Robert Williams (~1621- 18 Nov 1677)

First, it is important to note that this Robert Williams is not the Robert Williams of Roxbury,nor the Robert Williams of Oyster Bay, Long Island, nor the Robert Williams the brother of Roger Williams.

With that being said...

The exact origin of emigration to the colonies for Robert Williams is a matter of speculation. One of the earliest documented instances of Robert Williams in the colonies is on 24 September 1641 (24th 7th month 1641, MBCR v1 p 341) when he and Edward Goodwin were made lessees of the Winnisimmet Ferry.

A few months later Robert is mentioned in the Boston Town records when he was admitted as a townsman on 28 March 1642 (28th 1st month 1642, Boston Record, v2 p68), to the church on 10 April 1642 and as a freeman to the Colony on 10 May 1643 (10th 3rd month 1643, MBCR v2 p293).

A male residing in the Massachusetts Bay Colony could become a freeman if the following requirements were met:
1) At least 21 years of age,
2) Member of the authorized Church,
3) Formal proposition to the General Court,
4) Acceptance of the proposition by the authorities and
5) Taking of the freeman's oath.(See The Suffrage Franchise in the Thirteen Colonies in America, Albert Edward McKinley, 1905)

Based on these requirements, it would be safe to assume that Robert was born no later than 1621. Since he was in Boston in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 1640’s, one would assume that Robert was born in England and emigrated to the colonies from there.

One theory on the origin of Robert Williams uses his lease of the ferry as a possible clue. The Winnisimmet Ferry was ordered to be setup between Boston and Charlestown on 9 November 1630. After one unsuccessful attempt, Thomas Williams setup the ferry on 18 May 1631 as the records indicate:
Thom: Willms hath vndertaken to sett vpp a fferry betwixte Winnettsem^t & Charlton, for which hee is to haue after 3^d a pson, & from Winnettsem^t to Boston 4^d a pson.

Thomas Williams was admitted to the colony as a freeman on 18 May 1631. He requested to be a freeman on 19 October 1630 as Thomas Williams alias Harris. Thomas arrived with the Winthrop Fleet and appears twice on the ships’ passenger lists as recreated by Charles Edward Banks. He is listed as Thomas Harris with his wife Elizabeth and again as Thomas Williams alias Harris. A Robert Williams is listed with Thomas Williams alias Harris. The manner in which Robert is listed suggests that he was a minor at the time of his voyage.

Through researching various sources, it has been discovered that Thomas Harris alias Williams emigrated from Hatherop, Gloucestershire, England. Based on the passenger list for the Winthrop Fleet, the use of the Williams alias and the leasing of the ferry by Robert Williams, it is assumed that some familial relationship existed between Robert Williams and Thomas Harris. Robert may well have emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony from Gloucestershire, England.

An examination of the 17^th century use of an alias can help shed light on potential reasons Thomas Harris used the surname Williams. The use of an alias in the 17^th century was substantially different than current day use of the term. Most commonly in the 17^th century an alias was used to indicate one of two things. First, an alias was used to further specify the individuality of a person. Another way to consider the word “alias” is to think of the words “of” or “from”. If an individual had a common given name and surname, an alias would have been used to further specify the individual in legal documents. In our case, Thomas was a very common given name in the 17^th century in England, as well as the Harris (Harrys) surname. The clarifying alias was normally determined by either the home parish of the individual or the first name of the individual’s father. The second common use of an alias was also used to indicate the rightful genealogy of an individual. Usually the alias was the maiden surname of the mother of the person. This alias would be used in legal documents to indicate that the specified individual did indeed have a birthright with relation to their mother’s surname.

There is no known documented reason as to why Thomas Harris used the alias of Williams. It has been suggested that Thomas’s wife, Elizabeth, was a Williams and Thomas accepted that surname as an alias. However, his wife and all of their children used the surname of Harris. It would be expected that if Thomas were to take an alias and a new surname that the rest of his family would do likewise. In addition, other researchers have given Elizabeth the maiden surname of Hills, Cutter and Wade. Other researchers have simply left Elizabeth’s surname as Unknown.

I believe there are three possible reasons Thomas would have used the alias of Williams. One obvious reason was that Thomas’s father was William Harris. To use the alias of Williams would have followed the common practice of the alias being used to specify the individual with the use of that individual’s father’s given name. However, Thomas and Elizabeth Harris are the only known Harris passengers with the Winthrop Fleet. A second possible reason for the use of the Williams alias may have been necessitated due to the bringing of the minor Robert Williams along with the Harris family. Adding an alias of Williams may have indicated a familial relationship between Thomas Harris and Robert Williams. If a familial relationship is implied with the alias, then there are a couple of ways that Thomas and Robert were probably related. If Elizabeth Harris had the surname of Williams prior to her marriage to Thomas, Robert could have been Elizabeth’s nephew. He also could have been a son of a previous marriage for Elizabeth. Another possible relationship would be that Robert is a nephew of Thomas. Thomas had four brothers; Edmund, Daniel, William and Robert. It is plausible that Robert Williams was the son of William Harris, thus actually being named at birth Robert Harris. In order to avoid confusion as to being one of Thomas’s sons, Robert may have taken the surname of Williams instead. Thomas Harris died in 1632 and no will or probate records belonging to him or his estate have been located.

This is one theory which admittedly has been constructed through circumstantial evidence and speculations. What is clear is that Robert Williams first appears in the MCR's in 1641. He very well may have immigrated as an adult and just prior to his lease of the ferry.

Robert’s lease of the Winnisimmet Ferry is recorded in the Massachusetts Colonial Records.

Whereas wee, whose names are underwritten, were ordered to settle the ferry between Boston & Winnetsemet, wee do therefore hearby certify, that wee have (according to o^r best care & judgment) done hearin, viz: Wee have let it unto Edward Goodwin & Robert Williams, to bee carefully & diligently attended to the content of the country, & that the said pties abovesaid shall alow unto the treasury six pounds p annu, & hould it for the space of one whole yeare from the 25^th of this psent 7^th m^o, 1641; and for two years more in case they give content unto the country, & they themselues desire to hould it.WILLI: TYNGE,THOM: COYTEMORE,ROBERT SEDGWICK,ROBERT WILLIAMS,EDWARD GOODWIN

It appears that the enterprise wasn’t entirely profitable. One year later the colony records record the following:

The tenants of the ferry fro^m Boston to Winnestsemet are remitted all the former rent, & 40 sh^s p @ is remitted for time to come, onely they are to passé the ma^trats & deputies freely, in the countryes service.

Robert continued to lease the ferry until his death on 18 Nov 1677. Samuel Sewall writes in his diary, "Nov. 18 Sabbathday one Williams, an old Man, the Winisimet Ferry man cut his own throat." One month previous, Robert had written his will on 12 October 1677. His will was proved 30 January 1677/78 and can be found in the Suffolk Probate Records.

Robert Williams: Ex.: Joseph Williams, son. Legatees: Joseph Williams, eldest son land on which his house stands & the right to a passageway between house which I now live in & his brother Benjamin's house also I give him a six foot way in front of his door also I give him 1/3 of my beach below the way which is below my house & his part to be the middle part of said beach of wharf. To son Benjamin Williams all the land below his house down to the highway with 1/3 of the beach or wharfs. To my daughter Phoebe Eglow & her children my house with 1/3 part of the beach or wharfe which belongs to me which part is next to Mr. Rucks wharfe & fourteen feet of ground from the higher end of my house. To my son Joseph's eldest son & to my son Benjamin's eldest son all my right to that land which is above the land given to my son Joseph. To my granddaughter Mary Eglow all my land above the well not before granted. If any remains after all my are paid I give 1/2 to my daughter Pheobe & the other 1/2 to my two sons Joseph & Benjamin.

A description of his land can be found in Suffolk Deeds when Phoebe sold her land in 1706.

October 8, 1706 Estate of Robert Williams: Phebe Eglin, widow of John (tailor), and Abraham Pullen (hatter) and wife Mary, and Margaret Martyn, widow, and Phebe Eglin, maiden, deed to James Freeman (brewer) land formerly Robert Williams', North End; land Mr. Ruck S.E., Benjamin Williams and heirs of Capt. Thomas Berry N.W., highway N.E., heirs of Capt. Berry S.W. Commercial St., near the Ferry, S.E. side.

Robert's land was a portion of land which was originally owned by Nicholas Parker. There are deeds recorded for the transfer of Parker's land to other owners, except for the lot eventually owned by Robert Williams.

The name of Robert’s wife is not known. It appears once in the Boston birth records for Joseph’s birth, but it was illegible to the transcriber. Robert and his wife had the following children:
Joseph (July 1641, baptized on 17 April 1642), Boston, Suffolk, MA
Phoebe (27 August 1643), Boston, Suffolk, MA; married William Eglin
Benjamin (June 1645), Boston, Suffolk, MA

Joseph Williams (1641-1703)

Joseph Williams lived in Boston from 1641 until his death in 1706. Joseph helped his father and brother Benjamin run a ferry between Boston and Winnisimmet. He was a ferryman/sailor and also a cordwainer, which is a worker of leather, or a shoemaker.

This Joseph Williams is often mistaken for Joseph Williams, the son of Roger Williams of Providence, RI. Roger Williams did have a son named Joseph, however he was born in Providence in 1643, not Boston in 1641. Another fact which often creates confusion is in the names of both Josephs' wives: Lydia. Joseph Williams of Roger married Lydia Olney in 1669. This is also the approximate year of marriage for Joseph Williams of Boston and Lydia Somes (Soames). This confusion has led to many erroneous ancestries for Jeremiah Williams, a son of Joseph Williams of Boston. There are a few documents which help the researcher appropriately connect Jeremiah Williams to Joseph Williams and ultimately Robert Williams.

Besides the will of his father Robert, there are a few other documents which are key to tying Joseph Williams with Robert Williams of Boston.

The first document comes from the Boston Town Records. On 25 February 1677/78 the Boston Selectmen Minutes record the following:

Let vnto Joseph & Benjⁿ Williams the priuiledge of a Ferry from Bostone to Wenesemet, for 3 yeares from y^e 25^th of March next, they or either of them paying to the treasurer of this towne for the vse of y^e Towne 8^ld. p. ann. in mony. And Transportinge the Hon^rd Majestrates Ferrige Free, according to form^r custome.

The ferry Joseph and Benjamin were allowed to lease was the same ferry they helped their father Robert operate.

The Suffolk Deeds also record a deed which mentions Joseph and Lydia Williams and their tie with Robert Williams.

To all Christian People to whome this present Deed of Sale shall come, Joseph Williams of Boston in the Mattachusetts Colony of New England Cordwainer sendeth greeting: Know Ye that whereas Robert Williams Father of the sd. Joseph Williams in and by his last will & Testament bearing date 12^th. October 1677 did devise and bequeath unto the sd. Jospeh the ground upon which his house standeth in Boston aforesd. with full egress and regress from his house down to the way next the water side, which passage way lyeth between the then dwelling house of sd. Robert Williams and the house of Benjamin Williams; Also a Six foote way along before his dore up to the cross fence that stands above his house, and all the land from the sd. Cross fence up to the cross fence between m^r. Vyal and mr. Ruck; onely hee leaving a Six foote way next to the sd. fence; which land is to run upon a straight line over to the other fence; Also a third part of the beach below the way which is below his dwelling house the middle part of sd. beech and wharfe as in and by the sd. will and Record thereof reference thereto being had will appeare: Now Farther Know Ye that the abovenamed Joseph Williams for and in consideration of the Sume of Eighty pounds currant money of New England to him at the Ensealing & delivery of these presents well and truly paid by Thomas Berry of sd. Boston Marriner the receipt whereof I do herby acknowledge and thereof do acquit exonerate & discharge the sd. Thomas Berry his heres Exrs. admrs. and assignes for ever Have granted bargained sold enfeoffed convayed and confirmed, and by these presents Doth freely fully & absolutely grant bargain Sell enfeoffe convay and confirme unto the sd. Thomas Berry his heires and assignes for ever All that his messuage or Tenement with all the land whereupon it standeth and is thereto belonging scituate lying and being at the Northerly end of Boston abovesd. And is the house and land abovementioned, Buttled & bounding Easterly upon the Six foote way leading between this sd. Tenement & land & the land of Samuel Ruck, measureing next the sd. way or passage thirty Seven foote in breadth, the upper side of the land adjoying upon the land given to his Son Joseph and others measureth thirty five foote and a halfe foote, the whole length of the sd. land on ye. westermost side including the hosue measureth Seventy foote, the bredth of the land at the Northermost end next the land of Benjamin Williams measureth twenty four foote including the house and Six foote way, the ffence along by the Eastermost side of the house is thirty two foote to the cross fence, the length of the cross ffence about the middle of the land on the Eastermost side is Sixteen foote: And the wharfe or beach below the highway measureing twenty foote in breadth and running down to the Seaward to low water marke lying between the wharfe and beach of Benjamin Williams on the one side & the wharfe or beach of Phoebe Eglin on the other side Together with all Fences waies allys passages well waters watercourses Easements rights liberties priviledges and appurtenances whatsoever to the sd. Messuage or Tenement belonging, or therewth. at any time heretofore or now used occupied and injoyed, And all the Estate right title interest use possession claim and demand whatsoever of him the sd. Joseph Williams of in and to the same To Have and to hold the sd. Messuage or Tenement and all ye. land thereto belonging with the rights liberties previledges and appurtenances thereof as abovegranted unto the sd. Thomas Berry his heires & assignes To his and their onely proper and absolute use benefit and behoofe from henceforth for ever And the sd. Joseph Williams for himself his heires Exrs. and Admrs. doth covenant promiss grant and agree to and with the sd. Thomas Berry his heires Exrs. Admrs. and assignes That at the time of the Ensealing and delivery of these presents He the sd. Joseph Williams is the true sole and proper Owner of the abovegranted and bargained premises and every part and parcel thereof and standeth lawfully Seized and possessed of the same in his own proper right of a good perfect and absolute Estate of inheritance in fee simple without any manner of condition revertion or limitation of use or uses whatsoever, and that hee hath in himself full power good right and lawfull Authority to grant Sell alienate convay and confirme the same as abovesd. Free and clear and clearly acquitted & discharded of and from all and all manner of former and other grants bargains Sales mortgages wills entailes jointures dowers judgements Executions Seizures forfeitures acts alienations titles troubles charges and incumbrances whatsoever And Farther that the sd. Joseph Williams his heires Exrs. and Admrs. shall & will from time to time and at all times for ever herafter warrant and defend the said premises and every part thereof unto the sd. Thomas Berry his heires & assignes against the lawfull claim’s and demands of all and every person and persons whoesoever, And will at any time hereafter upon demand give unto him or them such farther ample and legall assurance thereof as may reasonably bee devised advised or required And Lastly Lydia wife of the sd. Joseph doth herby freely and fully Surrender and give up unto the sd. Thomas Berry his heires and assignes all right of Dower and power of thirds which Shee might have had & claimed in and to the premises. In Witness whereof the sd. Joseph Williams and Lydia his wife have hereunto put their hands & affixed their Seales. Dated in Boston the nine & twentieth day of May Anno. Dom. One thousand Six Hundred Eighty and three Annonq R.R. Caroli Secundi Angliae & tricessimo Quinto.
Deliud in presence of
Richard Way
Isa: Addington

Joseph Williams & a Seale
Lydia Williams & a Seale

Joseph Williams and Lydia his wife personally appearing 31^o: May 1683 acknowledged this Instrumt. To bee their voluntary act and deed. Before me S. Bradstreet Govr. Entered pro. June 1683 p Isa: Addington.

Using Clough's topographic map which depicts the land owners and lots of Boston in 1676, we can place the Williams land, homes and wharf near to Copp's Hill Burying place (click image to see lots #54,#55, #56 and #14 below).

Six months before the sale of their land to Thomas Berry, Joseph purchased part of the land of Mary Field of Boston. According to the deed dated 8 December 1682, the land was located:

Piece or parcel of Land scituate lying and being in Boston abovesd. Neer unto the North meeting House there, butted & bounded as hereafter expres’t Viz^t. upon the Land of John Phillips North-East, the Land of sd. Mary Field South-East, the Highway leading from the Mill bridge Street towards Halsy’s wharfe (commonly so called) South west, and with the sd. Mill bridge Street Northwest, or however otherwise bounded Measuring in breadth at the front to the highway on the South-west Thirty Seven foote, and in breadth at the reare or North-East end Twenty five Foote; and in Length or depth Fifty Six Foote Together with all Fences rights liberties previledges & appurtenances thereto belonging or in any kinde appertaining.

Once again, Clough shows the land owned by Mary Field in 1676 at lot # 1 and #2 on the corner of Mill Street to Winnisimet Ferry and Street to Scarlett's Wharf (click image for full size).

This deed from 1682 becomes important in the link between Jeremiah Williams and Joseph Williams and ultimately Robert Williams. In 1716, Jeremiah Williams, "of Long Island, a merchant", sold his rights to the above mentioned land. He sold this land to his brother, Joseph Jr.. My ancestor Jeremiah Williams was living on Long Island in 1716 and was a merchant at that time. Though we can't be 100% certain this is my ancestor, it is very probable. On the very next page in the Suffolk County, MA Deed records, there is a transfer of rights from Joseph's Jr.'s sisters, Mary Williams, Lydia Dyer and Elizabeth Knight. These two deeds name 5 of the 8 children of Joseph and Lydia Williams.

Joseph Williams probably married Lydia Somes (b. 3 October 1649 ) of Gloucester, Essex County, Massachusetts in 1669. Lydia was the daughter of Morris and Elizabeth Somes.

Together, Joseph and Lydia had the following children:

Joseph (14 Feb 1670), Boston, Suffolk, MA
Lydia (13 Dec 1671), Boston, Suffolk, MA
Hannah (20 May 1674), Boston, Suffolk, MA
Daniel (25 Dec 1676), Boston, Suffolk, MA
Hannah (26 May 1679), Boston, Suffolk, MA
Jeremiah (22 Aug 1683), Boston, Suffolk, MA
Elizabeth (09 Dec 1687), Boston, Suffolk, MA
Mary (06 Nov 1689), Boston, Suffolk, MA

Joseph died in 1706, without a will. His burial place is unknown. Lydia probably died around 1711 and her burial place is also unknown.

Melville Williams - 1856 - 1920

My great grandfather...

MELVILLE WILLIAMS (1 MAR 1856 – 4 MAR 1920)


Melville Williams was the son of Jeremiah Williams of Pennsylvania and Rebecca L. Lindsay of Ohio. Melville was born in Indiana on 1 Mar 1856. By the time Melville was four years old, he moved with his family to Blythe Township, Caldwell County, Missouri. Blythe is located just outside of Kingston, Missouri in the northwest portion of Missouri. When Melville was 19 years old, he moved to California with his father, boarding with his cousin Ella J Williams Green.

In 1885, Melville and his father had moved to Lookout, Modoc County, California, where he was a stockraiser. On 3 Aug 1890, Melville married Martha Ellen Carmichael, daughter of Modoc pioneer Moses Allen Carmichael, at the Carmichael homestead west of Lookout. (Moses had been granted 160 acres by the US government in 1875 for his homestead, which was adjacent to Jeremiah Williams’ homestead). Melville and Martha’s first child, Chauncey Albert, was born on 8 Dec 1891. They had a second child, a daughter, in 1894. This daughter died within a year. In 1895, Melville moved his family from Modoc County to Texas County, Missouri. There they had the following children:

Rebecca May (4 May 1896), Houston, Texas, MO
James (15 Feb 1901), Houston, Texas, MO
Eusebia Jane (23 July 1903), Houston, Texas, MO

While in Missouri, Melville and family lived in Bartlett Township, Shannon County, where they farmed, and Houston, Texas County. Melville’s sister, Lucy Parmenter, was a resident of Houston, MO. She lived there with her children: Alfred Melville (1880-1966), Byron, John (1889-1928), and Effie (1892-1974).

On April 13, 1906, Melville and family arrived back in the Big Valley, specifically Bieber, to settle for the rest of his days. Upon their return, Melville and Martha had three more children:

Charles (7 July 1906), Bieber, Lassen, CA
Roy Elsworth (16 Aug 1907), Bieber, Lassen, CA
Elizabeth (13 March 1910), Bieber, Lassen, CA
Archie (3 May 1912), Bieber, Lassen, CA

Melville was a teamster, hauling freight with mule teams throughout the northern California and Nevada areas. At times, Melville hauled freight for Nathan Bieber, a general merchandiser and Wells Fargo Agent, for whom the town of Bieber is named. In July of 1910, Melville and Martha suffered a horrible tragedy with the loss of their firstborn child, Chauncey, who died of an accidental gunshot wound to the abdomen. Melville died three days after his 64th birthday and was buried at the Hillside Cemetery in Nubieber, Lassen, CA. After Melville’s death, his wife Martha moved to Susanville with her sons Roy and Archie. There she worked as a cook at a lumber camp for the Lassen Lumber Company. Martha died in 1950 in Sacramento, Sacramento, CA.

Jeremiah Williams - 1824 - 1892

Our family seems to have liked the name Jeremiah. This is the third in my direct line. At least the name skipped generations!

JEREMIAH WILLIAMS (17 MAR 1824 – 25 DEC 1892)

Jeremiah Williams was the second of four sons for Isaac and Martha Williams. Jeremiah most commonly went by the name Jere, or Jerry. He was born in Bucks County, PA, and traveled across the entire country in his lifetime. At the age of 15, Jeremiah and family had moved to Coshocton County, Ohio, where they remained for around 15 years. While in Ohio, Jeremiah worked on his father’s farm. Jeremiah became a doctor while he was living in Ohio, and was known by his nieces and nephews as “Uncle Doc”. He married Rebecca L. Lindsay on 22 Apr 1847 in Miami County, OH. Rebecca was the daughter of Dr. William R. Lindsay and Rhoda Allison Smith of Preble County, OH. Jerry and Rebecca had their first child, William Lindsay on 03 Nov 1849.

Around 1854, they moved to the northern part of Jay County, Indiana, in Jackson Township. In May of 1854 Jerry and Rebecca lost their son, William, to consumption. Two more children were born to Jerry and Rebecca while living in Indiana. Melville was born on 4 Mar 1856 and his sister, Lucy Aldine, was born there in Sept 1857. Their three children were:

William Lindsay Williams (03 Nov 1849 – 26 May 1854), Jefferson, Coshocton, OH
Melville Williams (1 Mar 1856 – 4 Mar 1920), Westchester, Jay, IN
Lucy Aldine Williams (Sep 1857 – 1907), Westchester, Jay, IN

Sometime between 1858 and 1860, Jeremiah and family moved to Blythe Township, Caldwell County, Missouri. Jeremiah and his family lived in the Kingston, MO area until 1875. In 1862, Jeremiah was the Postmaster for Kingston. Jeremiah also had the privilege of being one of 66 delegates elected to the 1865 Missouri Constitutional Convention.

Sometime prior to March of 1875, Jeremiah and Rebecca divorced, though no records of this divorce can be found in Caldwell County, MO. Rebecca subsequently married Nathan Cope on 11 Apr 1875. After Nathan’s death in 1888, Rebecca married Joseph M. Knott on 11 Jan 1891. No death date is known for Rebecca. She appears in Kingston in the 1900 census. The land she owned near Kingston belonged to a Mr. Switzer in the 1907 Caldwell County Atlas. Lucy Aldine Williams married Wilken R. Parmenter on 24 Dec 1875. Lucy and Wilken moved to Houston, Texas County, MO, where he died and 1892. Lucy died around 1907.

In March of 1875 Jeremiah and Melville moved to Grand Island, Colusa County, California, along with his niece, Ella Jane Green, and her family. There they boarded with Ella, and her husband John F. Green. John Green was a farmer and Jerry and Melville helped John work the land.

In 1885, Jeremiah and Melville moved to Lookout, Modoc County, California. Jeremiah staked out a claim for 160 acres, which was next to his nephew Oliver G. Williams and Melville’s future father-in-law, Moses Allen Carmichael. Jeremiah built a house and a barn and farmed 12 acres. In his homestead application, the land and buildings were considered to be worth $300. In May of 1892, Jeremiah was granted the deed to the 160 acres in Modoc County by the US Federal Government by the Homestead Act.

Jeremiah died on Christmas day, 1892. Local cemeteries have no record of his interment and it is theorized that he was buried on his land.

Isaac Burson Williams - 1794 - 1869

Isaac was my 3rd great grandfather, and the first to leave the East Coast and head West.

ISAAC BURSON WILLIAMS (23 Apr 1794 - 1869)

Isaac Burson Williams was the 7th child of Jeremiah and Mercy Williams. Isaac was born in Tinicum Township, Bucks County, PA. He married Martha Shelton White (11 Nov 1788 – 12 Sept 1856) on 25 Jul 1818. Isaac’s granddaughter, Ella Jane Williams Green, writes this about Isaac in her book about her life;

“My grandfather, Isaac B. Williams, was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in a stone house on the Delaware River. (I had the pleasure of visiting this house one hundred and ten years later.) He was a Quaker, though a very liberal one, and he refused to be married in Quaker meeting because he would not have the banns published two months in advance, and have them debated about, considered, and approved or otherwise, as the case might be. As he refused to apologize, as Grandmother did, he was dropped from the membership. Grandfather always used the Quaker language and it seemed perfectly natural for us children to say “thee” and “thou” in addressing him.”

Isaac was a farmer, just like his father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He and Martha originally lived in Richland Township in Bucks County, PA. While living in Pennsylvania, they had at four sons and one daughter who died in infancy:

Clayton (), Richland, Bucks, PA
Jeremiah (17 March 1824), Richland, Bucks, PA
Joseph (1828), Richland, Bucks, PA
Charles (1831), Richland, Bucks, PA

Sometime prior to 1840, Isaac and family moved to Jefferson Township, Coshocton County, Ohio. Isaac moved West with his brothers Jeremiah and Benjamin, as well as his sisters Susan and Margaret, who was married to Abel Lester. Isaac farmed in the area until just before 1853, when he and his family moved to Jackson Township, Jay County, Indiana. This is where his wife, Martha, died on 12 Sept 1856. Martha is buried in the Westchester Cemetery just north of Portland, IN.

All four of Isaac’s sons lived in Jay County, IN. His middle son Joseph, married Mary E. Boyd while living in Coshocton County, OH. Joseph had two children with his first wife; Oliver Goldsmith (1850) and Ella Jane (1853). After the death of his first wife, Joseph married the widow Nancy J. Stephens in Jay County, IN.

Isaac’s youngest son, Charles, married Amanda E. Samuels in Jay County, IN. They had 4 sons; William Thadeus (1856), Jesse Elsworth (1861), John Edgar (1871), and Charles B (1881).

Isaac’s oldest son, Jeremiah, married Rebecca L. Lindsay, daughter of Dr. William R. Lindsay of Preble County, OH. Jeremiah is the subject of the next generation and will be discussed further in the next section.

Isaac lived on the Bear Creek in Jay County, along with his son Charles. Isaac owned other land on the “Loblolly”, an area of quicksand and sinking holes of the Limberlost forest. This land he rented to his son Jeremiah.

Ella Green describes Isaac as “a portly man, well over six feet tall, and weighed around two hundred and twenty-five pounds. He was always smooth shaven and had a jovial expression. He used to take me on his knee and tell me stories or sing songs.”

In 1863, Isaac moved to Caldwell County, MO, along with Charles and his family. His son Jeremiah had moved there with his family prior to 1860. Together they lived in the Kingston area, in both Kingston and Grant townships.

Isaac died 27 Mar 1869 in Kingston, Caldwell County, Missouri. He is buried in the Kingston Cemetery.

Jeremiah Williams - 1749 - 1834

Benjamin's son, Jeremiah was my 4th great grandfather.

JEREMIAH WILLIAMS (9 Jul 1749 - 27 Feb 1834)

Jeremiah Williams was born to Benjamin and Mercy Williams in Kingwood, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. At the age of 8, his family moved across the Delaware River to Bucks County, PA, where he was raised on his father’s farm in Nockamixon Township. Since Jeremiah and his family were Quakers, they probably did not take up arms during the Revolutionary War (1776-1783). On 22 Apr 1779, Jeremiah married Mary Blackledge (1758 - 21 Jun 1831) at the Richland Meeting, Bucks County, PA.

Jeremiah and Mary resided in Tinicum Township where they had nine children:

John Williams (27 Jan 1780), Tinicum, Bucks, PA
Thomas Blackledge Williams (1 Apr 1781), Tinicum, Bucks, PA
Benjamin Williams (18 Dec 1782), Tinicum, Bucks, PA
Susan Williams (10 Jun 1785), Tinicum, Bucks, PA
William Williams (12 Jun 1789), Tinicum, Bucks, PA
Samuel Williams (18 Jun 1792), Tinicum, Bucks, PA
Isaac Burson Williams (23 Apr 1794), Tinicum, Bucks, PA
Margaret Williams (28 Apr 1796), Tinicum, Bucks, PA
Jeremiah Williams (28 Dec 1798), Tinicum, Bucks, PA

Jeremiah died on 27 Feb 1834 in Tinicum, Bucks, PA.

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.