 He also served as tax surveyor, suyveyor of highways, fence viewer for East Street, and in a number of other positions.Tradition holds that either Dwight or John Rodgers, both signers of the petition seeking the establishment of the town, asked the Great and General Court to name to name the town Dedham--not Contentment, as was originally asked--after their hometown of Dedham, Essex.Dwight was a part owner of a mill on Mother Brook, the first man made canal in America.