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Lieutenant Benjamin Hewitt (c. 1664–1725), son of Thomas Hewitt and Hannah Palmer

Mary Fanning (1664–1743), daughter of Edmund Fanning and Ellen Unknown

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Benjamin Hewitt was born about 1664. He died on 26 April 1725, age 61. He married Mary Fanning on 24 September 1683 in Stonington. [1]

Mary, the daughter of Edmund Fanning, was born on 28 April 1664, probably in Stonington. She died on 14 December 1743, age 77[!].

On 28 April 1665 Thomas Minor wrote in his diary, “Edmund ffaning had young daughter.” [2, 202]

John and Mary are is buried in the Great Plain Cemetery in North Stonington. Thier inscriptions say: [3]

Benjamin was baptized as an adult at first church in Stonington on 24 July 1692. [4, 198] Mary, the daughter of Edmund Fanning, was baptized as an adult at the first church in Stonington on 29 October 1682. [4, 196]

Benjamin Hewitt was confirmed ensign of the second company in Stonington on 8 May 1718. He was confirmed lieutenant of that company on 12 October 1721. [5, 6: 44, 275]

Benjamin Hewitt of Stonington, “being sick and weak,” made his will on 25 April 1725. He mentioned his wife Mary, his sons Benjamin, Israel, Joseph Elkanah and Henry Hewitt and his daughters Tabitha Harick, Mary Billings, Hannah Billings and Content Hewitt. [6]

Children of Benjamin Hewitt and Mary Fanning: Births, as children of Benjamin, except Hannah, Content and Thankful, and marriages of Israel, Joseph and Henry recorded in Stonington. [1] Baptisms recorded in Stonington. [4, 198–209]

i. Benjamin Hewitt was born in August 1688 in Stonington. He was baptized on 24 July 1692 in Stonington. He married Ann, the daughter of Gershom Palmer (#32), on 11 February 1701. [7, 419]

On 11 February 1701 Manasseh Minor wrote in his diary, “Ann palmor maryed.” [8, 44]

ii. Major Israel Hewitt was born in April 1691 in Stonington. He was baptized on 24 July 1692 in Stonington. He died after 16 September 1773, when he attended his brother Elkanah’s second wedding. He married Ann Breed on 8 March 1713/4 in Stonington.  Ann, the daughter of John Breed and Mercy (Gershom, Walter) Palmer was born on 8 November 1693. [9]

Israel Hewitt owned the covenant on 24 November 1716 in Stonington. [8, 134]

Israel Hewitt was confirmed captain of the second company in Stonington on 14 October 1731. He was a deputy for Stonington on 8 May 1735 and 9 May 1745. Israel Hewitt, Esq. was appointed major of the Connecticut regiment for the expedition against Canada on 8 May 1746. [5, 7: 348, 641; 9: 102, 213]

iii. Tabitha Hewitt was baptized on 24 July 1692 in Stonington. She probably died on 19 December 1760 in Norwich. She married first Timothy Herrick before 1706. Timothy, the son of Ephraim and Mary (Cross) Herrick, was born on 4 January 1681/2 in Beverly, Massachusetts and died in Preston before 12 June 1733, when Tabitha presented the inventory on his estate. Tabitha probably married second Joseph Reed as his third wife. Joseph, the son of Josiah Reed, was born on 12 March 1680/1 in Norwich and probably died between 1772 and 1775 in Norwich. He married first Marcy Guppy on 25 August 1708 in Norwich. He probably married second Patience Potts as her third husband on 20 June 1751 in New London. Patience, the daughter of William and Rebecca (Avery) Potts and granddaughter of James Avery (#102), was baptized on 12 August 1683 in New London. She married first Joseph Pendleton as his second wife on 11 December 1700 in Westerly. Joseph, the son of James and Hannah (Goodnow) Pendleton, was born on 29 December 1664 in Sudbury, Massachusetts and died on 18 February 1706/7 in Westerly. He married first Deborah, the daughter of Ephraim Minor (#50). Patience married second Samuel Rogers as his second wife on 28 April 1707 in Westerly. Samuel, the son of Joseph and Sarah Rogers, was baptized on 6 January 1694/5. He married first Elizabeth Rogers. Elizabeth, the daughter of James and Mary (Jordan) Rogers was born on 28 August 1680 in New London and died on 29 June 1703 in New London. Joseph married fourth Mary Burdick as her third husband on 7 July 1761 in Westerly. Mary, the daughter of Benjamin and Mary Burdick, was born on 26 July 1699 in Westerly. She married first John Lewis, Jr. on 17 March 1718 in Westerly. John, the son of John and Anna Lewis, was born on 30 January 1698 in Westerly and probably died there before 25 July 1739. Mary married second William Hern as his second wife on 26 October 1742 in Westerly. William died between 22 December 1760, when he wrote his will and 11 May 1761, when it was probated. He married first Dorothy Unknown. [10]

Tabitha was admitted to the First Congregational Church in Preston on 10 June 1722. She was admitted to the Newent Congregational Church in Norwich in 1757. [10]

Tabitha wrote her will on 10 October 1748 in Preston and probate was on 14 January 1761. [10]

 iv. Mary Hewitt was baptized on 12 August 1694. She died between 29 January and 25 May 1763. She married Ensign James Billings.

v. Captain Joseph Hewitt was born in September 1697 in Stonington.  He was baptized on 13 December 1693 in Stonington. He married Mary Chesebrough on 5 October 1720. Mary was born on 21 September 1702. [3] She died on 12 October 1754 and is buried in the Great Plain Cemetery. [3]

Joseph was confirmed captain of the second company in Stonington on 2 October 1743. [5, 8: 552]

vii. Hannah Hewitt was baptized on 29 June 1701 in Stonington. She died on 17 December 1748. She married Ensign Increase Billings on 12 October 1777 in Preston. [20] Increase was the brother of her sister Mary’s husband. [3]

Hannah is buried in the Great Plane Cemetery in North Stonington. Her inscription says: [3]

On 29 June 1701 Manasseh Minor wrote in his diary, “hana huit was baptized.” [8, 47]

viii. Lieutenant Henry Hewitt was born in September 1703 in Stonington. He was baptized on 30 July 1704 in Stonington. He married Johanna Denison of Stonington on 25 December 1735 in Stonington. Henry and Joanna are buried in the Old Weaver Place Cemetery in Brooklyn, Windham County. [3]

Henry Hewitt was confirmed lieutenant of the fifth company of the eleventh Connecticut regiment on 10 May 1750. [5, 9: 518]

ix. Content Hewitt was baptized on 8 April 1708 in Stonington. She died, childless, on 20 September 1749. She married first Reverand Ebenezer Russell on 14 June 1728. [11] Ebenezer, the son of Reverend Samuel (John, John) Russell and Abigail Whiting, was born on 4 May 1703. [11] He died on 22 May 1731, without children. [11] Content married second as his first wife Deacon Joseph Denison. Joseph married second as her second husband Bridget, the daughter of Captain Thomas Noyes (#18). [7, 347, 561]

Ebenezer graduated Yale College in 1722. He was admitted to the Branford church on 10 November 1726. He was the first ordained pastor of the Congregational church in North Stonington. [11][7, 561]

x. Thankful Hewitt was baptized on 3 June 1711 in Stonington. She died on 6 February 1720.

On 3[!] February 1719/20 Manasseh Minor wrote in his diary, “thankful huitt was buryed.” [8, 150]

Thankful is buried in the Great Plain Cemetery in North Stonington. Her inscription says: [3]

Endnotes

1. "Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630–1870," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Stonington, 92, 120–3.

2. Sydney H. Miner and George D. Stanton, Jr., The Diary of Thomas Minor, Stonington Connecticut, 1653 to 1684, New London: Press of the Day, 1899.

3. Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 26 June 2023), memorial pages for

4. Richard A Wheeler, History of the First Congregational Church, Stonington, Conn., 1674–1874 (Norwich, T.H. Davis and Co., 1875).

5. Charles J. Hoadley, The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, vols. 4–12 (Hartford: Press of the Case, Lockwood and Brainard Co., 1868–1890).

6. Connecticut, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1609–1999," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9049)> New London > Probate Records, vol. C–D, 1725–1742 > images 91–92.

7. Richard Anson Wheeler, History of the Town of Stonington (New London: Press of the Day, 1900).

8. Manasseh Minor, The Diary of Manasseh Minor: Stonington, Conn., 1696–1720 (n.p: published by Frank Denison Miner with the assistance of Hannah Miner, 1988).

9. Marcia Wiswall Lindberg, “The Breed Family—Continued,” Essex Genealogist 12 (1992), 30–37, specifically 35.

10. Jane Belcher, “William Reed of Weymouth and Boston, Massachusetts, and Some of His Descendants,” Connecticut Nutmegger 40 (September 2007), 182–221, specifically 194–5.

11. Ralph D. Smyth, “John Russell of Cambridge, Mass., and Hartford, Conn., and his Descendants,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 60 (1906), 383–6, specifically 384.

12. Walter R. Buss, “Elkanah Hewitt, Sr. and Family of Stonington, Connecticut: Corrections and Additions,” Connecticut Nutmegger 24 (September 1991), 267–8.

Revised July 3, 2023

© 2019 A. Buiter