Hewitt, John, 1777-1857.

John Hewitt (1777-1857) immigrated to the United States in 1796 and worked at a foundry in Belleville, New Jersey before opening his own cabinetmaking shop in the early 1800s. He soon moved his shop from Belleville to New York City, established a branch office in Savannah, Georgia, and was shipping his furniture to the South and to foreign markets. He ran into financial problems instigated by the embargos of the War of 1812 and later by a fire at his shop, and was financially ruined by 1819 after lending money to a dishonest friend. He spent a period of time as a farmer before reestablishing himself in New York where he worked variously as a baker, lumber dealer, and manufacturer of bedsteads (which he patented). He finally returned to furniture making, going into business with his eldest son, Francis Hewitt (b.1809). John Hewitt married twice, first to Phoebe Tiemann and after her death to Ann Gurnee. He had two sons by his first wife, neither of whom survived infancy, and seven children by his second.

From the description of John Hewitt record book, 1800-1814. (New Jersey Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 52815519

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