William Williams (abt. 1600 - aft. 1686)

Born about 1600 in England

Husband of Mary (Unknown) Williams — married 1680 in Dover, New Hampshire

Descendants

Died after 23 Mar 1686 after about age 86 in Durham, Strafford, New Hampshire [uncertain]

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William Williams migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

This profile represents William Williams, early Quaker settler of Durham, New Hampshire aka Oyster River Plantation who married first Agnes Unknown and then Mary Unknown, widow of Thomas Beard. His origins and parentage are unknown.

Birth & Baptism

William Williams was probably born by about 1600 if his first son was born about 1625 as is estimated. His second son had a land grant in 1653 meaning born no later than 1632. His first appearance in the new world is supposedly by 1640^[1] although his first documented appearance there in records was 1646 when he had a grant of 20 acres 24 Aug. 1651 bounded by John Bickford and Ambrose Gibbons "from William Williams his house to the next creek westward and from his house to the eastward eight rods."^[2]

His origins and parentage are not known. Queries at familysearch.org, freereg.org.uk and others turn up many possible records. There is no particular reason to believe he was of Taunton, Somerset in England although as described below, the "History of Durham, NH" implies that location.

Immigration

He does not appear in the "Great Migration" series of works by Anderson. His 1640 appearance at Oyster River comes from Volume 1 of the history of Durham which states that Ambrose Gibbons, Thomas Stevenson, William Williams and William Beard, all of Oyster River, had land assigned to them by common consent before 1640.^[3] and that Darby Field was "in quiet possession of Oyster River Point earlier than 1639."

Marriages

According to the "History of Durham, New Hampshire Vol 2." he was first married at Taunton, England in 1615 Thamzsyn Hill and then married 4 Feb 1628 to Agnes Newton. The "History" says that he may be the man of the same name who came with Thomas Wiggins to Dover Neck in 1633^[4]although this book does not state what became of his first two wives or where & when he emigrated.

The 1615 marriage is found at Taunton St. Mary^[5][6] but a quick scan of indexed records on familysearch.org turns up at least 3 other William Williams married that year in England so why the marriage of Somerset should hold any significance is unclear.^[7] The 1628 marriage to Agnes Newton is found in the same place^[8] but a query for 1628 marriages turns up 5 entries just on familysearch.org so the two mentioned in "History of Durham" should be considered questionable, especially since nothing is known of William's immigration to New England. If he can be found to be of Taunton, these records may be relevant.

He or his son by same name is believed to be that who married abt 1674 to Agnes widow of Darby Field as shown in a land record of Durham, New Hampshire: " William Williams and wife Agnes conveyed this lot, bounded in like manner, 18 June 1674, to Joseph Field." ^[9]

By 1680 (per Torrey) he married Mary ____<^[10] The marriage to Mary was given by Torrey in "New England Marriages to 1700" as:^[11][12]

TEXT:BEARD, Thomas (1608-1678?) & 1/wf Mary/?Elizabeth ____, m/2 William WILLIAMS by 1680; by 1650; Dover, NH

1. Coltman Anc. 17
2. Reg. 5:451
3. Dover NH Mar. 11
4. Sv. 1:148
5. Durham, NH 2:11
6. GDMNH 85}

History of Durham proves the marriage by another land deed of 23 Mar 1686 listing William Williams and wife Mary.^[13] This deed also included Samuel Hill and wife Elizabeth, which might have been the cause of Torrey's uncertainty regarding her name. But she is named "Mary Williams, former widow of Thomas Beard" in the settlement of Joseph Beard's estate 28 Feb 1703/04.^[14] confirming her identity positively.390

Children

The children are all listed on page 390 of Volume 2 of "History of Durham".^[15]

1. Matthew abt. 1625, possibly m. Elizabeth Giles as he administered the estate of her father in Jan 1666/67.
2. William abt. 1630 m. Margaret Stevenson, d. after 1696, had a 10 acre grant at Oyster River 10 Aug 1653 meaning a birth date no later than 1632 and presumably a few years earlier. In 1660, a land grant to Joseph Smith was recorded between the lots of William Williams Jr. and Matthew Williams, confirming that these two were sons of William Williams Sr.^[16]
3. Mary - witness in a 1665 document
4. Elizabeth - witness in a 1665 document

Colonial Life

• 1655: made freeman^{[citation needed]}
• 21 Aug 1655: ...the grand Jury Do present philip Chesly for Disorderly living with his wiffe in Calling god to witnes that he would never have any more sosiety with hir with many other vowes: witness william Roberts & william williams... william williams atendance 2 days^[17]
• 25 Jun 1656 sworn a member of the Grand Jury of Portsmouth for the year ^[18]
• 1657 appears on the rate list for the first time.^[19]
• His public service record was marred on 30 Jun 1657 when he was chosen constable for Oyster River but refused the office and was fined 40 shillings.^[20] During 1657 he was empaneled on additional juries inquiring into local deaths (accidental drowning, gored by a bull, crushed by a mast while building a boat, killed by a fallen tree), taking estate inventory and depositions.^[21] However, he was appointed highway surveyor in 1659 so apparently all was forgiven.^[22]
• 6 Apr. 1659 John Goddard sold to William Williams Sr., 40 acres on the south side of Oyster River "butting upon a creek commonly called Stimpsons Creek, which was John Pillions with ye necke of land wch lyes betweene Stoney Brooke & the Meeting house Lott." William and Agnes sold this lot on 18 June 1674 to Joseph Field.^[23] He had additional land grants in 1660 and 1662.^[22]
• 1659 (October)^[24] and in 1660 and again in 1663 he was fined for missing the town meeting, perhaps because he was attending the Quaker meeting (Williams was not explicitly accused of being a Quaker but several others fined at the same court for missing public town meetings on Sundays were noted as Quakers)^[25]
• 17 Jul 1660 William witnessed a document setting up support of the shared ministry between Dover Neck and Oyster River.^[26]
• 1661 Ann Pittman, wife of William, was fined for seeking to make strife between William Williams and his family by "telling untruths".^[27]
• 27 Jun 1676 at a county court in Portsmouth: The Comissonrs of Dover & portsmo in march Last [see NHSP p. 417] having Granted Administrac'on to ye estate of Wm Roberts deceased unto Wm ffollett Wm Williams Senr Wm Williams Junr James Bunker & Richard Oates, all wch persons refusing to accept save only Ric: Oates, wherefore This Court grants administrac'on on to ye sd roberts his estate unto ye sd Rich: Oates alone & binds him in a bond of 200l sterl..."^[28] One has to wonder why the Williams and James Bunker refused to serve as administrators.

Death & Estate

Later in life William went to live with Samuel Hill and Elizabeth. On 23 Mar. 1686 William and Mary, and Samuel and Elizabeth Hill sold to Stephen Jenkins of Kittery land "on which the aforesaid William Williams now liveth, containing fforty acres as it is bounded between the lands called Roberts his Land on the North west and the High way or the Ministers Lot on the South east, and butting upon Oyster River."^[29] William's home was near the river bank, 20 rods west of the parsonage lot. The cellar hole was destroyed later by the building of the brickyard there.

William's fate is not recorded in the "History of Durham" and is not yet known although he was still alive as of 23 Mar 1686 when he and wife Mary sold land to Stephen Jenkins of Kittery.^[30]

Sources

1. ↑ HIstory of Durham Vol. 1, p.4
2. ↑ HIstory of Durham Vol 1, p. 55.
3. ↑ History of Durham Vol 1, p. 4.
4. ↑ History of Durham Vol 2, p. 389.
5. ↑ Taunton : St Mary : : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/58186432e93790eb7fb64fb8 : viewed 18 Feb 2021) marriage William Williams to Thamzyn Hill 27 Aug 1615
6. ↑ Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1531-1812 for William Williams Taunton St Mary 1558-1696 https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/60856/images/42886_1831109331_0992-00257 public image
7. ↑ Familysearch.org query William Williams 1615 marriages
8. ↑ Taunton : St Mary : : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/58186436e93790eb7fb65466 : viewed 18 Feb 2021) marriage William Williams to Agnes Newton 04 Feb 1627/28
9. ↑ History of Durham Vol 2, p. 389.
10. ↑ History of Durham Vol 1, p. 10.
11. ↑ New England Marriages prior to 1700 by Clarence Torrey https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSM4-8DDX?i=387&cat=290345
12. ↑ New England Marriages by Torrey at American Ancestors $subscription
13. ↑ History of Durham Vol 1, p. 55-6.
14. ↑ History of Durham Vol 2, p. ?.
15. ↑ History of Durham Vol 2, p. 390.
16. ↑ History of Durham Vol 2, p. 333.
17. ↑ NH State Papers Vol 40, p. 115.
18. ↑ NH State Papers Vol 40, p. 118.
19. ↑ History of Durham Vol 1, p. 10.
20. ↑ NH State Papers Vol 40, p. 125.
21. ↑ NH State Papers Vol 40, pp. 128, 134, 469
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1} Genealogical Dictionary of Maine & New Hampshire p.758 $subscription
23. ↑ History of Durham Vol 1, p. 53.
24. ↑ Dover Notable Events, p. 47.
25. ↑ The old families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts ; with some related families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich and Hampton by Hoyt, David Webster, 1833-1921 Publication date 1897 p.1025
26. ↑ Dover Notable Events, pp. 49-50.
27. ↑ NH State Papers Vol 40, p. 149.
28. ↑ NH State Papers Vol 40, p. 332.
29. ↑ History of Durham Vol 1, p. 55-6.
30. ↑ History of Durham Vol 1, p. 55-6.

See also:

• History of Dover, NH John Scales BA, MA, Dover City Council, 1923 https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/24133/images/dvm_LocHist009212-00004-1 pp. 238, 244 for tax list entries
• NH Court Files- Vol. I, p. 325
• History of the town of Durham, New Hampshire : (Oyster River Plantation) with genealogical notes Vol 1. by Stackpole, Everett Schermerhorn, 1850-1927; Thompson, Lucien, b. 1859; Meserve, Winthrop Smith, 1838- Publication date 1913 https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofd00stac/page/4/mode/2up
• History of the town of Durham, New Hampshire : (Oyster River Plantation) with genealogical notes Vol 2. by Stackpole, Everett Schermerhorn, 1850-1927; Thompson, Lucien, b. 1859; Meserve, Winthrop Smith, 1838- Publication date 1913 https://archive.org/details/historyoftownof02stac/page/388/mode/2up
• New Hampshire State and Provincial Papers Vol. 40 "New Hampshire Court Records 1640-1692 and Court Papers 1652-1668" https://archive.org/details/newhampshireprov40none/page/114/mode/2up
• Notable events in the history of Dover, New Hampshire, from the first settlement in 1623 to 1865 by Wadleigh, George Publication date 1913 https://archive.org/details/notableeventsinh00wadl