SEVENTH GENERATION

114. Capt. Joseph C. ATWOOD ⁽³⁷²⁾⁽³⁷³⁾ was born on 19 Feb 1720/21 in Orleans, Barnstable, MA.⁽³⁷⁴⁾ [Bonnie Hubbard points out that Dean Dudley in his"History & Genealogy of the Bangs Family," 1896, says "Joseph (C.) Atwood was born at Orleans, not Chatham or Eastham, but since the town boundaries often changed and these are all close together anyhow, I'm not going to worry about this."]
He died on 18 Feb 1794 in Chatham, Barnstable, MA. "Mial Cushman, ... married Salome Atwood, dau. of Joseph Atwood of Chatham."
It is interesting to note that the marriage of Joseph C. to Deborah Sears is related to two separate "collapsed pedigrees." Joseph's paternal grandmother, Apphiah Bangs, is a sister to Sarah Bangs who is Deborah's great grandmother. Joseph's maternal grandmother, Bethiah Sears, is a sister to Capt. Daniel Sears who is Deborah's father. Deborah's maternal grandparents were also related to another "collapsed pedigree" as they were second cousins to each other.
"This third Joseph was a ship's captain and is the one Henry Wyles Cushman said is 'of Chatham.' Chatham, originally known by its Indian name Monomoy or Monomoit, was tossed back and forth among other towns for many years. ... The house that Joseph Atwood built was and is within the present day boundaries of Chatham. The pamphlet sent by the Chatham Historical Society calls him Joseph C. Atwood. I found no other reference using the "C.", but it is possible that it stands for Crowell and was used to distinguish him from his father or a cousin. Joseph married Deborah Sears of Chatham in 1742, their intentions being published April 14, 1742. ... They had seven children, the sixth being Salome..." (Bonnie Hubbard) Bonnie further quotes Wm. Smith's "History of Chatham" as follows: "About 1740 Chatham men began to secure command of vessels sailing to the West Indies and to European ports, though both were then rather hazardous trips. Capt. Joseph Atwood was one of the first of these captains, sailing in command of ships owned by Boston parties." A deed dated Feb 1752 indicates that he bought a 30 acre parcel of land called "Hog Neck" on which to build his house. This house was built on Stage Harbor Road and in its early years part of it was used as a store. Atwood descendants lived in this house until 1926, when it was sold to the Chatham Historical Society.
"In 1773 Joseph Atwood, at that time one of the Selectmen of Chatham, was on a committee appointed to superintend the rebuilding of the Meeting House. ... In 1772 the citizens of Boston appointed a committee of correspondence 'to state the right of the Colonists and of this Province in particular, as men and Christians and as subjects; and to communicate and publish the same to the several towns, and to the world, as the sense of this town, with the infringements and violations thereof that have been or from time to time may be made.' Chatham, having received a letter, appointed its own committee of correspondence, which included Joseph Atwood. ... Joseph was appointed to the committee again the following year and his name appears as clerk on the pay roll of Capt. Benjamin Godfrey's Company of Militia in Maj. Zenas Winslow's Regiment in September 1778. They went on an "alarm" at Bedford and Falmouth." (Bonnie Hubbard)
He was married to Deborah SEARS in Apr 1742.⁽³⁷⁵⁾ [Bonnie Hubbard quotes from p. 64 of S.P. May's "The Descendants of Richard Sares (Sears) of Yarmouth, Mass." regarding Deborah and Joseph's wedding: "The ceremony was performed at home, and the guests remained for the evening, as there was to be a dance in honor of the occasion. The "long chamber" had been cleared and made ready, and in due time they were `tripping it on the light fantastic toe.' The bride, a buxom lass, and not sylph-like in form, enjoyed dancing immensely. In the course of the evening her animation became excessive, and while dancing vigorously her foot broke through the floor, causing some confusion and slight injury. This tradition being remembered by some of the neighbors when the old house was torn down, an examination was made to see if there was any evidence of the disaster, and in confirmation of the story, they found a square of board had been let into the center of the flooring."]

115. Deborah SEARS ⁽³⁷⁶⁾⁽⁸¹⁾ was born on 13 Oct 1722 in Chatham, Barnstable, MA. She died on 6 Jan 1796 in Chatham, Barnstable, MA. Children were:

i. Bethia ATWOOD⁽¹⁹⁴⁾ was born on 3 Feb 1743 in Chatham, Barnstable, MA.
ii. Deborah ATWOOD⁽¹⁹⁴⁾ was born on 3 Sep 1748 in Chatham, Barnstable, MA.
iii. Phebe ATWOOD was born on 25 Jun 1751 in Chatham, Barnstable, MA.
iv. Joseph ATWOOD IV⁽³⁷⁷⁾ was born about 1752. He died in 1774.
v. Sarah ATWOOD was born on 5 May 1754 in Chatham, Barnstable, MA.
57 vi. Salome ATWOOD.
vii. Sears ATWOOD⁽¹⁹⁴⁾⁽³⁷⁸⁾ was born on 26 Jul 1761 in Chatham, Barnstable, MA. Named his first son Joseph who in turn named one of his sons Joseph. Bonnie Hubbard gives the following quote from the Chatham Historical Society: "Joseph's son Sears had a son Joseph who was captain of the schooner Traveller, of Chatham, in 1809. She was about 55 feet long and on went several trips to the Mediterranean area. The crew consisted of Joseph Atwood, age 25, captain; his brother Solomon Atwood, 22, mate; his brother David Atwood, 21, seaman; Abner Ryder, 29, seaman; Enoch Howes, 18, seaman; Collings Howes, 15, cook. How times have changed!"

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