Person:Josiah Southwick (1)

Persecution as a Quaker

Josiah, like his parents and siblings, was a Quaker, and with his family was persecuted for his beliefs. In March 1657, he being now close to adulthood, was fined with his father for absence from meeting. In November 1657 (Feb 1657/8), he and his parents were whipped and imprisoned for 11 days. In March 1658, he with John Burton and John Small, headed to Rhode Island in hopes of finding a more accepting place for their families to settle. While passing through Dedham, the three were detained and brought to Boston for questioning as suspected Quakers, and refusing to inform the constable of the religion they avowed. In May 1658, Josiah was again fined for absence from meeting. Like his parents, he would be banished from the Mass. Bay Colony. In Sept 1661, the following order was issued:

To the Constable of Boston--You are by viture of an order of this Court of Assistants held at Boston the 31 inst required with the executioner to enter into the prison and there forthwith take the person of Josiah Southwick, a banished Quaker, and the Executioner is there to take him, and strip him from the girdle upwards, and whip him with ten stripes out Boston, an deliver him to the Constable of Roxbury, who is also to cause him to be tyed to the cart's tail, stripped as aforesaid, and whip him through Roxbury with ten stripes aforesaid, and then deliver him to the Constable of Dedham, who is also required to whip him at the cart's tail with ten stripes as aforesaid, and so discharge him out of your jurisdiction. Make your several returns on the back side of this warrant to the Secretary forthwith. Dated at Boston the 9th of September, 1661. By the Court - Edward Rawson, Secretary.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Josiah Southwick, in Caller, James M. (James Moore), and Maria A. Southwick Ober. Genealogy of the Descendants of Lawrence and Cassandra Southwick of Salem, Mass: the original emigrants, and the ancestors of the families who have since borne his name. (Salem, Mass.: J.H. Choate & Co., Printers, 1881)
   p 74-76.

   Josiah Southwick², son of Lawrence and Cassandra Southwick; born 1632; died 1693. Married Mary __, 1658.