Born: 3 April, 1647 in Scituate Massachusetts
Died: 29 January 1707 in Scituate Massachusetts
April 3, 1647 Josiah is the youngest son of Lawrence Litchfield and is only two or three years old when his father passes away. He has one older brother, Experience, and two older sisters, Dependence and Remember. There is some speculation that he had another brother, Elisha, but I have not been able to verify this name.
Lawrence Litchfield dies and on his death bed requests that John Allen and his wife Anna should adopt Josiah as their own. All parties agree. Judith Litchfield marries William Peakes that same year.
March 20, after a hearing with the Court, John Allen his wife Anna and Judith (Litchfield) Peakes come to an agreement regarding the adoption of Josiah and consent is granted by the Court.
John Allen dies and leaves his lands and house to Josiah Litchfield who at the time was not of legal age. Two guardians are appointed for Josiah to protect his assets until he reaches the age of 21.
Josiah reaches the age of 21 and collects his inheritance from John Allen. His brother, Experience, dies in an accident at the docks and appoints him administrator of his estate and leaves him land and other property. Josiah marries Sarah Baker Feb 22, 1671, and by 1690 is a man of substantial property and means and father to seven children; Hannah, Sarah, Joseph, Nicholas, Experience, Judith, and Samuel.
During this period Josiah continued to grow his land holdings and increase his business ventures. He was elected and appointed as: Surveyor of Land, chosen as Constable, Fence Viewer and sat on several juries both Grand and Petie. He dies a well respected and prosperous man in January of 1709 in Scituate.
Josiah had four half brothers, Thankful Peakes who drowned Nov. 15, 1655, Israel Peakes born Feb. 22, 1655-6, Eleazer Peakes born May 3, 1637 and William Peakes born July 15, 1662. William Peakes, second husband to Judith Litchfield, was not the peaceable citizen nor as kind a husband as was Lawrence Litchfield. William Peakes was guilty of a misdemeanor which was recorded in the Plymouth County Records, vol. v; p.142 - This for owing 20 pounds to the church, and for "his beating, abusing and afrightening the wife of Josiah Litchfield."
Sarah Baker Married 22 Feb 1671
Hannah b. 24 Dec 1672 d. abt. 1747. Married Isreal Cowing 1699. Children; Mary b. 1691, d. 1724; Hannah b. 1694; Elizabeth b. 1697 d. 1778; Isreal b. 1699 d. 1724
Sarah b. 25 Sep 1674
Joseph b. 10 Jan 1677, d. 17 Nov 1717. Married Mary Briggs 29 Dec 1712. Children; Mary b.1715; Josiah b. 1716
Nicholas b. 7 Feb 1680 d. 1 May 1750. Married Bethsheba Clark 3 Jan 1705. Children; Experience b. 3 Nov 1705 d. 6 Jan 1706; Josiah b. 20 Dec 1706 d. 1 Aug 1787; Nicholas b. 10 Mar 1708 d. 1780;Bathsheba b. 8 May 1709; James b. 12 Jun 1711 d. 1734; John b. 1712 d. 20 Jan 1785; Isreal b. 1714; Elazer b. 1715; Susanna b. 1717 d. 13 Nov 1756; Isaac b. 1719 d. 17 Dec 1800;Thomas b. 1721 d. 5 Mar 1803.
Experience b. 25 May 1683
Judith b. 25 Apr 1687. Married Joseph Briggs
Samuel b. 4 Feb 1690 d. 1767. Married Abigail Buck 25 Mar 1712. Children; Samuel b. 11 Oct 1715; Abigail b. 23 Feb 1717; Sarah b. 5 Jun 1718; Judith b. 1720; Hannah b. 1721; Experience b. 1723; Deborah b. 1725; Nathaniel b. 5 Dec 1727; Remember b. 1728; Ruth b. 1730. Later Married 6 Mar 1734 Fear Turner. No children.
"ADOPTION OF JOSIAH LITCHFIELD BY JOHN AND ANN ALLEN"
Prence Gou
These p'sents Witness that the 20th of March 1657-8, Judith the wife of William Peakes acknowledges that her former husband Lawrence Leichfield [Litchfield] lying on his death bedd sent for John Allen and Ann, his wife and desired to give and bequeath unto them his yougest son Josias [Josiah] Lichfield [Litchfield] if they would accept of him and take him as theire child. Then they desired to know how long they should have him and the said of Lawrence said for ever; but the mother of the child was not willing then: but in a short time after willingly Consented to her husbands will in the thinge; if she said John and Ann would take the child for theire adopted Child unto them and desired her child might call them father and mother and yett owne her for his Naturall mother as longe as shee should live; whereto all sides Consented and the said Josias [Josiah] being asked by his owne Mother the day and yeare above written if hee did Consent and Chuse to live with the said John and Ann as hereto by the space of about nine years hee had done Willingly answered yea; in the presence of Mr. James Cudworth and Henry Dunstert and Timothy Hatherly and in witnesse of the p'mises the p'sons have heer unto sett theire hands."
The marks of John Allen and
Ann Allen
J A ---A A
The marke of Judith Peakes P
The marke of Josias Licchfield JL
Subscribed in presence of
Timothy hatherly
henery Dunster
John Allen was a man true to his word, and when he took ill looked to prepare his Last Will and Testament. He contacted Nicholas Baker and Mr. Timothy Hatherly asking them to come to him to assist in the preparation of such will. John Allen died within two days of their arrival and was not able to complete and sign his will. He was, however able to make known his wishes before his sudden demise as testified to by Msrs. Baker and Hatherly.
"WILL OF JOHN ALLEN OF SCITUATE"
The last Will and Testament Nuncupative of John Allin of Scituate deceased Included in the following Testimony, and ordered heer to bee recorded.
I Nicholas Baker of Scituate aged 53 yeares: do testify that I and Mr. Hatherly being desired by John Allin of Scituate, To come to him to healp him in makeing his will; were with him but two daies before hee died [in 1661]; and Mr. Hatherly being gon forth; and not returneing soe soone as hee was expected; The Said John Allin told mee that hee had sent for us to write his will and that his Intent was to give Josias Leichfield a portion out of his estate; and that hee should have that house and land where hee had lived when he come of age; and that his wife should have the other house and land of his where Jonas Pickels then lived and that for the Rest of his estate it should bee in his wifes power to give to the sad boy as she did see him carry himself; Soe said hee I would have the boy beholding to my wife; and not my wife to the boy."
The oath of Mr. Nicholas Baker taken in the Court held at Plymouth the 2nd of June 1663
Attested pr me
Nathaniel Morton
Clarke of the said Court
Josiah Litchfield was not yet twenty one years of age and was therefore not able to own the property left to him by Experience Litchfield and John Allen. He would have to have guardians appointed to handle his holdings until such time as he reached the legal age.
The following abstracts from the Plymouth Colony Records relate to the guardianship of Josiah and the final settlement of the estate left to him by John Allen:
"Att the Court of Assistants holden att Plymouth the fift Day of May, 1663, Before Thomas Prence, Gov...[and others]...in answare unto a petition prefered to the court by Judith Leihfield, the adopted son of John Allen, deceased, the Court have ordered and doe heerby give libertie unto the said Josias Leichfield to choose two guardians, and to p'sent them unto the next Generall Court.
Att this Court [June 1, 1663] Josias Leichfeld made choise of Leiftenant Torrey and Cornett Studson to bee his guardians, whoe were allowed and approved soe to bee by the Court.
Whereas John Allen of Scituate and Anna his wife, longe since tooke Josias Leichfield as theire adopted child, with purpose to bringe him up and doe for him as theire child and soe faithfully performed during the said Allen his life, and not long before his death was mindful of him; yet being suddainely taken away left not his mind soe full and p'ticulare concerning him as hee intended and might have bine desired; yett soe much appeered to the Court upon oath as in theire apprehensions carryed the true intent and force of a will. The said Josias having chosen Leiftenant James Torrey and Cornet Robert Studson his guardians, it was att this Court [June 1663] agreed between Anna, the relic of the said Allin, and the boyes abovenamed guardians, with the Courts approbation and likeing, that the said Josias should have twenty pounds sterling payed into the hands of his said guardians about Michilmas [Sept 29]next, by them to bee improved for him, and soon after that time to bee fried & to bee put forth to a trad, and conveniently fited out with suitable apparrell and necessities, and when hee shall come to the age of twenty-one yeares, to bee possessed of the farme and appurtenances given him by the said John Allin, deceased."
On November 5, 1663, the guardians of Josiah Litchfield received the twenty pounds as ordered by the court and made them available for his use.
On March 2, 1668-9, the Court certified that Josiah Litchfield would come of age on the third day of April next and it was ordered that he be escorted to Scituate to take possession of the lands and property left to him by John Allen and that all duties with regards to their guardianship would then be complete.
So it was that at the young age of twenty one, Josiah Litchfield was now a substantial land owner in Scituate, having received property from Lawrence Litchfield, Experience Litchfield and John Allen left to him in their various wills. This would have made him a citizen of some prominence within the fledgling Colony.
Josiah Litchfield would go on to accumulate more land in grants of common ground. In 1673 he would receive five acres, in 1697 he would receive an additional thirteen acres. Then in 1699 seventy more acres were granted to him by virtue of Lawrence Litchfield's inhabitation in 1647. He purchased an additional ten acres of the commons in 1706-7.