William Bonapart Woolsey (1821 - 1925)

Born 9 May 1821 in Greeneville, Greene, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Dora Alice (Bird) Woolsey — married 22 Dec 1842 in Greeneville, Greene, Tennessee

Descendants

Died 7 Dec 1925 at age 104 in Greeneville, Greene, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

William Bonapart was born in May 9, 1821. He was the child of William Woolsey and Sarah Woolsey. ^{[1] [2]}

William, the strong exponent of Christianity and education to the people of the mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, was the son of William Woolsey Sr., the eldest son of Zedekiah* Zephaniah. William Bonapart Woolsey, was named after his father and great-grandfather as well as the French Emperor and Conqueror, Napoleon Bonaparte, and was born in Greene County, Tennessee May 9, 1821; almost a hundred years before his grandson Paul Woolsey, was born in the same place. William Jr. was twelve years of age at the time of the Indian fight.

He married his cousin, Sarah Woolsey of Virginia.

He was known the decided stand he took for those things which he thought were right. He substituted a brick dwelling - now owned and inhabited by Lynch Jones - for the log building of his father. It is told how Mr. Price, the mason who laid the bricks, walked around the top of the wall on his hands before the rafters were placed. He was the great-grandfather of Mr. Lester Price, a deacon in the Harris Memorial Church near the Tennessee Free Will Baptist Home for Children.

In the year 1821 James Monroe was president of the United States and Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay and Daniel Webster were recognized as "up and coming" statesmen. Within two years President Monroe was to proclaim the famous Monroe Doctrine. At this time there were no schools in Greene County, south of the Nolichuckey River and along the foot of the mountains. William Bonapart, later a teacher, founder of Woolsey College and student of Greek, grew to manhood without an opportunity to attend school. He could do little more than read and write his name.

At an early age he developed those characteristics that - by the Grace of God - enabled him to admit no defeat in the accomplishment of those things he knew were right and should be done. At the age of twelve he witnessed a scene that made a lasting impression on him. While firing the distillery at night he saw the phenomenal falling of a large number of stars. This unusual occurrence lasted for some time. Many who saw this scene declared that the end of time had arrived. Young William B. was brought face to face for the first time with the fact of the greatness of God and the insignificance of mere man. From this time until his conversion ten years hence, he was not able to get away from the fact that the "Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth His handiwork," and that God is just and holy and that all men stand before Him as condemned sinners unless they find peace through the atoning power of the blood of the Son of God.

Some four miles from the Woolsey homestead on the Nolichuckey River's banks dwelt a more or less wealthy plantation owner of Dutch descent by the name of Mathias Bird. Mr. Bird lived on the South Side of the river and the people on that side did not take kindly to slavery. However, some slaves were used on the farm. One day Mrs. Bird started to wash and developed a severe backache. Mr. Bird said nothing but rode away on his horse and in a short time returned with a slave who not only finished that wash but also many more in the days that followed. Young William B. was even then outspoken against slavery and intemperance - the two evils of the day. None or the Woolsey generation owned slaves or drank intoxicating drinks, although they ran distilleries. William B. early condemned the making as well as the drinking of all whiskies and wines. His late teens found him more and more frequently at the Bird home.

In 1842 William Bonapart Woolsey and Dora Alice Bird , Mathias's little sister, entered into that most sacred of relationship, Holy Matrimony. For sixty-three years they were as one in the rearing and educating of their large family and in the work of the church that was so dear to them.

Marriage

Dora Alice Bird was a devoted Christian at the time of her marriage and her husband was converted the year of their marriage. From receipts still in the hands of the family it would appear that "Boney" as he was called by his friends attended a subscription school at least during the first two years of his married life. Not long after the birth of his first born son, DeKalb (Steven) Woolsey, he was licensed to preach by the Nebo Baptist Church, which he had joined upon his conversion. William B never did anything by half way methods. Upon his conversion he at once became an active and aggressive worker for the Master not only in the church but also in the community. The family altar which was erected early in the first year of their married life is still proving a blessing and a never failing source of strength to their descendants. The home to which William took his bride was the same to which his youngest son took his bride some sixty-four years later. Eleven children, ten of whom lived to reach maturity, blessed the home.

Becoming A Free Will Baptist

Rev. William B. Woolsey had a stoppage in his speech that would have caused a less determined man or one less surrendered to the will of God to have hesitated to enter upon the work that was to demand the constant appearance before large audiences in three states. The Bible had been a familiar book in the home of his father from his earliest childhood but now it became the Book of books to him. He poured over it, and realizing his handicap of the lack of sufficient education, he at once began to buy all Bible helps that were available. This was a real sacrifice for a poor man who had just taken upon himself the responsibility of a family. But under the leadership of the Holy Spirit he persevered until be was able to read the New Testament In Greek, with the aid of a lexicon. By the end or 1847 three children had blessed the home with their appearances. Brother Woolsey continued to "'crease his field of labor. At first he was satisfied to hold Prayer meetings in the homes and preach in nearby churches, but soon the Spirit led him farther afield.^[3]

Children

• Steven DeKalb Woolsey (1846)
• Mary Emily Woolsey Lovette (1844 - 1912)
• David M. Woolsey (1848 - 1915)
• Perpetua Filicitas Woolsey Fillers (1856 - 1927)
• William M Woolsey 1850
• Watson H Woolsey 1852
• Jakim Otterbein Woolsey (1859 - 1922)
• Phebe Woolsey 1862
• Martha Alice Woolsey (1866 - 1888)
• Thomas H. Woolsey (1870 - 1925)

Age 39-1860 Census

By this record we see William and Alice are living with Caleb Harrison and his family. William and Alice had 7 children in 1860, and she was just 35. She will continue to birth 11 in total. Williams' Sister Sarah Woolsey Harrison married a [Harrison].

• Caleb Harrison M 55 Tennessee
• Mary Harrison F 49 Tennessee
• Amos Harrison M 19 Tennessee
• David B Harrison M 16 Tennessee
• William B Harrison M 8 Tennessee
• Semion B Harrison M 5 Tennessee
• W B Woolsey M 39 Tennessee
• Alice Woolsey F 35 Tennessee
• Mary E Woolsey F 16 Tennessee
• Stphn Woolsey M 14 Tennessee
• David M Woolsey M 12 Tennessee
• William M Woolsey M 10 Tennessee
• Watson H Woolsey M 8 Tennessee
• Perssuca F Woolsey F 5 Tennessee
• Jakim O Woolsey M 2 Tennessee

^[4]

Age 49-1870 Census

By this time, Mary and Steven (DeKalb) are moved out. Phebe, Martha and Thomas are born. Perpetua is spelled three ways, Perssuca and Perfretna. The entire family is missing the 'E" in Woolsey.

• William Woolsy M 49 Tennessee
• Alice Woolsy F 45 Tennessee
• David M Woolsy M 21 Tennessee
• William M Woolsy M 19 Tennessee
• Watson H Woolsy M 16 Tennessee
• Perfretna Woolsy F 14 Tennessee
• Jakin O Woolsy M 11 Tennessee
• Phebe L Woolsy F 8 Tennessee
• Martha A Woolsy F 4 Tennessee
• Thomas H Woolsy M 0 Tennessee

^[5]

Here's Father Woolsey in his elder years.

Age 59-1880 Census

• William Woolsey Self M 59 Tennessee, United States
• Alice Woolsey Wife F 55 Tennessee, United States
• Jakim O Woolsey Son M 21 Tennessee, United States
• Phebe S Woolsey Daughter F 18 Tennessee, United States
• Martha Woolsey Daughter F 14 Tennessee, United States
• Thomas H Woolsey Son M 10 Tennessee, United States

^[6]

Over three decades of records only 10, (not 11 as mentioned in books), children are named. One can only deduce two things. Either a child passed at a very young are or Percussa was the name of another daughter, circa 1850.

Sources

1. ↑ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~woolsey/books/freewill/introduction.htm.
2. ↑ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~auntsissie/greenewoolsey.html
3. ↑ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~auntsissie/greenewoolsey.html
4. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8TX-JG8
5. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDD9-4F3
6. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD7H-GHN

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDX-KLS : 9 November 2014), Stephan D C Woolsey in household of William B Woolsey, Greene county, part of, Greene, Tennessee, United States; citing family 1257, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).