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An American Family History

Michael Dwinnell

A yeoman was a man who owned and cultivated a small farm. He belonged to the class below the gentry or land owners. A husbandman was a free tenant farmer. The social status of a husbandman was below that of a yeoman.

The settlement of New Meadows was incorporated as the Town of Topsfield by authority of the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1650. The church "gathered" on November 4, 1663 with the Rev. Thomas Gilbert. The third Meeting House was built on the Common in 1703 with Rev. Joseph Capen as pastor.

Chiildren of Dr. Michael
and Hannah Dwinnell
  • Thomas Dwinnell
  • Sarah Dwinnell Foster
  • Mary Dwinnell Gott Peabody
  • Michael Dwinnell
  • Stephen Dwinnell
  • Hannah Dwinnell Bowery Curtis
  • Jacob Dwinnell
  • Abigail Dwinnell Deering
    • of Dr. Michael and
    Elizabeth Fiske
  • Benjamin Dwinnell
  • Thomas Dwinnell
    • of Dr. Michael and
    Elizabeth Cave
  • Samuel Dwinnell
  • Elizabeth Dwinnell
    		•

    Michael Dwinnell was born on January 7, 1705/06 in Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts. He was the son of Dr. Michael Dwinnell and his first wife, Hannah. He was a yeoman.

    He married the widow, Louise (Lucy) Page Towne (Lucey Town) on September 27, 1727 in Salem, Essex County Massachusetts. Lucy was born in Topsfield. Her parents were Christopher Page and Abigail Tilton. She had been married before to Jacob Towne the son of Jacob Towne and Phebe Smith. Jacob was the son of Jacob Towne and Catherine Symonds.

    Michael and Lucy had six children.

    Bartholomew Dwinnell (1728-1801) moved to Keene and married Sarah Moulton. His son Bartholomew (1762-1813) was a minuteman in the American Revolution and marched on the alarm to the battle of Lexington and Concord with Captain Gould's Company.

    Luce Dwinnell Moneys was born March 28, 1730 and married William Moneys.

    Hannah Dwinnell Meragin was born February 17, 1732 and married James Meragin of Marblehead.

    Michael Dwinnell was born January 6, 1735 and married Martha Averill or Avriel. Two of their children died as infants.

    Michael's father left him five shillings in seven years after his father and step-mother’s deaths.

    “Micail 3d,” is listed in the records of Topsfield with three others who died in the [French and Indian] war of 1755.” His will was proved February 1, 1758.
    Lady Day Before 1752 the year began on March 25th. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year, not the beginning.

    Various spellings of Dwinnell
    Doenell, Donell, Donnall, Donnell, Duenell, Dunnel, Dunnell, Dwaniel, Dwaniell, Dwainel, Dwennel, Dwinel, Dwinell, Dwinnel, Dwinnill, Dwonill, Dwynel

    The French and Indian War lasted from 1754 to 1763. The British and French were fighting over claim to the territory between the Appalachians and the Mississippi.

    Keene, Cheshire County, New Hampshire was settled after 1736 and was a fort protecting Massachusetts during the French and Indian Wars. It was called Upper Ashuelot. When New Hampshire separated from Massachusetts in 1741 it became Keene, New Hampshire. During King George's War, the village was attacked and burned.
         
     

     

         

    ©Roberta Tuller 2012
    tuller.roberta@gmail.com