Thomas Wight (2nd generation)
The entire first chapter from William Ward Wight's "The Wights - A Record of Thomas Wight of Dedham and Medfield and of his Descendants 1635-1890" (© 1890) is devoted soley to Thomas Wight, depicting his life in New England and his homesteads there. Until 2010, there was no confirmed information about Thomas prior to his "arrival in New England or his history there previous to the winter of 1635-6."
Update: In January of 2010, new source material was brought to my attention by Leslie Hume, who is a possible ancestor of Thomas Wight. Her source cites the Conover ancestory. The information they provide is as follows:
"Deacon Thomas Wight was the son of Robert Wight and Elizabeth Fullshaw. Deacon Thomas Wight was born on 6-Dec-1607, at Hareby, Linclonshire (sic), England. He married Alice Roundy circa 1630 at Isle of Wight, England. Deacon Thomas Wight married Lydia Eliot on 7-Dec-1665. Deacon Thomas Wight died on 17-Mar-1674 at Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, at age 66. He resided at at Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in 1636. He resided at at Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, in 1652.
Children of Deacon Thomas Wight and Alice Roundy:
Henry Wight b. circa 1625, d. 27-Feb-1679/80
John Wight b. circa 1627, d. 9-Sep-1653
Thomas Wight Jr.+ b. 1629, d. 25-Sep-1690
Samuel Wight b. 5-Feb-1639, d. 21-Dec-1716
Ephraim Wight b. 27-Jan-1645, d. 26-Feb-1722/23
Mary Wight+ b. 27-Jan-1645/46, d. 7-Mar-1692/93"
The genealogy pages for the Wight family have been duly updated. Thanks, Leslie!
Dedham, Massachusetts
We do know that he became a founding father of the Massachusetts towns of Dedham, and later, Medfield. Each married man was alloted twelve acres in Dedham for a homestead. "Thomas Wight twelve Acres more or lesse made up good by an enlargement rune in amongst ye Rockes & for woode and timbr as it lyeth ye one side by the highwaye leading into the Rockes for ye most pte & John Luson from that waye upon a lyne Southwest unto ye brooke that compasseth said Wight and soe by the Brooke as that side lyeth next John Luson towards the North. And the otherside lyeth by Anthony ffisher throughout wth a c'rteyne p'cell of grounde for a Situacon of a house a yeard Roome & easemt of water by the Brooke within the said Antho. ffisher lyne as by the marks and dooles app'eth. The one head abbutteth upon the waest towards the East and the other upon John Lusons Rockes towards ye west, the high waye leading towards the Ragged playne run'g through the same."
Thomas Wight was believed to have come to New England to escape religious persecution and "He and his wife were received into the church ye 6th of ye 7 mo. 1640" in Dedham.
As well as being a participating church member, Thomas was also active in the community of Dedham. "On October 8, 1640, he became a freeman (Register, III, 188). For six years, beginning in 1641, he was a selectman of Dedham (Mann's Annals, 79). His name frequently occurs in the early records."
"As early as 1649 he became interested in the movement for dividing Dedham, which resulted in the formation of Medfield. Under date of November 14, 1649, the following minute appears in the Dedham Records: 'Chosen by the inhabitants assembled for the managing and transaction of whatever is or may be needed for the further performing of the erecting, disposing, and government of the said village, the men whose names are hereunder written, who are fully authorized there unto until there be such a company of men engaged in that plantation and associated together as the town of Dedham shall judge meet for that work and trust. Ralph Wheelock, Thomas Wight, Robert Hinsdell, Henry Chickering, John Dwight, Peter Woodward, Eleazar Lusher.' (Tilden's Medfield, 36)." These men would be responsible for creating hose lots, town boundries and highways. On January 11, 1651, Dedham surrendered jurisdiction of Medfield.
Medifield, Massachusetts
In Medfield, Thomas continued his community service, serving as selectman the following years: 1654-55 and 1658-1674. "...the last being the year of his death. (Tilden's Medfield, 56, 60 et seq.)" He continued to be called upon in managing the new town's affairs, from procuring wood planks and glass for the meeting house, to fencing materials, to "hemp and bell rope making".
Thomas' duties with the church expanded also. "In 1667 Thomas Wight is mentioned as a deacon in the Medfield church."
His work did not always stay in Medfield as he was involved in other projects as well. "Thomas Wight and all his surviving sons in Medfield and his son-in-law subscribed for building a new brick college at Cambridge, now known as Harvard University. (Tilden's Medfield, 76; Register, X, 49)."
Thomas Wight died in Medfield on March 17, 1673-4 (most records lean towards 1674). His will and inventory listing of his estate is documented in William Ward Wight's "The Wights - A Record of Thomas Wight of Dedham and Medfield and of his Descendants 1635-1890" (© 1890), pages 3-5.
Genealogy
The Wight family tree begins with Robert Wight and continues down to my maternal grandmother, Dorothy Ann Wight. Asterisks mark the generations in my direct family line. I am a 14th-generation member of the Wight family, whose line dates back to the mid-1600's. Some family members names are are underlined. These are links to their biographical information (including siblings), and when available, photos.
- Robert Wight (1st generation) *
- Born: date, location unknown
- Married: date, location unknown
- Spouse: Elizabeth Fullshaw
- Born: date, location unknown
- Died: date, location unknown
- Child: Thomas * (Born: December 6, 1607, in Hareby, Lincolnshire, England)
- Spouse: Elizabeth Fullshaw
- Died: date, location unknown
- Thomas Wight (2nd generation) *
- Born: December 6, 1607, in Hareby, Lincolnshire, England
- Married: 1630 at Isle of Wight, England
- Spouse: Alice Roundy
- Born: date, location unknown
- Died: July 15, 1665 in Medfield, Massachusetts
- Child: Henry * (Born: 1625, location unknown)
- Child: John (Born: 1627, location unknown)
- Child: Thomas (Born: 1629, location unknown)
- Child: Samuel (Born: February 5, 1639, in Dedham, Massachusetts)
- Child: Ephraim (Born: January 27, 1645, in Dedham, Massachusetts)
- Child: Mary (Born: January 27, 1645/1646 - possibly Ephraim's twin, location unknown)
- Spouse: Alice Roundy
- Married: date, location unknown
- Spouse: Lydia (nee Eliot) Penniman
- Born: date, location unknown
- Died: approx July 27, 1676 (location unknown)
- Spouse: Lydia (nee Eliot) Penniman
- Died: March 17, 1673-4 (most records support 1674) in Medfield, Massachusetts
