Joseph Wickham (1757 - 1833)

Born 19 Dec 1757 in Deptford, Kent, England

Husband of Martha D. Brock — married about 1777 in Vermont, United States

Husband of Fanny Miller — married 3 Apr 1814 in Washington County, Ohio, United States

Descendants

Died 3 May 1833 at age 75 in Rome Township, Athens, Ohio, United States

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Biography

Joseph Wickham served with Rhode Island Militia during the American Revolution.

Joseph Wickham is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A125751.

Joseph Wickham was born in Deptford, Kent, England.

Joseph Wickham was born on 10 Dec 1757 in Deptford, Kent, England to parents John Witchingham and Hannah Wainwright. He was christened on 11 Dec 1757 in Deptford, Kent, England.^[1]

He arrived in America serving in the British Navy arriving in New York City in 1776 on the warship, HMS Bedford. After serving in the British Army under Admiral Howe in Rhode Island. He deserted there on 8 Dec 1776 in Newport, Rhode Island and joined the Continental Army. He changed his name to Joseph Whitmore.

He married firstly Martha Brock about 1783 in Vermont.

Children: Sarah, Hannah, John, Frances, Mary.

They moved to Rome, Athens, Ohio in 1805.

After Martha died in 1814 he married Fanny Miller on 3 Apr 1814 in Marietta, Washington, Ohio.^[2]

Children: Clarinda, Joseph.

In 1820 he was living in Roe, Athens, Ohio.^[3]

He died on 3 May 1833 in Rome, Athens, Ohio.^[4]

He was a native of England, and serving on an English vessel when the Revolutionary War broke out. He deserted, joined the American army, and served till the close of hostilities. After the war he lived for a time in Vermont. Having married there he set out, in the winter of 1804, for the new state of Ohio, but the roads getting very bad he disposed of his horses and wagon, bought a yoke of cattle and a sled, and came on to "Olean point." Here he procured a white pine raft, and floated down to the mouth of Hockhocking, and thence came up that river to Rome township, where he lived till his death, May 3, 1833, aged seventy-four years.

Joseph Wickham left a will dated 8/13/1822 where he left to his son, Joseph Wickham Jr. (this would be a son of Joseph's second wife, Fanny) the farm; he also names daughters Hannah Darrough and Fanny Rice and left the residue to his beloved wife Fanny Wickham and her daughter Clarinda. It is not clear if Clarinda was Joseph's daughter or was Fanny's from a first marriage, since the will does not state a surname for Clarinda. The codicil names daughters Sally Munn and Polly Whaley to receive $1.00 each. Witnesses were William Hatch and Lydia Hatch.

Joseph was originally buried on the Morrison farm but when the railroad was being built his remains were moved to Broadwell/Spruce Run cemetery in an unmarked grave.

DAR Registry

The DAR registry gives him an ancestor number of A125751, but also that any documentation must prove service Notice: FUTURE APPLICANTS MUST PROVE CORRECT SERVICE 1) NATIVE OF ENGLAND- DESERTED TO COLONIES. 2) FAMPCS- PLACE OF SERVICE & TIME- ONLY REFERENCE ON ORIGINAL PAPER WAS AN 1869 COUNTY HISTORY. NOTHING YET HAS BEEN FOUND TO CONFIRM THE ALLEGED SERVICE. 5) #614779 ATTRIBUTES STATEMENT IN 1869,ATHENS CO,OHIO HIST TO THIS MAN'S SON. SERVICE AS GIVEN ON #614779 IS NOT IN ATHENS CO,OHIO 1869 HISTORY 7) THE STATEMENT GIVEN THEREIN IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AS PROOF OF SERVICE PER MRS HAMM,REGISTRAR GEN. HFK 4-9-86.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NLRG-BXJ : 10 April 2021), Joseph Witchingham, 1757.
2. ↑ "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8LJ-X26 : 29 September 2021), Joseph Wickingham and Fanny Miller, 1814.
3. ↑ "1820 Athens County, Ohio Census" transcribed from microfilm by J. Whiteman, 1990. ( book located at the State Library of Ohio, Columbus Ohio.)

   Wickham, Joseph - Males: two males under 10, one male 45 and over; females: two under 10, one 45 and over. Also, John Wickham: two males under 10, one male 26-45; one female under 10, one female 16-26

4. ↑ Jim Tipton, Find a Grave, digital images (www.findagrave.com  : accessed 14 Jul 2012), Joseph Wickham; Buried in Pioneer Cemetery at Mouth of Federal Creek, Rome Township, Athens County, Ohio. This account is from The Official Roster of the Soldiers of the American Revolution buried in Ohio, page 398. His son John is buried in Broadwell Cemetery in Ohio. Find A Grave: Memorial #76199696

See also:

• Frank D. Henderson, Ohio Adjutant General's Dept, "The Official Roster of the Soldiers of the American Revolution buried in Ohio,," database ( accessed 14 Jul 2012), Joseph Wickham - Page 398; References Walkers History of Athens County, Page 508 & History of Hocking Valley Page 647
• Elijah Hatch, Jr., "The Elijah Hatch Journal " (MS, Athens County, Ohio, 1793-1847); digital images, John Culp, "The Elijah Hatch Journal,"  (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kinfolktrackin/elijahhatch.html : accessed 1 Dec 2010).
• Biography with Sources