Henry Hewitt

Born in Stonington, Conn. in Sept. 1703 (VR) and baptized at the 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, 30 July 1704 (CR), son of Benjamin Hewitt and Maria Fanning; died in Canterbury, Windham Co., Conn., 17 Feb 1776, age 72 years (tombstone). Henry married JOANNA DENISON on 25 Dec. 1735 at Stonington (VR). Joanna was born in Stonington, 28 Jan. 1717/18 (VR), the daughter of Joseph Denison and Prudence Miner; she died in Canterbury, Conn., 20 March 1776, age 57 years (tombstone). Both she and Henry were buried in the Old Weaver Place Cemetery at B Brooklyn, Conn. next to their son Amos Hewitt.

Henry was a farmer. He inherited the family homestead in 1725 from his father. Henry and Joanna resided in Stonington until about 1747 when they sold the farm and moved to Canterbury in Windham Co., Conn. They remained there the rest of their lives.

Henry wrote his will on 21 Nov 1775 and it was probated, 12 Mar 1776 in Plainfield, Conn. (Plainfield Probate Records, Vol. 6, pp. 277-9). His will provided for Joanna, his wife, by giving her all the household goods, 20 pounds sterling, a good riding horse and saddle, 2 cows, 2 swine and 10 head of sheep. She also was to have all the land and buildings until the youngest son, Stephen, became of age, at which time 1/2 the farm was to pass to him, and Joanna was to retain 40 acres. Upon her death, the son Increase was to have 35 of her 40 acres. The son Thomas and daughters - Joanna, wife of Uriah Cady; Zerviah, wife of John Howard: Content, wife of Stephen Webb; Hannah, wife of Nathan Day; and Anna, wife of Philip Abbot -- were all given small sums of money which together with what they had already received, made up their inheritance. Henry's wife, Joanna, and son Stephen were named executors of the estate.

Joanna drew up her will on her sick bed, 14 Mar 1776. It was probated 28 Feb 1778 (Plainfield Probate Records, Vol. 7, p. 178). She gave Stephen the 20 pounds sterling left her by her husband. The youngest daughters were to have enough out of her moveable estate to make them equal portions with what the 2 eldest daughters had been given. Any remaining estate was to be divided equally among all 5 daughters.

-Sources==

• DESCENDANTS OF CAPTAIN THOMAS HEWITT OF STONINGTON, CONN.. Compiled by Virginia Hewitt Watterson, 1996. Found in the Joseph Smith Library, Salt Lake City, Ut. Page 12 & 13.
• Vital Records of Stonington, Canterbury and Windham, Conn.
• Plainfield, Conn. Probate Records, Vol. 6, pp. 277-9 and Vol. 7, p. 178, LDS film #5443.
• Records of 1st Congregational Church of Stonington, LDS film #5615.
• Records of 2nd Church of Christ, North Stonington, Conn., LDS film $5081. Cemetery Records of Brooklyn, Conn., LDS film #3325.
• Bailey, EARLY CONN. MARRIAGES, Book 1, pp. 27-40.
• HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON, county of New London, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1649 to 1900, by Richard Anson Wheeler, New London, CT, 1900, pp. 243, 343, & 419,421.
• John Denison Baldwin and William Clift, DESCENDANTS OF CAPTAIN GEORGE DENISON, Worcester, Mass.., 1881, pp. 183-4.
• Henry Hobart Vail, HISTORY OF POMFRET, VERMONT, Editor, Emma Chandler White, 1930, Vol. II, pp. 505-6.
• White, JOHN HOWLAND OF THE MAYFLOWER, pp. 460-1.
• John Adams Venton, THE GILES MEMORIAL, Boston, 1864, p. 520.
• MASS. SOLDIERS AND SAILORS IN THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION, Boston, 1897, Vol. 7, p. 800.