Joseph Kent Jr. (1693 - 1771)

Born 9 Aug 1693 in Swansea, Bristol, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Bethiah (Thurston) Kent — married 7 Dec 1721 in Rehoboth, Bristol, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 7 Dec 1771 at age 78 in Stafford, Hartford, Connecticut Colony

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Mayflower Project WikiTree [send private message], Linda Rodger [send private message], and Dawn Nott [send private message]

Joseph Kent Jr. was related to a passenger on the Mayflower. Join: Mayflower Project Discuss: mayflower

Biography

Joseph Kent was born on 09 August 1693 in Swansea, Bristol, Province of Massachusetts Bay, the eldest son of Joseph and Dorothy (Brown) Kent.^[1][2]

He married, as Joseph Kent "Jr", Bethia Thurston on 07 December 1721 at Rehoboth, both being residents of Rehoboth. Intentions had been published on 28 October 1721.^[3] She was born on 29 May 1695 in Medfield, (then) Suffolk, Province of Massachusetts Bay, the daughter of John and Hannah (Cary) "Thurstun." ^[4] She was named among the children of John Thurston in his will dated 22 November 1711.^[2][5]

On 24 March 1723, Joseph and his wife joined the Newman Congregational Church in Rehoboth and were dismissed to the church in Stafford, Connecticut, on 07 May 1745.^[6]

He was named with his step-mother Mary and his siblings in his father, Joseph Kent's will made on 12 March 1734/5, proved 15 April 1735.^[7]

Joseph died on 07 December 1771 in Stafford, Connecticut.^[8]

The children of Joseph and Bethia (Thurston) Kent were recorded in Rehoboth:^[9][2][10]

1. Joseph Kent, b. 20 Dec 1722, bp. 21/31 Mar 1723; d. 12 Nov 1735 in 13th yr.
2. Samuel Kent, b. 17 Jan 1724/5, bp. 14 Mar 1724/5; m. Hannah Carpenter.
3. Joshua Kent, b. 09 Mar 1727/8, bp. 5 May 1728; mar. (1) Sarah Cross, poss. (2) Elizabeth Lindsey.
4. Bethiah Kent, b. 18 Jun 1730, bp. 02 Aug 1730; d. 16 Aug 1736.
5. Jabez Kent, b. 20 Apr 1732, bp. (as Joseph) 14 May 1732; mar. Sarah Johnson.
6. Nathan Kent, b. 03 May 1734, bp. 05 May 1734.
7. Joseph Kent, b. 12 Jul 1737; d. 19 Sep 1756 Stafford.
8. Benjamin Kent, b. 16 Sep 1739, bp. 18 Nov 1739; mar. Mehitable Johnson.
9. Bethiah Kent, b. 09 Jan 1742, bp. 16 Jan 1743; mar. Nathaniel Parsons.

Land records

• March 1735/6, Joseph along with Hezekiah Kent and James Kent, all yeomen of Rehoboth, sold to their brother John Kent of Rehoboth 4 acres of an undivided 5-acre lot as heirs of Joseph Kent, deceased. This was land from their father's estate.^[11]
• October 1744, Joseph sold to his brother Hezekiah 3 1/2 acres in Rehoboth and 1/2 of 4 acres of salt meadow in Barrington held in partnership with Hezekiah. Wife Bethia released her dower rights.^[12]
• November 1761, Joseph "of Stafford" gave his eldest son Samuel 25 acres; gave son Joshua land in Stafford.^[13]
• April 1765, Joseph gave son Jabez 90 acres with homelot and buildings; gave son Benjamin 78 acres.^[13]
• March 1770, Jabez Kent of Stafford sold to Benjamin Kent of Stafford 7 acres; witnessed by Bethiah Kent.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). Rounds, Peter, Vital Records of Swansea, Massachusetts to 1850, (Boston : NEHGS, 1992) page 11. (Link via $ubscription.)

   "Joseph ye son of Joseph Kent Ju: and of Dorithy his wife was borne ye August 9th :1693."

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Lainhart, Ann Smith; Robert S. Wakefield, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, John Howland, Vol. 23, part one, (Plymouth, Mass : GSMD, 2006), pages 19, 76-77.
3. ↑ Arnold, James Newell, Vital record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896... (2 vols.) (Providence, R.I. : Narragansett Historical Publishing Co., 1897) Vol. 1:216.

   "Kent, Joseph, Jr., and Bethiah Thurston, both of Rehoboth, Dec. 7, 1721. Int. Oct. 28, 1721."

4. ↑ NEHGS, compiler, Vital Records of Medfield, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: NEHGS, 1903) page 97.
5. ↑ Bristol County Probate Records, John Thurston, Rehoboth 1712 (Will not found; Administration and Inventory only.)
6. ↑ Arnold, James Newell, Vital record of Rhode Island : 1636-1850 : first series : births, marriages and deaths : a family register for the people (Providence, R.I. : Narragansett Historical Pub. Co., 1897) Vol. 9:475
7. ↑ Bristol County Probate Records, Joseph Kent, Rehoboth, 1735, will.
8. ↑ Lainhart,Mayflower Families Vol. 23, part one, p. 76-77, citing Stafford Land Records, Vol. 4:526-7.
9. ↑ Arnold, Rehoboth VR, Vol. 2:659 (births), 843 (deaths).
10. ↑ Briggs, L. Vernon, Genealogies of the Different Families Bearing the Name of Kent in the United States... (Boston : Rockwell & Churchill Press, 1898), pages 117, 119-20. (Incorrectly states they removed to Stratford, Vermont.)
11. ↑ "Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986," images, FamilySearch (22 May 2014), Bristol > Deeds 1735-1742 vol 25-26 > image 310 of 554; county courthouses and offices, Massachusetts. Bristol Co LR 26:105 (Joseph Kent, et al.)
12. ↑ "Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986," images, FamilySearch (22 May 2014), Bristol > Deeds 1744-1748 vol 34-35 > image 201 of 673; county courthouses and offices, Massachusetts. Bristol County Land Records, Vol. 34:384 (Joseph Kent)
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} Lainhart,Mayflower Families Vol. 23, part one, p. 76-77, citing Stafford Land Records, Vol. 3:431-2, 526-7 (Joseph Kent); 4:85 (Jabez Kent).

See also:

• Thurston, Brown, Thurston Genealogies. (Portland, Me.: B. Thurston, 1892), p. 362.
• Boyer, Carl, Bristol Browns : Brown families of Bristol counties Massachusetts and Rhode Island, (Newhall, California : [Carl Boyer] 1973), p. 21, Dorothy (Brown) Kent].

Mayflower Project Checklist Complete Jan 2023