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