The son of Thomas "The Settler" Dewey & his wife Frances, later the wife of George Phelps. Dewey married on 6 Nov 1662 at Northampton, MA to Hepzibah Lyman the daughter of Richard & Hepzibah Ford Lyman. The Deweys located at Northampton, MA about 1663 where Josiah learned the carpenter's trade and became a freeman in 1666. During King Philip's War he was a Sargent of the Guard at Westfield, MA.
He was a Quaker and in his religious discovery he says; "When I was entred into a married state I saw myself now under former ingagemnts of attending heart-searching & hearing Mr. Mather on the hearts hardness assert that there was no plague like unto that, I was affrighted there at & soon after hearing Mr. Eliot (now of Gilford) on a lecture sermon was so awakened as to resolve no longer to delay but to fall to search my own heart. But I found it hard & difficult work to keep my mind to it & sometimes I found that my heart would slip from ye work almost as soon as I was at it. So that I could find little rest."
He seems to have found that rest as he became a Deacon in the church at Westfield. In 1696 he moved to Lebanon, CT where he helped found the town, and where his name appears often in the early records.
He was a Quaker and in his religious discovery he says; "When I was entred into a married state I saw myself now under former ingagemnts of attending heart-searching & hearing Mr. Mather on the hearts hardness assert that there was no plague like unto that, I was affrighted there at & soon after hearing Mr. Eliot (now of Gilford) on a lecture sermon was so awakened as to resolve no longer to delay but to fall to search my own heart. But I found it hard & difficult work to keep my mind to it & sometimes I found that my heart would slip from ye work almost as soon as I was at it. So that I could find little rest."
He seems to have found that rest as he became a Deacon in the church at Westfield. In 1696 he moved to Lebanon, CT where he helped found the town, and where his name appears often in the early records.
The son of Thomas "The Settler" Dewey & his wife Frances, later the wife of George Phelps. Dewey married on 6 Nov 1662 at Northampton, MA to Hepzibah Lyman the daughter of Richard & Hepzibah Ford Lyman. The Deweys located at Northampton, MA about 1663 where Josiah learned the carpenter's trade and became a freeman in 1666. During King Philip's War he was a Sargent of the Guard at Westfield, MA.
He was a Quaker and in his religious discovery he says; "When I was entred into a married state I saw myself now under former ingagemnts of attending heart-searching & hearing Mr. Mather on the hearts hardness assert that there was no plague like unto that, I was affrighted there at & soon after hearing Mr. Eliot (now of Gilford) on a lecture sermon was so awakened as to resolve no longer to delay but to fall to search my own heart. But I found it hard & difficult work to keep my mind to it & sometimes I found that my heart would slip from ye work almost as soon as I was at it. So that I could find little rest."
He seems to have found that rest as he became a Deacon in the church at Westfield. In 1696 he moved to Lebanon, CT where he helped found the town, and where his name appears often in the early records.
He was a Quaker and in his religious discovery he says; "When I was entred into a married state I saw myself now under former ingagemnts of attending heart-searching & hearing Mr. Mather on the hearts hardness assert that there was no plague like unto that, I was affrighted there at & soon after hearing Mr. Eliot (now of Gilford) on a lecture sermon was so awakened as to resolve no longer to delay but to fall to search my own heart. But I found it hard & difficult work to keep my mind to it & sometimes I found that my heart would slip from ye work almost as soon as I was at it. So that I could find little rest."
He seems to have found that rest as he became a Deacon in the church at Westfield. In 1696 he moved to Lebanon, CT where he helped found the town, and where his name appears often in the early records.
Inscription
Here lies the body of Dn Josiah Dewey He was born in Windsor 1640 Long Servd The Church of Christ in Westfield and Ordained Deacon Removed to Lebanon In the Begining where he done much Sarvis for God & Man he lived a Holy & a Religious life & lived to a great Age & he slept in Jesus Septemr 7, 1732 In the 92 year of his age.
