Joseph Fletcher

Return to main file

Captain Joseph Fletcher (1689–1749), son of Joshua Fletcher and Sarah Wiley

Sarah Adams (c. 1692–1761), daughter of Pelatiah Adams and Ruth Unknown

Captain Joseph Fletcher was born on 10 June 1689 in Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. [1] He died on 4 October 1772, age 84, in Westford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. [2] He married first Sarah Adams on 17 November 1712 in Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. [3] He married second the widow Keziah [Butterfield] Nutting by an intention dated 5 May 1764 in Westford. [2] Keziah, the daughter of Benjamin (Benjamin, Joseph, Benjamin) and Keziah Butterfield was born on 14 May 1733 in Westford. [2][4] She married first Josiah Nutting by an intention dated 28 June 1755 in Westford. [2]

Sarah, the daughter of Pelatiah and Ruth Adams, was born on 12 July 1691 in Chelmsford. [1] Sarah, the wife of Captain Joseph, died on 24 April 1761, age 69, in Westford. [2]

Joseph and Sarah are buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Westford. Joseph's gravestone says, "Memento mori Here lies the body of Capt Joseph Flatcher who departed this Life Octr 4th 1772 Aged 84 years 3 months and 13 days." Sarah's gravestone says, "Memento mori Here lyes the Body of Sarah Fletcher ye wife of Capt Joseph Fletcher Who departed this Life April ye 24th AD 1761 in the 70th year of her age." [5]

The evidence that Sarah, the daughter of Pelatiah, married Joseph is circumstantial but convincing. She appears to be the only Sarah Adams in Chelmsford of the right age; her birth date fits with her age at death; she named two of her children Pelatiah and Ruth.

Joseph Fletcher was admitted to communion on 7 April 1723 in the church in Westford. [6]

Children of Joseph and Sarah Adams: Births of the first seven recorded in Chelmsford. [1]

i. Deacon Joseph Fletcher was born on 6 July 1713. He married Elizabeth Underwood on 21 May 1735 in Westford. [2] Deacon Joseph died on 17 July 1784, age 71, in Dunstable, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. [5][7] Elizabeth was probably the daughter of Joseph Underwood, baptized on 28 March 1714 in Wakefield, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Elizabeth, the widow of Deacon Joseph, died on 22 or 23 November 1802, age 88, in Dunstable. [5][7]

Joseph and Elizabeth are buried in the Central Cemetery in Dunstable. [5]

Joseph Fletcher, Jr. owned the covenant at the church in Westford on 13 June 1736. [6]

ii. Captain Benjamin Fletcher was born on 8 August 1716. He died on 25 January 1789, age 71, in Westford and is buried there in the Fairview Cemetery. [2][5] He married first Bethiah Herrick on 29 June 1742 in Westford. [2] Bethiah, the daughter of Jonathan and Bethiah (Conant) Herrick, was born on 20 August 1721 in Concord. [3][8] She died on 21 December 1772, age 49 years, in Westford. [2] He married second the widow Elizabeth (Hall) Symmes on 9 February 1779 in Westford. [2] Elizabeth, the daughter of Reverend Willard and Abigail (Cotton) Hall, was born on 24 October 1732 in Westford. [2] She was the granddaughter of Stephen Hall and Grace (Willis) Hall and William (William, William) Cotton. [9] She died on 31 January 1813 in Groton and was buried in Littleton. [2] Elizabeth Hall of Westford married first Captain Caleb Symmes of Charlestown on 4 June 1756. [5][10]

iii. Timothy Fletcher was born on 12 April 1719. He died on 15 April 1786 in Westford. He married first Bridget Richardson. He married second Huldah Purley. He married third Hannah Parker (or Proctor).

iv. Thomas Fletcher was born on 16 March 1721. He died on 19 July 1813, age 92, in Westford. [2] He married the widow Sarah Hildreth by an intention dated 15 January 1763 in Westford. [2] Sarah was born about 1737. She died on 2 April 1813, age 76, in Westford. [2] She might be the Sarah Proctor of Chelmsford who married Samuel Hildreth on 14 March 1753 in Chelmsford. [2] Samuel died on 3 October 1759, age 23, in Westford. [2]

v. Sarah Fletcher was born on 16 May 1723. She married Samuel Parker on 22 January 1739 in Westford. [2] Samuel might be the son of John and Rebecca Parker, born on 1 June 1723 in Chelmsford. [1]

vi. Edith Fletcher was born 8 April 1725. She married Benjamin Carver on 23 May 1745 in Westford. [2] Edith (Fletcher) Carver, the wife of Benjamin, died on 9 or 13 August 1813, age 38 [88?], in Westford. [2]

vii. Captain Pelatiah Fletcher was born on 3 May 1727. He died on 23 February 1807, age 79, in Westford. [2] He married Dorothy Hildreth on 13 January 1757 in Westford. [2] Dorothy, the wife of Captain Pelatiah, died on 14 June 1782, age 45, in Westford. [2] Dorothy is probably the daughter of James (Ephraim) and Dorothy Hildreth, born on 20 or 26 August 1736 in Westford. [2]

Pelatiah's birth is also recorded in Westford, then in Chelmsford. [2]

viii. Deacon Jonathan Fletcher was baptized on 17 August 1729 in Westford. [2] He died on 27 October 1813, age 79, in Westford. [2] He married Jane Chamberlain on 5 May 1735 in Westford. [2]

ix. Joshua Fletcher was born on 10 November 1731 in Westford. [2] He was baptized on 10 October [!] 1731 in Westford. [2][6] He died on 10 June 1782, age 52, in Westford. [2] He married Elizabeth Raymond by an intention dated 28 June 1755 in Westford. [2] Elizabeth was born about 1737. She died on 16 February 1817, age 80, Westford.

x. Ruth Fletcher was born on 28 August 1733 in Westford. [2] She was baptized on 12 August [!] in Westford. [2][6] She was baptized on 12 August 1733 in Westford. She married Willard Hall, Jr. on 16 January 1755 in Westford. [2] Willard, the son of Reverend Willard and Abigail Hall, was born on 12 June 1730 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. [2] He was the brother of Ruth's brother Benjamin's second wife.

xi. Mary Fletcher was born on 29 August 1735 in Westford. [2] She was baptized on 31 August 1735 in Westford. [6] She married Eleazar Fletcher on 16 January 1755 in Westford. [2] Eleazar, the son of Samuel (William, Samuel) and Mary (Lawrence) Fletcher, was born on 31 March 1731/2. [2][11]

Eleazar and Mary settled in Littleton. The Littleton records refer to Mary as the daughter Captain Josiah [!] and granddaughter of Joshua. [11]

References:

1. Vital Records of Chelmsford, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1914).

2. Vital Records of Westford Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1915).

3. Concord, Massachusetts: Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1635–1850 (Concord: Beacon Press, 1895).

4. George A. Gorden, "The Butterfields of Middlesex," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 44 (1890): 33–43.

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

Capt Joseph Fletcher (10 Jun 1689–4 Oct 1772), Memorial ID 35570351, Sarah Adams Fletcher (12 Jul 1691–24 Apr 1761), Benjamin Fletcher (8 Aug 1716–25 Jan 1789), Memorial ID 35571068, Bethiah Herrick Fletcher (19 Aug 1723–21 Dec 1772), Memorial ID 35570298, Elizabeth Hall Fletcher (24 Oct 1732–31 Jan 1813), Memorial ID 35574134, and Capt Caleb Symmes (10 Oct 1732–4 Feb 1771), Memorial ID 35574251, citing Fairview Cemetery, Westford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; Maintained by Denise (contributor 46820671).

Deacon Joseph Fletcher (6 Jun 1713–17 Jul 1784), Memorial ID 38974067 and Elizabeth Underwood Fletcher (2 Feb 1714–22 Nov 1802), Memorial ID 38974132, citing Central Cemetery, Dunstable, Middlesex County, Massachusetts; Maintained by Bette Hartman (contributor 46633755).

6. "Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620–1988," database with images, Ancestry > Westford > Church Records, with Births, Marriages, and Deaths.

7. Vital Records of Dunstable, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1913).

8. Vital Records of Beverly, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849, 2 vols. (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1906, 1907). vol. 1, vol. 2.

9. Frank Etheridge Cotton, "The Cotton Family of Portsmouth, N.H.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 58 (1904): 294–9.

10. Vital Records of Charlestown, Massachusetts: "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1620–1850," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Charlestown.

11. Records of Littleton, Massachusetts: Births and Deaths (Littleton: Littleton, 1900).

Revised 27-May-2023