Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

WIGHT [trans. note: it says at the beginning that 'for first generation see Thomas Wight I.' Unfortunately they don't say just where in this large volume that info is, so I hope to find it, but no promises.] (II) Henry, eldest child of Deacon Thomas and Alice or Elsie Wight, settled with his parents in Dedham, Mass. in 1637. In the Dedham records he was called Sergeant Henry Wight. He became a member of the church Aug. 14, 1646. He continued to reside in Dedham after his father and family had removed to Medfield. In 1653 he was appointed constable by the general court. In 1661 he was elected selectman and held that office ten years, between that time and the time of his death, Feb. 27, 1680. In 1665 the town granted him one hundred and twenty acres of land, which was an unusually large gift; but the record gives no explanation as to why it was done. Feb. 24, 1673, Henry Wight was one of the three citizens of Dedham appointed to lay out a house lot for Rev. Samuel Mann at Wrentham, and to take care about the church lot there. He was appointed one of the executors of his father's will, by the provisions of which he received all his father's "houses and lands lying and being in Dedham." This devise included the original grant of twelve acres from the town to Thomas Wight. He died intestate, and his estate was administered by his widow and his son Joseph. His inventory amounted to 524 pounds, 1 shilling. He married Jane Goodenow, of Sudbury, about 1652. She joined the church June 12, 1653, and died in Dedham, May 16, 1684. The inventory of her estate footed 462 pounds, 8 s. 3 d. The children of Henry and Jane were: John, Joseph, Daniel, Benjamin and Jonathan, whose sketch follows. (III) Jonathan, youngest of five sons of Henry and Jane (Goodenow) Wight, was born in Dedham July 2, 1662, and baptized July 13, 1662. He removed to Wrentham, where he died intestate March 20, 1719. He was married Aug. 19, 1687, to Elizabeth Hawes, of Wrentham. She married (second) Feb. 20, 1722, Samuel Bullard, of Dedham. She was living at extreme old age Aprl 2, 1764, seventy-seven years after her first marriage, as is shown by her signature to a deed of release of all her dower interest in the landed property belonging to her first husband. Children of Jonathan and Elizabeth: Jeane, Elizabeth, Mehetabel, Marah, Jonathan and Sarah. (IV) Jonathan (2), fifth child and only son of Jonathan (1) Wight, was born in Wrentham Jan. 6, 1700, and died there March 26, 1773. He is called yeoman in a conveyance of land in 1764. His will was made March 11, 1773, and probated April 9 of the same year. He married, in Wrentham, Feb. 13, 1721, Jemima Whiting, who died June 24, 1754. He married (second) Dec. 5, 1754, widow Jerusha George. Her will was made May 22, 1792, and was probated Feb. 5, 1793. Children of Jonathan & Jamimna were: Jonathan, Jemima, Benjamin, Joseph, Eliphalet, Elizabeth, Susanna, Timothy, Zubiah and Oliver. Children of Jonathan & Jerusha were: Jerusha and Matilda. (V) Joseph, fourth child and third son of Jonathan (2) and Jemima (Whiting) Wight, was born in Wrentham, Mass., Dec. 29, 1729, and died in Otisfield, Maine, Oct. 20, 1804. In 1871 he prospected at New Marblehead (Windham) Maine, where long before his remote cousin, Rev. John Wight, had settled. His movements from 1781 to the fall of 1783 are variously reported. In Nov., 1783, he removed with all olf his family, except his son James, from Wrentham, Mass., to Otisfield, Maine, where he settled on "a beautiful ridge of land near the center of the town," a portion of which is still (1908) owned by his posterity. He was a farmer and part proprietor of a saw mill upon Saturday pond in Otisfield; and besides attending to farming and milling, he was handy in various mechanical pursuits, as the entries in his account book between 1785 and 1794 show. His family were an uncommonly hardy and athetic race; all were well educated for the times, and became well off financially. Joseph Wight married (first) in Wrentham, Sept. 22, 1755, Abigail Farrington, of the same place, who died Aug. 25, 1758, aged twenty-one. He married (second) July 9, 1763, in Wrentham, Abigail Ware, born Dec. 15, 1740, died March 29, 1799, in Otisfield. Children of 1st wife: An infant. Joseph. Children by 2d wife: Benjamin, Abigail, James, Thomas, Nathan, Warren and Jonathan. (VI) Jonathan (3), youngest child of Joseph and Abigail (Ware) Wight, was born in Wrentham, Mass. Sept. 7, 1783, died in Naples, Maine, March 1, 1869. He removed in 1783 with his father, as above stated, to Otisfield, but after his marriage he bought a large estate in Naples, Maine, and resided there a long time. He married, in Otisfield, July 6, 1805, Mercy, b. Dec. 10, 1788, d. Feb. 13, 1861, daughter of Edward and mary (Plaisted) Harmon, of Alfred, Maine. Children: Elvira, Hermon, Priscilla Loud, Abigail Ware, Edward, Tabor, Olive, David Ray, Joseph, Nathan, Mary and Addison. (VII) Elvira, eldest child of Jonathan and Mercy (Harmon) Wight, was born in Otisfield April 16, 1807, and married, at Naples, in 1842, Rev. Hugh McL. McQuillan, of Windham, Maine.