Person:Joseph Baxter (10)

Joseph Baxter, son of John Baxter & Hannah his wife was born the 4th m'o 4th [16]76.
[Note: In old-styles dates, the fourth month is June. More info may be found here.]

"Rev. Joseph Baxter, second minister of Medfield, was the son of Lieutenant John Baxter of Braintree, and was born in 1676. He graduated from Harvard College in 1693, at the age of seventeen. He first preached in Medfield when he was eighteen years old; and though entirely acceptable the people thought best to wait awhile before settling him, on account of his extreme youth. He received a call, however, April 26, 1694. As soon as he was twenty-one years of age, he was ordained, April 21, 1697. In 1696, he bought the homestead of Joseph Bullard on Main Street, opposite the head of Main Street. Judge Sewall, in his Diary, speaks of visiting Medfield in 1697, and says he "viewed Mr. Baxter's house, and the orchard Captain Frary hath given to the ministry, which lies very convenient; a living brook running by it, and through Mr. Baxter's." The orchard had belonged to John Frary, Sen., and was on the spot owned by heirs of Cyrus Stedman. Mr. Baxter's house lot contained ten acres, lying on both sides of the way.

He married Mary Fisk of Braintree, who was received to church here in 1701. His salary was £70 for several years.

His first wife having died about 1710, he married in 1712 Rebecca Saffin of Bristol, who died the next year.

His third wife was Mrs. Mercy Brigham.

He, in common with other wealthy citizens, owned slaves. In 1714, we find that "Mr. Baxter's man Tony" was paid for ringing the bell. In 1717, the salary was advanced to £80; and in 1721, he had a monthly contribution besides. The value of money was depreciating at this period, owning to the large quantities of paper money that had been issued. In 1725, he had £100.

In 1731, he had from the town a grant of "half an acre of land on the east side of the meeting house to build a house on." This is where the straw-shop now stands. He did not build upon it however, and in 1742 gave a quit-claim to the town.

In 1733, his salary was made £130; in 1738, £60, "new tenor"; in 1741, £180. "old tenor." In 1743, his salary was to be £55, lawful money, or £220, "old tenor. "The paper money was growing worse and worse.

Mr. Baxter died of dropsy May 2, 1745, aged sixty nine.

He published the Election Sermon, 1727, sermons to two societies of young men, and sermons, in 1729. He preached the sermon at the dedication of the first meeting-house in Sturbridge, 1733. When Governor Shute proposed tot he Indians that a Protestant missionary be sent to them at the eastward, Mr. Baxter's name was mentioned; and he commenced a correspondence with the French Jeruit, Ralle, who was then in those parts. The correspondence was in Latin, and Rslle accused Mr. Baxter of a want of scholarship. The Governor replied that the "main qualification in a missionary to the barbarous Indians was not to be an exact scholar as to the Latin tongue, but to bring them from the power of Satan, who has usurped possession of these parts of the world for many ages, into the kingdom of the Son of God,"

His real and personal estate at his death was valued at £1883. Besides land in this town, he owned rights in iron woks at Crack Rock in Stoughton (now Foxboro), iron works in Walpole, half a farm "at a place called Tuesick in the township of Georgetown at the eastward, "part of a right in land lying on Georges River, and an island neat Topsham, "commonly called Baxter's Island."

In his will is the following: "I devise to my beloved wife, Mercy Baxter, twenty pounds a year in bills of the old tenor, so long as she live, besides all the household goods she brought to me, and whatsoever she had by her father, or former husband, or sister; and also my horse and chaise and the tacking belonging to it, and the service of my Negro Slave, Nanny, during my wife's life; and to my Negro Slave I give her freedom at my wife's decease." He afterward adds, "It is my will that upon condition my Negro woman shall not in all things carry and behave herself dutifully and well towards her said mistress, my wife, then she shall not have her freedom; but I give to my wife full power to sell or dispose of her for life at her discretion." During his ministry, three hundred and seventy-three persons were admitted to the church, two hundred and twenty eight owned the covenant, and one thousand one hundred and seventy-five received baptism."

A memorandum "apparently in the handwriting of Mr. Baxter himself as long as he lived":
I was born at Brantry June 4th 1676.
Baptized at Brantry by the Reverend Mr Moses Fisk June 11 1676.
Admitted into Harvard College Sept 20th 1689.
Admitted to my First Degree July 5th 1693.
Received to full Communion with the Church of Christ in Brantry March 4 1694.
Preached my First Sermon at Brantry November 11th 1694.
Preached at Medfield the first time Nov 25 1694.
Was called to settle at Medfield April 26 1695.
Came to live at Medfield Jan 14 1695/6.
Was admitted to a second Degree July 1 1696.
Was ordained in Medfield April 21st 1697.
Was married to Mr Mary Fisk September 16th 1697.
Joseph Baxter our first Child was born Feb 11th 1988 on a Sabbath Day about one a clock afternoon was baptized Feb 18th 1699/700 and Died Feb 29th 1699/700 Half an hour after Sunset.
Mary Baxter was born Feb 16 a little before Twelve a clock the night before the Sabbath and was baptized Feb 16 1700/701.
Sarah Baxter was born August 21 on Friday about 6 a clock in the Evening and was baptized August 23 1702.
Hannah Baxter was born July 15 on the Saturday about Three a clock in the Afternoon and was baptized July 16 1704.
Joseph Baxter was born May 14 1706 about one of the Clock in the Morning and was baptized May 19 1706.
John Baxter was born May 24 1708 on ye Evening after the Sabbath a little before midnight And was baptized May 9 1708.
Thomas Baxter was born Feb 18 about a Quarter after Two of the clock in the morning and was baptized Feb 19 1709/10.
My Wife died at Brantry March 29 1711 in the Thirty Eighth year of her age.
I was married to Mrs Rebecca Saffin June 26 1712.
My Second Wife died December 4 1713.
I was married to Mrs Mercy Bridgham Feb: 21 1715/16.
My Father died April 29 1719.
My Daughter Mary was married to the Rev'd Mr John Gardner of Stow April 14 1720.
My Daughter Sarah was married to Mr Thomas Buckminster of Framingham March 1 1721/2.
My Daughter Hannah was married to the Rev'd Mr Oliver Peabody of Natick May 9 1723.
My Mother died Feb 29 1723/4.
John Baxter was married to Rebeckah Fisher Octob. 12 1732.
Joseph Baxter died of the Small Pox at Dublin December 1732.
Thomas Baxter was married Aug 18 1736 to Mrs Susanna Lyman of Boston.

[this entry obviously made by someone else.]

The Rev Mr Joseph Baxter died May 2 1745.