Abigail Willets

Richard Willits was born in Hemstead, New York, on Monday, February 25, 1660/1, and died in Jericho, Long Island, New York, on May 14, 1703. Abigail Bowne was born in Flushing, Long Island, New York, on Thursday, February 5, 1662/3, and died in _____ on June 16, 1688. They were married in Flushing on Friday, March 25, 1687. She took the name Abigail Willits. He is the son of Richard and Mary (Washburn(e)) Willits. She is the daughter of John and Hannah (Feake) Bowne. They had one child:

i. Hannah Willets [#147]: She was born in Flushing on January 24, 1687/8, and died probably in Flushing on January 27, 1727/8.

His second marriage was to Abigail Powell in New York in 1690. She took the name Abigail Willits. She was born _____, and died in 1757. She is the daughter of Thomas and Abigail (Wood) Powell. Thomas Powell was an immigrant to America. They had six children:

i. Abigail Willets was born in Long Island, New York, on February 28, 1690/1. Her date of birth is given as Feb. 27 on page 470 of the EQG and 28 on page 360.

ii. Mary Willets was born in Long Island on March 16, 1692/3.

iii. Martha Willets was born in Long Island on January 24, 1694/5.

iv. Jacob Willets was born in Long Island on June 6, 1697.

v. Phebe Willets was born in Long Island on April 14, 1699. Her date of birth is given as Apr. 13 on page 470 of the EQG and 14 on page 360.

vi. Elizabeth Willets was born in Long Island on June 27, 1701.

The record for Richard Willets was copied into the record by Samuel Willis, recorder and clerk, 1771. He recorded the date of birth as "10 Mo 25, 1660", where the 10th month at that time was December. However, his father's Bible gives it as 1 Mo 25 1660/1; that is, March 25th of the following year.

Note that the family name is spelled "Willets" in the minutes of the Westbury Monthly Meeting, and spelled "Willits" in the minutes of the New York Monthly Meeting, both of which include a list of all of the children.

Sources:

Hinshaw, William Wade; Encyclopedia of Quaker Genealogy, vol. III, 1750–1930, pp. 257 (marriage to Abigail Powell), 360 (children of Abigail Powell), 396 (marriage to Abigail Bowne), 435–437 (Powell family), 470 (births of all children)

Willets Family of Hempstead and Jericho, Long Island

New York Genealogical and Biographical Records

[Ancestry of Timothy Titus Robbins assembled by Gayle Ellingsworth]