William Witter

AFTER APPROVING A REQUESTED MERGE WITH WM. WITTER AND WM WIDGERY, I DETERMINED THAT WIDGERY IS NOT HIS FATHER. WIDGERY WAS BORN IN THE 1800'S. WITTER WAS BORN IN THE 1500'S. IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. BUT, I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO UNDO THE MERGE YET.

BUT, I DID FIND A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON WITTER IT IS POSTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS SECTION. BY Donna iline Howse

Elder John Crandall is mentioned in the account of his journey to Lynn, MA from Newport on Baptist church business to visit William Witter, referred to as "an aged member" in July 1651. Josiah Witter, son of William Witter, married the daughter of Elder John Crandall, Sarah.

He traveled with Rev. John Clarke (pastor of the first Baptist Church in Newport) and Obadiah Holmes. They spent the day in religious services and were apprehended by two constables at the insistence of the Massachusetts authorities, while Mr. Clarke was preaching, and the next morning they were sent to prison in Boston. All were fined: Clarke, £20; Holmes, £30; and Elder John £5. In default of the fines, each was "to be well whipped." Elder John was finally allowed to go home on bail, July 21, 1651. Obediah Holmes was fined, imprisoned, & "well whipped", by 30 lashes at a whipping post placed near the old State House at Boston, on Saturday, Sept 5, 1651, because he refused to pay the fine. Elder John Crandall & John Clarke were finally allowed to go home on bail, July 21, 1651. Their release from prison was on the promise of appearing at next court." This incident prompted Rev. John Clarke to write the pamphlet "Ill News From New England" published in England in 1652

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IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0

 British Isles 

William Witter Pedigree

 Male   Family 

Event(s):

Birth:  About 1584   , , England 

Christening:
Death: 1659 Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts
Burial:
Marriages:

 Spouse:  Hannah Churchman  Family 

Marriage: 1580 , , England
Messages:

Record submitted after 1991 by a member of the LDS Church. No additional information is available. Ancestral File may list the same family and the submitter.  

Source Information:

  No source information is available. 

-------------------------------------------------------

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0

 British Isles

William Witter Pedigree

 Male   Family 

Event(s):

Birth:  About 1584   , , England 

Christening:
Death: AUG 1659 Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts
Burial: , , Massachusetts
Marriages:

 Spouse:  Annis Or Hannah Churchman  Family 

Marriage: 1600 , , England
Messages:

Record submitted after 1991 by a member of the LDS Church. No additional information is available. Ancestral File may list the same family and the submitter.

Source Information:

  No source information is available. 

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Occupation: farmer

Will: 6 MAY 1659 Lynn, Essex County, MA, USA wherein he gave one-half his estate to his wife and son Josiah. He only bequeathed an ewe and a lamb to Hannah, in one year after his death

Immigration: 1629

William was the first known of his family appearing in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts court in April 1657 stating as a farmer in Swampscott he was having problems with an Indian named Duke William. Duke William claimed William's house had been erected on the land where his wigwam had been. The case was settled amicably with a compromise satisfactory to both parties.

William was a member of the Baptist Church in Newport, MA. At the time when he was quite elderly & blind he was in alot of trouble with the church as he verbally felt children should not be baptised. It caused alot of turmoil for him & Rev. John Crandall (& others). He signed his will August 5th. Will proved June 1661.

GEDCOM Note

Earliest record of living in Swampscott, MA

William was the first known of his family appearing in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts court in April 1657 stating as a farmer in Swampscot he was having problems with an Indian named Duke William. Duke William claimed William's house had been erected on the land where his wigwam had been. The case was settled amicably with a compromise satisfactory to both parties.(Larry Chesebro) Feb 28 1643. He was presented at the Court at Salem, for his conduct regarding infant baptism, he regarding it as a sinful rite. Aug 5 1659. Will. Ex., wife Annis. Witnesses, Robert Driver and Wm. Hacker. He mentions his son Josiah and daughter Hannah Burdett, wife of Robert Burdett. (His son, Josiah, went to Stonington, CT.) Inventory, 132 pounds, 11 s. 6 May 1659 Lynn, Essex County, MA wherein he gave one-half his estate to his wife and son Josiah. He only bequeathed an ewe and a lamb to Hannah, in one year after his death. Other sources say Will August 6, 1657, est. to wife Annis, to son Josiah m. April 16, 1639, Sussex, England.(Larry Chesebro)

Title: History of Stonington, Connecticut, 1649 - 1900 Author: Richard Anson Wheeler Publication: New London, CT, Press of The Day Publishing Company, 1900 Media: WITTER GENEALOGY Georgia Cooper Washburn 1929, Pg. 13-15BookPage: page 686 m. April 16, 1639, Sussex, England.(Larry Chesebro); Larry Bentley. Winget: Lists birth as December 17, 1587, Ancestral File BMFT-8S

FIRST AMERICAN IMMIGRANT OF THE WITTER FAMILY

ONE OF THE EARLY SETTLERS OF LYNN, MA

A BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM WITTER, by Laurence Overmire (8th great grandson), genealogist and family historian, Oct. 5, 2016:

There is quite a bit of conflicting information out there about William Witter. Some say he immigrated in 1629, others say he came with John Winthrop's fleet in 1630, still others say he arrived on the ship "Four Sisters" with his wife and two children in 1639. Apparently, he was born somewhere in England about 1584. He settled in Swampscott near Lynn, MA.

William was affiliated with the Anabaptist leaders Obadiah Holmes, John Crandall and John Clarke, spoke out against infant baptism, a sacred sacrament of the Puritan church, and was brought before the colonial magistrates in 1643 and 1646 to answer charges. In 1651, Rev. Obadiah Holmes made a visit to William, who by then was blind and aging, to share some spiritual fellowship.

William's will was dated Aug. 6, 1659, in Lynn, Essex, MA, and proved in June, 1661. His exact date of death is unknown, though MA Town and Vital Records show he died in Lynn, Essex, MA, in 1659 at the age of 75.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60865622/william-witter