JOSEPH SHELDON

1668-1708
Massachusetts

JOSEPH SHELDON was born on February 1, 1667 at Northampton, Hampshire county, Massachusetts. He was the son of Isaac and Mary (Woodford) Sheldon.

Joseph was the 8th child of Isaac and Mary; six more came after. Of his siblings, one lived only 20 days, another six months; the rest all reached adulthood. Joseph had three older brothers, and four older sisters, two of whom were twins. Imagine the life of Joseph's eldest sister, Mary, only 14 when he was born. She certainly must have been a key component in the household care of all the younger children, her twin sisters born when she was but 9. It's not surprising that she married in 1670 at the age of 16. In those days, I would imagine that marriages were pretty much arranged for girls of that age. Do you think she was “married off”, as it were, or was she looking for a way out of the family drudgery?

MARRIAGE

MARY WHITING was born 19 August 1672, the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Pynchon) Whiting, of Westfield, Massachusetts. Mary's family was quite important in Massachusetts history and you will certainly want to read about her family and ancestry. I would say they were quite impressed with our Joseph Sheldon to allow their daughter to marry him. Joseph was 26 and Mary 22 when they were wed in 1694 at her town of Westfield, Hampden county, Massachusetts.

Go to the WHITING FAMILY

The young couple's firstborn child, a son named Joseph, was born in 1695 and died the same year. In the next three years, daughters, Amy and Mary, were born and lived. In 1699, Joseph moved his family to Suffield, Connecticut. He was the first Sheldon in Suffield. They settled on the east side of Main Street, just north of Bridge Street, within the limits of what is now Suffield Center. This property in Suffield was originally laid out to Rev. Pelatiah Glover. Joseph Sheldon bought the property in 1699 from Victory Sikes, “with a mansion house on it”. Here three more children were born: Joseph, Rachel, and Benjamin. From Suffield the father traveled often to Boston where he was a member of the Massachusetts General Court.

As a representative of the General Court, Joseph was in attendance during the summer of 1708. During the session, on July 2nd, The Honorable Joseph Sheldon died suddenly; his father died in the same month. The governor of Massachusetts and both branches of the legislature attended Joseph's funeral. Shortly after, a sad procession of moving wagons could be seen wending its way from Suffield to Westfield, Massachusetts, returning the widow and her young family to her childhood home. The now fatherless children were 12, 10, 8, 5 and 3 years of age.

The property with the mansion house was sold to Joseph's cousin, Josiah Sheldon of Northampton, the son of Thomas. A local research paper on Suffield houses states that Joseph sold the property 1723, but since he died in 1708 we know that is incorrect. Whether Mary retained ownership and rented the property until selling it in 1723, or if she sold it soon after Joseph's death, is unknown to me at this time.

After Joseph's death on 2 July 1708, his Widow Mary married at Westfield, Massachusetts, John Ashley*, on 20 January 1708/09. Known as Captain John, he was also widowed.

A Very Unique Story About How John Ashley & Mary Whiting Sheldon Linked My Mom & Dad's Families About 228 Years Before My Parents Married [Ready 2008]

Mary and John Ashley had no children. They were married for 26 years until her death at Westfield, Mass. on 13 March 1735. He remarried a third time.

If any reader discovers or has more knowledge of The Honorable Joseph Sheldon, please contact me. As more information comes forth, it will be added to this page.

CHILDREN of JOSEPH & MARY (WHITING) SHELDON

1. Joseph Sheldon, born 13 June 1695 at Northampton; died 1695.
   
   
2. Amy Sheldon, born 1696; married James Warriner. Lived in Springfield, Mass.
   
   
3. Mary Sheldon, born 1698; married Ebenezer Hitchcock on 14 February 1716. Lived in Springfield, Mass. and died there 8 January 1760.
   
   
4. Joseph Sheldon, born 26 December 1700; married Elizabeth Scott on 22 January 1723. Lived in Sheffield and Springfield, Mass.
   
   
5. Rachel Sheldon, born 1703; married Jedediah Bliss. Lived in Springfield, Mass.
   
   
6. BENJAMIN SHELDON, born 26 August 1705 at Suffield, Connecticut. He married Abigail Kellogg, on 13 August 1726.
   

Next to JOSEPH SHELDON [1668-1708] [Ready 2008]

PRIMARY REFERENCES

Some of the data on the children was taken from Dictionary of Early Settlers of New England, by Savage; some from the Sheldon Family Association records. See also the Western Hampden Historical Society, Westfield, MA 01086-0256.

WEB SITES OF INTEREST

Home Page, Sheldon Family Association.

Return to the Sheldon Archives

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Saemann and Brazelton Family
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Joann Saemann
Some material may be paraphrased
Last Updated – 28 October 2008

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