2. Thomas² WIGHT (Robert¹) (#1305) was born in Isle of Wight, England 6 DEC 1607. or Lincolnshire, England Thomas died 17 MAR 1674 in Medfield, Norfolk Co., MA, at age 66.

He married twice. He married Alice ROUNDY date unknown in Dedham, Norfolk Co., MA. (Alice ROUNDY is #5038.) Alice was born 1605 in Isle of Wight, England. Alice died 15 JUL 1665 in Medfield, Norfolk Co., MA, at age 60. Last name may have been pepper

He married Lydia ELIOT 7 DEC 1665 in MA. (Lydia ELIOT is #5055.) Lydia was born 1610 in England. Thomas was of Dedham, MA Deacon of the Puritan church! BOOK: The Wight Family Memoir of Thomas Wight, of Dedham, Massachusetts, with Genealogical Notices of his Descendants. From 1637 to 1840. By Dansforth Phipps Wight, M.D. Boston Press of T.R. Marvin, 24 Congress Street, 1848.

BIOGRAPHY: According to family tradition, Thomas came from the Isle of Wight in 1637, with his wife and children: Henry, John, and Thomas. He settled first in Dedham, MA.,

BIOGRAPHY: He was of the Medfield Corporation by 1652, and Selectman there almost every year for the next 22, until he died. The inventory of seven days after his death shows good property, and his widow's will was probated 27 JUL 1676. She remarried Thomas Ellis. (Source: "Genealogical Dictionary", Vol. 4, p. 543).

BIOGRAPHY: In 1636, he was in Watertown, and then became a proprietor of Dedham the following year. Twelve acres was allotted to each married man, so that is what he received. He also received other grants of planting land, woodland and meadow. His tillage land was 15 acres on the east side of the public road in 1890, and and extending from the crossroad bounding his homelot nearly to the great common. He and Hannah were received into the church 6 MAY 1640. He then became a Freeman 8 OCT 1640.

BIOGRAPHY: Eventually, Dedham was divided to form Medfield. He, and Robert HINSDALE, and Peter WOODWARD were mong those assigned to manage and carry out the establishment of the new town.

BIOGRAPHY: ON 19 JUN 1650, the town was laid out, with 13 12-acre lots. Thomas's lot touched that of Robert HINSDALE and wasteland.John WIGHT'S lot was adjoining, and Wight's Lane led to these lots.At that time, Thomas was the wealthiest man in the new community.

BIOGRAPHY: In 1654, he became Selectman of Medfield and served 19 out of the next 20 years, until his death.In 1667, he was mentioned as Deacon of the church. In the New Grant of 1669, thomas received 166 acres, the largest of all proprietors. Nobody lived there until 1713.

BIOGRAPHY: Thomas and all his sons subscribed for the "new college" at Cambridge, Harvard University, today. alice, mother of all his children, d. in 1665, and Thomas remarried five months later, to Lydia ELIOT.

Deacon of the Puritan church! BOOK: The Wight Family Memoir of Thomas Wight, of Dedham, Massachusetts, with Genealogical Notices of his Descendants. From 1637 to 1840. By Dansforth Phipps Wight, M.D. Boston Press of T.R. Marvin, 24 Congress Street, 1848.

Wealthiest citizen of Medfield in 1652. A selectman of Medfield from 1654to 1674, the year of his death. On August 19, 1664, Thomas Wight's name was third signed with his sonsSamuel, Thomas and hi s son-in-law Thomas Ellis and 41 other inhabitantsof Medfield to a memorial to the general court of the Colony, stating that representations had been made to the King that there were div isionsand dissatisfaction about the present government of the Colony. The signers testify their unanimous satisfaction in adhering to the present government and "ea rnest desire for the continuance there of and of all the liberties pertaining thereto, which are contained in the charter granted by King James and King Charles, the first of famous memorie, under the encouragement and security of which we, or our fathers,ventured over the ocean int o this wilderness through great hazards,charges and difficulties."

It should here be noted how large Dedham was and will assist in following the areas the Wight s settled in. Dedham was incorporated in 1636. The territory which included the original grant now forms the whole or part of different towns. Dedham, 1636; and from Dedham came the following, being formed fromDedham land; Medfield, 1651; Wrentham, 1673; Sherborn, 1674; Needham, 1711; Medway (from Medfield), 1784; Bellingham, 1719; Walpole, 1724; Foxbore (Foxboro) and Franklin (from Wrentham), 1778; Natick, 1781; Dover, 1784; Hyde Park,1868; Norfolk, 1870; Norwood, 1872; Wellesley (from Needham) , 1881;Millis, 1885; and West Roxbury. ( Register XLI,21; Dedham 250th.anniversary, 209.)

Thomas Wight left England amid the difficulties between King Charles the First and his embitte red subjects. He and his wife were received into the church on July 6, 1640 and on October 8 , 1640 he became a freeman. As early as 1649 he became interested in the movement for dividing Dedham, which resulted in the formation of Medfield. On May 10, 1650, Thomas Wight was chosen the first of a committee of five- Thomas Wight, Robert Hinsdell, Timothy Dwight, Samuel Bulleyn and John Frairy - to assist and direct the measurer in laying out house lots in Medfield.

Thomas WIGHT and Alice ROUNDY had the following children:

3 i. Henry³ WIGHT (#8055) was born in England 1625.

4 ii. John WIGHT (#8056) was born in England 1627.

5 iii. Thomas WIGHT (#8057) was born in MA 1629.

6 iv. Ann WIGHT (#8058) was born in MA 1631.

7 v. Samuel WIGHT (#8059) was born in MA 1639.

8 vi. Daniel WIGHT (#8060) was born in MA 1642.

+ 9 vii. Ephraim WIGHT was born 27 JAN 1645.

10 viii. Mary WIGHT (#8061) was born in MA 1646.

Return to Table of Contents or Index

Go to Next Page

Go to Previous Page