Capt. William Davis of Boston

William Davis of Boston the **Apothecary**

• Arrived Boston 1643 and joined the church 1644
• Born ***1617*** based on depositions and age at death
• Was 26 when he joined the artillery Company in 1643
• Married Margaret Pynchon 6 Dec 1644 Boston ("married in the Bay 10 mon 6 day 1644). She died 3 d 5 mo 1653 Boston.
• Married 2nd Huldah Symmes before 1654 who died shortly after 1674
• Married 3rd Sarah Farmer before he wrote his will on 17 May 1676. She was his widow and married to Edward Palmes of New London.
• Died 24 May 1676
• Will dated 17 May 1676
• His will named his ****mother Elizabeth Davis of London*** but his father is not known.

William Davis of Boston the **Apothecary** was the third William Davis to be recorded in Boston and the last to die. He was also called Captain Davis and Lt Davis. On the Internet he is often conflated with William Davis **Locksmith** of Boston and his son William the Gunsmith but genealogists sorted these three men out in 1878. All three are discussed in:

Samuel Forbes Rockwell, Davis Families of Early Roxbury and Boston (Andover 1932) 177-240

See specifically page 203 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x000485671&view=2up&seq=...

Even Robert Charles Anderson states that Rockwell did a very good job sorting out these three men. Savage made a mess of them.

A list of his children is given on page 245: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x000485671&view=image&se...

See also the discussion on page 318 of William Davis, in Anderson, Robert Charles; George F. Sanborn; and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635. (NEHGS, 1999-2011), v2, p 316-8. 2:2:316-20 https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2496/42521_b158313-00422?pid=2...

Please do not conflate with William Davis Locksmith of Boston and his son William the Gunsmith: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G9PX-FPP

William Davis, apothecary, wrote his will on May 17, 1676, and it was proved on May 26, 1676. He left bequests to the following

• wife Sarah
• sons Thomas, Benjamin, William and John Davis
• daughters Elizabeth, Maria, Rebecca, Huldah, Ruth, Margarita and Hannah Davis
• any child of wife Sarah not yet born
• mother Sarah Symmes for her counsel in the care of my children
• my mother Elizabeth Davis of London
• brother Brock & sister (sister-in-law Sarah Symmes married Henry Brock)
• brother Savage & his wife (sister-in-law Mary Symmes married Thomas Savage)
• brother Willis & his wife (sister-in-law Ruth Symmes married Edward Willis)
• brother Prowtt & his wife (sister-in-law Deborah Symmes married Timothy Prout )
• brother Usher & his wife (sister-in-law Elizabeth Symmes married Hezekiah Usher)
• brother William Symmes (brother-in-law)
• mother Farmer & sister Wymon
• the poor of Boston
• South Church 'where I am a member'
• Pastor Reverand Thatcher and Edward Rainford
• son Benjamin to be sole executor
• overseers - my brother Major Jno. Pynchon and friend Captain Thomas Lake
• He further states that the portion of the estate left by 'my father Zachariah Symmes' should be equally divided among the children of my wife Huldah, deceased, after the death of 'my mother Sarah Symmes'.
• After his death, his widow Sarah (Farmer) Davis married Edward Palmes as his second wife, in September, 1677.
• On June 11, 1708, the following heirs of Captain William Davis, submitted a letter to the court regarding administration of their brother Major Benjamin Davis', apothecary of Boston, estate, contesting that the administrators have found many debts of their father in England and have therefore stated that there the heirs have been paid and there is no further money from their father's estate.
• Elizabeth Whetcombe
• Mary Frost
• Rebecca Lawrence
• Huldah Rainsford
• Ruth Royse
• Hannah Davis
• Margaret Davis

Children by Margaret

• 1 Thomas bp 3 SEP 1645
• 2 Anna bp 5 SEP 1647
• 3 Benjamin bp 19 AUG 1649; died on November 26, 1704 ; in December, 1704, his widow Mary refused administration of his estate. ; married first Sarah Richards by 1680; married second Mary Tippet on January 15, 1696/7.
• 4 Ephraim bp . 8 MAY 165; son of William and Margaret, died at Boston on August 2, 1652 [2: 6: 1652].
• 4 William born at Boston on June 25. 1653.

Children by Huldah

• 1 Sarah baptized on September 3, 1654.
• 2 Elizabeth baptized on [26: 6: 1655] August 26, 1655.; died at Boston on August 18, 1712 , aged 57 ; married James Whitcomb about 1680
• 3 Mary born on December 3, 1656 ; married Captain John Frost about 1680, as his second wife. Her will was proved in 1732.
• 4 Rebecca born on August 3, 1658; married Joseph Lawrence on March 13, 1670/1.
• 5 Huldah born on December 21, 1659 ; buried at Boston on August 2, 1721; married Edward Raynsford.
• 6 Ruth bp 17 FEB 1660 died young
• 7 Ruth born on February 12, 1662 ; married (?Daniel) Roys/Royce. (note: Daniel Royse and Huldah Rainsford were among the witnesses to the will of James Whitcomb, Elizabeth (Davis) Whitcomb's husband.
• 8 John born on June 10, 1663.
• 9 Deborah born on April 13, 1665 ; likely died young, not mentioned in her father's will.
• 10 Joseph born on September 3, 1669 ; likely died young, not mentioned in his father's will.
• 11 Margaret baptized on [24:12: 1666] February 24, 1667 ; unmarried in 1708.
• 12 Hannah born on August 19, 1674 ; unmarried in 1708.
• 13 Jane born on August 19, 1674 ; likely died young, not mentioned in her father's will.

notes

• Selectman in Boston 1654
• A Founder of Old South Church 1669
• Captain in Artillery Company 1674

Biographical notes

From page 124 of Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Volume 6. "NOTE ON BENJAMIN DAVIS, THE LOYALIST."

Captain William Davis, of Boston, apothecary, was of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, 1643; was admitted to the First Church, 28 July, 1644; and, in 1669, was one of the principal Founders of the Old South Church, his name standing on the Records at the head of the List. He was a Representative for Springfield, 1652, 1666, 1671 and 1672, and for Haverhill, 1668.l He was a wealthy and enterprising citizen, a man of discretion, many years one of the Selectmen of Boston at different times between 1647 and 1674, and joint Commissioner (1653) with Governor Leverett to the Dutch at New York. Thrice married, his first wife was Margaret, daughter of William Pynchon of Springfield, his second, Huldah, daughter of the Reverend Zechariah Symmes, and his last, Sarah, daughter of John Farmer.
Captain William Davis lived in State Street, on the north-easterly corner of Exchange Street (Boston Record Commissioners' Reports, ii. (Third edition) Part 2, 22; and see ante, v. 289) until 1645, when he sold his estate (Suffolk Deeds, i. 63) and bought of Valentine Hill the lot in Washington Street at the southerly corner of Court Avenue (Ibid. i. 60). This estate had a frontage of twenty feet on the street (this portion of it being now the site of Thompson's Spa) and, including subsequent additions, extended back, on irregular lines, to Court Square, about 350 feet. In 1736 William Price bought it, and in 1770 bequeathed it to King's Chapel. The most valuable part of the estate now constitutes The Price Fund (Suffolk Deeds, xxvi, 169; and Foote's Annals of King's Chapel, ii. 421 and notes).
He died 24 May, 1676 (Sewall's Diary, i. 13). His will, executed a week before his death, mentions " my mother Mrs. Elizabeth Davis in London " and contains valuable particulars (Suffolk Probate Files, No. 780).

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References

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=michelott...
• The Great Migration Begins, Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, 1995 Page: 1547
• history of the Military Company of the Massachusetts, Now Called ..., Volume 1 By Oliver Ayer Roberts. Page 129 GoogleBooks
• Davis families of early Roxbury and Boston, by Samuel Forbes Rockwell.by Rockwell, Samuel Forbes, 1878. (1932) “Captain William Davis the Apothecary.” Page 203 - 228. Archive.Org

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www.findagrave.com

Birth: Jan., 1620 Stratton West Dorset District Dorset, England Death: May, 1676 Boston Suffolk County Massachusetts, USA

Husband of Margaret Pynchon

Family links:

Spouse:

 Margaret Pynchon Davis (1624 - 1653)*

Burial: Kings Chapel Burying Ground Boston Suffolk County Massachusetts, USA

Created by: LaDana Riddle Knupp Record added: Jul 20, 2011 Find A Grave Memorial# 73651673

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Davis-4698

Capt. William Davis

Born about 1620 in England

Son of Robert Davis [uncertain] and Mary (Warren) Davis [uncertain]

[sibling%28s%29 unknown]

Husband of Margaret (Pynchon) Davis — married 6 Dec 1644 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts

Husband of Huldah (Symmes) Davis — married about 1654 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay

Father of Thomas Davis, Benjamin Davis, William Davis, Elizabeth (Davis) Whitcomb, Mary (Davis) Frost and Rebecca (Davis) Lawrence

Died before 24 May 1676 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay

Profile last modified 20 Aug 2019 | Created 28 Apr 2011

[Note: Unable to find any source for parents Robert and Mary Warren listed on profile. His will names his mother Elizabeth Davis of London. ]

[Note: Caution There were at least 2 other William Davis' in early New England so they are often confused/conflated. ]

Biography

Captain William Davis married Margaret Pynchon of Springfield, Massachusetts on December 6. 1644. [1] [2] His birth is estimated as about 1620 based on his marriage, and as his mother Elizabeth Davis was residing in London, England when he wrote his will, it is assumed he came from England as well. [3][4]

His first wife Margaret was born about 1624 in England, daughter of William and Anne (Andrew) Pynchon. [2]

Margaret died on July 3, 1653 [3rd 5th mo. 1653] at Boston Massachusetts. [5] [4]

Her father William Pynchon returned to England, and in his will written at Wrasbury, Buckinghamshire, England on October 4, 1662, he left L10 each to Thomas, Benjamin and William Davis, the children of daughter Margaret Davis, of Boston, deceased. [2] [6]

After Margaret's death, William married Huldah Symmes. His second wife Huldah, daughter of Zechariah and Sarah (Baker) Symmes was baptized August 22, 1632 at Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. [7]

Huldah's father Zachariah Symmes's will was written on January 20, 1664/5 and proved on March 31, 1671, names all his daughter's including Huldah, but does not provide her last name. [7]

Huldah died after August 19, 1674, when twins Hannah and Jane were born [5] and prior to May 17, 1676, when her husband William Davis wrote his will, naming wife Sarah. [3]

In Huldah's mother's undated will, proved on December 28, 1676 bequests were left to two Davis granddaughters - Margaret Davis and Hannah Davis. [7]

After her death, William married third, Sarah Farmer. [8] [9] [10]

William Davis, apothecary, wrote his will on May 17, 1676, and it was proved on May 26, 1676. He left bequests to the following [3]

wife Sarah sons Thomas, Benjamin, William and John Davis daughters Elizabeth, Maria, Rebecca, Huldah, Ruth, Margarita and Hannah Davis any child of wife Sarah not yet born mother Sarah Symmes for her counsel in the care of my children my mother Elizabeth Davis of London brother Brock & sister [3] (sister-in-law Sarah Symmes married Henry Brock) [7] brother Savage & his wife [3] (sister-in-law Mary Symmes married Thomas Savage) [7] brother Willis & his wife [3] (sister-in-law Ruth Symmes married Edward Willis) [7] brother Prowtt & his wife [3] (sister-in-law Deborah Symmes married Timothy Prout ) brother Usher & his wife [3] (sister-in-law Elizabeth Symmes married Hezekiah Usher) [7] brother William Symmes [3] (brother-in-law)[7] mother Farmer & sister Wymon [3] the poor of Boston South Church 'where I am a member' Pastor Reverand Thatcher and Edward Rainford son Benjamin to be sole executor overseers - my brother Major Jno. Pynchon and friend Captain Thomas Lake He further states that the portion of the estate left by 'my father Zachariah Symmes' should be equally divided among the children of my wife Huldah, deceased, after the death of 'my mother Sarah Symmes'. [3]

After his death, his widow Sarah (Farmer) Davis married Edward Palmes as his second wife, in September, 1677. [8] [9]

On June 11, 1708, the following heirs of Captain William Davis, submitted a letter to the court regarding administration of their brother Major Benjamin Davis', apothecary of Boston, estate, contesting that the administrators have found many debts of their father in England and have therefore stated that there the heirs have been paid and there is no further money from their father's estate. [11]

Elizabeth Whetcombe Mary Frost Rebecca Lawrence Huldah Rainsford Ruth Royse Hannah Davis Margaret Davis [11] Children

by Margaret

Thomas [2] [6] [3] Benjamin born August 17, 1649 (see note: [2] [6] [3]; died on November 26, 1704 [12]; in December, 1704, his widow Mary refused administration of his estate. [11]; married first Sarah Richards by 1680; married second Mary Tippet on January 15, 1696/7. [13] ? Ephraim born ___; son of William and Margaret, died at Boston on August 2, 1652 [2: 6: 1652]. [5] William born at Boston on June 25. 1653. [5] [2] [6] [3] by Huldah

___ baptized on September 3, 1654. [7] Elizabeth baptized on [26: 6: 1655] August 26, 1655. [5]; died at Boston on August 18, 1712 [14], aged 57 [15] ; married James Whitcomb about 1680 [11] Mary born on December 3, 1656 [5] ; married Captain John Frost [16] [17] about 1680, as his second wife. Her will was proved in 1732. [18] [19] Rebecca born on August 3, 1658 [5]; married Joseph Lawrence on March 13, 1670/1. [20] [11] Huldah born on December 21, 1659 [5]; buried at Boston on August 2, 1721; married Edward Raynsford. [17] Ruth born on February 12, 1662 [5] ; married (?Daniel) Roys/Royce. [17] (note: Daniel Royse and Huldah Rainsford were among the witnesses to the will of James Whitcomb, Elizabeth (Davis) Whitcomb's husband. [21] John born on June 10, 1663. [5] Deborah born on April 13, 1665 [5]; likely died young, not mentioned in her father's will. [3] Joseph born on September 3, 1669 [5]; likely died young, not mentioned in his father's will. [3] Margaret baptized on [24:12: 1666] February 24, 1667 [5] ; unmarried in 1708. Hannah born on August 19, 1674 [5]; unmarried in 1708. [11] Jane born on August 19, 1674 [5]; likely died young, not mentioned in her father's will. [3] Sources

↑ Vital Records of Springfield, Massachusetts, to 1850. Volume One. (Clifford Stott: compiler) Boston: NEHGS, 2003. (p. 19) ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Anderson, Robert C. William Pynchon in: Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to N.E. 1620-1633, Vols. I-III, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 1995, p. 1536-8 (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010) ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 Case 786: p. 1-5: Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017-2019. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized mages provided by FamilySearch.org) ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jacobus, Donald Lines and Edgar Francis Waterman. Hale, House and Related Families: Mainly of the Connecticut River Valley. Hartford, Connecticut Historical Society, 1952. page 726, 725. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 Boston, MA: Births, Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1630-1699. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.) Originally published as: A Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston Containing Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1630-1699, Rockwell and Churchill, City Printers, Boston, 1883. p. 37: 40: 42: 72 ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Genealogical Gleanings in England in: New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 38, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 1894, p. 255 ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 Anderson, Robert C. Zachariah Symmes in: Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009, p. 634-42. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Bible Record of Edward Palmes of New Haven, Conn in: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 65, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 1911, p. 379 ↑ 9.0 9.1 Crane, Alicia Williams. John Winthrop (1606-1676) p. 6-7 in: Early New England Families, 1641-1700. (Original Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2013. (By Alicia Crane Williams, Lead Genealogist.) ↑ Wyman, Thomas Bellows & Henry Herbert Edes. The genealogies and estates of Charlestown : in the county of Middlesex and commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1629-1818, David Clapp & Sons, Boston, Massachusetts, 1879, p. 726 ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Case 2909: p. 1-14: Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017-2019. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized mages provided by FamilySearch.org) ↑ Brattle Square Church: p. 3. “Boston, MA: Church Records, 1630-1895” The Records of the Churches of Boston. CD_ROM. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008 .) ↑ A Report of the Record Commissioners of City of Boston. Boston Marriages1700-1809, City Document 150, Municipal Printing Office, Boston, Massachusetts, 1898, 348 ↑ Brattle Square Church: p 10. “Boston, MA: Church Records, 1630-1895” The Records of the Churches of Boston. CD_ROM. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008 .) ↑ Boston, MA: Deaths, 1700-1799: p. 38219. (Online database: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2007), (Dunkle, Robert J. and Lainhart, Ann S. Boston Deaths, 1700-1799, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 1999.) ↑ Blair, Margaret. Old Kittery and Her Families corrections/additions; (continued from February 2011) The Essex Genealogist, Volume 31: 2011: p. 84 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2018.) ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Rasmussen, James A. Edward Raynsford of Boston; English Ancestry and American Descendants (continued) in: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 139, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 2011, p. 310-11 (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) ↑ Spear, Burton. Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John, 1630, Volumes 17-19, B.W. Spear, Toledo, Ohio, 1999, p. 54 ↑ Anderson, Robert C. Nicholas Frost in: Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to N.E. 1620-1633, Vols. I-III, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 1995, p. 707-8 (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010) ↑ Wyman, Thomas Bellows & Henry Herbert Edes. The genealogies and estates of Charlestown : in the county of Middlesex and commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1629-1818, David Clapp & Sons, Boston, Massachusetts, 1879, p. 607 ↑ Case 1525: p. 1-8: Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017-2019. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized mages provided by FamilySearch.org) See also:

Hale, House and Related Families: Mainly of the Connecticut River Valley, database, FamilySearch.org: (accessed 13 Nov 2013), entry for William Davis, extracted from Donald Lines Jacobus and Edgar Francis Waterman, book of the same name (Baltimore, Massachusetts: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1978), page 726. Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Volume 6 1904