Person:James Fosdick (2)

The following is a List of those Persons who hav diec in the Town of boston, from April 19, 1775, to March 17, 1776, while the Town was shut up, Vizt.
...
[1776] January.
Mr. James Fosdick, 88, and his Sister in Law.

James Fosdick [#19806], s/o Thomas Fosdick of Charlestown and Mary Martin, m. (1) 24 Jul 1729 Hannah Boule, m. (2) 4 Oct 1739 Mary Fosdick. Will dated 27 Jan 1773, proved 15 Apr 1776, to wife Mary, after her death to son Nathaniel, daughter Sarah Foster, children of son Thomas, children of son John, children of son James. Lydia Fosdick sister of wife to be maintained.
[Note: The identification of the parents as Thomas and Mary appears incorrect, as the only Mary with sister Lydia appears to be their daughter, and he would not marry his sister (the Lydia of Jonathan died before 1700, and although this Lydia has no birth record, there is a baptism record in 1716 (Source:Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. Records of the First Church in Charlestown, 1632-1789, p. 112) and she is appointed a guardian [Middlesex Probate 8134] as a daughter of Thomas born about 1715). Also these parents were married several years after the birth suggested by the age at death of James. Possibly influenced by Wyman, see citation below.]

1687. Town.
James of John & Sarah Fosdike born July 28.

James [#18], s/o John [#17] and Sarah Bligh, b. 28 Jul 1687, m. (1) 27 Apr 1710 Phebe Manley, m. (2)7 Apr 1715 Sarah Lewist.

Children of Thomas Fosdick [#22] and Mary Martin: James [no further information given]. Thomas's son Samuel [#24] executes deed with Joseph [sic, see attached comment] Fosdick of Boston paver and w. Mary, James Curtis and w. Elizabeth, Ann Fosdick, and Lydia Fosdick to Edward Wyer land formerly of their grandfather Richard Martin.

James [#25], brother of Samuel [sic, see attached comment] m. 24 Jul 1729 Hannah Boule, m. (2) 4 Oct 1739 Mary Fosdick. [Note: Mary not identified. James said to have executed deed with Samuel as above.]

[Note: all three of these refer the same person. Besides the age at death cited above, which was apparently unknown to Wyman, and which connects James #25 to James #18, Wyman made a serious error in reading and interpreting the deed mentioned. This might have been caught if he identified the Mary Fosdick that James #25 is said to have married, but he did not.

First Wyman's abstract of the deed says "Joseph Fosdick of Boston, paver, and w. Mary", but the actual deed (Middlesex 45:631) says "James Fosdick Paver and Mary his wife". But the use of "Joseph" may well be a typo since no Joseph is shown in Thomas' family, and nothing is presented by Wyman except this deed that could justify placing a son James into this family. He explicitly says in the coverage of James #25 that he did participate in the deed even though he is not mentioned in the abstract given under Samuel #24. So one could suspect Wyman intended for the abstract to say James and Mary.

But Wyman appears to assume James is the one selling his grandfather's land, when the inclusion of "and Mary his wife" indicates it is Mary who is selling the land, just as Elizabeth is listed as wife of Joseph Curtis, because it is her land being sold. Wyman shows no marriage, etc., for Mary d/o Thomas, and has no identification of Mary wife of James, or he might have realized it. But it is clear from this deed that Mary is the daughter of Thomas selling land of her grandfather Richard Martin and so her husband James cannot be the son of Thomas. This is supported by various other considerations, notably the age at death given by Boyle's Journal, as well as lack of a birth record for James in Thomas' family, and the mention of Mary's sister Lydia in the will of James Fosdick identifying Mary as Thomas' child rather than James. So the James shown as the son of Thomas is actually confusion with James #18 and should not have been listed in this family.]