Lydia (Cook) Williams (bef. 1679 - bef. 1742)

Born before 27 Apr 1679 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut Colony

Wife of Samuel Leonard — married about 1707 (to 1718) in Preston, New London, Connecticut Colony [uncertain]

Wife of Nicholas Williams — married 5 Dec 1720 in Preston (now Griswold), Connecticut

Descendants

Died before 7 Jan 1742 at about age 62 in Preston, New London, Connecticut Colony [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Paul Leonard [send private message]

Biography

Lydia Cooke was baptized on 27 April 1679 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut Colony.^[1] She was the daughter of Richard and Grace (Unknown) Cooke. The Mayflower Families v.15 p.54 agrees that she was a daughter of Richard Cooke, but cautions that this was Not a Mayflower Cooke line.^[2]

Lydia married Samuel Leonard (Leonardson) in about 1707, based on the birth of their first known child in 1708, in Preston, New London, Connecticut Colony.

Their children, all born in Preston, under the surname Leonardson:^[3][4]

1. Lydia (1708) ^[5], married Matthew Huntington
2. Ebenezer (1710) ^[5], married Esther Amos
3. Samuel (1712) ^[5], married Lydia Stanton
4. Jane (1714), married Daniel Williams
5. Nathan (1717) ^[5], married Abigail Herrick

On 4 December 1716 Lydia and Samuel acknowledged the receipt of Lydia's portion of the estate of her father Richard Cooke of Norwich.^[2]

Lydia's husband Samuel died on 11 May 1718, in Preston. His surname is "Leonardson" on the record.^[3][6]

Lydia married, second, Nicholas Williams, on 5 December 1720 in Griswold, New London, Connecticut Colony.^[7]

Nicholas had married, first, Dorcas Davison, in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1705.^[8] It seems that Dorcas may have died as the result of the birth of their son James, who was baptized on 5 October 1720. Lydia and Nicholas each had been left with very young children, so their marriage was at least in part one of necessity.

Lydia and Nicholas appear to have had one child together:

1. Israel (bp. 15 October 1721)^[9]

Lydia's son Samuel chose Nicholas Williams as his guardian in 1729.^[2]

Lydia (Cooke) (Leonard) Williams died sometime before 7 January 1741/2, when the sons and heirs of Samuel, Ebenezer and Samuel, deeded their portions of his estate to their brother Nathan.^[2] The implication is that they did this soon after the death of their mother.

Sources

1. ↑ Stonington First Congregational Church records, 1674-1925, v.1 p.28, FHL film 7833751, image 28 FamilySearch
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Mayflower Families Fifth Generation Descendants, 1700-1880. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017). From Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Descendants of the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth, Mass., December 1620. Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1975-2015. [https://www.americanancestors.org/DB2728/i/48510/54/1415588515 NEHGS member site
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630-1870 Preston, p.127 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928. [https://www.americanancestors.org/DB414/i/13114/127/24758487 NEHGS member site
4. ↑ Memorial: Genealogical, Historical, and Biographical, of Solomon Leonard, 1637, Duxbury and Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and some of His Descendants. By Manning Leonard, Southbridge, Mass. Press of Knapp, Peck & Thomson, Auburn N.Y. 1896; page 36;
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Preston, CT: First Congregational Church Records, 1698-1898. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.) Originally published as: First Congregational Church of Preston, Connecticut, 1698-1898 : together with statistics of the church taken from church records. Preston, Conn.: The Society, 1900. page 12; page 13; page 14; page 16; NEHGS member site
6. ↑ "Connecticut, Vital Records, Prior to 1850," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPSC-NF12 : 15 April 2022), Samuell Leonardson, ; citing Death, Preston, New London, Connecticut, United States, Compiled by Lucius A. and Lucius B. Barbour, housed at State Library, Hartford, Connecticut; FHL microfilm 007833262.
7. ↑ "Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7PB-Y4V : 11 January 2020), Niclas Williams, 1720.
8. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHYB-PLM : Thu Oct 26 00:50:27 UTC 2023), Entry for Nicholos Williams and Dorcas Davison, 7 Oct 1705.
9. ↑ "Connecticut, Vital Records, Prior to 1850," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSJN-PFZH?cc=2843390 : 15 April 2022), > image 1 of 1; compiled by Lucius A. and Lucius B. Barbour, housed at State Library, Hartford, Connecticut.

• Memorial: Genealogical, Historical, and Biographical, of Solomon Leonard, 1637, Duxbury and Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and some of His Descendants. By Manning Leonard, Southbridge, Mass. Press of Knapp, Peck & Thomson, Auburn N.Y. 1896, pages 55-57.

• Find a Grave Memorial # 103623556

• Genealogical and Biographical Record of New London County, Connecticut (J.H. Beers & Co., 1905) Page 168