John Dexter (1668-1744) and his wife Sarah Clark

John Dexter was born in August 1668 at Barnstable on Cape Cod, then part of Plymouth Colony and now Barnstable County, the son of William and Sarah (Vincent) Dexter. [Barnstable VR in MD 4:223] I wrote about his parents here.He was a third generation mill owner; mill owners were typically important men in their community and made good livings.

About 1702 John Dexter married Sarah Clark at Rochester, Plymouth County. Sarah was the daughter of John and Sarah (Smith) Clark, born 21 August 1683 at Beverly, Essex County, Massachusetts. She was baptized in Beverly on 18 September 1686. [MA VR, Beverly, 1653-1892, p. 60 records birth and baptism] Her maiden name is also spelled Clarke. Although I have not found a marriage record, Sarah’s first name is revealed in John Dexter’s will and her death record; she is called Sarah Dexter in her father John Clark’s will.

John’s father William Dexter moved from Barnstable to Rochester, but later returned to Barnstable, leaving his sons John, James, Thomas, and Benjamin to run the family mills in Rochester. They lived in the Pine Island section of Rochester that later became Mattapoisett.  William’s daughter Mary also stayed in Rochester, his son Stephen stayed in Barnstable and his son Philip removed to Falmouth. [Warden] The Dexters built a sawmill and gristmill at a what became known as Dexter Dam on a stream on William’s farm. [Leonard]

On 9 May 1694 Stephen Dexter, Phillip Dexter, James Dexter, Thomas Dexter, John Dexter, Benjamin Dexter, and Moses Barlow [William’s son-in-law] mutually agreed “to abide contented & satisfied with ye settlement and disposition of ye Estate of our Honnored Father William Dexter” and they all signed the document. It gave a detailed account of William’s assets including land at Rochester and Scotten (Barnstable), housing at Barnstable, a pair of looms, husbandry tools, cattle, horses, and sheep. James, Thomas and John received the Rochester land, to be divided equally. The housing and land in Barnstable was to be divided between Stephen, Phillip and Benjamin, with the latter also receiving housing and was expected to give “sufficient security” for his mother who was to have use of the dwelling house and the livestock. Moses Barlow and his wife Mary [William’s daughter], were to receive all the bedding and household stuff after their mother’s decease. Benjamin was also to receive the looms and husbandry tools. [MD 23:64 and Barnstable County Probate records volume 1:100-101 at FamilySearch.org]

John was involved in multiple land transactions. He sold land to Samuel Arnold and John Hammond, in 1714 sold land to James Winslow, and in 1716 to Thomas Dexter, presumably his brother. [Warden]

Sarah and John had seven children, births recorded Rochester Vital Records: 

1. Gershom Dexter born 1 January 1703/4 [RVR 1:111]; m 1) Ruth Shrive, daughter of John and Mary (Soule) Shrive,  born 20 July 1715, of Portsmouth RI, married 14 January 1738/9 [Warden]; m 2) Mehitable Bolls 1 October 1755 [RVR 2:111]; had five children with Mehitable born Rochester 1756-1766 which is unusually late in his life [Warden]

2. Hannah Dexter born 6 November 1705 [RVR 1:111]; m James Steward 16 April 1730 [RVR 2:111]

3. Rest Dexter born 25 February 1708/9 [RVR 1:115]; died 17 January 1769 [RVR 2:376]

4. Dinah Dexter born 14 October 1711 [RVR 1:109]; m William Irish 16 November 1742 [RVR 2:109]; died after 1798

5. Fortunatus Dexter b 6 August 1715 [RVR 1:111]; died 5 December 1715 in 1st y. [RVR 2:374]

6. Mary Dexter b 3 August 1719 [RVR 1:114]; m. William Sherman 4 February 1734 [RVR 2:113]

7. John Dexter b. 16 December 1727 [RVR 1:112]; m. Sarah Handy 11 December 1746 in Sandwich [RVR 2:112]. Sarah died 15 October 1809 [Warden]; had 10 children born Rochester 1747-1767

I descend from Dinah whom I wrote about here.

 

So far I have not had much success finding information on John in town records. A John Dexter served as a Selectmen, but exact years not known so I do not sure if it was this John. Leonard did write that John and his brother Benjamin “figured prominently in the early town records.” 

In September 1711 Joseph Benson, John Dexter and Ichabod Burg entered a protest that new teacher Mrs. Jane Masshell “was not as the law directs,” meaning she lacked proper qualifications. 

Money was scarce in New England in 1720, so the state government created a £50,000 program to loan money to towns. In 1721 Rochester voted to act on the town’s part of a loan totaling £365. The sum was divided into 15 parts and townspeople drew lots to see who would receive a portion of the loan—John Dexter was selected. [Leonard]

In his 30 January 1726 will, John Clark of Rochester left his eldest daughter “Sarah Dexter ten pounds to be paid to her or her heirs by my son John Clarke his Heirs &c out of his part of Land.” [Plymouth County Probate Records Probate Records 1724-1731 vol 5-5T image 184 available on familysearch.org]

John Dexter wrote his will on 9 June 1744. [Massachusetts State Archives vol 9-9M, image 189, available on familysearch.org] He left the following bequests:

• Dearly beloved wife Sarah, “the whole improvement and income of my whole estate, both within doors and without, so long as she shall be my widow, and in case of her intermarriage to have her thirds of the income of my lands for one year, and this bequest not to hinder her and her son Gershom agreeing for her maintenance if they can agree otherwise.”
• “I give all my real estate, consisting of house and lands, to my sons, Gershom and John, to be equally divided between them after my wife shall have done with it, and it is to be to them and their heirs forever.” If either decide to sell they are to offer the land to their brother.  “And this I give them on condition that they shall pay out the legacies that I order them to pay to their sisters.”
• “I give to my daughter Mary fifteen acres of land out of my grants, to be hers forever, taken up as the grants will allow of.”
• I give to my three daughters, Hannah, Dinah and Mary, £5 each, to be paid in bills or movables within one year.
• I give to my daughter Rest £20 in bills of good credit, old tenor, and a liberty in my dwelling-house during her single life, with firewood and such conveniences for her as she and her mother may order.”

Son Gershom was named executor. John Dexter signed his will

John Dexter died at Rochester on 31 July 1744 in his 77th year. [Rochester VR 2:375] Note he was actually 75 years old.

The inventory of John Dexter of Rochester was taken 14 August 1744. [Massachusetts State Archives vol 9-9M, image 204] It was not totaled and did not itemize land but listed it as “Housing & Land & quarter of a saw mill” worth £1,100. It also included books, an old gun, sheeps wool, sole leather, 500 foot of “Refuge board,” 19 sheep, oxen, two cows, four young cattle, nine swine. It was taken by Jabez Hiller, Stephen Wing and Silas Briggs who swore to the inventory on 17 December 1744. Gershom Dexter made oath to the inventory on 19 December 1744. 

Sarah Dexter, widow of John, died 21 January 1755 at Rochester. [RVR 2:376]

Sources:

William A. Warden, Genealogy of the Dexter Family in America; Descendants of Thomas Dexter Together with the Record of Other Allied Families, 1905

Mary Hall Leonard, History of Mattapoisett and Old Rochester, 1907

Mark Snow (1628 to 1694) and his wives Anne Cooke and Jane Prence of Plymouth and Eastham, Massachusetts

Mark Snow was born 9 May 1628 at Plymouth, Massachusetts, the son of Nicholas and Constance (Hopkins) Snow. [Eastham/Orleans Vital Records p 65] Constance was a Mayflower passenger, as was her father Stephen Hopkins. I wrote about Mark's parents here.As a teenager he moved with his parents to the new settlement of Eastham on Cape Cod, then part of Plymouth Colony. They lived in the part of Eastham that would later become Orleans.

Mark Snow married, first, Anne Cooke at Eastham on 18 January 1654. [Eastham/Orleans VR p 65] She died Eastham 24 or 25 July 1656. [Eastham/Orleans VR p 65] She was the daughter of Josiah and Elizabeth (Ring) (Deane) Cooke.
Anne and Mark had one child:

1. Anna b 7 July 1656  [Eastham/Orelans VR p 65]; m Eldad Atwood 14 Feb 1683/4 at Eastham and had a large family; died before 7 July 1714 when administration of the estate of Anna and Eldad was granted to their son John Atwood; the 22 September 1673 will of Josiah Cooke Sr. mentions grandchild Anna Snow.

Mark Snow married, second, Jane Prence at Plymouth on 9 January 1660/61. [Eastham/Orleans VR p 65a] Jane was born 1 November 1637 at Duxbury, Massachusetts, the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Collier) Prence. [Mayflower Descendant 6:230] Thomas Prence served many important roles in Plymouth Colony including Governor. I wrote about Thomas Prence here.Mark and Mary are my 9th great-grandparents on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’s side of the family.

Jane and Mark had eight children born Eastham [births recorded Eastham/Orleans VR p 65 as children of Mark Snow; marriages from Austin]:

2. Mary b 30 November 1661; married William Nickerson 22 January 1690/91 and had a large family; died between 1718-1721 [Austin]

3. Nicholas b 6 December 1663; m Lydia Shaw 4 April 1689 and had a large family; lived at Harwich and then Rochester; died between 1751-1754

4. Elizabeth b 9 May 1666; d Eastham 18 January 1675/6 [Eastham Orleans VR p 65]

5. Thomas b. 6 August 1668; m 1) Hannah Sears 8 February 1692/3; m 2) 2nd 30 Sept 1706 Lydia (Sears) Hamlin; had children by both wives; d. after 1 May 1737 when son was still called “Jr” in records 

6. Sarah b. 10 May 1671; mentioned in mother’s 1703 will; no further record

7. Prence/Prince b. 22 May 1674; married Hannah Storrs about 1698 and had a large family; died 7 July 1742

8 Elizabeth b 22 June 1676; d Eastham 22 March 1677/8 [Eastham/Orleans VR p 65a]

9. Hannah b 16 Sept 1679; not mentioned in mother’s 1703 will so likely died before then

I find it interesting that Jane and Mark had eight children, as did most of their children who married. I descend from Nicholas.

Mark Snow was on the 1643 list of men able to bear arms at Plymouth [NEHGR 4:256] and admitted a freeman at Eastham on 3 June 1657. As a member of one of Eastham’s founding families, it is not surprising Mark Snow was active in town government: [Austin, Pratt, Hawes]

• Selectman for 18 years
• Deputy to Plymouth Court for 6 years
• Constable
• Highway Surveyor
• Member of Town Council
• Town Clerk beginning in 1663 for 14 years, succeeding his father
• Captain of Eastham's Military Company in 1658
• Served on the Council of War
• Served on several juries and grand juries

In 1677 Mary Ingham of Scituate was tried for witchcraft, accused of causing Mehitable Woodworth to fall into violent fits and suffer great pains. Mark Snow was on the jury that found her not guilty. On the same day he was on the jury that tried three Indians, Timothy Jacked (alias Canjuncke), Nassamaquat and Pompacanshe, who were indicted for murdering John Knowles, John Tisdall Sr and Samuel Atkins. The first two were found “very suspicious of the murder charged on them” and the third “wee find nothing against him.”  The Indians were sent out of the country, including Atkins because he was a prisoner taken in war. [Records of New Plymouth 5:223-24]

He has been called “a man of large usefulness and influence.” [Alden] Mark often witnessed wills and took inventories. [See Plym Col Records 4: 176; 5:57, 92, 113, 144, 164, 195, 230, 257; 6:10, 35, 59, 84, 108, 129, 168, 186, 207, 242] 

Governor Thomas Prence, in his 13 March 1672/3 will, bequeathed to his daughter Jane, wife of Mark Snow, his silver tankard, and in a 28 March 1673 codicil left her a bed. She also was to receive 1/8 residue of his estate. [PCPR 3:1:58-9]

Mark received Harwich land, called Giles’ Great Lott, at his father's death in 1676, called Giles' "Great lott." [Paine]

On 25 February 1678 he and four others relinquished land on west side of Stoney Brook, Harwich, because of border disputes with Yarmouth. One of the agents that determined the East boundary line in 1682. [Austin]

He is named in his father Nicholas Snow's 14 November 1676 will, receiving land at Namskekitt where his house now stands and marsh and meadow and two-thirds of Giles’ Great Lot. To split the cattle and moveables upon his mother's death amongst all siblings. [Anderson]

Mark Snow, along with his mother Constant and brother John, were named administrators of his father Nicholas Snow’s estate on 6 March 1676/7. His father left him 20 acres of land at Namskaket (Orleans) where Nicholas’ house stood, two acres of meadow and all his broken marsh there, two-thirds of Giles’ Great Lott at Satucket (Brewster) lying next to the Indians’ ground. After Constant’s death, all of the children were to equally divide the farm animals and household items. [Plym Col Recs 5:220] [Hawes]

He died between 23 November 1694 (date of his will) and 9 January 1694/5 (date of inventory) at Eastham, so possibly in December 1694. He was 66 years old. He is probably buried at Cove Burying Ground in Orleans without a surviving stone.

Mark Snow of Eastham wrote his will on 23 November 1694; proved 16 January 1694/5. [Barnstable County Probate Records, 1:111] He remembered his sons Nicholas, Thomas and Prence, wife Jane (named sole executor), and grandchild Jonathan Snow. 

Bequests were as follows:

• To "my Son Nicolas a parcel of Land where his house Stands computed at twenty and Six Acres according to bounds Sett down in ye purchasers Book of Records with two acres of meadow Lying at ye head of Nameskekit according to Record as aforesd" also "one half of my Lott of Land Lying at Satuckitt between Jonathan Banges and ye Indian Bounds" also "one half of a parcel of meadow Lying in ye Township of yarmouth in a place Calleds blue meadow on ye South Side of ye Bass River"
• To "my Son Thomas Snow ye other half of my Lott where his house Stands on that Side next ye Indian Rainge and ye one half of my meadow in yarmouth in ye before Specified meadow "
• To "my Son Prince Snow after my wifes decease or widowhood my now dweling house and all ye Lands Adjoyning and fifteen acres of Land above ye Comon Roade according to bounds Specified in ye Record afore Sd" also "three Acres of meadow that Lyies below my now dwelling house according to Bounds Set down in ye before Specified Book of Records
• To "my Son Thomas Snow an Acre of Land at ye northernmost end of my Lott in ye old fields Comonly So Called and another Small division of Land Estimated at three quarters of an acre Lying in ye before Specified old fields at Satuckett between Ensign Bangs and Thomas Freeman 
• To "my Son Prince Snow ye Remainder of my Lott of Land in ye before Specified Indian fields after my wifes decease"
• To "my Sons Nicholas and Thomas my Lott of Land Containing three acres of Land according to Record Lying between John Freemans pasture and ye Common Road
• To "my Son Prince after my wifes decease an acre and an half of meadow Lying between James Cole and Stephen Hopkins in Nameskeket meadow according to bounds Specified in ye before Specified Records:"
• "All my Lands that Lye undevided after my wifes decease I give and bequeath to my three Sons Nicholas Thomas and Prince to be equally divided between them"
• To "my Loving wife Jane Snow all my whole personal Estate After my debts and Funeral Charges are paid
• To "my Son Prince Snow my muskit and Catusbox and Cutlas and one pistol"
• To "my Son Thomas Snow my Back Sword and one pistol :"
• To "my grand child Jonathan Snow my Carbine”

The witnesses were Samuel Knowles, Thomas Crosby, Jr., and Jonathan Sparrow. They made oath to the will on 16 January 1694/5, before Barnabas Lothrop, Judge of Probate. The will was recorded 9 April 1695.

On 9 January, 1694/5, Jonathan Bangs and Israel Cole took the inventory of Mark Snow’s estate. [Barnstable County Probate Record 1:111-112] It is lengthy but is not totaled. The copy on FamilySearch.org is faint in spots so all of these numbers may not be accurate. Real estate: "house and Land" £30; "four acres of Land" £4, 10s; "fifteen acres of Land" £6; "nine acres of Land" £8; ”twenty Six acres of Land" £11, 14s; "two acres meadow" £3; "thirty Acres of Land" £15; "four acres meadow" £4; "four acres and three quarters Land" £4, 10s. Livestock: two steers, three cows, two calves, one mare, one colt, and nine sheep. Various household items such as earthenware, pewter, looking glasses, and glass bottles. There are also carpenter’s tools, one Bible and other books, as well as Indian corn and rye. 

On 16 January, 1694/5, Jane Snow made oath to this inventory "of her husband Mark Snow deceased" before Barnabas Lothrop, Judge of Probate. The inventory was recorded on 10 April 1695. [BCPR 1:112]

His widow Jane Snow left Eastham as she was admitted to the church at Brewster in April 1701. [Austin]

Jane Snow of Harwich, widow, in her will of 21 Dec 1703, mentioned sons Nicholas, Thomas, and Prince, Anne Attwood, grandchild Jane Nickerson, grandchild Jane Snow, and my two” daughters Mary and Sarah. She named “Brother” Jonathan Sparrow as executor, he being married to her half-sister Hannah (Prence) Mayo. The executor’s account called her Jane Snow of Eastham and mentioned providing lodging for her from 26 October to end of May following. The will proved 2 July 1712. Inventory taken 28 June 1712.

Jane Snow “widow of Herwich” made her will on 21 December 1703 and left the following bequests: [BCPR 3:271] 

• To "my son Nicholas Snow my bason and your [sic: ewer] & a small brass kittle and one spit"
• To "my son Thomas Snow one Copper kittle"
• To "my son Prince Snow my Great Iron Kittle"
• All the children were to equally divided her cattle
• "I Give to to Anne Attwood a puter Wine Cup & a Dram Cup & a sucking bottle” [Anna is her step-daughter]
• "I Give my Cabinet unto my Grandchild Jane Nickerson” [daughter of Mary]
• "I Give my Little Trunk unto my Grandchild Jane Snow"
• "my will is that ye Rest of my movable Estate be eaquielly Divided betwixt my Two Daughters Mary and Sarah"
• "my will is that Debts and Funerall Charges be paid out of my stock of Cattle”

She named her son Nicholas Snow and brother [in-law] Jonat[han] Sparrow executors. The will was signed by the initials "J S" as her mark. The witnesses were Marcy Sparrow and Martha Cobb. 

I have not found a record of Jane’s death, but she died in Harwich at the end of May 1712, as an estate account by her son Nicholas states he was caring for her in his home there from October [1711] to the end of May [1712]. She still owned her home in Eastham—that is where the inventory took place. She was 74 years old.

On 2 July 1712, "Mercy Sparrow and Martha Late Martha Cob and Now Martha Knowles" made oath to Jane Snow’s will, and administration was granted to "Nicholas Snow Sone of ye Deceased one of ye Executors In ye Same Will Named (the other being Deceased).”

The inventory "of Jane Snow Widow Relict of Mark Snow of Harwich Deceased aprised at Eastham" on 28 June, 1712, by Nathaniel Freeman and Richard Godfree, "being appointed thereto by ye Executor.” No real estate is mentioned as her Mark Snow distributed that in his will, but there are various household items including one bedstead made with turned and carved work, a churn, spinning wheel, a looking glass, and one Bible and other books. Livestock included five sheep, one lamb, one swine, and one cow.  [BCPR 1:261-275]

On 2 July 1712, Nicholas Snow, executor of the will "of Jane Snow his Mother Late of Harwich Deceased" made oath to the inventory. On 23 September, 1712, an addition was made in an undated "accompt of Nicholas Snow Execuir of all and singuler ye Goods and Chattels of Mrs Jane Snow of Eastham his mother Deceased”: "House Room and providing firewood and Tendance for sd Deceased from ye 26th of october to ye Latter End of May following" £2; "Removing her houshold stuff and Goods from her own house to ye Sd Executors" £1; "Procuring a nurse in time of sickness & other Trouble" £3; "Plums shuger bisket Rum & other Distiled Lickurs used In her sickness" 7s., 6d. "Prince Snow In part of pay for a Cow" £1, 8s., 7d. This is interesting as it shows Jane died at the end of May, that she was living with her son Nicholas, that she had been ill and required a nurse, and that she was treated with plums and distilled liquor. 

I’m continually struck by how intertwined these early Plymouth and Cape families were. I also descend from Josiah Cooke, Thomas Prence and his first wife Patience Brewster who was the daughter of Mayflower passenger and church elder William Brewster, as well as Mary Collier’s sisters Sarah, Elizabeth, and Ruth. 

Sources:

John D. Austin, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations Volume 6: Stephen Hopkins, GSMD, 1995

Enoch Pratt, A Comprehensive History, Ecclesiastical and Civil, of Eastham, Wellfleet, and Orleans, County of Barnstable, Mass., from 1644-1844, 1844

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 1995

James W. Hawes, Library of Cape Cod History & Genealogy, No. 34 “Nicholas 1 Snow of Eastham and Some of His Descendants," 1916

Eastham/Orleans Vital Records, “Births, Marriages, Deaths, Land Grants 1649-1722,” available on FamilySearch.org 

Simeon Deyo, History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1890

Mrs. M.L.T. Alden, NEHGS Register, “The Snow Genealogy,” 47:83-86 (Jan. 1893)

Josiah Paine, History of Harwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1800, 1937

Luke Tobey (baptized 2 July 1727; died 1775) of Scituate and Rochester, Mass., and His Wife Anne Swift

Luke Tobey was baptized at Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts on 2 July 1727, son Thomas and Mary (Damon) Tobey. [Second Church Scituate Records, later the Unitarian Church of Norwell, p 373] His last name is also spelled Toby. He is my 7th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

On 30 August 1750 Luke Tobey married Anne Swift at Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. [Rochester VR 2:306 citing First Congregational Church Records, Rochester] Marriage Intentions Luke Toby & Anne Swift both of Rochester Entered & published at Rochester August 11th 1750. Saml Wing  Clerk. [Massachusetts Vital Records 1646-1800, Rochester, p 23]

Evidence points to Anne being the daughter of William Swift and his first wife Keziah Rider, born 18 January 1733/4 at Sandwich on Cape Cod. [Sandwich VR 1:118] Anne (Swift) Tobey named a daughter Keziah, not an especially common name, and a son William; she is the only Anne Swift I have found in records to be of the right age; many people from Sandwich settled in Rochester; no other marriage or early death records found for an Anne Swift of Sandwich. She was only 16 years old at her marriage, but that’s not unheard of, especially since her father had died in 1748, leaving his second wife and four minor children, two being step-daughters. William Swift was a descendant of Mayflower passenger Richard Warren. 

Luke Tobey of Rochester served in the French and Indian Wars in Col. Doty’s Regiment, 1758-60. His regiment went to Canada. [Leonard] Luke Toby is recorded as a private, serving 3/26/48-4/23/49, total of 36 weeks 2 days of service, in Capt. George Berry’s company. [Massachusetts Soldiers in the French and Indian Wars, 1744-55, p 445]  This date range was before the actual war broke out, but from my limited knowledge the term “French and Indian Wars” encompassed earlier conflicts including King George’s War.

Luke and Anne had ten children, all born Rochester. [Rochester Vital Records 1:294-5 citing baptisms recorded at the Second Church of Rochester, later Mattapoisett] The mother’s name of Abigail for the first three children must be an error as Luke married Anne in 1750 and he was the only Luke Tobey in town. I have only seen transcriptions and not the actual church register to look more closely at her name. 

1. Keziah Tobey baptized 10 April 1754, daughter Luke and Abigail; married Ephraim Dexter 29 Dec 1771; died Mattapoisett 24 Oct 1807.

2. Thomas Tobey baptized 10 April 1754, son Luke and Abigail; married 1) Betty Norton 17 October 1776 (Rochester VR 2:305], 2) Abigail Smith intentions 19 February 1780. Not sure if this is also him but seems likely: Deacon Thomas Tobey of New Bedford married Kezia Lincoln October 1794, Marcy Pope 1801, Hetty Willis 1814 [Rochester VR 2:305]. Deacon Thomas Tobey died 2 May 1831 age 78.

3. William Tobey baptized 10 April 1754, son Luke and Abigail.

4. Luke Tobey baptized 9 May 1756, son Luke and Anne Tobey.

5. John Tobey baptized 11 Oct 1758, son Luke and Ann. 

6. Elisha Tobey, baptized 26 November 1760, son Luke and Anne.

7. William Tobey, son Luke and Anne, baptized 18 Sept 1763. 

8. Mary Tobey, daughter Luke and Anne baptized 14 February 1768; Polly Tobey (intentions: Mary) married Reuben Dexter February 1796 [Rochester VR 2:305]. 

9. Elizabeth Tobey, baptized 1 Aug 1773, daughter Luke and Anna; married Shubael Weeks, intentions 20 March 1798 [Rochester VR 2:305].

10. Anne Tobey, baptized 11 May 1786, daughter Luke and Anne. Anne must have been born years earlier as her father died in 1775. 

I descend from Keziah. I wrote about Keziah and Ephraim Dexter here.

On 29 January 1772, Luke Tobey and his wife Ann Tobey listed as members of the Second Church in Rochester, Mattapoisett Precinct, when Mr. LeBaron was ordained. [Leonard]

Luke Tobey died at Rochester after 29 January 1772, when he is a listed member of the Second Church, and before 29 December 1775, when an inventory of his estate was taken. Mostly likely he died in 1775. If he was baptized as an infant, he was about 48 years old. 

Luke died intestate and his estate was declared insolvent. He is called yeoman, late of Rochester.  Samuel Jenney was administrator of the estate. [Plymouth County Probate Records 1775-1780, vol 24-25, page 233-234]

The inventory of his estate was taken 29 December 1775 by Moses Barlow, Nathaniel Hammond and Benjamin Dexter Jr. Unfortunately it is not itemized and lists only general categories.

An inventory of the Estate of Mr Luke Toby late of Rochester deceased

His wearing apparel £2 3 6

His movables indoors & out and household furniture etc 9 19 6

His Real Estate 23 6 8

Sum Total £35 9 2

These are to certify that at the request of the widow of the above sd Toby deceased we have taken the above inventory of all the estate the sd Toby died seized of as set forth to us by the sd widow according to our best skill and judgement.

On 30 December 1775 Moses Barlow & Benjamin Dexter Jr made oath to the inventory. On 4 March 1776 the estate of Luke Toby was declared insolvent. 

March 4 AD 1776, Plymouth to the Honorable William Sever Esqr Judge of the Probate of Wills &c Humbly therewith Samll Genney of Rochester in said County yeoman Admr on the Estate of Luke Toby late of said Rochester Deceased that your petitioner apprehend said Estate is insolvent wherefore he prays that such proceeding may be had thereon as the law requires.

A 13 February 1777 examination by Joshua Snow and Nathaniel Hammond presented of the claims of creditors against the estate of Luke Toby was sworn to at court on 3 March 1777: 

The sd Estate indebted to Elnathan Eldridge by Note 6 2 6

To Zacheus Toby by note & interest 1 2 6

To Nathaniel Jenne of Dartmouth note & interest 1 16 6

To Dominicus[?] Hovey note & interest 1 6 7

To Gideon Besto note & interest 1 6 4

To Ezra Stetson by note & interest 1 9 4

Thos Toby’s Acct 6 3 4

Solomon Young’s Acct 1 1 2

Joseph Connon’s Acct 1 1 1

To Benjn Blossom’s Acct 1 3 4

To the estate of Samll Wing, late of Rochester 1 5 10

To Doct Perry’s Bill 3 6 6

Total £24 4 1

That Dr. Perry is owed a considerable amount of money indicates that Luke had been ill, likely for some length of time. If Luke was unable to work due to a lengthy illness, that may have contributed to his bleak financial situation. 

I have not found Anne’s death record but she did outlive her husband as she is mentioned, not by name but as “widow,” in Luke’s estate inventory. She may have married, second Samuel Jenney: Anna Tobey married Samuel Jenne[y] intentions 6 January 1776. [Rochester VR 2:305] No Rochester death record found for Anna Jenney.

Anna "Jenne" signature

Anne is the only Anne/Anna in Rochester records at this time, other than her daughter who was just a child. Samuel Jenney must have been a relation or close family friend as he was administrator of Luke Tobey’s estate. 

A Samuel Jenney died Rochester 1778. He was a mariner who wrote his will 19 May 1777. He mentions wife Anne/Anna, sons Nathaniel, Ignatious, Benjamin, Lettes, and daughter Anne. I don’t see any mention of step-children. His son-in-law Timothy Snow (husband of Anne) was executor who made oath to the estate inventory 7 Sept 1778. [Plymouth County Probate file 11448] 

A possible third marriage for Anne: Anna Jenney married Benjamin Hammond 1 September 1784. [RVR 2:191] I don’t find a Rochester death record for Anne/Anna Hammond.

Sources:

Wilford J. Litchfield, Scituate Massachusetts Second Church Records (in Abstract) 1645-1850, reprinted from the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 1909

Mary Hall Leonard, History of Mattapoisett and Old Rochester, 1907

Rufus Babcock Tobey and Charles Henry Pope, Tobey (Tobie, Toby) Genealogy: Thomas of Sandwich, James of Kittery, and Their Descendants, 1905