John Williams Sr (1732 - 1798)

Born 10 Jul 1732 in Woodbridge, Gloucester, New Jersey

Ancestors

Husband of Martha (Heritage) Willams — married 25 May 1755 in Monmouth County, New Jersey

Descendants

Died 1798 at about age 65 in Frankfort, Hampshire, Virginia, United States

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Biography

John was born in 1732, a son of Richards Williams. He married Martha Heritage in New Jersey in 1755. ^[1]

They had children:

Ebenezer

John B.

Richard

Sarah

Joseph

Dorcus

Ephraim

John, Jr.

Elizabeth

Benjamin

He died in 1798 in Hampshire Co, VA. ^[2]

NOTES ON HAMPSHIRE Co, VA (now WVA) Settlers had come to the region of the future county about 1735 and by 1740 there already were small settlements along the south branch of the Potomac. Hampshire County was formed in 1754 from parts of Augusta and Frederick counties. It is the oldest county in the present state of West Virginia and probably was named for the English shire. Although the enabling legislation for the new county dates from 1754, the border unrest of the French and Indian War delayed the formal organization of the county until 1757. In its original configuration, the new county included the present counties of Hardy, Mineral, and Grant, and portions of Morgan and Pendleton. In 1777 Augusta gave additional lands to Hampshire. In 1785 Hardy County was created from Hampshire land, but two years later, part of Hardy was returned to Hampshire's administration. In 1820 Morgan County was formed in part from Hampshire territory. Mineral County was wholly formed from Hampshire in 1866, and Mineral received additional lands from its parent county in 1868 (Mill Creek Township). This 1868 addition was repealed in 1872 and the lines returned to their 1866 position. Although the new county was set to convene its first court in May, 1754, the opening battles of the French and Indian War, with General Braddock's disastrous defeat the following year, delayed Hampshire's courts. Most of the populace fled eastward to Frederick County as the Indian depredations increased. It was not until 1757 that the county began to function uninterrupted. By 1762 the court had been moved from its original site at Piersall's Flats to the new neighboring town of Romney, which became the county seat. Hampshire suffered a severe records loss during the Civil War as the courthouse was occupied by Union cavalry and used as a stable, and some of the records evacuated earlier by wagon to Frederick County for safekeeping were scattered or lost.

Sources

1. ↑ [1]: "New Jersey, County Marriages, 1682-1956," database with images, FamilySearch. John Williams and Martha Herritage, 25 May 1755; citing Monmouth, New Jersey, United States, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton; FHL microfilm 802,942.
2. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #175915954 John Williams (1736–Feb 1798)

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/portrait/LHZH-Y4K Captain John Williams Sr. (1732-1798)
• The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (1868) Volume 022, 1847-2011 for John Williams