Dennis Stebbins

Dennis Stebbins of Deerfield, Massachusetts, was the oldest son of the twelve children of Joseph Stebbins (1749-1816) and Lucy (Frary) Stebbins (1754-1831). He grew up in a large gambrel-roofed house on Deerfield’s main street. In 1800, he married Lois Hawks (1781-1862), and they had ten children. When his father died in 1816, Dennis inherited a large house at the north end of the street. Like many men of his time, Dennis was a farmer who also undertook other activities, economic and political. He was a broom maker (an occupation that relied on locally-grown broomcorn), and he had a broom shop behind his house. He was also a major in the Massachusetts militia and served as a town selectman for nine years.

Business Letter to Dennis Stebbins. View this item in the Online Collection.

Details

Date1778–1842
PlaceDeerfield, Massachusetts
TopicFamily, Children, Marriage, Courtship
Industry, Occupation, Work
Politics, Government, Law, Civics
EraRevolutionary America, 1763–1783
The New Nation, 1784–1815
National Expansion and Reform, 1816–1860