John Williams, of Haverhill

The origins and parents of John Williams are unknown. This profile previously gave John Williams (died 1650 in Newbury, Berkshire, England) and Elizabeth Williams as his parents. There are only old online trees supporting these origins. No known relationship with John Williams, of Salem.

Biography

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~colby/colbyfam/b800.html#P...

John Williams was born about 1605. He signed a will on 9 December 1670 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts. He died on 10 February 1673/74 at Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts. He had his estate probated on 18 March 1773/74 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.

Book Source: "The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury Massachusetts" by David W. Hoyt.

Spouse: Jane (Williams). John Williams and Jane (Williams) were married about 1630. Children were: John Williams, Sarah Williams, Mary Williams, Lydia Willisams, Joseph Williams.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Williams-4853 & https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-482653

John Williams was born about 1604 in England and died 10 February 1674 at Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.

He married Jane (Unknown). The date given is before 1640. This is meant indicate the uncertainty as to whether or not she is the mother of Sarah and John. If so, they were married well before 1640.

The is a large apparent gap between the first two children and the last three. There is a good possibility that Jane was a second wife and his first wife is unknown. If she was an only wife, they were probably married in England. If she was a second wife, they were probably married in Newbury.

Children of John Williams and possibly unknown first wife:

1. Sarah Williams. Born say 1625 (1620-1630, based on husband's birth in 1623 and marriage 1646). Married John Ayres.
2. John Williams Jr. Before 1631 (based on his appearing as an adult in records in 1652). Married Rebecca Colby.

Children of John Williams and Jane Unknown:

1. Mary Williams. Born 20 September 1641 in Newbury.[5]. Married Daniel Broadley.
2. Lydia Williams. Born 16 March 1643 in Haverhill.[6] She was also recorded in Newbury on 15 March 1642/3.[7]. Unmarried in 1677.
3. Joseph Williams. Born 18 April 1647 in Haverhill.[8]. Married Mary Fuller.

Notes

Extracted from https://minerdescent.com/2010/09/13/john-williams/ (please note parents listed are not sourced)

The sojourn of John Williams in Newbury was not associated with any event of record until 1640, when he appears as petitioner to found the new town of Haverhill with the Rev. John Ward, the promoter of the scheme, and others, William White, James DAVIS, John Robinson, Henry Palmer, Samuel Gile, Christopher Hussey, and Richard Littledale, to whom were added four from Ipswich. To do this he must have been a man of some mark and substance, and of character equal to those with whom he was associated. A beautiful site was chosen on the opposite bank of the Merrimac River, some six or seven miles farther up the stream, and almost twelve miles from the sea. This spot they named Haverhill after the English town from which its projector came.

1642 – John Williams was admitted freeman in Haverhill.

In 1643, according to a town vote, the valuation of his property was put at eighty pounds, which compares favorably with the other land owners. Every stockholder who emigrated at his own expense was to receive fifty acres for each member of his family; and every fifty pounds contributed to the company’s stock entitled the stockholder to two hundred acres of land.

In 1667, John Williams received a share in the distribution of some lands belonging to the town, which confirms the statement that he was one of the original proprietors, and to be such he must have been in possession of means brought from the old country. According to the statement in the “Sewell Papers,” which refers to this particular party of emigrants, viz., the settlers of Newbury, Massachusetts, ” Men of means, dissatisfied with the state of affairs in their native England, favored the exodus of their sons to America, and assisted them with money for that purpose.” It is even stated that houses in such towns as Newbury were owned by English proprietors, who received rental therefrom.

He died Feb. 10, 1673/4. Will dated Dec. 9, 1670; daughters Mary, Lydia and Sarah; grand child Sarah Eyers. Inventory of Widow’s estate was presented by son Joseph 29 March 1681.”

Will

Will: of John Williams senior of Haverhill.
Made 9 Dec. 1670 and proved 18 March 1673/4.

"[ ] last will & testament of John Williams senior [ ]… I make my wife my sole executrix [ ] all my goods land & cattle excepting what I [ ] to my children as hereafter is expressed [ ] will is that my sonne John shall have halfe [ ] my [ ] Devission of uplandbesides what hee has had already.

I give to my sonne Joseph my house & orchard & house Lott & ye commanidge that belong to it & all my duck meadow this after my wifes deceace, alsoe I give to Joseph my Lott at ye ffishing River adjoyneing to my sonn [ ] this hee is to have at my decease.

I give to my Daughter mary all my west meadow after my wives decease & alsoe a quarter parte of my fourth devission of upland this to have at my decease.

I give my Daughter Liddia all my east meadow after my wives decease & alsoe a planting lott next to Samuell Semmons at ye west end of the towne to have it after my wives decease & alsoe I give her twenty acres of my fourth devission to have at my decease.

I give to my Daughter Sarahs chlde, Sarah Eyres twenty acres of upland of my fourth devission to have at my decease…
John Williams
In the presence of us
William White
Mary White
Her M marke
Proved 18 Mar. 1673/4

Inventory

Essex County Registry of Probate- Docket No. 30011

Inventory: The Enventary of John Williams sr: deceased in the month of ffebruary 1673 as followeth:

Photo by Jack Parker. Burying Ground Memorial/Historical Stone Marker. Not a grave marker,

References

1. http://www.gulbangi.com/5families-o/p541.htm#i13524 Last Edited=21 Jan 2015 John Williams was born in 1600 in England.1 He married Jane (?) before 1636 in Newbury, Massachusetts Bay Colony, now Essex County.1, 2 John Williams died on 10 February 1673/74 in Haverhill, Massachusetts Bay Colony, now Essex County.1,2. cites
   1. [S84] Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury Massachusetts, online.
   2. [S1148] Bruce Campbell MacGunnigle, MF 4 Fuller.
   3. [S1140] Merideth B. Colkert, Founders of Early American Families.
   4. [S843] Early VR Essex Co. MA (published), Vital records of Haverhill.
   5. [S843] Early VR Essex Co. MA (published).
2. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/85009260/john-williams cites
   1. Son of Elizabeth Palmer and John Williams of Berkshire County, England. FamilySearch® Ancestral File™ Christened: 7 Dec 1607, Newbury, Berkshire, Eng Died: 10 Feb 1674 Haverhill, Essex MA Buried: Pentucket, Haverhill, MA
3. https://minerdescent.com/2010/09/13/john-williams/ John Williams was born in 1600 in England. He was baptized 7 Dec 1607 in Newbury, Berkshire, England. There is a family tradition which asserts that he came originally from Wales. His parents were John WILLIAMS and Elizabeth PALMER.
4. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Williams-4853 cites
   1. Chase. The History of Haverhil. (1861): page 38.
   2. Williams Family- D.W. Hoyt, NEHGR- Vol. 12, pp. 297-8 (Oct. 1858)
   3. The Family of John Williams of Newbury and Haverhill- Cornelia Williams, NEHGR- Vol. 62, pp. 184- 5 (April 1908)
   4. Sidney Perley, "Part of Haverhill in 1700", The Essex Antiquarian, III:166 (Nov 1899), citing Norfolk Registry of Deeds, book II, leaves 301, 323; book III, leaf 379. Digital Image Internet Archive (https://archive.org/stream/essexantiquarianv3v4sale#page/349/mode/2up/ accessed 21 October 2017).
   5. Vital Records of Newbury, vol. 1: Births. (1911): page 546.
   6. Vital Records of Haverhill, vol. 1: Births. (1910). page 321.
   7. Vital Records of Newbury, vol. 1: Births. (1911): page 546.
   8. Vital Records of Haverhill, vol. 1: Births. (1910). page 321.
   9. Vital Records of Haverhill,vol. 2 – Marriages and Deaths. (1911): page 496.
   10. Old Norfolk County Records- The Essex Antiquarian- Vol. XII, p. 85; Essex County Registry of Probate- Docket No. 30011
   11. Essex County ::Registry of Probate- Docket No. 30009
   12. Haverhill. Vital Records of Haverhill, Massachusetts to the end of the year 1849, vol. 1 Births. (Topsfield, Mass.: Topsfield Historical Society, 1910). Archive.org Link
   13. Haverhill. Vital Records of Haverhill Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, vol. 2 – Marriages and Deaths. (Topsfield, Mass.: Topsfield Historical Society, 1911). < Archive.org >
   14. Newbury. Vital Records of Newbury Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, vol. 1: Births. (Salem, MA: The Essex Institute, 1911): page 546.
   15. Williams, Cornelia Bartow. Descendants of John Williams of Newbury and Haverhill, Mass., 1600-1674 (Chicago, 1925). HathiTrust.org Link
   16. NEHGR vol. 62, no. 2 (April 1908): pages 184-191. The Family of John Williams of Newbury and Haverhill, Mass., by Cornelia Bartow Williams. < AmericanAncestors.org > (document attached)
   17. Chase, George Wingate. The History of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its First Settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860. (1861): pages 38
5. https://webster-nh.net/getperson.php?personID=I20271&tree=WebsterNH cites
   1. [S64] Massachusetts Vital Records Website, website: http://ma-vitalrecords.org/.
   2. [S70] Ancestry.com, U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700.
6. Torrey, Clarence Almon. Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015.) Vol 3 Page 1679. Text: WILLIAMS, John (-1667) & 2/wf? Jane ____ (-1680); by 1630; Haverhil1/Salisbury {Warner-Harrington 781; Bradley (1915) 163; Reg. 12:97, 62:184; LBDF&P ,336; Ferrin-Preston 75; ?Hazen Anc. 34; Williams (,10) 21; Williams (,15) 17; Williams (,16) 21; Essex Ant 3:166, 12:85; Bassett-Preston 331; MD 17:109}
7. The old families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts ; with some related families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich and Hampton, by Hoyt, David Webster, 1833-1921 (1897), page 360 < Archive.Org > has nothing on origins.
8. The pioneers of Massachusetts, a descriptive list, drawn from records of the colonies, towns and churches and other contemporaneous documents, by Pope, Charles Henry, 1841-1918. “Williams” page 499-501. < Archive.Org >