Elisha Williams (1718 - 1788)

Born 12 Jan 1718 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Thankful (Denison) Williams — married 5 Nov 1740 (to 13 Dec 1740) in Stonington, New London, Connecticut

Husband of Eunice Williams — married 24 Nov 1743 (to 26 Jul 1753) in Stonington, New London , Connecticut

Husband of Esther (Wheeler) Williams — married 25 Apr 1754 in Stonington, New London , Connecticut

Descendants

Died 22 Sep 1788 at age 70 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut

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Biography

Birth & Baptism

Research Note 1:

1) In as much as most of the references give the date of birth as 12 Jan 1719, the reference with his date of baptism has so far proven to be more correct than the others and the date of his baptism was approximately eleven (11) months prior to 12 Jan 1719. For this reason Elisha's year of birth has been changed in this profile to 12 Jan 1718, which is the date that was published in the Denison Genealogy in 1963. The custom at the time was that the children were usually baptized within the next couple of months of their date of birth. 2) Also, based on the inscription on his tombstone at the time of his death, and doing the math, 1718 is more accurate, as he would have turned 72 on his next birthday.All references are listed in the appropriate sections below.

Birth

Elisha Williams was born 12 Jan 1717/18, to Ebenezer Williams and Sarah (Hammond) Williams in Stonington. He was the youngest of all of Ebenezer's fourteen (14) children.^[1][2]

Baptism

Elisha was baptized in the First Congregational Church of Stonington, on 02 Feb 1718 by Reverend James Noyes.^[3]

First Marriage

Elisha married Thankful Denison on 05 Nov 1740, by the Justice of the Peace, Joseph Denison. She died forty (40) days later.^[1][4]

Children From First Marriage

There were no children from this marriage.

Second Marriage

Elisha married second, Eunice Williams on 24 Nov 1743, by Reverend Ebenezer Rossiter in the First Congregational Church of Stonington.^[1][3][4]

Children From Second Marriage

Elisha Williams Jr; b 14 Dec 1744^[1][4]

Ebenezer Williams; b. 26 Feb 1748, d. young^[1][4]

Thankful Williams; b. 26 Jul 1750, d. 13 Oct 1751^[1][4]

Third Marriage

Elisha married third, Esther Wheeler on 25 Apr 1754, by Reverend Ebenezer Rossiter in the First Congregational Church of Stonington.^[1][3][4]

Children From Third Marriage

Eunice (Williams) Denison; b. 03 Aug 1755^[1][4]

Fourth Marriage

Elisha marred last, Mrs Eunice (Spalding) Baldwin on 01 Nov 1765, by Reverend Joseph Fish in Stonington, though not in the Church in Stonington, as he was the Pastor of the North Stonington Church by that time. ^[1][4][5]

Children From Fourth Marriage

There were no children from this marriage.

Military Service

Elisha was a Sgt. in Captain Stanton's Company spending a total of two (2) days in service in 1780.^[6]

Death

Elisha died 22 Sep 1788, in his 71st year, and is buried in what is sometimes called "Elias Brown Farm Graveyard", Whitehall Burying Ground #21, Mystic.^[1][7]

Reference Note

1) See the first reference note at the top of this biography about the wrong date of birth in FAG reference. 2) Hale Collection that he died when he was 70, however tombstone clearly says that he was 71.^[8]

Tombstone of Elisha Williams, Photo uploaded to FindAGrave by Nate Bramlett.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} Wheeler, Richard Anson; (1900); History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1649 to 1900; Press of the Day Publishing Company, New London, Conn.; PGS: (Elisha #51) 664 & 665, (Thankful Denison #138) 343 & 655, (Eunice Williams #447) 665 & 679 , (Esther Wheeler #340) 650 & 665; Retrieved from https://archive.org/stream/historyoftownofs00whee_1#page/n11/mode/2up
2. ↑ Williams, Harrison, LL.B. (1934); The Life, Ancestors and Descendants of Robert Williams of Roxbury; In His Majesty's Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1607-1693; W.F. Roberts Company, Washington, DC; PG 74 (Date of birth 12 Jan 1719 Marriages but no dates:); Retrieved from: https://archive.org/stream/lifeancestorsdes00will#page/n11/mode/2up (might have to check out the book to read it)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Wheeler, Richard A. (1875); History of the First Congregational Church, Stonington, Connecticut, 1674-1874; With The Report of Bi-Centennial Proceedings, 03 Jun 1874; With Appendix Containing Statistics of the Church.; T.H. Davis and Company, Norwich, Connecticut; PG 213 (Baptism), 233 (m. Eunice Williams), (m. Esther Wheeler) 238, ; Retrieved from: https://archive.org/details/historyoffirstco00whee
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7} Connecticut Vital Records to 1850: New Horizons Genealogy (Online Database); From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928. http://dunhamwilcox.net/barbour/stonington_barbour_w2.htm
5. ↑ Crane, Ellery Bicknell, Editorial Supervisor (1907); Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts, with a History of Worcester Society of Antiquity Vol 1; The Lewis Publishing Company, New York and Chicago; PG 309-310; https://archive.org/stream/historichomesan02crangoog#page/n520/mode/2up
6. ↑ Johnston, Henry Phelps, 1842-1923, Connecticut, Adjutant-General's Office (1889); Record of service of Connecticut men in the I. War of the Revolution, II. War of 1812, III. Mexican War; Published by the Adjutant-General's Office, Hartford, Connecticut; PG 561; Retrieved from: https://archive.org/details/recordofserviceo00john
7. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 26 June 2018), memorial page for Elisha Williams (12 Jan 1719–22 Sep 1788), Find A Grave: Memorial #54829938, citing White Hall Graveyard, Mystic, New London County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by David S. Williams (contributor 47201065) .
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: The Charles R. Hale Collection. Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions. Hartford, Connecticut: Connecticut State Library. /View with paid subscription: https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2900/32971_301938-00331?pid=60762865

• Denison Genealogy: Ancestors and Descendants of Captain George Denison; E. Glenn Denison, Josephine M. Peck and Donald L. Jacobus; Gateway Press, Inc. Baltimore, MD 1993 [Originally published, Pequot Press 1963; Reprinted, Baltimore, MD 1978, 1982, 1993], no. 155: https://archive.org/details/denisongenealogy00deni/page/6/mode/1up

• White, Elizabeth Pearson. John Howland of the Mayflower (Picton Press, Camden, ME, 1990) Vol. 1, Page 462.