Simeon, William, Israel and Henry, brothers (all of them having the prefix of uncle, by the early settlers and their descendants generally, the two first however, being sometimes called Capt. Sim and Capt. Bill, and the third Lieutenant Dewey in consequence of honors in the Vermont militia) were among the early settlers of Berlin Vermont. They were descendants from Thomas Dewey who was an early settler from Massachusetts Colony and “came to Windsor, Connecticut, from Massachusetts in 1639 with Mr. Huit.”
Simeon Dewey was born in Colchester, Connecticut, Aug. 20, 1770, married Prudence Yemans, Feb. 27, 1794, (born in Tolland, Connecticut, Mar. 29, 1772, died in Berlin, Apr. 1, 1844,) and settled the same year on Dog river. He removed to Montpelier in 1825. where he was deputy jailer 8 years, returning to his farm in Berlin in 1833, where he remained until the death of his wife. He died in Montpelier, January 11, 1863, aged 92.
William Dewey, born in Hanover, New Hampshire, Jan. 26, 1772. He settled in Berlin in 1795, on the farm below his brother Simeon’s; married Abigail Flagg, 22 Apr. 1804, (born July 19, 1783, died July 28, 1826). He died Sept. 7, 1840; he was a successful farmer and useful citizen.
Israel Dewey, born in Hanover, New Hampshire, Jan. 26, 1777, settled in 1801, on the upper farm on Dog river, and removed from thence to the east part of the town about 1805, and from thence to Lunenburgh, Vermont, in 1851, where he died July 21, 1862, aged 85 years. He was a member of the Legislature of Vt. 1820, ’21 and ’26; postmaster in Berlin from 1825 to 1850, and employed perhaps more than any other man, with one exception (Hon. Abel Knapp) in town offices, as a magistrate, and in the settlement of estates. He was always ready to give his time and pecuniary aid, beyond his real abilities, for the improvement of our common schools; the welfare of the Congregational church with which he united in 1819, and other measures for the good of the community. After his removal to the east part of the town, he kept a tavern several years, and from that business and the custom of the times, acquired the practice of the daily use of ardent spirits, which was growing to be an excessive one, when in 1830, he relinquished it entirely and was ever after a consistent and ardent supporter of the temperance reform. He was married first to Betsey Baldwin, Mar. 1801, born Dec. 2, 1776, died Oct. 27, 1807; second to Nancy Hovey, 1 Mar. 1809; born in Hanover, New Hampshire, Dec. 24, 1786; died in Lunenburgh, Aug. 7, 1859.