Benjamin Franklin Dewey

Brief Life History of Benjamin Franklin

When Benjamin Franklin Dewey was born on 5 May 1829, in Westfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, United States, his father, Ashbel Dewey, was 33 and his mother, Harriet Adams, was 27. He married Susan Elzira Smithson on 9 May 1855, in San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 6 daughters. He lived in Utah, United States in 1870 and Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States in 1880. He died on 23 February 1904, in Chloride, Mohave, Arizona, United States, at the age of 74, and was buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Kingman, Mohave, Arizona, United States.

Photos and Memories (5)

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Family Time Line

Benjamin Franklin Dewey
1829–1904
Susan Elzira Smithson
1837–1915
Marriage: 9 May 1855
Benjamin Franklin Dewey Jr
1856–1929
Lois Elizabeth Dewey
1857–1933
Ella Lucinda Dewey
1860–1862
Harriet Maria Dewey
1862–1863
Sarah Elizabeth Dewey
1864–1956
George Quincy Dewey
1868–1937
Clara Louise Dewey
1878–1944
Mable I Dewey
1880–1885

Sources (54)

  • Franklin Dewey, "United States Census, 1850"
  • California, County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849-1980
  • Benj F Dewey, "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952"

World Events (8)

1830 · The Second Great Awakening

Being a second spiritual and religious awakening, like the First Great Awakening, many Churches began to spring up from other denominations. Many people began to rapidly join the Baptist and Methodist congregations. Many converts to these religions believed that the Awakening was the precursor of a new millennial age.

1847

Historical Boundaries: 1848: Mexican Cession, United States 1850: Utah Territory, United States 1851: Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States 1868: Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States 1896: Salt Lake, Utah, United States

1863

Abraham Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation, declaring slaves in Confederate states to be free.

Name Meaning

Welsh: from the personal name Dewi, Welsh form of David . In some cases the name may arise from the dedication of parish churches in places called Llanddewi (Saint David's), of which there are several.

Anglicized form of a French Huguenot name of uncertain form and origin. Traditionally it is recorded as Douai, a habitational name from a city so named in northern France, but it could also be from Old Norman French du we(z) ‘of the ford’, from a variant of standard French gué ‘ford’.

In some cases possibly also an Americanized form of Dutch De Weij (archaic De Wey): cognate of Van der Weij (see Wey ).

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

Possible Related Names

Story Highlight

This Is The Place plaque

Benjamin Franklin Dewey was an original 1847 pioneer that arrived in the Salt Lake valley in July 1847 . His name is on this plaque to commemorate that event.

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