Joshua Blackwell

  General Notes:

Joshua2 Blackwell (Michael1), born about 1653, died in Sandwich 6 Dec. 1737. He married about 1681 Mercy -----, died in Sandwich 29 March 1734 (May. Des., 25:27). A possible clue to the identity of the wife Mercy is suggested by the rather rare name Abia, which she gave to her fourth daughter. It suggests the possibility of a connection with the Fish family with which that name was popular.

In 1681 Joshua Blackwell's name appears of record as a member of a Sandwich committee "appointed to sell whales that are lately cast ashore" (Freeman, op. cit., 2:73). He served on the grand jury, 2 June 1685 (Shurtleff, op. cit., 6:166). About 1696 he is called "Sergeant Joshua Blackwell."

The Sandwich church records show the baptism, 28 July 1700, of "Micah, Samuel, Sarah, Jane, Abiah, Hannah Blackwell." The entry was made during the ministry of the Rev. Rowland Cotton, who never entered the names of the children's parents. His records begin in 1695, but baptisms of the two eldest children are not recorded, nor is that of the youngest, Deborah. But it is interesting to note that although the son Michael's birth is so recorded and he is called Michael in his father's will and in the will of his grandfather, he was baptized as Micah (the name which he evidently preferred).

Joshua Blackwell contributed, 25 June 1702, to the repair of the Sandwich Meeting House (Freeman, op. cit., 2:85). He was designated sole executor under his father's will, dated 29 Nov. 1709, as we have seen. The minister of the Second Church of Scituate records in his diary, 10 Nov. 1728, that he "preach'd at Sandwich at the house of Joshua Blackwell," after which Joshua's granddaughter, Martha Blackwell, among others, was baptized (The Register, 59:75, January 1905). The name of Joshua Blackwell is included in the Rev. Benjamin Fessenden's list of householders in 1730 (ibid., 13:30, January 1859).

The will of "Joshua Blackwell Senr. of Sandwich," dated 15 July 1737, gives "Imprim.: To my three sons Joshua, Michael & Samuel my wearing apparrell to be equally divided between them. Item: To my son Joshua Blackwell my back sword & all my guns not otherwise disposed of & one lott of land in town Neck. All the rest of my lands to him for his naturall life & then to my grandsons Joshua and Mordecai Blackwell & to their heirs forever, they paying £10 each to my grandson John Blackwell (and if said Joshua or Mordecai die, then said grandson John Blackwell to take his place). I give my son Joshua all my right in the tract of land called Shayoppanstore, lying near the Snake Pond; also my lott of land layed out in the last division of the Upper Lands in sd Sandwich, joyning to the land of Joseph Smith and also my lott of Cedar Swamp called the Long Lott also one half of all my lands in partnership with his brother Samuell not hereafter otherwise disposed. Whereas I have given my son Joshua a deed of Gift of meadow land and swampy ground where his house now stands, which is subject to a division with his brother Michael by ye will of my Honoured father; My will is that if my said son Joshua is disturbed in the enjoyment of said land and swampy ground, or if it be in whole or in part taken from him … Item: to my son Michael Blackwell ye long gun which is now at his house and all right I have in the dwelling house where he now lives. Item: to my son Samuell Blackwell one good yoke oxen, my cartwheel chains, plow and all my husbandry tools also my bulloch and the choice of my guns, also that twenty acre lott of land on which his dwelling house now stands with all the buildings thereon; also my 30 acre wood lott joyning to the house lott, also my meadow called Bartlett's meadow and all my part of the joyning upland lying in partnership with Benjamin Gibbs … and my Indian servant Joseph Coknehu should serve out his time with my son Samuell, if there be time after my decease. Item: I give unto my son-in-law Joseph Swift out of my moveables 5s. to each of his children by my daughter Mercy, to be paid by my executor within one year after my decease. Item: I give to my grandson Mordecai Blackwell that lott of Upland which I had of Timothy Bourne, in exchange for other lands lying between Cat Hill and Herring River in Sandwich according to the known bounds thereof. Item: I give to my daughters, Sarah Ellis, Jane Ellis, Abiah Churchill, Hannah Burge, Deborah Nye and to their heirs all my moveables not otherwise disposed of … and make my son Samuell Blackwell and my grandson Mordecai Blackwell my Executors." Witnesses: Benjamin Fessenden, Lydia Burges, Thomas Burges. Proved 9 Jan. 1737/8 (Barnstable County Probate, 5:382-4). [Michael Blackwell of Sandwich, Mass. (c. 1620-1710) by Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson and Maclean W. McLean, NEHGR 117, 1963]

  Noted events in his life were:

• Will, 15 Jul 1737. ^16,65

Joshua married Mercy Fish about 1681 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA.¹⁶ (Mercy Fish died on 29 Mar 1734 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA ^16,125,201.)