Mary Stanford

Mary Howland

• Williamson, Stanford
• Birth: before 1635, perhaps in Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England [uncertain]
• Death: 26 Aug 1690 in Marshfield, Plymouth County, Plymouth Colony
• Burial: Winslow Burying Ground, Marshfield, Plymouth County, Massachusetts 1 3
• Parents: Arthur Howland and his first wife Grace
• Wife of Timothy Williamson — married 6 Jun 1653 in Marshfield, Plymouth Colony
• Wife of Robert Stanford — married 22 Jan 1679 in Marshfield, Plymouth Colony
• Mother of Mary (Williamson) Closson, Timothy Williamson, Joanna (Williamson) Cannon, Elizabeth (Williamson) Perry, Caleb Williamson, Experience (Williamson) Taylor, Unknown Williamson, Nathan Williamson, Martha Williamson, Abigail (Williamson) Barden and George Williamson

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Biography

Retrieved from https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Howland-396 and then edited.

Howland-396 created 7 Feb 2011 | Last modified 15 Dec 2022

Mary Howland was born before 1635 in England.[1] The parish registers of Fenstanton do not start until 1612, but Bishop’s Transcripts exist for the years 1604-1605, 1608, and 1610, providing a few extra years of coverage not available in the surviving original registers. However, no birth or baptism record was found for Mary Howland either in the parish registers of London or in the parish registers of Fenstanton.

Mary Howland was a daughter of Arthur Howland [2], who married twice, 1st to Grace, who died 1635, and second to Margaret, widow Walker.

In 1983, Robert S. Wakefield, and Robert M. Sherman in their article "Arthur Howland of Plymouth, Mass., 1640, his wife Margaret (___) Walker, and their children" on page 83 acknowledged, "Unfortunately we have no evidence to show that all of Arthur's children were born to Margaret, only for sure the youngest, Arthur Jr., but perhaps some or all of the others."[3] In addition, they wrote on page 85, "The will of "Margarett Howland of Marshfeild," relict and widow of Arther Howland late of Marshfield deceased, dated 19 January 1683, sworn 5 March 1683/4, mentions grandson John Walker; three grandchildren, sons of my son Arther: Ebenezer, Thomas, and Arther (not yet 21); residue to my son Arther Howland, he to pay legacies given by my late husband in his will to my children and grandchildren therein named [it is impossible to determine from this wording of her will just which Howland children are hers, excepting only Arthur]; and son Arthur to be executor."[4]

Her father's will reads in part as follows:

I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Williamson, the sum of ten pounds to be payed her by the heires executors administrators or assigns of my said wife Immediately after her decease.

Mary Howland married twice:

1. First, to Timothy Williamson (abt 1621-1676) on 6 Jun 1653 in Marshfield, Plymouth Colony. She had to be at least 18 years old to marry him, so she would be born sometime before 1635. His parents are not known. They had 10 or 11 children.
2. Second, to Robert Stanford/Standford/Sanford (abt 1644-1721/2) on July 22, 1679, at Marshfield, Plymouth Colony. His parents are not known. They had no children. He survived Mary and married Rebecca Bartlett, widow of William Bradford, as her second of three husbands.

Children of Timothy and Mary (Howland) Williamson, all probably born at Marshfield:[1]

1. Mary, b. 7 July 1654, m. Marshfield 10 March 1678/9, Josiah Clawson/Closson, later to R.I.
2. Timothy, b. 26 February 1655
3. Joanna, b. 21 March 1657
4. Caleb, b. 21 March 1657
5. Experience, [daughter]
6. Nathan, d. Marshfield before 1 May 1718
7. Martha, b. 1 May 1670
8. Abigail, b. 10 August 1672
9. George, b. 2 May 1675
10. possibly Elizabeth, wife of John Perry of Sandwich [9][1]
11. a daughter, added to provide seven daughters for the 1690 settlement

Timothy Williamson died in King Philips War. He was buried on 6 Aug 1676 in Winslow Burying Ground/Cedar Grove Cemetery Marshfield, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Mary died on 26 Aug 1690 in Marshfield, Massachusetts.[1]

“Mary, wife of Robert Stamford (sic) died at Marshfield, Massachusetts, August 26, 1690.[6]”

Robert Stanford died between between 15 May 1721 and 7 Mar 1721/2.

Notes

On 04 March 1673/74, Timothy Williamson was Licensed as innkeeper in Marshfield. Between 1655 - 1673, he was a Surveyor of Highways and in 1656, was a Constable in Marshfield.

Mary Howland was raised Quaker but her name also appears on the list of Inn Keepers and Persons Licensed to Retail Spirituous Liquors, October 30, 1678. "Lycense is graunted by the Court v nto Mary Williamson, whoe keepeth an ordinary at Marshfield, to draw and sell beer, wine and liquours, soe as shee keep good orders in her house, that soe there benoe just cause of complaint in the respe"

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-498678

In 2015, Caleb Johnson's article, "Henry Howland of Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire: Father of Mayflower Passenger John Howland" discussed the biography of Arthur Howland's first wife, Grace.

Grace's husband, Arthur Howland may be identical to Arthur Howland who married Margaret, widow of a Walker and showed up in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony, by 28 August 1640, when he was referenced in the notebook of Boston attorney Thomas Lechford.[1]

Arthur Howland's wife Grace was buried at St. Giles Cripplegate, London on 4 December 1635, with a marginal note “Excomuni,” suggesting either she or her husband (or both) had been excommunicated.[2] The names of some of his children that were buried (Azariell, Zoheth) hint he may have taken on some religious viewpoints that differed from the Church of England, which the excommunication record would seem to further confirm.[3]

Sources

1. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-498678 Cites
   1. Thomas Lechford, Edward Hale (ed.), Note-Book Kept by Thomas Lechford, Esq., Lawyer, in Boston, Massachusetts Bay, from June 27, 1638, to July 29, 1641 (Cambridge, 1885), 297-299.
   2. Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Church of England Parish Registers, 1538-1812. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives. Reference Number: P69/GIS/A/002/MS06419/003. Saint Giles Cripplegate, 1634-46 https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1624/31281_a101525-00012. Text: "[1634] Grace wife of Arthur Howland Lether dresser Buried in the new church yard [December] 4 Excomuni."
   3. Johnson, Caleb H. Henry Howland of Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire: Father of Mayflower Passenger John Howland. The Pilgrim John Howland Society (www.pjhs.starchapter.com), 2016, https://pjhs.starchapter.com/images/downloads/henry_howland_of_fens...
2. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Howland-396 Cites
   1. Robert S. Wakefield, and Robert M. Sherman, "Arthur Howland of Plymouth, Mass., 1640," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 71, No. 2 (June 1983), pp. 86-89. Text: on page 86, "Mary Howland, b. before 1635." On page 87, "Mary² Howland was born before 1635." No mention of her birthplace is in this source.
   2. Edes, Grace Williamson "Timothy Williamson of Marshfield, Mass, and his descendants" The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2013.) Reference Volume 81 (1927), page 73. < AmericanAncestors >
3. Robert S. Wakefield, and Robert M. Sherman, "Arthur Howland of Plymouth, Mass., 1640," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 71, No. 2 (June 1983), p. 83.
4. Robert S. Wakefield, and Robert M. Sherman, "Arthur Howland of Plymouth, Mass., 1640," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 71, No. 2 (June 1983), p. 85.
5. New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Reference Volume 2, page 1431. < AmericanAncestors >
6. Vital Records of Marshfield, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, Sherman & Sherman, Warwick RI, 1969, pg 1
7. Vital Records of Marshfield, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, Sherman & Sherman, Warwick RI, 1969, pg 16
8. Mayflower Descendant: A Magazine of Pilgrim Genealogy and History. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1899- . (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010). Reference Volume 3 (1901), page 188. < AmericanAncestors >
9. NEHGR, vol 126, pg 279 See also
10. ”The Needham Family.” < link > cites
    1. The Pilgrim John Howland Society "Mary, married first June 6, 1653, Timothy Williamson; and second, January 22, 1679, Robert Sanford."
    2. "Timothy Williamson of Marshfield, Mass., and His Descendants" Grace Williamson Edes NEHGR v81 p72. “ "Timothy Williamson, of Marshfield, Mass., born, probably in England, about 1621, was killed in King Philip's War, in July or Aug. 1676. He married at Marshfield, 6 June 1653, Mary Howland, daughter of the first Arthur Howland and his wife, who was Margaret Read, a widow. Mary (Howland) Williamson married secondly, 22 Jan. 1679/80, Robert Stanford of Marshfield. Her later history has not been traced."
    3. "A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England" James Savage Pub. Boston, 1860-1862, Vol. 2, p. 478-480
    4. "New England Marriages Prior To 1700" Clarence A. Torrey, (as found on NEHGS CD-ROM, Boston, 2001) "WILLIAMSON, Timothy (-1676) & Mary HOWLAND (-1690), m/2 Robert STANFORD/SANFORD; 6 Jun 1653, Jun 1653, ?6-6-1653; Marshfield" "STANDFORD, Robert (Robert SANFORD) & 1/wf Mary (HOWLAND) WILLIAMSON (-1690), w Timothy; 22 Jan 1679, 1679/80; Marshfield"
11. England & Wales, FreeBMD Index.
12. MA Town & Vital Records, 1620-1988.
13. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34256989/mary-williamson Born before 1635 to Arthur Howland & his first wife, whose name in unknown. Married Timothy Williamson 6 Jun 1653 in Marshfield, Plymouth. Their child: Abigail (Williamson) Barden. Memorialized as one of the first settlers of Marshfield on cenotaph at Old Winslow Cemetery.