William Weeks, of Edgartown

Do not confuse this William with William Weeks, of Dorchester who married Elizabeth Mather

AKA Wickes

Family

From From “William Weeks—From England to Martha’s Vineyard before 1642” By Robert Weeks link

William Weeks and his first wife, "Goodwife Weeks," had the following children:

• William (Born 1645);
• Elizabeth (Born 1648 and married John Robinson May 1, 1667);
• Samuel (Born 1651);
• Richard (Born 1653 and married Abigail Norton. He died August 26, 1724 in Attleboro, Bristol County, Massachusetts);
• John (Born 1655 Died 1730. Married Mary Rowley, daughter of Moses Rowley and Elizabeth Fuller, July 7, 1675/76 in Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts);
• Abigail (Born 1658 and married Jonathan Hatch son of Jonathan Hatch and Sarah Rowley, December 4, 1676, in Martha’s Vineyard. He was born November 17, 1652 in Barnstable).

"Goodwife Weeks" died sometime before 1658 because William married his second wife, Mary Lynde Butler, sometime after 1658. We know that she was a widow and that she was born in 1628. William died in 1688 or 1689; however, Mary was still living in 1693 and listed as the widow of William Weeks.

Biography

[The following was compiled by Judy B. Anderson, 4485 S. 2025 W., Roy, Utah 84067]

WILLIAM WEEKS

The surname of Weeks, a corruption of the name Atwick alias Wickes, seems to surface in the parish of Staines, County of Middlesex, which is located about fifteen miles west of London. In 1638 in the will of a Richard Wickes -- dated August 4 and proved November 8 of that year -- he directed his executors "to pay to my son John Wickes now living in New England L200 at the feast of the birth of our Lord God next coming, . . ." He also left a bequest to another son: "To my son William L300, as follows, L30 in three months and the remainder in three years and he to have L10 paid him every half year in the meantime, and if he should die, or never come to claim it, then to be divided between my sons John and Robert and their children."(1)

There was a John Wickes living in Plymouth in 1637. He departed to Rhode Island in 1639, then moved with his friend, Samuel Gorton, to Warwick in 1643. He remained there until his death at the hands of the Indians during King Philip's war in November of 1675. He was sixty-six years of age.(2)

The will of Robert Wickes of Staines implies that William was either leaving England or already gone, and that it was in doubt whether he would return to claim his inheritance. Mr. Banks feels it logical that one brother followed the other to the new world and that since our William Weeks was a sea-faring man and did a packet business between Rhode Island and the Vineyard, there was a presumptive connection established for the two being brothers.(3) However, at the present time there is no proof for a connection.

William Weeks first appears on the Vineyard records in 1653,(4) in the area to be later known as Edgartown, but would have to have been there at an earlier date to have been able to participate in the division of land.

The first settlers of the town probably were assigned lots by the proprietors, one of the main ones being Gov. Thomas Mayhew. The land was sold to those desiring residence, but a transaction of concerning the distribution of those deeds does not exist. It is assumed that the first allotments of the common lands took place between 1646 and 1652, and included the "Divided Lots" located south of the town bordering on the Great Pond and Katama. These lots consisted of from ten to forty acres each.(5) It was decided that a fair division of the land would consist of 20 acres to a man, unless they already had property, then that amount would be less.

The first division of this "common" land took place 8 May 1653, and was to be meted out in twenty equal parts. The Weeks received lot eleven. Upon subsequent division of land between 1664 and 1669 Williams Weeks continued to receive a share.(6)

In 1655 he was granted land "near the pines in the middle of the island."(7) It is known that he was married at that time because of a deposition by Goodwife Weeks, dated Dec. 25, 1655, but the given name of his wife is unknown.(8) It may be that he brought his children with, or they may have been born after his move to Martha's Vineyard. Some time before 1658 his wife died.

William was serving in the position of constable in 1660, as he was notified by Gov. Thomas Mayhew "to levie upon the estate of John Doggett [Daggett] the elder, upon Martin's Vineyard(9) the sum of five thousand [pounds] upon the breach of order in purchasing lands."(10) Apparently Mr. Daggett had taken it upon himself to negotiate for lands rather than going through the proper channels, and as a result was given a hefty fine. He was unable to come up with such a large amount and appealed to the court at Plymouth. William's name was among those requesting part of the farm when Daggett could not afford to pay the fine. However, upon order of the Plymouth Court, Daggett maintained his title to the land.

His second marriage was thought to be to Mary Lynde, who was the widow of John Butler. She was born about 1629 in Dunstable, Bedford, England, and died after 1693 in Martha's Vineyard,

Massachusetts. Her parents were Thomas and Mary Lynde.(11) However, this has not been substantiated at the present time.

Some attribute the children to this second marriage, but since the children were born prior to 1658, it is doubtful this is the case.

As land was claimed and there came a need for expansion, the authorized persons would negotiate with the Indians, on behalf of the colony, to acquire additional property. The "Old Purchase" consisted of two large tracts of land within the town limits of Edgartown, the rights for which had been purchased from Tewantiquatick, and ran from Wintucket to the end of William Week's home lot.(12)

In May of 1653 a town representative purchased part of Ogissket Neck from the Indians and it became known as "The New Purchase." This parcel was not divided until 1673.(13)

The next division of land was the "Plain." It was the largest acquisition of land up to this time and was surveyed and divided by Richard Sarson, Thomas Bayes and Isaac Norton into forty lots. William Weeks received lot six.(14)

William's name appears on the town records for various actions, but the most notable was in 1667. He was making a trading trip from the Vineyard and had his vessel loaded with corn, pork, hides, tobacco, wheat, vegetables, etc. He was wrecked at Quick's Hole and the vessel was seized and looted by Indians of the Elizabeth Islands. Upon giving a deposition, he stated:

One Mondaye night the 18.9.1667 about 2 or 3 a clock in the morning, by reason of the violence of the wind, my anchrs remaining home, my vessell drove a shoare in the harbor at the west end of that Iland next to Quickshole. Myselfe and company then went to warme orselves at an Indian house, the Indians saied the vessell and the goods were theirs, wee answered noe, they had noe right to it, they sent to the Sackym & to the other Indians who all came together, and while they were consulting about the vessell and goods they bid us to goe to the other howse; wee answered noe, they need not turn us out of the howse wee did not hinder them; then the Indians went out of the howse to the next howse & wee went aboard, & about an hower & halfe after wee being returned to the howse the Indians came thither allso, and toll'd us they had determined all together wee should neither have or vessell or goods, they would take them. I desired my chest of them, some of them answered noe there was sum cloth in it & they would have it, I desired my weareing cloathes whch they graunted and some provisions to eate while wee were there wch they graunted. They tooke away a suite of cloathes from me, 2 pre of shooes, all my tooles, the sachim had my saw in his hand wch I would have had, but he woulld not gyve it to me, nor my axe. They tooke away a new Hatt and a new paire of shooes from my sonne: the partyculars lost are my vessell of 15 tunns wth all due furniture belonging to it, and a soresaile to spare, my Cables and anchors I desired of them but they woulld not gyve them unto mee, my vessell was not seene to be staved when we viewed hir at low water, onely the back of hir rudder broken off; my freight aboard was 42li Indian corns, fower barrels of pork, 4 hydes, 1 firkin of buter, 1 smale caske of suett about 40r, on barrell of tobacco, about 34 or 34li cotton wool, 26 bushells meale, 8 bushells of it wheate meale,the rest Rye of Indian meale, 1 bushell wheate, 1 bushell Rye, 2 bushells turnepps, one bushell of Inions, Red cloth 6 yards, 3 or 4 yards pemistone, My leade and lyne with divers other things out of my chest and vessell. Shooes, one poayre women's shooes, two Iron potts, 3 paire Chilldrens shooes, 2 paire new Russett shooes, 40l tallow, two gunns, a greene blankett, a woman's cloake from Goody Doggett, this is the truth of the case at present to or best remembrance.

This declaration above written was attested upon oathe by William Weexe the master of saied vessell, and by his son William and by thomas the Indian who was seaman in the vessell.

Goody Doggett testifies that the Indyans did take away & wtholld the vessell & goods from the master and shee did entreate them to lett him have his vessell againe but they would not, but they allso denied the meale and meate and fetcht it away, all these were taken uppon oathe 22 november 1667 upon the Vynyard. This is the Coppy of what is under oathe

Thomas Mayhew

Endorsed: "22 Novembr 1667 Declaracon of the Carriage of ye Indians about a vessell taken by them."(15)

Endorsed further down: "A declaration about a vessel of Will Weexes taken by indians at one of the Elyzabethes Isles: Nobre 1667.

His son, William Jr., accompanied him on this excursion, and both were rescued by John Dixey who told the Governor of New York about the incident. He, in turn, wrote to Governor Mayhnew to deal with the Indians and require restitution of the vessel and its stolen cargo.(16)

Although a resident of Martha's Vineyard prior to 1671, it wasn't until December 11th of that year that his lands were recorded on the town books. The following is a copy of his estate at that time:

The petickelers of the parcells of Land Granted unto William Weeks by the Inhabitance of Edgartown at the Great Harbour of Marthas Vinyard and Ordered to Be Recorded the Day above writen.

one whole Comonage of thirty seven Shears with all preveledges there unto Belonging as fish and whale: one house Lott of Twenty Poles Broad Bounded by Thomas Bayes on the South and Richard Sarson on the North Being Ten acres More or Less: to the Line Ten acres eleven Poles and a half Breadth Bounded by Thomas Bayes on the West Richard Sarson on the East: Land Bought of Peter Foulger one Neck Lying West to the Planting feild Being Eight acres More or Less: with one acre and a half of Meadow at Sanchacantackett one shear of Meadow; - one Shear at Feliz Neck: another Shear at Meachemus feild: one Shear at Quanomica: one Shear at Cracketuxett: One Devidant Lying at the Great Neck Being Twenty five acres more or Less Lying betwixt Thomas Peases and Mrs Blands: with one thach Lott ajoyning Part upon my said Devidant at the Neck: at Chapequideck one Lott of three acres More or Less Bounded by John Pease on the North and young Mr. Mayhew on the South: two acres of Meadow Lying on the South East Side of Chapequideok More or Less: one acre of Meadow on the EastSide of the Planting feild Lying Northward of Thomas Doggetts Be it More or Less: These all Granted By this Town and Purchased of Indians and one twenty fifth part. . . .(17)

He also had land at Homes Hole (18) which was not recorded until February 9, 1680. He had to have secured the property prior to that time, however, as he was appointed to a committee in Tisbury on January 16, 1678 to "view every man's lot and equalize it in the matter of swamp lands." (19) He may have been on the committee, with Isaac Chase and Thomas Mayhew, as an

impartial arbitrator. How he came into possession of these lands is not recorded. Since the six shares granted by Governor Mayhew had already been accounted for, it may be that additional land had been acquired by them and subdivided, and that Weeks obtained a portion of this. Existing records would lead credence to this assumption, as in 1681 mention of "the English lyne" is referred to, and in 1685 "the line which parts the English land from the Indian land," is mentioned.(20) In 1683 he sold one-sixth of the "two Southermost lots of land: 42 poles by the harbor extending to the fresh pond."(21) In 1685 he sold "one compleat half of one third part of the two southmost lots of land upon the Neck."(22) The English Line is thought to have run from Bass creek to the head of Tashmoo pond, and to have marked the southern boundary of the original grant to the six shareholders. All of this land eventually was purchased by Isaac Chase.(23)

Apparently he had also secured land in Falmouth, possibly for investment purposes as Joseph Hull bought property from Jacob Perkins in Falmouth, and it was noted that Jacob had bought that property from William Weeks, Sr. 31 Oct. 1677.(24)

Several suits against William indicate that he operated a tavern. He appeared in various business and litigation activities between 1684 and 1687. In 1688 he sold his real estate interests in Homes Hole to Isaac Chase. A final sale in December of that year seems to be his last transaction. Between that date and August 3, 1689 he died, as his widow, Mary, sold the home lot and he is referred to as being deceased.(25) Sons William and Richard challenged her right to sell the lands as they claimed ownership. They won proved their case and the court gave them possession of the property.

There is no record of a will or probation for William. His son, Samuel, had land in the Vineyard, but he sold out in 1688. So, with the death of William, the Weeks family name was no longer found on the island until 1710 when Joshua Weeks settled in Tisbury.(26)

sources

1. Charles Edward Banks. The History of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes Co., Massachusetts, Vol. II,, Dukes Co. Historical Society: 1966, pg. 118-119.
2. Charles Edward Banks, pg. 119.
3. Ibid.
4. Banks, Charles Edward. The History of Martha's Vineyard. Dukes County Historical Soc.: Edgartown, 1966, pg. 26. The first known division of common land was made in 1653 and there were 20 proprietors to participate in the allotment, including William Weeks.
5. History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 25.
6. History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 26 – Edgartown Records, Vol. I, pg. 172; pg. 28 -- Edgartown Records, I, 156; pg. 30 --Edgartown Records, I, 147.
7. Banks, pg. 120.
8. Edwards, pg. 3.
9. Martha's Vineyard, although Martin's Vineyard seems to be the earlier naming of the area.
10. Charles Edward Banks, The History of Martha's Vineyard, "The Annals of Oak Bluffs", Vol. I, pg. 12 -- Edgartown Record, I, 130.
11. Edwards, pg. 19 -- footnote.
12. History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 32.
13. Banks, History of Martha's Vineyard -- Annals of Edgartown -- Vol. II, pg. 32.
14. History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol., II, pg. 33.
15. William Hopple Edwards, Genealogical & Ancestral Notes, Vol. 2 of Series I & Series I-A, Meridian, Conn., 1957, pg. Appendix E -- Excerpts from "Early History of Nashon Island" by Amelia Forbes Emerson -- pg. 202.
16. Banks, pg. 121.
17. Banks, The History of Martha's Vineyard - "Annals of Edgartown", pg. 121.
18. "Hole" refers to a small inlet of water which would shelter the boats. "Homes" originally meant an old man. Literal meaning of the term "Homes Hole" would be old man's hole. It was until many years later that the name was referred to as "Holmes Hole" after a family who had settled in the area around 1670 - Annals of Tisbury -- pgs. 3-18 off the internet.
19. Banks, pg. 121.
20. History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 16 -- Deed of Dukes Co., Mass, Bk. III, pg. 314.
21. History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 16 -- Deed of Dukes Co., Mass., Bk. I, pg. 78.
22. History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 16 -- Deed of Dukes Co., Mass, Bk. I, pg. 73.
23. History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 16.
24. Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families. . F. B. & F. P. Goss Publishers & Printers: Barnstable, Mass., pg. 2, Vol. II -- Revised by C. F. Swift 1979.
25. Banks, pg. 122.
26. Banks, pg. 122.

links

• http://www.geocities.com/~weekseekers/mrywks.html

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https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Weeks-291

Profile last modified 4 Mar 2019 | Created 6 Jun 2011

William Weeks (abt. 1620 - bef. 1689)

William Weeks

Born about 1620 in Staines, Middlesex, England [uncertain]

Son of Robert (Weeckes) Wickes [uncertain] and Sara (Enderby) Atweecke [uncertain]

Brother of Thomas Weckes, John Wickes, William Wickes and Robert Weeks

Husband of Unknown (Unknown) Weeks — married [date unknown] [location unknown]

Husband of Mary (Lynde) Butler — married after 1658 in Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts

Father of William Weeks Jr., Elizabeth (Weeks) Robinson, Samuel Weeks, Richard Weeks, John Weeks and Abigail (Weeks) Hatch

Died before 3 Aug 1689 in Edgartown, Dukes, Province of New York

Biography

William Weeks was probably the son of Richard Wickes (Weeks) of Staines, Middlesex, England. William married at least twice, first to a woman whose name is not known, but by whom he had children. His second wife was possibly Mary (Lynde) Butler, daughter of Thomas and Hannah Lynde, and the widow of John Butler. She was born in 1630[1] and died 1693. William died in Edgartown, Dukes County, (then) Province of New York[2] about 1688 or 1689.

Children (there may have been others):

William Jr., b. ca. 1645, living in 1693; m.(1) Mercy Robinson 1669, m.(2) Mary Hatch ca. 1689.
Elizabeth, b. ca. 1648; m. John Robinson 1667; removed to Connecticut in 1714. Samuel, b. ca. 1651; living in Edgartown in 1681. Richard, b. ca. 1653, d. 1724 Attleboro; m. Abigail Norton. John, b. ca. 1655, d. 1730; m. Mary Rowley 1676. Abigail, b. ca. 1658; m. Jonathan Hatch 1676. William is believed to be the son named in the will of Richard Wickes of Staines as being in New England. A brother John had arrived in New England in 1635 and was also named in the father's will. In the will of Richard Wickes, dated August 4 and proved November 8, 1638, he directed his executors "to pay to my son John Wickes now living in New England £200, . . ." He also left a bequest to another son: "To my son William £300, as follows, £30 in three months and the remainder in three years and he to have £10 paid him every half year in the meantime, and if he should die, or never come to claim it, then to be divided between my sons John and Robert and their children."[3]

There was a John Wickes living in Plymouth in 1637, who removed to Rhode Island in 1639, then to Warwick in 1643 with his friend, Samuel Gorton. He resided there until he was killed by the Indians during King Philip's war in November 1675 at age 66. William plied a packet route between Martha's Vineyard and Rhode Island, providing a tentative connection between the two possible brothers. There is, however, no proof for a connection.[3]

William Weeks first appears in the Martha's Vineyard records in 1653 when the first division of common land took place on 8 May, in the area to be later known as Edgartown, but he would have to have been there at an earlier date to have been able to participate in the division of land. It is assumed that the first allotments of the common lands took place between 1646 and 1652, and included the lots located south of the town bordering on the Great Pond and Katama. In 1655 he was granted land "near the pines in the middle of the island." It is known that he was married at that time because of a deposition by Goodwife Weeks, dated Dec. 25, 1655, but her given name was not noted. It may be that he brought his children with him, or they may have been born after his move to Martha's Vineyard. Some time before 1658 this wife died. In later divisions between 1664 and 1669 Williams Weeks continued to receive a share in the common lands.[3]

In 1660, William was serving in the position of constable, and as such he was ordered by Gov. Thomas Mayhew "to levie upon the estate of John Doggett [Daggett] the elder, upon Martin's Vineyard the sum of five thousand [pounds] upon the breach of order in purchasing lands." Mr. Daggett had negotiated for lands rather than going through the proper channels, and as a result was given a hefty fine. However, upon order of the Plymouth Court, Daggett maintained his title to the land. William was a tavern owner and was named in several court lawsuits for selling strong liquor, being fined in January 1666.[3]

In 1667, while on a trading voyage from the Vineyard, William and his son William had their vessel wrecked at Quick's Hole and the vessel and all its cargo looted by the Wampanoags of the Elizabeth Islands. He went to court to attempt recovery of damages. They were rescued by John Dixey who told the Governor of New York about the incident. He, in turn, wrote to Governor Mayhnew to deal with the Wampanoags and require restitution of the vessel and its stolen cargo.[3]

His lands were recorded on 11 December 1671, and contained a house lot with 10 acres, 37 shares, eight acres purchased of Peter Folger, one share at Feliz Neck, one share at Meachemus field, on at Quanomica, one at Cracketuxett, one division of 25 acres at Great Neck, a thatch lot at the Neck, three acres a Cahpequideck, two acres of meadow at Chapequideok, one acre of meadown at the Planting field, all grants by the town purchased from the natives. Also recorded, in 1680, land at Homes Hole. In 1685 he sold two lots of land on the Neck. He had also bought land in Falmouth, land that Jacob Perkins bought from William Weeks, Sr. 31 October 1677.[3]

Several suits against William indicate that he operated a tavern. He appeared in various business and litigation activities between 1684 and 1687. In 1688 he sold his real estate interests in Homes Hole to Isaac Chase. A final sale in December of that year seems to be his last transaction. Between that date and August 3, 1689 he died, as his widow, Mary, sold the home lot and he is referred to as being deceased. Sons William and Richard challenged her right to sell the lands as they claimed ownership. They won proved their case and the court gave them possession of the property.[3]

There is no record of a will or probate for William. His son, Samuel, had land in the Vineyard, but he sold out in 1688, and all of William's remaining land had been sold, and all of the Weeks children had left the island.[3]

Sources

↑ The Parish Register of Dunstable 1553-1812. Bedfordshire County Record Office 1951. ↑ Wikipedia ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 F.B. Osgood, V.A. Thayer, An Osgood & Thayer genealogy: ancestry of Dr. Kenneth Alan Osgood, descendant of Christopher Osgood, Volume 2 (Coronado, CA: F.B. Osgood, 2004) See also:

Charles Edward Banks, The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts (Boston: G.H. Dean, 1911), p. 118-122. Our Family Genealogy Pages "William Weeks Sr." U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 Author: Yates Publishing Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.