WHEELER, Josiah Addison

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• Death: May 1892, MA

Notes:

Settled at Lockport, NY

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Notes:

He was a man of genial temper and given to hospitality, a kind neighbor and worthy citizen.

Josiah married PUFFER, Betsey on 29 Oct 1807 in Westminster, MA. Betsey (daughter of PUFFER, Josiah and READ, Mary) was born on 19 Mar 1788 in Westminster, MA; died on 10 Aug 1846 in Westminster, MA; was buried in Westminster, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• Ref#: 80
• _COLOR: 11

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Notes:

Wheeler Gen., p 53.

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Josiah married PAGE, Huldah on 1 Jan 1773 in Westminster, MA. Huldah (daughter of PAGE, Daniel and HASKELL, Ruth) was born on 31 Jan 1748 in Shirley, MA; died on 31 Mar 1826 in Westminster, MA; was buried in Westminster, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _COLOR: 11

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• Ref#: 33
• _COLOR: 11
• Residence: 1790, Canajoharie, NY
• Residence: 1799, Canajoharie, NY

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He settled in Westminster about the time of the incorporation, 1759, on Lot No 62, in the south part of the town, on the farm lately owned by Cephas W. Bush. In early youth he lost a thumb by the explosion of a gun in his hands and was disqualified for military service. When he enlisted, it is said that he passed the examination by wearing gloves of which the thumb of one was filled with wood. He was in the French War, as the following letter to his father at Sudbury shows:

"Halfway Brook, July ye 23, 1758.
Honored father and mother

I hope these few lines may find you and all my Brothers and Sisters well and in good health as I am at this time after my Duty to you my father and mother and Love to my Brothers and sisters and friends and neighbors I will inform you that we have been met with a vary poor Stroke in the loss of Captain Daken and Leftene Curtis and thre privets, william grout J onathan Patson Nathanial Molton all of Sudbury and in the fight we lost three Captens and two Leftenants and one Ensine and two Sargnts and one Corporal and thirteen privets all out of our Regiment * * * and I will inform you that I Received your Letter this Day Dated June ye 29, and I Desier you would Send me a Letter as Sun as you Can I also Desier prayers for me and I hope that I shall Return to you in Due time--Know more at present So I shall Remain Your Dutifull Son
JOSIAH PUFFER."

He was a sergeant in Capt. Dakin's Co,, Col. Nicols' regt. at Worcester (list Jan 4 1759). He was in Captain Noah Mile's company, Colonel John Whitcomb's regiment Apr. 19, 1775, and took part in the Battle of Bunker Hill; also in Capt. Elisha Jackson's company to reinforce the northern army, 1777.

He was an active, influential citizen, of good judgment, able and upright. He was a Representative to the General Court in 1787, 1790, and 1791. He was the best educated man in town, except perhaps the minister. He retained his health to the day of his death. He mowed an acre of heavy grass the day before he died, and, indeed, died in the hayfield next day, while making his hay, pitchfork in hand, and was found dead by a neighbor. He deeded land to his son Samuel in 1805 (W.D. 163, 452). His will was dated Jan. 10, 1806. The 1790 census shows he was living in Westminster, head of a family of nine.

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Josiah married READ, Mary on 29 Nov 1759 in Sudbury, MA. Mary (daughter of READ, Isaac L. and WILLIS, Experience) was born on 19 Mar 1741 in Sudbury, MA; died on 19 Jul 1831 in Westminster, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Notes:

It is unproven if these are Mary's parents. The Puffer Genealogy book, by Nutt, says her parents are Jacob and Experience Read.

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• Milit-Beg: 1775, MA
• Milit-End: 1783, MA

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Milit-Beg:
Pvt, Capt. Henry Haskell & Col. James Prescott. Fought at the Battle of Lexington.

Daniel married HASKELL, Ruth on 22 Nov 1744 in Harvard, MA. Ruth was born in 1722 in Harvard, MA; died in 1750 in MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• Ref#: 17
• _COLOR: 11
• Arrival: 1712, Sudbury, MA
• Confirmation: 12 Jul 1727, Sudbury, MA

Notes:

He went to Sudbury with his father, and became a substantial citizen. He served in the French and Indian Wars, as private in Capt. Josiah Brown's Co., in 1739 and as ensign in Capt. Josiah Richardson's Co., in 1757. Later he was captain of a Sudbury company. He was on a town committee to widen the causeway at Ironworks meadow in 1771. He lived in the house, built by his father, enlarged by himself, and still standing in 1900. He and his brother Ephraim of Sudbury deeded to Ephraim Keith of Bridgewater land at Petersham, July 21, 1738 (W.D. 10-526) and also land bought of Thomas Baldwin at Petersham (Nichewaug) March 5, 1743-4 (W.D. 2 9-355). He deeded land to his son Jacob at Templeton, April 13,1764 (W .D. 55-379).

His gravestone is in the burying ground at Sudbury Center. In his will dated April 8, 1785, he bequeaths to his wife Sarah: children James, Jacob, Daniel, Reuben, Rebecca Gibson and grandchildren Nahum and Reuben Rice.

Will of Capt. Jabez Puffer

"The following was one of the five wills made by Capt. Jabez Puffer and w as not the one offered for probate: "In the name of God Amen! This eighteenth Day of March Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and seventy Nine and in the third year of American Independence, I Jabez Puffer of Sudbury, in the county of Middlesex and state of the MA Bay, New England, Gentleman, being indisposed in Body, but of good and perfect mind and memory (thanks to Almighty God) and calling to remembrance the uncertain state of this transitory Life, and that all flesh must yield to death when it shall please God to call; do make and declare this my last will and Testament in manner and form following: -- Being penitent and sorry for all my sins, and most humbly imploring forgiveness for the same I commend my soul unto Almighty God my saviour and Redeemer in whom and by whose merits i trust and believe assuredly to be saved, to receive a full remission of all my sins, and inherit the Kingdom of God; and my body I commit to the Earth to be decently interred at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named: and for the settleing of my temporal estate, and such Goods, Chattels and Debts as shall be found at m y decease, all lawful demands on the same being satisfied, I appoint an d order to be done in the following manner: -- First-- I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Sarah Puffer, the income of all my Lande lying in Sudbury, she being at the charge of all the Labor for said income. Also I give her a good steady Horse and Chaise to use at her election; also the use of that part of the dwelling house and Sellar which I now possess, together with the free use of all other buildings on the Premises; also I bequeath unto her my loving wife two Cows, and all the Household furniture she brought with her, to dispose of as she shall think proper, the income of said Lands, and the use of Horse, Chiase, House, Sellar and other buildings to be hers so long as she remains my widow .
Also I give and bequeath to my four dutiful and well beloved sons (viz) James puffer, whom I have settled in Sudbury, Josiah Puffer whom I have settled in Westminster in the county of Worcester, Jacob Puffer whom I have settled in Ashby in the county of Middlesex and Daniel Puffer whom I have settled with myself in Sudbury, to them and each of them five shillings to be paid to them by my Executor in one year after my decease.
To each of them I have give good farms or settlements and my son Daniel Puffer is to have the refusal of my Homestead at the appraisal after my Decease if he pleases and agrees with his mother in law (stepmother), an d pays at, otherwise it shat be free for the purchase of any other person.
Also I give and bequeath to my dutiful and well beloved son Reuben Puffer having already given him an education at Harvard College twenty six Pounds thirteen shillings and four pence to be paid him by my Executor in one year after the beginning to settle my estate. Also I give to the s aid Reuben Puffer a Bed, with the furniture thereto."
(Charles Nutt has another will dated Feb. 21, 1774.)
Epitaph: "Here rests in hope of a resurrected life the mortal part of Capt. Jabez Puffer who departed this life June 21 A.D. 1789 in the 85th y ear of his age.
"My flesh shall slumber in the ground
Till the last trumpet's joyful sound
Then burst the chains without surprise
And in my Saviour's image rise."

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Jabez married HAYNES, Thankful on 24 Jul 1731 in Sudbury, MA. Thankful (daughter of HAYNES, Deacon James and NOYES, Sarah) was born on 22 Apr 1708 in Sudbury, MA; died on 11 Jun 1737 in Sudbury, MA; was buried in Sudbury, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

Her gravestone is standing beside her husband's.

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Isaac married WILLIS, Experience on 11 Feb 1729 in Sudbury, MA. Experience was born before 10 Apr 1709 in Sudbury, MA; died on 6 Aug 1787 in Sudbury, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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