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An American Family History

Michael Dwinnell and Elizabeth Fisk
 
Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts

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.

 Dr. Michael Dwinnell and Elizabeth Fiske married on December 10, 1724 in Wenham. She was his second wife. All of his children were born in Topsfield where the family remained for this generation. They lived on Salem Street. According to the Topsfield Historical Collections Volume 11, Salem Street, extended Wenham Street then passed the "Dwinell Houses" and was about six hundred feet from the present road. The children lived in Topsfield at the same time as and were closely associated with the Aaron Estey family.   
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.

Michael and his first wife, Hannah, had eight children. Thomas Dwinnell was born on October 3, 1693. Sarah Dwinnell Foster was born on June 20, 1697. Mary Dwinnell Gott Peabody was born on April 25, 1702. Michael Dwinnell was born in 1705/06. Stephen Dwinnell was born on March 5, 1707/08. Hannah Dwinnell Bowery Curtis was born on March 12, 1709/10. Jacob Dwinnell was born on January 31, 1714/15. Abigail Dwinnell Deering was born on November 5, 1719.

In 1724, Michael married 20 year old Elizabeth Fiske. They had two children. Benjamin Dwinnell was born on November 10, 1726. The second Thomas Dwinnell was born on August 26, 1729. Elizabeth died soon after his birth in 1730.

Michael married Elizabeth Cave in 1731. They also had two children. Samuel Dunnel was born in 1731 and baptized on July 18, 1731. Elizabeth Dwinnell was born on October 29, 1733. Elizabeth Cave Dwinnell died on February 7, 1736/37.

Michael married Charity Cotton in 1737 in Salem. Charity died on November 8, 1752. Michael and Charity did not have children. Shortly after Charity died, he married Mary Shaw Balch in 1753.

Michael died in 1761.

On May 20, 1760, the town of Topsfield appointed a committee of twelve men to seat the congregation "according to there Best Skill and Judgement." The report was dated May 17, 1762. (Topsfield Historical Collections, Volume 7) In 1762, the widow Mary Dwinnell was in the women’s first seat with Mr. Aaron Esty’s wife.

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

On December 30, 1757 “The committee laid out a way from Wenham Line to the Great Road . . . leading to Salem . . . which line begins at a Stake in Wenham line by the Wall on the way near Theophluis Fisk's house & from thence Runs North . . . west . . . through said Fiskes land, thence North . . . West . . . North   . . . through said Fiskes land to a stake Two poles to the Southward of the corner of Michael Dwinell Junrs wall thence west . . . North . . . through sd Dwinnells land thence West . . . North . . .thro land of Joshua Herrick of Beverly & land of heirs of Robert Cue . . . West . . . North . . . thro land of Capt. Thomas Tarbox thence the same course 2 poles thro land of sd Michael Dwinnell Junr thence west . . . North by the wall 16 poles thro land of Doct. Michael Dwinell & thence West . . . North . . . thro land of Jacob Dwinnell thence on the course laid mentioned 28 poles thro land of Jeremh. Town (the way here taking in a Small peice of the corner of David Balchs land) thence west . . . North . . . Through sd Towns land thence West . . . North . . . through land of Mathew Peabody to the Great Road aforesaid."
     

 

     

©Roberta Tuller 2012
tuller.roberta@gmail.com