James Willson

As young boys, James b. 1717 and his brother Moses, were travelling with their mother, father, and a maid on a boat along the coast of France. The ship wrecked and the mother and maid were floating with the boys in the water. They were picked up by another ship with a captain named Wilson. The mother died immediately and the maid shortly, but the maid was able to give the history of the family and what happened. Which were proved by their personal effects found. The captain of the rescuing ship brought the boys to America where they grew up, married and spent their lives.

According to Rockbridge County, Virginia Cemeteries, South River and Walkers Creek Districts, by the Rockbridge Area Genealogical Society, 1999, page 134 the stone in Row 5 says:James Willson, Esquire of Mason County, KY died 6 Mar 1801, aged 84 yr son of James the Immigrant

Enlarging the stone 2 things are missing from the above record, 6 Mar 1801, as it says in March 1801 and "son of James the Immigrant." The bottom of the stone below "years" does not appear to say anything, today. The same source shows the same data (minus son of James) in row 6A also and then says "unreadable stone." This source has excellent data, but I suspect this is a human error.

The Scotch-Irish in America: Proceedings and Addresses of the Scotch-Irish..., by Scotch-Irish Society..., page 355,

• Sterrett, Tate, Scotch-Irish ancestors. "John Douglas Sterrett came to Rockbridge County with his family in 1795 from Ireland; his wife's maiden name was Ann Reid;
• his son Robert was six years of age when he came to America;
• Robert Sterrett married Isabella Dunlap; her parents were Scotch;
• their son James Reid Sterrett married Rebecca Alexander Willson, and are the parents of Tate Sterrett;
• Mrs. Rebecca A. Sterrett's great-grandfather, JAMES WILLSON, was born in Ireland in 1715; his wife's maiden name was Rebecca Willson; he moved to Pennsylvania in 1753, and moved to Virginia in 1771; he was the father of

1. * Rev. William Willson, pastor of the Augusta Presbyterian Church,
2. * Rev. Robert Willson, who went to Kentucky, and
3. * John Willson, who was a farmer and an elder in New Providence Church; he married Rachel Downey

; he was the father of

1. Rev. James C. Willson and
2. Samuel Willson, who was an elder in New Providence Church; he married Phoebe Tate, a daughter of Robert Tate; they are the parents of Mrs. Rebecca Sterrett;

Mrs. Samuel Willson's father's parents came to America (Augusta County) from the North of Ireland in 1745; Mrs. Willson's mother's maiden name was Margaret McClung, a daughter of John McClung and his wife, Elizabeth, who was born in Ireland; she was the eldest child of Archibald Alexander and his first wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Parks; John McClung was a son of William McClung, who was the head of one of the families that settled on Borden's Grant; both Archibald Alexander and William McClung were on the first bench of elders in Timber Ridge Church, which was organized in 1746."

The following Bio was added by Teresa Bennett, 7 Sep 2011 at the Glebe Cemetery: Birth: 1715, Scotland, Death: 1809, Augusta Co., VA

"James Willson was married to Rebecah (Rebekah) Willson in 1750. They had 16 children but only 13 survived to adulthood. Rebecah was the niece of John 'Burgess' Willson (House of Burgesses) also buried in this cemetery. James Willson donated a large parcel of his land in Augusta County to build "Augusta Academy" in 1749, the same institution which (in 1814) became "Washington College" and is now "Washington & Lee" University." http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=47179568

Inscription SACRED To the memory of JAMES WILLSON E_ ("Esq") Of Mason Co __ __ ("County, KY") who departed this life in March 1801 Aged 84 years

The Scotch-Irish in America: Proceedings and Addresses of the Scotch-Irish..., by Scotch-Irish Society..., page 355, Sterrett, Tate, Scotch-Irish ancestors. "John Douglas Sterrett came to Rockbridge County with his family in 1795 from Ireland; his wife's maiden name was Ann Reid; his son Robert was six years of age when he came to America; Robert Sterrett married Isabella Dunlap; her parents were Scotch; their son James Reid Sterrett married Rebecca Alexander Willson, and are the parents of Tate Sterrett; Mrs. Rebecca A. Sterrett's great-grandfather, JAMES WILLSON, was born in Ireland in 1715; his wife's maiden name was Rebecca Willson; he moved to Pennsylvania in 1753, and moved to Virginia in 1771; he was the father of Rev. William Willson, pastor of the Augusta Presbyterian Church, Rev. Robert Willson, who went to Kentucky, and John Willson, who was a farmer and an elder in New Providence Church; he married Rachel Downey; he was the father of Rev. James C. Willson and Samuel Willson, who was an elder in New Providence Church; he married Phoebe Tate, a daughter of Robert Tate; they are the parents of Mrs. Rebecca Sterrett; Mrs. Samuel Willson's father's parents came to America (Augusta County) from the North of Ireland in 1745; Mrs. Willson's Bother's maiden name was Margaret McClung, a daughter of John McClung and his wife, Elizabeth, who was born in Ireland; she was the eldest child of Archibald Alexander and his first wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Parks; John McClung was a son of William McClung, who was the head of one of the families that settled on Borden's Grant; both Archibald Alexander and William McClung were on the first bench of elders in Timber Ridge Church, which was organized in 1746." [This is one, long sentence!!!]

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=62266706

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http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=adgedge&i...

GEDCOM Note

<p>“James Willson, Sr. (son of 1st son of Robert Willson and Mrs. 1st son of Robert Willson)893, 894, 895, 896 was born 1715 in County Londonderry, Province Ulster, NorthernIreland897, 898, and died August 20, 1809 in Brownsburg, Rockbridge County, Virginia, USA899, 900. He married Rebecca Willson on 1750 in Pennsylvania, USA901, daughter of Thomas Willson and Elizabeth Dinwiddie…</p>n Tract Executor's the deed to 382 acres of land on the Kennedy's Mill Creek in the New Providence Church community, he was a dedicated Christian.[Rice-Fox-Love.FTW]</em></p>rong>James Willson and his brother Moses</strong> were travelling with their parents and a maid servant on a boat near the coast of France. The ship hit a reef and was wrecked. The boys were discovered with their mother and the maid, floating on the remnants of the ship in the water. They were spotted and rescued by another ship (Captain's name was Wilson). The mother died within minutes of the rescue and the maid died shortly thereafter. But before her death, the maid was able to give the history of the family and what had happened to the vessel, which was proven by some of their mother's personal effects. </em></p>- 1772, To Virginia.902” (Love, James Willson)"</em></p>rce is Family Tree Maker website, THE FOX AND MILLER FAMILY GATHERING by Marcia Virginia Love, “Elizabeth Dinwiddie (b. WFT Est. 1687-1717, d. WFT Est. 1764-1805)”, http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/o/v/Marcia-V-Love/WEBS...  </p>

• Military_service: Virginia, United States - Sep 1777
• Military_service: Virginia, United States - Aug 1778
• Military_service: Virginia, United States - 04 Feb 1779
  • Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Nov 11 2021, 18:59:12 UTC

According to Rockbridge County, Virginia Cemeteries, South River and Walkers Creek Districts, by the Rockbridge Area Genealogical Society, 1999, page 134 the stone in Row 5 says:James Willson, Esquire
of Mason County, KY
died 6 Mar 1801, aged 84 yr
son of James the Immigrant

Enlarging the stone 2 things are missing from the above record, 6 Mar 1801, as it says in March 1801 and "son of James the Immigrant." The bottom of the stone below "years" does not appear to say anything, today. The same source shows the same data (minus son of James) in row 6A also and then says "unreadable stone." This source has excellent data, but I suspect this is a human error.

The Scotch-Irish in America: Proceedings and Addresses of the Scotch-Irish..., by Scotch-Irish Society..., page 355,
Sterrett, Tate, Scotch-Irish ancestors. "John Douglas Sterrett came to Rockbridge County with his family in 1795 from Ireland; his wife's maiden name was Ann Reid; his son Robert was six years of age when he came to America; Robert Sterrett married Isabella Dunlap; her parents were Scotch; their son James Reid Sterrett married Rebecca Alexander Willson, and are the parents of Tate Sterrett; Mrs. Rebecca A. Sterrett's great-grandfather, JAMES WILLSON, was born in Ireland in 1715; his wife's maiden name was Rebecca Willson; he moved to Pennsylvania in 1753, and moved to Virginia in 1771; he was the father of Rev. William Willson, pastor of the Augusta Presbyterian Church, Rev. Robert Willson, who went to Kentucky, and John Willson, who was a farmer and an elder in New Providence Church; he married Rachel Downey; he was the father of Rev. James C. Willson and Samuel Willson, who was an elder in New Providence Church; he married Phoebe Tate, a daughter of Robert Tate; they are the parents of Mrs. Rebecca Sterrett; Mrs. Samuel Willson's father's parents came to America (Augusta County) from the North of Ireland in 1745; Mrs. Willson's Bother's maiden name was Margaret McClung, a daughter of John McClung and his wife, Elizabeth, who was born in Ireland; she was the eldest child of Archibald Alexander and his first wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Parks; John McClung was a son of William McClung, who was the head of one of the families that settled on Borden's Grant; both Archibald Alexander and William McClung were on the first bench of elders in Timber Ridge Church, which was organized in 1746."

The following Bio was added by Teresa Bennett, 7 Sep 2011 at the Glebe Cemetery:
Birth: 1715, Scotland, Death: 1809, Augusta Co., VA
"James Willson was married to Rebecah (Rebekah) Willson in 1750. They had 16 children but only 13 survived to adulthood. Rebecah was the niece of John 'Burgess' Willson (House of Burgesses) also buried in this cemetery. James Willson donated a large parcel of his land in Augusta County to build "Augusta Academy" in 1749, the same institution which (in 1814) became "Washington College" and is now "Washington & Lee" University." http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=47179568

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Nov 11 2021, 19:05:23 UTC

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James and one brother survived a shipwreck off the coast of France; no other family members survived. The captain of the rescuing ship brought them to the colonies. They were most likely raised by grandparents, Robert and Jane Wilson.

James married his cousin (Rebecca or Rebekah) in 1750 in Pennsylvania. 13 of their 16 Children survived to adulthood.

James donated a large parcel of land in Augusta Co. to build Augusta Academy in 1749. In 1814 this institution became Washington Academy and is now Washington and Lee University.