William Ross
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William Ross (1660 - abt. 1712)

William Ross
Born in Westerly, Colony of Rhode Islandmap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
Husband of — married about 1688 [location unknown]
Descendants descendants
Died about at about age 52 in Westerly, Rhode Islandmap
Profile last modified | Created 29 May 2011
This page has been accessed 1,555 times.

Contents

Biography

William Ross was born in 1660 in Westerly, Colony of Rhode Island.

He might have been the William Ross who emigrated from the Island of Barbadoes in 1679, found in Hatten's Original Lists, page 399.

About 1688 William wed Hannah Hungerford (born 1659). [1] [2] William Ross and Hannah Hungerford had five known children together: [3]

  1. William Ross, born abt 1688 in Westerly, RI;
  2. John Ross, b. abt 1690 - 1692;
  3. Ann Ross, b. 3 Jan 1694;
  4. Thomas Ross, b. abt 1696;
  5. MARY ROSS, b. 21 May 1700 in Westerly, RI.

William is thought by some also to have been married to Hannah Cottrell (born abt 1664). But she and William had to have divorced before 1688 when he married Hannah Hungerford, for William died abt 1712, Hannah Hungerford after April 1719, and Hannah Cottrell after 1743.

William Ross died about 1712 in Westerly, Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

His will is dated 27 April 1712 and proved on 12 June 1712 in Westerly, Rhode Island.[4] His inventory was taken on the 6 June 1712.

Extract of William Ross's Will

"To eldest son, William, half of my land on east side of farm, and if he sell it shall only be to brothers of name of Ross. To second son, John, the other half of farm at wife's decease, on same conditions. To wife for life the use of all lands, house and moveables. To son, Thomas, one ewe sheep. To daughter, Ann, a pot and kettle. Son John to maintain his mother, and if he neglect to do so, power is given her to sell the part of farm given John, to maintain herself in her old age. To John Babcock, 2 cows, a 3 year old heifer, 2 calves and a yearling, being for my son Thomas' joint dept. Inventory, - 37 pounds, 8s, 2d, viz, 2 beds, wearing clothes 3 pounds, 4 sheep, 11 lambs, mare, colt, cow, calf, steer, yearling etc." [5]

Research Notes on William Ross

William and John Bentley in their 1957 History of the Peckham Family credit Emilie Sarter of Boston for the evidence in their book. She says about William and Hannah Ross: "William Ross married, probably at New London, Connecticut Colony (though no marriage record has been found there), about 1688 or 1689 Hannah Hungerford born at New London, May 1, 1659. She died probably at Westerly after April 1719, in which month 'Hannah Ross of the plantation of the Narragansetts in Rhode Island conveys land in Haddam (Conn.?) to John Spencer of Haddam that did belong to her brother (i.e. half brother) Peter Blackford, deceased.' (Old Haddam Records, Book 2, p. 197). In the same record, p. 184, she is referred to as 'Hannah Ross, whose maiden name was Hungerford'. She was the daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Wiley) Hungerford of New London."
The Bentleys add about William: "He was probably the William Ross recorded in Hotten's Original Lists, p. 399, as emigrating from the island of Barbadoes in 1679. 'Tickets granted to emigrants from Barbadoes to New England, Carolina, Virginia, New York, Antigua, Jamaica, Newfoundland and other places March 21, 1678 (i.e.. 1678/9) Ross, William in the Ketch "William and Susan" for New England Ralph Parker, Commander'. He may have served a period of apprenticeship in the island of Barbadoes." [6]

Geopolitical Historical Note

Before 1663 Westerly belonged to the Colony of Rhode Island. Following the 1660 restoration of royal rule in England, it was necessary to gain a Royal Charter from King Charles II. He granted the request with the Royal Charter of 1663, uniting the four settlements together into the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. [7]
Washington County was created as Kings County in 1729 within the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It was renamed Washington County on 29 October 1781 in honour of George Washington. At the earliest stage of colonial settlement, the area was called The Narragansett Country, named after the Algonquin tribe which lived in the area. [8]
Note: When Charlestown was set off from Westerly, Rhode Island the line ran between two halves of the farm of William Ross Sr. so that from that time William Sr. lived in Charlestown, Rhode Island.

Sources

  1. Millenium File. Text: " William Ross; Spouse: Hannah Hungerford; Birth: 1660 - Westerly, Rhode Island; Death: 12 Jun 1712; Children: William Ross; Spouse's Father: Thomas Hungerford; Spouse's Mother: Hannah Willey"
  2. Genealogy of one branch of the Peckham family of Newport and Westerly, R.I. : and its allied families. Ross. William Ross. Page 122. See Image.
  3. Genealogy of one branch of the Peckham family of Newport and Westerly, R.I. : and its allied families. Ross. William Ross. Page 123. See Image.
  4. Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9079/images/007649997_00076). Rhode Island, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1582-1932 [database on-line], Town Council and Probate Records, Vol 2-4, 1699-1736, image 76-77. Westerly, Council Records, Probate Records & Lands, 1699-1719, No. 2, Page 61-62. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Free Ancestry.com image of Will
  5. Westerly, Rhode Island Wills
  6. Rosemary Canfield, Some Lines of Descent from William Ross of Westerly, from Rhode Island Genealogical Register, Vol. III, No. 1, July 1980
  7. Wikipedia Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
  8. Wikipedia Washington County Rhode Island

Acknowledgements

  • WikiTree profile William Ross was created through the import of Towne-Weeden.ged on 29 May 2011 by J X. See the Changes page for the details of edits by J and others.
  • WikiTree profile Ross-7329 was created by Albertus on 23 Jan 2015 and merged into Ross-1199 on 16 July 2015 by J.




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with William by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with William:

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