Mumblings - Francis Osman and Elizabeth Ann (Farnum) Dewey

Francis Osman Dewey (9^th generation)

Francis Osman Dewey was born in Berlin, VT on June 20, 1823 and died on February 16, 1897 at Reading, MA.  He married Elizabeth Ann Farnum on August 5, 1845 at Brighton, MA.  Elizabeth was born in Mt. Vernon, NH on June 4, 1825 and died in Reading, MA on January 15, 1889.  She was the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Robbins) Farnum.  Francis, Elizabeth and many of their descendants are buried in the Laurel Hill Cemetery (in web link, find "Dewey" in last name search criteria) in Reading, MA.

Dewey Grave Laurel Hill Cemetery, Reading, MA

Francis O. and Elizabeth A. Dewey Grave

Francis was educated at Montpelier Academy, VT.  He moved to South Reading, now Wakefield, in 1841, where he worked for five years in the employ of Mr. Burrage Yale a tinsmith.  [“Burrage Yale of Reading, Massachusetts sought to hire peddlers … from 1823 to 1844.”]  Francis is listed as a (tin) “peddler” in the marriage registry for the city of Brighton, MA (Aug. 7, 1845).  Upon leaving the employ of Yale, he moved to Brighton, MA and started his own business, "F.O. Dewey & Sons," that sold lamps, lanterns and supplies for mills and railroads throughout New England, Canada, and the British Provinces.  "F.O. Dewey & Sons" was located at 28 Canal and 29 Merrimac Streets in Boston, MA.  His sons Edgar and Frank H. worked with him.  Francis is listed in American Silversmiths as a pewter smith and silver plater in Boston MA.  F.O. Dewey & Sons went out of business in 1922.

F.O. Dewey Business Post Card

F.O. Dewey & Sons Lanterns

Francis and son Frank H. Dewey held several U.S. Patents which brought fire safety features to lanterns: 


    Wick scraping attachment, US Patent 315256, Apr. 7, 1885
    Safety attachment for lanterns, US Patent 319799, June 9, 1885
    Lamp holder, US Patent 474082, May 3, 1892
    Safety Device for lanterns, US Patent 611858, Oct. 4, 1898



Francis moved to Reading, MA on May 12, 1863 and resided at 176 Summer Ave., Reading, MA.  He was a trustee of the Reading Savings Bank and was named to the first Reading Board of Cemetery Trustees March 7, 1870.

Francis Osman Dewey House, 176 Summer Ave., Reading, MA

Elizabeth Ann (Farnum) Dewey ancestry traces back to Ralph Farnum of Andover, MA. Ralph, his wife Alice, and children Mary, Thomas, and Ralph* came to the U.S. on the ship the James in 1635.  The James was part of Winthrop's fleet. Ralph Sr. and Ralph Jr. are another family connection to the Salem Witchcraft Trials as they testified against Mary Tyler.  Mary Tyler was found not guilty of witchcraft.

Francis and Elizabeth had six children:

Edgar Osman (1846 – 1890)*

Ella (1848 – 1849)

Francis Henry (1850 – 1920)

Charles Herbert (1853 – 1892)

Sarah Livermore (1856 – 1907)

Isabella Perley (1857 – 1941)