Captain Joseph Sylvester

Occupation Details
- Joseph's occupation was Joseph settled north of Church Hill. In the Indian raid of 1676 his house was burned. He was a captain under Col. Benjamin Church in the Eastern Expedition in 1689. In the Philips' Canada Expedition of 1690 he was Captain of a company in which there were 16 men from Scituate, many of whom never returned. Capt. Sylvester died in this expedition..
  - Occupation Notes
    - Besides the land conveyed to him by his father-in-law, Joseph owned land which he bought of John Whiston. His farm was in the southern part of Scituate, north of the Church Hill. In King Philip's War Joseph's house, which was considered the most valuable of the houses in that town, was burned by the Wild Savages, and was destroyed.
      
      On the fifth day of March 1684 Joseph took the place of his brother-in-law, Joseph Barstow, as an innkeeper at Scituate, the General Court at Plymouth, having discharged Joseph Barstow as keeper of an ordinary at the North River, granting License unto Joseph Silvester to keep an ordinary at the North River for the entertainment of strangers, and to be well provided for the necessaries for their entertainment both for them in respect of food and lodging, and also to provide for their horses. He was to keep good order in his house, and had the freedom to entertain such of their own town as he should see cause, and too, keep out others as he should see reason.
      
      Joseph understanding that all power residing originally in, and being derived from the people, and that all the magistrates and officers of government, are their substitutes and agents, and at all times accountable to them, held various town offices in Scituate, and was elected by the freemen of that town to be Deputy or Representative to the General Court or General Assembly in the years 1689 and 1690.
      
      Joseph was a Captain under Colonel Church in the expedition against the eastern Wild Savages in the year 1689. But in expedition against Canada in the following year he fell sick, and it appears from the papers connected with the settlement of his estate that he received medical attendance and nursing for some time before his death. On the twenty-second day of July 1690, he declared his nuncupative will before three of his men, Benjamin Stetson, Junior, and John and William Perry. He died soon after still in service.
      
      Joseph died in 1690, after the twenty-second day of July, while serving as Captain in the expedition against Canada conducted by Sir William Phips. The inventory of his estate, was dated 29 --- 1691, at Scituate, showed items amounting to 434 pounds, 7 shillings, and 6 pence, against which there were debts amounting to 16 pounds, 7 shillings.
      
      Important items given are two oxen, seven cows, two 2-year Olds, five yearlings, three calves, one horse, two mares, one colt, twenty-two sheep, five swine. No domestic fowls are mentioned, although it is probable that they were kept on the farm. Two slaves were also listed, with a valuation of 30 pounds. About 65 pounds was due the estate, of which the sum of 30 pounds was for services on the Phips expedition. The list includes also a large assortment of household articles, food, grains, tools, farming implements, guns, pistols, a cider mill, a still, rum, wine, tobacco, venison, beef, pork, sugar, and honey. The inventory of the estate is dated the twenty-second day of October 1715.
      [Source: Richard Silvester of Weymouth, Massachusetts, and some of his Descendants by Albert Henry Silvester.]
      
      "Capt. Joseph Sylvester, son of Richard, was born in Weymouth, Mass., in 1638. While on an expedition to Canada with Col. Phipps, he died. This account gives the descendants (daughters) the honor of "Colonial Dames," and they are eligible to that Society.
      [ Family History, Volume S(4), Sylvester, Daughters of the American Revolution library, Washington, DC.]

Ancestor Pedigree Chart
- Mr Richard Sylvester
  - d.1663 in Scituate
  
  Captain Joseph Sylvester
  - b.12 Apr 1638 in Weymouth d.22 Jul 1690 in Quebec - Canada
  
  Mr William Torrey
  - b.1500 in Combe - England d.Jun 1557 in Combe - England
  
  Mr Phillip Torrey
  - b.1530 in Combe - England d.31 Aug 1604 in Combe - England
  
  Thomasyne
  
  Mr William Torrey
  - b.1555 in Combe - England d.1639 in Combe - England
  
  Mrs Jane
  
  Mr Phillip Torrey
  - b.1580 in Combe - England d.27 Jun 1621 in Combe - England
  
  Alice
  
  Mrs Naomi Torrey
  - b.1612 in Combe - England d.Nov 1668 in Scituate
  
  Mr James Richards
  - b.1558 in Pitminster - England d.~  1608 in Taunton
  
  Mrs Alice Richards
  - b.1584 in Combe - England d.24 Apr 1634 in Combe - England

Personal Timeline

Individual Additional Information

Captain Joseph Sylvester

Occupation Details

Ancestor Pedigree Chart

Personal Timeline

Individual Additional Information

Details of Joseph's family with Mrs Mary Barstow