Ephraim Dexter (1741-1823) and His Wife Keziah Tobey of Rochester/Mattapoisett, Massachusetts

Ephraim Dexter was born Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts on 31 December 1741, the son of Ephraim and Martha (Clark) Dexter. [Rochester VR 1:110] He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. I wrote about Ephraim's parents here.

On 29 December 1771 Ephraim Dexter Jr married Kezia Tobey both of Rochester. [Rochester VR 1:110; Records of the First Church Rochester, 1737-1797, p 176]

Keziah was baptized 10 April 1754 at Rochester, the daughter of Luke and Anne (Swift) Tobey. [Rochester VR 1:294] Warden has her maiden name as Sober which is an error—original record does read Tobey. They were married by Revd Jonathan Moore; recorded by Town Clerk David Wing. [ancestry.com, “Rochester Town Records and Earmarks, with Births, Marriages, and Deaths”]

Keziah’s first name is also spelled as Kezia and Kesiah. They are my 6th great-grandparents on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.

Keziah and Ephraim had eleven children, born Rochester [Warden, Beers]:

1. Martha b 28 Sept 1772 [calculated from age at death]; m Prince Snow 1794 [Rochester VR 2:113]; d 29 Jan 1852 at Rochester, age 79 [MA VR 67:273]
2. Anna b 6 Jan 1774 [calculated from age at death]; m James Snow 1795 [intentions 6 Dec, Rochester VR 2:108]; d 18 Aug 1860 at Mattapoisett, age 86 [MA VR 139:308]
3. Keziah b 5 October 1775 [from grave record]; m Ebenezer Holmes in November 1805 [Rochester VR 2:112]; d 2 June 1835 at Rochester, age 57 years [Rochester VR 2:399]
4. Luke b 16 Nov 1777 [from grave record]; m September 1802 Joanna Pierce [Rochester VR 2:112]; Warden has his death as 9 November 1856 but vital records have as 2 May 1856 at Rochester but lists his father as Luke Dexter [MA VR 103:223]; he was about age 78
5. Ephraim b 28 April 1779; married 1) 22 Oct 1802 (intentions) Achsah/Axey Snow and 2) 27 April 1806 Rachel Snow [Beers]; d 27 June 1862 at Mattapoisett, age 83 [MA VR 157:355]
6. Gideon b 1781 [calculated age at death]; intentions to Mary Dexter 30 Sept 1804 [Rochester VR 2:111]; d 31 Jan 1827 [Rochester VR VR 2:374] age 45; tragically he froze to death while attempting to aid a ship in distress [The Boston Recorder and Telegraph]
7. Thomas b 9 March 1783 [calculated from age at death]; married 1) 5 Nov 1814 Hannah Luce [Rochester VR 2:115] and 2) 18 March 1850 Lydia C. Swift [Beers]; d 22 Feb 1871 at Mattapoisett, age 87 years [MA VR 239:346]
8. Jane b May 1785 [calculated age at death]; m James Cathell intentions 7 March 1810 [Rochester VR 2:111]; d 21 Nov 1875 at Rochester, age 90 [MA VR 275:329]
9. Alden b 4 July 1788 [from gravestone]; married 1) Lucy Barrows in 1810 and 2) Polly Crowell on 19 Sept 1862; d 8 Oct 1869 at Mattapoisett, age 81 [MA VR 221:325]
10. 10.Polly b 25 Feb 1790; m Larnet Hall in 1811 [Rochester VR 2:113]; d 12 March 1864, age 83/84, at Lexington, Minnesota [grave record Yankee Cemetery in Le Sueur County] 
11. 11.Alice b 17 May 1792; d 1801 [dates from Warden & Beers but not in the published Rochester Vital Records]

I descend from Martha whom I wrote about here.I find it remarkable that of the ten children who survived childhood, eight lived to advanced ages for the time—late 70s to age 90.

The death records of Alden, Jane, and Thomas give parents as Ephraim and Keziah (Tobey) Dexter. There is some inconsistency among the rest: Anna’s parents are Ephraim and Elsa Dexter; Luke’s father is Luke Dexter with no mother’s name; Ephraim’s mother Kezia’s maiden name is Cushman.

Sons Alden, Thomas, Luke, and Ephraim are all listed as caulkers on their death records. They were skilled tradesmen who undertook the tedious and physically demanding process of waterproofing vessels by driving fibers into the seams between the wooden planks and applying pitch or tar to the exterior. As caulkers often worked in teams, I expect the brothers worked side by side. 

Ephraim and Keziah lived in a part of Rochester that became the coastal town of Mattapoisett in 1857.

Ephraim’s father, Ephraim Sr, was a 4th generation mill owner but I haven’t found any indication that Ephraim Jr continued the family business, but he is infrequently mentioned in records. His father Ephraim Dexter wrote his will on 10 Oct 1724 which included the following bequest: “To my two dutifull sons Ephraim and Caleb I give all the residue of my estate of whatever nature, to be equally divided between them, obliging them to pay equally my funeral charges & all other debts which I may owe at my decease, obliging them also to keep a good riding beast for my beloved wife for her to ride on when she thinks proper.

Also I appoint my two sons Executors of this my last Will and Testament. In testimony of which I I do hereunto set my hand and seal this tenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and twenty four.” Caleb signed some of the documents in the probate file but Ephraim did not; would have been nice to see his signature!

Ephraim Dexter of Rochester served on the Jury at the July 1765 Plymouth Court of Common Pleas. [Plymouth County Court Records 8:152]

In 1768 Ephraim Dexter was on the committee with John Clark and Obed Barlow to dismiss Rev Ivory Hovey; some months earlier they made choice of minister Ebenezer Meiggs. [Leonard]

Ephraim Dexter served in the Revolutionary War. Ephraim Dexter, private, Capt Nathaniel Hammond’s (2d) Rochester Co. which marched 20 April 1775 in response to the Alarm of April 19, 1775 to Marshfield; service 4 days; also Capt Nathaniel Hammond’s Co., Col Ebenezer Sprout’s (4th Plymouth County) regt.; service 15 days; company marched from Rochester to Rhode Island on an alarm in December 1776; also Capt Nathaniel Hammond’s Co.: 4th Plymouth County Regt; commanded by Lt Col White; enlisted 30 July 1780; discharged 8 August 1780; service 9 days, at Rhode Island on Alarm. [Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War, p 720]

An application to the Sons of the American Revolution, approved 9 February 1924, provides details to identify the soldier as this Ephraim: born 31 Dec 1741 Rochester; m Kezia Tobey 29 Dec 1771; she was born 1740?; died 24 Oct 1804 [sic]. Another application approved 12 July 1926 has Ephraim Dexter born 1741; died 1823 m Kezia Tobey born 1754, died 1807, m 1771. [ancestry.com “Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications 1899-1790”]

In 1776 Ephm Dexter was taxed 11s 11d 2q on the Assessors’ Rate Bill of the Inhabitants of Rochester, includes Polls, Real, Personal, and Faculty Taxes. Polls were assessed 5s 5d. [Leonard]

December 1786 Plymouth Court of Common Pleas, Ephraim Derter [sic] of Rochester was juror. [Plymouth Colony Court Records 10:62]

Ephraim owned a large amount of land in Rochester/Mattapoisett as seen in the 1798 Mass and Maine Direct Tax, Rochester [13:80, 129]:

P. 129: Occupied by Ephraim Dexter, owned by Ephraim Dexter at Rochester; 600 acres, valued at $540 

12 houses, 18 acres, $16.20

13 houses, 75 acres, $67.50

3 houses, 150 acres, $135

20 houses, 180 acres, $162

Total $920.70

P. 80: Ephraim Dexter occupant, Ephraim Dexter owner, Rochester, 1 dwelling, 2 acres, $450 value

Ephraim Dexter is a head of household in the 1800 Federal Census for Rochester but the image quality is poor and I cannot decipher the number of people in the household. He is again a head of household in the 1810 Federal Census for Rochester. I don’t find him in the 1820 census. 

Kesiah Dexter wife Ephraim died 24 October 1807 in her 50th year. [Rochester VR 2:375]  Her age seems to be an error as it would indicate she was born after her date of baptism. I have not found anything indicating Ephraim married again.

Ephraim Dexter died 5 April 1823 at Mattapoisett. [Rochester VR 2:688 citing grave record] He was 81 years of age and is buried Pine Island Cemetery. [Find a Grave Memorial ID 126196197] I have not found a probate record for Ephraim. Perhaps he had already gifted his land to his children, making a will unnecessary.  

Ephraim Dexter's gravestone (source: FindaGrave.com)

Sources:

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

JH Beers & Co, Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts, 1912

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