Twelfth Generation

140. William DEWEY was born on 27 January 1793 in Pennsylvania.^43,50 He died on 26 October 1877 at the age of 84 in Byron, Genesee County, NY.^43,50 Cemetery Notes: "1860 and 1870 census has that William Dewey of Byron, Genesee Co., NY (wife Tryphena) was born in Pennsylvania and of an age to suggest birth in 1793.

Probate record for William Dewey of Byron, NY [dated 8 January 1877] has his entire estate going to widow, Tryphena Dewey except for $1 going to his daughter Martha Claflin. The fact that the estate was in Probate Court in January 1877 would suggest that William died in October 1876 and the year on his tombstone of 1877 is in error.

The probate record shows that Moses P. Cogswell of Attica, NY (who can be shown to have been a son of William's widow Tryphena) filed for proving of William's will on 6 November 1876 or a little over two weeks after William's death on 21 October 1876. An age at death of 83 years would then suggest that William Dewey was born between 22 October 1792 and 21 October 1793.

Family bible record which is available in the pension file of his father, Gideon Dewey, has that son William Dewey was born on 27 January 1793 (this is right within the range suggested by the age on the tombstone and stated age at the 1860 and 1870 censuses).

The same bible record has a brother, David, born on 15 December 1797. History of Erie County, PA (1884, p. 664) has "the first male child born in the township [Mill Creek] was David M. Dewey, December 15, 1797..." This matches the birth date in the family bible so suggests that the Gideon Dewey family lived at Mill Creek, Erie County, PA in 1797.

1800 census taken at Erie township, Allegheny County, PA lists a Gideon Dewey as a blacksmith. Erie township became Erie county in 1800 so this confirms that the Gideon Dewey family was still living in Erie County, PA in 1800.

The pension file for Gideon Dewey includes an inventory of his property [dated 23 April 1818] and the first item on the list is "one set of blacksmiths tools" and Gideon swore that he was a blacksmith no longer able to labor, which confirms that the Gideon Dewey who was father of William and David (from the family bible record) was a blacksmith. This matches the occupation of Gideon Dewey who was living in Erie Co., PA in 1800.

The above suggests that William Dewey was born in Pennsylvania, and that it is possible somewhere in the vicinity of what is now Erie County." He was buried in Byron, Genesee County, NY.⁵⁰ in the Byron Cemetery.

William DEWEY and Mary ROOT were married in 1828.^43,50,51,52 Mary ROOT, daughter of (Unknown) ROOT and (Unknown) UNKNOWN (ROOT), was born on 5 February 1807 in New York.^28,43,50,52 She died on 29 September 1849 at the age of 42 in Byron Township, Genesee County, NY.^43,50,51 She was buried in Byron, Genesee County, NY.^28,50 in the Byron Cemetery. Mary in June 1850 in Byron Township, Genesee County, NY.⁵² She was listed in the "Schedule of Persons who Died during the Year ending 1st June 1850." She died of "Constipation."

William DEWEY and Mary ROOT had the following children:

William DEWEY and Martha ROOT were married in 1820 in Mendon, Monroe County, NY.^43,44 Martha ROOT, daughter of (Unknown) ROOT and (Unknown) UNKNOWN (ROOT), was born in 1800.⁴⁴ She died on 11 April 1827 at the age of 27 in Byron, Genesee County, NY.⁴⁴ She was buried in Byron, Genesee County, NY.⁵⁰ in the Byron Cemetery.

William DEWEY and Tryphena ACHILLES were married on 27 March 1825.⁴⁴ Tryphena ACHILLES was born on 4 August 1799 in New London Township, Merrimack County, NH.⁴⁴ She died on 4 August 1887 at the age of 88 in Rochester, Monroe County, NY.⁴⁴ She was buried in Byron, Genesee County, NY.⁵⁰ in the Byron Cemetery.