Deacon Ezekiel Gavitt

Dea. Ezekiel Gavit

Born: 25 Dec; 1683, Marblehead, Mass.

Baptized at Salem, Mass., 21 June 1696

Died: between 13 May 1752, when he made his will, and 25 Mar. 1754

Father: Philip Gavet, of Marblehead and Salem, Mass., d. Rhode Island not earlier than 1714.

Mother: Hannah Macchone, b. 31 Oct. 1659, Cambridge, Mass.; d. 1 Dec. 1713, Salem, Mass.

Marriage: 22 Apr. 1704, Westerly, R.I.

Wife: Hannah Wilcox, b. 4 Oct. 1689, Westerly, Kings Co, RI

Children :

i. Mary, b. 15 Aug. 1705, Westerly, Kings Co, RI; living 13 May 1752; m. 10 Oct. 1733 William Lewis

ii. Hannah, b. 28 Feb. 1707/8, Westerly, Kings Co, RI; living 13 May 1752; m. 3 Dec. 1724 Immanuel Case. They had issue.

iii. Ezekiel, b. 18 Oct. 1710, Westerly, Kings Co, RI.

iv. Samuel, b. 3 May 1712, Westerly, Kings Co, RI.

v. John (twin), b. 22 Sept. 1717, Westerly, Kings Co, RI; probably d. before 13 May 1752.

vi. Thankful (twin), b. 22 Sept. 1717, Westerly, Kings Co, RI; living unm. 13 May 1752.

vii. Prudence, b. 6 July 1720, Westerly, Kings Co, RI; living 13 May 1752; m. 1 Mar. 1738 William French. Children: 1. John, b. 15 Nov. 1739. 2. Prudence, b. 7 June 1743. 7.

viii. Stephen, b. 24 Feb. 1722/3, Westerly, Kings Co, RI.

ix. Joseph Gavitt b: 17 JAN 1724/25 in Westerly, Kings Co, RI

x. Benajah Gavitt b: 11 NOV 1726 in Westerly, Kings Co, RI

xi. Hezekiah Gavitt b: 9 SEP 1729 in Westerly, Kings Co, RI

xii. Esther Gavitt b: 17 SEP 1732 in Westerly, Kings Co, RI

Dea. Ezekiel* Gavit (Philip1), of Westerly, R. I., yeoman, born at Marblehead, Mass., 25 .Dec; 1683 and baptized at Salem, Mass., 21 June 1696, died between 13 May 1752, when he made his will, and 25 Mar. 1754, when his will was proved.

He married at Westerly, .22 Apr. 1704, Hannah Wilcox, born 4 Oct. 1689, living 13 May 1752, daughter of Edward.

Ezekiel Gavit removed to Westerly about 1700, and was admitted a freeman 30 Apr. 1723. He appears to have been prominent in the Presbyterian Church, and to have acquired a considerable property. He is called "Joyner" in a deed dated 11 Apr. 1726 and acknowledged the same day, by which Oliver Ringe of New Shoreham "allias Block Island In the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation In New England Ship Carpenter and Mary Ringe," his wife, in con sideration of £87. 8s., current money of New England, convey to him 150 acres of land, more or less, in the town of Westerly (Westerly Land Records, book 4, fo. 97). He is called "Yeo man" in a deed dated 24 Sept. 1731 and acknowledged the same day, by which Charles Ninegret of Westerly, "Chief Sachem of the Narragansett Country," in consideration of £20, current money of New England, conveys to him his interest in a tract of land in Westerly (ib., book 5, pages 309- 310).

In his will, dated 13 May 1752 and proved 25 Mar. 1754, Ezekiel Gavit of Westerly, yeoman, bequeaths to his daughter Mary Lewis 5s., old tenor; to his daughter Hannah Case 5s., old tenor; to his daughter Thankful Gavit a bed and furniture; to his daughter Prudence French 5s., old tenor; to his daughter Esther Gavit a bed and furniture; to his son Ezekiel Gavit his silver tankard and silver-headed cane, in addition ' to previous gifts; to his son Stephen Gavit 5s., old tenor, in addition to previous gifts;* to his sons Samuel Gavit and Joseph Gavit all his homestead farm, to be equally divided between them, and also other lands, the said Samuel to pay to the testator's son Benajah Gavit, within three years after the testator's decease, £400, "Current Money of New England or In Passable Bills of the old Tenor," and the said Joseph to pay to the testator's son Hezekiah Gavit, within the same time, £400, of the same description; and to his wife Hannah Gavit his dwelling house and all his personal estate, "for her to Dispose of as She Sees Meet." He appoints as executors his wife Hannah Gavit and his son Ezekiel Gavit. The will was witnessed by Stephen Willcocks,t Daniel Saunders, and Joseph Crandal, who made oath when the will was proved. (Westerly Records of Wills, book 4, pages 399-400.)

Notes:

From: Philip Gavet of Salem, Mass., and some of his Descendants. By Joseph Gavit, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 76, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Jan, 1923, p. 34 - 58

The following letter from Philip Gavet to his son Ezekiel of Westerly, R. I., was copied from the original manuscript, which in 1909 was temporarily in the hands of the compiler of this article... "written the 7th of December 1713 "My deare Son Ezekiel "These few sad lines will give you to understand that youre deere Mother is dead, She was taken very sick the last thirsday of November, and diyed the first day of December bettweene eight of the clock, and nine, in the Morning else I thank God we are all well at present. If you are willing to be a helpe to me to transport me, and my tools, and bedin and such things as we have next April, or May, next insueing I shall indeavor to be ready for your coming then, and if it sute you after planting time, well, with a small sloop if you could conveniently. And if you could not conveniently with a Sloope let it be with a horse-carte; and if will com with a horse-carte you must bring two horses with you heither for I Shall have then a horse- carte of my own for I am a making of one and wee shall in they two carts carry my beds, and as many tools as shall make our Casse of Draws and also prepare som place somthing sutable that we may sett ourselves to work as soon as we are com the Goodness of God being plaised to keepe us in health as for the rest of things I can get som friend to secure them for me against another comming for them were it at the end of two monts after or were it against the next spring com twelve monts. How ever contrive about it as you will and as you can and send me an Answer by the next post, you must post-pay this letter, and I will post pay yours only remember to make your superscription Thus To my beloved father Philip Gavet in Salem, to be delivere to him with haste. Then I shall know what you will do. For when I see ye word father on the latter I shall know of certainty that it corns from you, and so I resolve to post pay it so fare-well from your father "Philip Gavet"

[Addressed] "To My beloved Son Ezekiel Gavet I hope living at Westerly in Narragainset to be delivered to him with all the speed "Sal 9"

... According to a letter from Mrs. W. S. Gavitt of Ocean View, Washington Co., R.I., dated 12 Feb. 1882, Philip Gavet carried out the plan proposed in his letter of 7 Dec. 1713, removed to Rhode Island, and, with his son Ezekiel, built a house "on the Post Road from Newport to New London," on the site of which Mrs. Gavitt was living when she wrote and where she says that Philip died. Doubtless he is buried in one of the unmarked graves in "Gavitt ground (4)," mentioned by Denison in "Westerly and its Witnesses."

Sources:

"Philip Gavet of Salem, Mass., and Some of His Descendants" By Joseph Gavit , The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 77, 1923

Westerly (Rhode Island) and Its Witnesses, For Two Hundred and Fifty Years, 1626-1876 : Including Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond Until Their Separate Organization, with the Principal Points of Their Subsequent History – Frederic Denison

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Sep 1 2021, 21:14:17 UTC