elvira Richards, b. Nov. 22, 1804, d. Sept. 24, 1858, dau. of Daniel and Sarah (Slosson) Richards. Two ch. : i. Sarah Slosson Dewey, b. June 26, 1831 ; d. Oct. 5, 1858. (It will be noted that father, mother and daughter all died within a few weeks of each other. Cause, typhoid fever.) ii. David Nelson Dewey, b. July 24, 1833; d. in Mass., Aug. 9, 1893. 2. Sarah, b. Jan. 31, 1807; d. Feb. 9, 1809. 3. Olive G., b. Sept. 6, 1809 ; m. Sept. 15, 1829, John L. Dickinson. 4. Clarinda M., b. July 21, 1811 ; m. Wilbur Tillinghast in Oct., 1838. 5. Marcia A., b. Sept. 22, 1813; m. Sept. 26, 1853, Francis Brown. 6. Jezaniah Harrison, b. Sept. 24, 1816; d. June 22, 1835. 7. Polly Maria, b. Feb. 17, 1819; m. Aug. 12, 1851, Samuel Babcock. 8. Charltte E., b. South Richland, Mar. 27, 1824; m. Oct. 7, 1852, Sylvester Wilbur.
IV. - - -, b. Dec.7, 1789; d. sameday.
V. Marcia,+ b. Oct. 30, 1790 ; m. about 1808, Elijah Holmes (74).
80. VI. Horace, b. Sept. 23, 1792.
VII. Olive, b. Feb. 2, 1798; m. Aug. 2, 1810, Hiel Richards, b. at Fonda's Bush, N. Y., Apr. 1, 1790, son of Daniel and Sarah (Slosson) Richards. Children: 1. Mary Ann, Mar. 9, 1817 ; m. Oct. 15, 1839, Sewall Gates. No ch. 2. Dwight D., b. Dec. 13, 1818 ; m. Mar. 20, 1850, Caroline H. Woodbury. 3. Elvira, b, Aug. 11, 1821 ; m. Oct. 13, 1846, William H. H. Ellsworth. 4. Armenia B., b. Sept. 24, 1825; d. Aug. 4, 1832, from the effects of a bite of a mad dog. 5. Daniel, b. Dec. 16, 1831 ; d. about 1901; unm. 6. Levant, b. Jan. 23, 1841 d. Feb. 1, 1882; unm.;
VIII. Minerva (adopted), b. Feb. 16, 1800; m. Dec. 2, 1827, Asa C. Dickinson, and to whom was born the JHon. Don M. Dickinson of Detroit. Perhaps there were other children.
81. IX. Hartley, b. Mar. 7, 1802; d. Nov. 5, 1880.
+ She is called " Martha" in Tolland Town Records.
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