M. (1) 1693 in Beverly, Massachusetts2
Husband: Joshua Dodge
M. (2) 20 Apr 1696 in Beverly, Massachusetts3
Husband: John Thorndike
D. 12 May 1716 in Beverly, Massachusetts4
When Joanna Larkin’s husband died in 17th-century New England, his probate file had a remarkable claim: his widow was the rightful owner of most of their joint property.
Joanna was born on March 8, 1676 to John Larkin and Joanna Hale;1 she was one of six children, two of whom died young. Her father died when she was 2-years-old in a smallpox epidemic.5 Her mother remarried to William Dodge in 1685,6 and he had several children of his own. This is how 9-year-old Joanna met her first husband, Joshua Dodge, who was her 16-year-old step-brother. They married in about 1693.2
Step-siblings who would one day get married. (AI-generated image)
Sadly their marriage didn’t last long. After Joanna got pregnant, Joshua died at age 24 on April 15, 1694;7 their son was born six months later. Since there was no will for Joshua, the probate file was quite detailed, and it suggested that Joanna had brought her own property and possessions into the marriage.8
To understand Joanna’s holdings, we need to look at her progenitors. Her grandparents were all part of the Great Migration from England to Massachusetts during the 1630s. Maternal grandfather Robert Hale was a prominent man in Charlestown, but he died young,9 and her grandmother Joanna remarried to a man named Richard Jacob10 who left her widowed again.11 When she passed away in 1679, she had property from both husbands, and bequeathed it to many of her descendants, including young Joanna. The will said “And my remaining acres of land in the field I give to be equally divided between my Daughter Larkin’s four children.”11 This amounted to three acres to be split between Joanna and her siblings.
In addition to this, Joanna had 2 acres left to her by her father, also in Charlestown, that was “in the hands of her brother Edward,” and “a legacy” from her paternal grandmother, Joanna Penticost.12 In looking at the inventory for Joshua Dodge’s estate dated September 20, 1695, the list has very few items that weren’t the part of what Joanna had gotten from her own deceased relatives.8 In addition to land, there were pewter platters, table and cupboard cloths, napkins and other items from her two grandmothers. And also “4 tablecloths and 4 towels” from her mother.8
Inventory of Joshua Dodge’s estate.
Describing these possessions as belonging to Joanna was so that she could retain them even if she took a second husband. Usually a widow lost the joint property she had with her husband if she got remarried. And presumably Joanna did keep everything when on April 20, 1696, she married John Thorndike.3
Joanna and John had a total of eight children together born between 1697 and 1712. They lived in a house that John built during the early years of their marriage; it is a New England “salt box,” and it is still standing today.13 Joanna didn’t live to see most of her children grow up because she passed away on May 12, 1716 in Beverly.4 Her husband John remarried twice more, and died in 1760.14
Child by Joshua Dodge:
1. Joshua Dodge — B. 20 Sep 1694, Beverly, Massachusetts;15 D. 20 Dec 1772, Beverly, Massachusetts15
Children by John Thorndike:
1. Robert Thorndike — B. 4 Feb 1697, Beverly, Massachusetts;16 M. Elizabeth Woodbury (1696-1781), 20 Nov 1718, Beverly, Massachusetts17
2. Paul Thorndike — B. 5 Feb 1699, Beverly, Massachusetts;18 M. Mehitable Woodbury (1705-?), 30 Sep 1725, Beverly, Massachusetts19
3. John Thorndike — B. 22 Aug 1701, Beverly, Massachusetts;20 D. 10 Jul 1769, Beverly, Massachusetts;21 M. (1) Elizabeth Ober (1704-1750), 13 Nov 1723, Beverly, Massachusetts;22 (2) Sarah Cleeves (1728-1833), 18 Feb 1753, Beverly, Massachusetts23
4. Joanna Thorndike — B. 1 Aug 1703, Beverly, Massachusetts;24 D. 27 Mar 1775, Beverly, Massachusetts;25 M. Ebenezer Lovett (1702-1778), 17 Apr 1725, Beverly, Massachusetts26
5. James Thorndike — B. 11 Jan 1706, Beverly, Massachusetts;27 D. 20 Feb 1787, Tewksbury, Massachusetts;28 M. Anna Ober (1708-1787), 21 Jan 1728, Beverly, Massachusetts29
6. Herbert Thorndike — B. 3 Jan 1708, Beverly, Massachusetts;30 D. 10 Jul 1746, Beverly, Massachusetts;31 M. Abigail Ober (1708-1796), 4 Feb 1731, Beverly, Massachusetts32
7. Edward Thorndike — B. 10 Apr 1711, Beverly, Massachusetts;33 D. 21 Apr 1711, Beverly, Massachusetts34
8. Sarah Thorndike — B. 17 Sep 1712, Beverly, Massachusetts;35 M. Joshua Thorndike, 14 Dec 1738, Beverly, Massachusetts36
Sources:
2 Marriage record of Joshua Dodge and Joanna Larkin, U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Ancestry.com
3 Marriage record of John Thorndike and Joanna Dodge, Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910, FamilySearch.org
4 Death record of Joanna Thorndike, The Massachusetts Vital Records Project – Vital Records of Beverly, Massachusetts, Vol. 3, p. 577
5 Find-a-Grave listing of John Larkin
6 Marriage record of William Dodge and Joanna Larkin, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
7 WikiTree listing of Joshua Dodge
8 Probate record of Joshua Dodge
9 Find-a-Grave listing of Robert Hale
10 Marriage record of Richard Jacob and Joanna Hale, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
11 Probate record of Joanna Jacob
12 Probate record of Joanna Penticost
13 Capt. John Thorndike House (Wikipedia article)
14 Death record of John Thorndike, Massachusetts Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910, FamilySearch.org
15 Find-a-Grave listing of Deacon Joshua Dodge Jr.
16 Birth record of Robert Thorndike, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
17 Marriage record of Robert Thorndike and Elizabeth Woodbury, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
18 Birth record of Paul Thorndike, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
19 Marriage record of Paul Thorndike and Mehitable Woodbury, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
20 Birth record of John Thorndike (younger), M.T.C., V. & T.R.
21 Death record of John Thorndike (younger), M.T.C., V. & T.R.
22 Marriage record of John Thorndike and Elizabeth Ober, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
23 Marriage record of John Thorndike and Sarah Cleeves, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
24 Birth record of Joanna Thorndike, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
25 Death record of Joanna Thorndike Lovett, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
26 Marriage record of Ebenezer Lovett and Joanna Thorndike, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
27 Birth record of James Thorndike, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
28 Death record of James Thorndike, Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850, AmericanAncestors.org
29 Marriage record of James Thorndike and Anna Ober, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
30 Birth record of Herbert Thorndike, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
31 Death record of Herbert Thorndike, Massachusetts Vital Records, Beverly, Vol. 2, p. 575
32 Marriage record of Herbert Thorndike and Abigail Ober, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
33 Birth record of Edward Thorndike, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
34 Death record of Edward Thorndike, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
35 Birth record of Sarah Thorndike, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
36 Marriage record of Joshua Thorndike and Sarah Thorndike
