Revolutionary War Monument at The Mechanic Street Cemetery, Westfield, Massachusetts. John Dewey's name is inscribed there. Although his father, grandfather and great grandfather were buried here, John was not. John was buried in Leyden, New York, the place of his death, at the Locust Grove Lord Cemetery. This cemetery is now called Leydon Hill Cemetery. Also buried at that cemetery are Lester Dewey, John's youngest son, his wife Emily and their daughter Lydia and John's eldest daughter Sally (Dewey) Lord and her husband Gurdon Lord.
John Dewey married Achsah Clap (Clapp) on 3 January 1758. They would eventually have 8 children all born in Westfield, Massachusetts. The children are all listed below.
Go to John's diary written during the Revolutionary War here.
John Dewey was born in Westfield, Massachusetts on 20 January 1754. John was the son of Aaron Dewey and Sarah Noble. John was a selectman in Westfield from 1797-1798 and in 1801. In a deed dated April 15, 1789 Datis Ensign of Chester Massachusetts, clothier, and Isaac Ensign of Westfield, yeoman sold to John Dewey "a certain fulling mill in Westfield on two mile brook, adjoining Bagg's mill, with all utensils belonging to the same; liberty to use sd-mill for fulling cloth, when the water runs over the dam of the grist mill, adjoining." This cost John 11 pounds to make this purchase.
A fulling mill was a mill operated by water whose purpose was to clean and prepare various items like flax or wool to become cloth for clothes and linens. In the 17th century through the early 1800s clothes were extremely expensive. Even the wealthy had few clothes. This becomes clear as you read wills of people from this time period. Men with means would bequeth their clothes and most only had a coat and one or 2 pairs of britches (pants) and a few shirts. The purchase of the fulling mill John purchased was a tool of his trade. With 2 men named John Dewey living in Westfield at the same time it is important not to assume the fulling mill and clothing business belong to John Dewey, son of Aaron. The Dewey genealogy listed in the sources, attributed the fulling mill to John, son of Aaron but not knowing how they came to that conclusion, I wanted more proof. I decided to look for newspaper articles or advertisements. I found several and by reading them all, I was able to conclude John Dewey, son of Aaron did purchase the fulling mill and have a clothing business. I found evidence in many newspaper advertisements of John Dewey's clothing business.
I was amazed to find so many advertisements printed in newspapers for John Dewey. This section will print a few of the articles I found that I believe will provide a little more insight into the life of John Dewey. All articles are reprinted as written. The first article printed below is from The Hampshire Cronicle printed originally on 17 December 1788.
John Dewey
TAKES this method to inform his friends and customers,
and the publick in general, That he carroes on the Clothiers
Business in all its branches, as usual; dyes and dresses
Cloth in the best manner, upon the shortest notice. - The
The smallest favour will be gratefully ackowledged, and
payment made as early as possible.
He desites all those who have accounts with him
of more than one year's standing, to call and settle them
without delay, or they will oblidge him to call upon them
in a more expensive way.
N.B. Those who have engaged grain, for work
done the present season, will do well to be punctual to
their promises - as it will enable him to carry on his
business with more dispatch.
Westfield, Dec. 4, 1788
Another ad published in the newspaper titled Federal Spy from Springfield, Massachussetts on October 22, 1793 and repronted on 12 November 1793 and 19 November 1793 is reprined below.
John Dewey
CONTINUES to carry on the Clothier's Business,
in Westfield, where all persons that will favour him with
their cistom, may depend on having their work done with neatness,
and at the shortest notice.
ALL those indebted to him either by Book or Note, of
more than two years standing, are informed, that unless\
an immediate settlement is made, they will be sued without
further notice.
Westfield, Oct. 17, 1793
Not long before John left for New York State, an advertisement in a Northampton newspaper by John Dewey reveals some more detail about his business. John was robbed of contents from his business. In the article is an inventory of goods stolen. John offered a $20 reward which was a substantial amount of money at the time. The inventory provides us with knowledge of the different clothes John made with his fulling mill. I have reprinted the article as written below.
20 Dollars Reward.
__________________________________
STOP THIEF.
THE Shop of the subscriber was Broke open on the
night of the 23rd last, and Robbed of 144 YARDS OF
DRESSED CLOTH, - CONSISTING OF THE FOLLOWING PIECES --
8 yards of brown coating marked A.R.
4 yards of coating butternet colour EL
13 yards shear'd Cloth, dark snuff, P.L.
3 yards green Baize P.M.
3 yards green and pressed P.M.
2 1/2 yards green Baize N.P.W.
4 3/4 yards green Baize U.L.
13 yards grey coating U.L.
12 yards Coating, butternut A.N.
10 1/4 yards dark butternut, shear'd S.D.
2 3/4 yards dark grey Coating D.W.
8 3/4 yards Londonbrown and press'd I.F.
6 1/4 Londonbrown and shear'd N.F.
12 2/4 yards Check'd Blankets A.B.
4 yards light ash shear'd
6 yards light olive shear'd I.D.
1 3/4 yards black shear'd I. D.
10 yards light brown coating I. R.
4 yards lead colour'd Coating N.P.W.
5 yards brown shear'd R.D.
10 yards dark brown Coating U.L.
The Shop of Mr. SETH VICATS was broke open the same night,
and robbed of 2 pairs of men's shoes, 1 pair of Women's do. and
a new napt Hat. Whoever shall take up the Thief or Thieves,
and return the articles stolen, shall be entitled to a
reward of TWENTY DOLLARS or TEN DOLLARS for the articles
only.
N.B. All merchants and others are requested to pay attention,
should any of the above articles be offered them for sale.
JOHN DEWEY.
Westfield. (Massachusetts) October 24, '98
____________________________
Note: Baize is a rough wool material.
John Dewey was a private in Porter's Regiment during the Revolutionary War. John Dewey not only fought in the American Revolution, but he kept a diary of his experiences during his service. His diary is too important not to publish here. The diary was written during his service from April 4, 1776 through February 20, 1777. In it he writes of his travels, battles and experiences which include the famous crossing of the Delaware River with General Washington and the battle that transpired after. The diary can be read here. Also available will be some of his Revolutionary War records.
During the Revolutionary War John marched through New York. It must have left an impression on him because in the spring of 1802 he brought 2 of his sons John and Chester to Leyden, New York to clear land to build a home. About a year later,he packed up his family and moved to Leyden in Lewis County, New York. He was one of the earliest settlers in Leyden. John's brother Aaron was also an early settler of this area. In New York John became a clothing merchant. While in Leyden John Dewey was the town supervisor during the years 1804 and 1811. John Dewey died in Leyden, New York at the age of 67 on December 31, 1821. He is buried in Locust Grove Lord Cemetery.
Achsah Clap AKA Clapp was the daughter of Aaron Clap and Jemima (Bartlett) Clap of Northampton. Achsah was born in Northampton on 31 January 1758. Today the location of the family home is Easthampton. Her date and place of death were unknown until recently. I have read all the Dewey, Clap and Bartlett genealogies as well as all the books available from Northampton and Easthampton, Massachusetts and Lewis County, New York and there is no mention of her death anywhere. In October, 2011, a Find A Grave volunteer found the grave of Achsah Clapp Dewey right next to the grave of her husband. The stone had fallen flat and was covered with debris and moss. The date of her death is no longer a mystery. Achsah died 28 July 1833. Her Find A Grave Memorial and headstone can be viewed on the Find A Grave website here.
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