Benjamin Williams - 1722 - 1809

My direct line Williams ancestry goes through Jeremiah's son, Benjamin.

BENJAMIN WILLIAMS (4 Nov 1722 – May 1809)

Benjamin Williams was born 4 Nov 1722 in Hempstead, Long Island, New York, to Jeremiah and Mary Williams. In 1743, he moved to Hunterdon County, New Jersey, with his father’s family. Shortly after his arrival to New Jersey, Benjamin married Mercy Stevenson (b. 1719) on 11 Oct 1744, in the Kingwood Monthly Meeting. In 1758/59, he moved his family from New Jersey, across the Delaware River, to Buckingham Township, Bucks County, PA. He purchased 500 acres in Tinicum Township and later purchased another 500 acres in Buckingham Township, all of which he farmed. The original land Benjamin owned was previously owned by Chief Nitimus and his tribe. Chief Nitimus was always an honored guest in the home of the Williams family. A story of their interaction is related in Davis’ book on the History of Bucks County:

“Soon after taking possession of the land in Nockamixon the young Indians roaming over it at will, gathered the apples from the trees and took them away, and disturbed the water in the spring until it was unfit for use for a time. Benjamin expostulated with Nutimus, and asked why they did it. Nutimus replied it was true the Indians had sold the land, but not the apples and spring. Benjamin asked them how much they wanted for the apples and spring, and the chief replied, five bushels of Indian corn, five bushels of buckwheat and five loaves of ryebread. After that the spring and the apples were not disturbed.”

Benjamin was instrumental in the building of the Buckingham Monthly Meeting house. While the new meeting house was being constructed in 1768 the Friends congregation met at Benjamin’s home in Buckingham.

Buckingham Friends House

Benjamin and Mercy had 11 children:

John Williams (29 Mar 1745), Kingwood, Hunterdon, NJ
Mary Williams (11 Dec 1747), Kingwood, Hunterdon, NJ
Jeremiah Williams (9 Jul 1749), Kingwood, Hunterdon, NJ
Margaret Mercy Williams (4 Jun 1751), Kingwood, Hunterdon, NJ
Lydia Williams (18 Aug 1752), Kingwood, Hunterdon, NJ
Benjamin Williams (30 Oct 1756), Kingwood, Hunterdon, NJ
Anne Williams (15 Jul 1758), Nockamixon Twp, Bucks, PA
William Williams (20 Sep 1760), Nockamixon Twp, Bucks, PA
Samuel Williams (20 Jul 1762), Nockamixon Twp, Bucks, PA
Susannah Williams (30 Jul 1765), Nockamixon Twp, Bucks, PA
Frederick Williams

In 1803 Benjamin conveyed the Buckingham property to his son Samuel, his Nockamixon property to sons Benjamin and William and his Tinicum property to his son Jeremiah. The sons executed bonds and warrants in payment, the value of which was included in Benjamin's estate.

Benjamin died at the home of his son Samuel in May of 1809 and was buried at the Buckingham Friends Cemetery, Bucks County, PA.