Joseph Williams (1643 - 1724)

Born 12 Dec 1643 in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island

Ancestors

Husband of Lydia (Olney) Williams — married 17 Dec 1669 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island

Descendants

Died 17 Aug 1724 at age 80 in Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island

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Biography

He was born on 12 Dec 1643 in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island. ^[1]

Joseph Williams of Providence was the youngest son of a famous father, Roger Williams, Providence founder. The father gives, in a letter to his friend Governor Winthrop, an account of the youth's cure of epilepsy by taking tobacco. The exact quotation may be found in the short book "Old Providence: A Collection of Facts and Traditions Relating to Various Buildings and Sites of Historic Interest in Providence", published in 1918 by Merchants National Bank of Providence for the bank's centenary; the work offers additional information about Joseph, and about the end of his parents' lives.

Roger Williams said of Joseph ... "My youngest son, Joseph, was troubled with a spice of epilepsy: We used some remedies, but it hath pleased God, by his taking tobacco, perfectly, as we hope to cure him." ^[2] The "cure" was evidently effective, for Joseph lived to a hale old age.

On 31 May 1666 he pledged allegiance to King Charles II. ^[1]

Joseph Williams married on 17 Dec 1669 to Lydia Olney (daughter of Rev. Thomas Olney) and their children included ...

1. Thomas Williams, b: 16 Feb 1671; m1: Mary Blackman (1674-1717); m2: Hannah Sprague
2. Joseph Williams
3. Lydia Williams
4. Mary Williams, b: June 1676
5. James Williams, b: Sep 1680
6. Providence Williams, b: 1685.

He settled in Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island and built his house opposite Roger Williams Park. In 1676 he served during King Philip's War as a Captain of the Cranston Troops and subsequently rose to a position of prominence in early Providence, Rhode Island.

Joseph Williams was a man prominent in public affairs, and held many offices of importance, among them that of deputy in the Colonial Assembly. He was also a Tax Collector, a member of the Town Council and a Justice of the Peace in Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island.

He died on 17 Aug 1724 in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island and was buried in the Family Plot on his farm at Mashapaug, Rhode Island. ^[3]

His estate consisted of some 730 acres, which with his dwelling-place and orchard which he left to his son James, who was charged by his father "to provide for his mother, my said loveing wife, Lidia Williams, all things that shee shall have neede of and that are necessary for an antiant woman during the full term of her naturall life." Joseph's wife Lydia survived her husband but three weeks, dying on 09 Sep 1724. She was buried by his side on the farm at Mashapaug - which later was included among the acres of Roger Williams Park (bequeathed to the city of Providence by Betsey Williams).

Research Notes

In 1683-84-93-96-97-1713 he served as deputy to the General Court. In 1684-85-86-87-88-91-93-94-1713-14-15, he was a member of the Town Council. Joseph Williams served on numerous important committees during his public career. --NOT Joseph Williams of Providence, Rhode Island

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England" by James Savage & Genealogical Publishing Co. of Baltimore, MA in 1977 (4 vols) p339 v4 p558-572 Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island;
2. ↑ 1660 Letter from Roger Williams to Gov. Winthrop
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #17142392 for Joseph Williams, b: 12 Dec 1643 Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, USA; d: 17 Aug 1724 Cranston, Providence County, Rhode Island, USA; buried: Williams Family Cemetery, Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, USA; parents: Roger Williams (1602-1683) & Mary Barnard (1609–1683); spouse: Lydia Olney (1645-1724)

• "Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy" by Frederick A. Virkus in 1925; cd#113

• Birth and lineage: "Ancestry of Thirty-Three Rhode Islanders Born in the 18th Century" by John Osborne Austin & published by Joel Munsell's Sons of Albany, NY in 1889; chart: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015028775222&view=1up&seq=79&size=150

• "Roger Williams of Providence, Rhode Island" by Bertha Williams Anthony in 1949; call# R929.2 qW726

• "Report of the Record Commissioners of Boston, Suffolk County, MA 1630-1699" p112 by William H. Whitmore & Rockwell and Churchill of Boston, MA in 1883; call#F73.4.B67xvol.9

• "Memoirs of the Wilkinson Family" by Israel Wilkinson & Davis & Penniman of Jacksonville, IL in 1869

• OneWorldTree via ancestry.com

Ancestry Family Trees submitted by ancestry.com members ...

• http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12596980&pid=-211405434
• http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12596980&pid=-223278083
• http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=12577766&pid=-227375672
• http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=17603875&pid=564357396

Excerpt

"History of Bucks County" v3 p273-276 by William W. H. A. M. Davis; edition#2 by Lewis Publishing Company of New York & Chicago in 1905; online at http://openlibrary.org; transcription at http://www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/

"The WILLIAMS Family of Nockamixon and Tinicum, and other parts of Bucks County, trace their ancestry to Joseph Williams, of Boston, Massachusetts. He and his wife, Lydia, had ten children, namely ...

1. Joseph Williams, b: 12 mo.,14, 1670 (O. S.)
2. William Williams, b: 10 mo., 13, 1671
3. Richard Williams, b: 12 mo., 8, 1673
4. Hannah Williams, b: 3 mo., 20, 1674; d: (infancy)
5. Daniel Williams, b: 10 mo., 25, 1676
6. Hannah Williams, b: 3 mo., 26,1679
7. Jeremiah Williams, b: 6 mo., 22, 1683 (referred to hereafter)
8. Elizabeth Williams, b: 7 mo., 22,1686; d: (infancy)
9. Elizabeth Williams, b: 10 mo., 9, 1688
10. Mary Williams, b: 9 mo., 6, 1869.

Jeremiah Williams (son of Lydia and Joseph Williams) at an early age was bound to a ship carpenter to learn the trade. During his apprenticeship he left the church of England and joined the Friends or Quakers. 

On 1 mo., 28, 1706-07 (O.S.), he presented a certificate to the monthly meeting of Philadelphia, PA from the Monthly Meeting of Rhode Island.

On 1mo., 1707-08, he requested a “Certificate of Clearness” from the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting to Flushing Monthly Meeting to marry Philadelphia Masters (daughter of George Masters and Mary Willis). 

In 1780 or ’81 George Masters, a tailor of New York, married Mary Willis (daughter of Henry Willis) of Flushing, Long Island, NY. Henry was fined for allowing his daughter to be married by a Friends ceremony. After their marriage they went to England, where their first child, a daughter named Mary Masters, was born in 1682. Upon their return to this country they must have been in Philadelphia, PA for a time, as their second child, a daughter, was born there in 1684. She was the first white female born in the city, and was named Philadelphia for the city in which she was born. Philadelphia Masters and Jeremiah Williams lived in the city of New York. They had two children ... 

Joseph Williams, b: 3 mo., 15, 1710; d: (infancy)

Hannah Williams, b: 9 mo., 8, 1711, m: 1737 Benjamin Doughty (son of Charles Doughty and Elizabeth Jackson) of Long Island, NY.

Philadelphia (Masters) Williams died 3 mo., 16, 1715 and on 5 mo., 5, 1715 Jeremiah bought a mill property at Hempstead Harbor,Nassau Island, Queens County, New York, of John Robinson. 

The following year, 7 mo., 11, 1716, Jeremiah married secondly to Mary (Newbury) Howland (daughter of Walter Newbury and Anne Collins) of Newport, Rhode Island, and widow of Jedediah Howland. This is a copy of their marriage certificate ...

"Marriage Certificate ... Whereas, Jeremiah Williams, late of New York, but now of Hempstead in Long Island, and Mary Howland, widow and relict of Jedediah Howland, of Newport, in Rhoad (sic) Island; Having declared their intention of taking (page break)  each other in marriage before severall (sic) Publick (sic) Meetings of the people commonly called Quakers in said Rhoad (sic) Island, according to the good order used among them whose proceedings therein after a deliberate consideration therof with regard unto the righteous law of God and example of his people recorded in the Scriptures of Truth in that case were approved by the said Meetings, they appearing clear of all others and having consent of parents and others concerned.

Now these are to certifie (sic) all whom it may concern that for the full accomplishing of their said intentions, this eleventh day of the seventh month called September in the year according to the English, one thousand seven hundred and sixteen. They, the said Jeremiah Wiliams and Mary Howland, appearing in a publick (sic) assembly of the people and others met together for that purpose in their Publick (sic) Meeting place at said Newport and in a solemn manner, he, the said Jeremiah Williams, taking the said Mary Howland, by the hand did openly declare as followeth ...

Friends, in the fear of God and before this assembly whom I desire to my witnesses I take this my friend, Mary Howland, to be my wife promising through the Lord’s assistance to be to her a faithful and loving husband till death separate us. And then and there in the said assembly, the said Mary Howland did in like manner declare as followeth; Friends, in the fear of God and before this assembly whom I declare to be my witnesses, I take this my friend, Jeremiah Williams, to be my husband promising through the Lord’s assistance to be to him a faithful and loving wife till death separate us. And the said Jeremiah Williams and Mary Howland as a further consideration thereof did then and there to these presents set their hands.

And we whose names are hereunto subscribed being present among others at the solemnizing of their said marriage and subscription in manner aforesaid as witnesses hereunto have to these presents subscribed our names the day and year above written.

(signatures) Jeremiah WILLIAMS & Mary WILLIAMS

Witnesses: Johannah Mott, Elizabeth Whartenby, Jacob Mott, Mary Wing, William Barker, Hannah Brinley, Bethia Folger, Ann Kay, Clarke Rodman, Susanna Freeborne, Ephraim Hicks, Katherine Hull, Thos. Leach, Hannah Hull, Samuel Collins, Thomas Rodman, John Headly, Thomas Borden,Ruth Fry, Peter Easton, John Stanton, Junr., Dorcas Easton, Samuel Buffum, Johannah Leach, Thomas Hicks, Susannah Hicks, John Hull, Junr., Mary Caine, Deliverance Cornell, Abigail Hicks, Elizabeth Borden, Rebecca Bennett, Hope Borden, Ann Redwood, Alice Borden, Sarah Redwood, Mary Borden, Mary Stanton,Thomas Rodman, John Easton, Walter Newberry, William Anthony, Ann Cranston,John Wanton, Justice, Elizabeth Bordens, George Cornell, Leah Newberry, Joseph Borden, Ann Richardson, John Borden, Martha Cornell, Thos. Richardson, Patience Anthony, Patience Redwood, Hannah Fry, Sarah Newberry, Sarah Borden, Ann Newberry, Blenham Stanton, A. Redwood, Catherine Clarke, Ann Clarke, Hannah Rodman, Katherine Sheffield."

At the time of her marriage to Jeremiah, Mary had one son, Joseph Howland, b: 10 mo., 25, 1710 (O.S.). The children of Mary and Jeremiah Williams were ...

1. Anne, born 4 mo., 17, 1719; m1: Fortunatus Woods; m2: Ebenezer Carter
2. Walter Williams, b: 10 mo., 17, 1720; m: 1744 (out of meeting)
3. Benjamin Williams, b: 9 mo., 4, 1722 (referred to hereafter)
4. Mary Williams, b: 9 mo. 26,1724
5. Jeremiah Williams, b: 3 mo. 18, 1726
6. Lydia Williams, b: 12 mo., 6, 1729
7. Martha Williams, m: 8 mo., 3, 1753 (N.S.) at Kingwood to Benjamin Hill; In the year 1743 or ’44 Jeremiah and his two sons, Walter and Benjamin, and daughter Martha, moved to Kingwood, Hunterdon county, New Jersey. His daughter Mary came in 1758.  Jeremiah, at the establishment of the Monthly Meeting at Kingwood, was made, with Joseph King, the first elder of that meeting. Some years after this his health failing he, with his wife and daughter Mary, moved to their son Benjamin’s, he having moved some years before to Nockamixon Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He remained with his son until his death, 3 mo., 15, 1766 (N.S.), and was buried in the old grave yard at Quakertown, New Jersey. His Will was written at Nockamixon on 1 mo., 23,1760 and proved 6 mo., 6, 1766. His wife died in 1774. Her will was dated at Nockamixon, Pennsylvania on 6 mo., 12, 1766 and proved 3 mo., 20, 1774.

Benjamin Williams (son of Jeremiah Williams and Mary Newbury) was born 9 mo., 4, 1722 (O. S.). He married Mercy Stevenson (daughter of Margaret and John Stevenson) of Kingwood, New Jersey, in 1744. Their children were ...

1. John Williams, b: 1 mo., 29,1745; m: Hannah Pursell
2. Mary Williams, b: 10 mo., 11, 1747
3. Jeremiah Williams, b: 5mo., 9, 1749 (referred to hereafter)
4. Margaret Williams, b: 4 mo., 4, 1751; m: John Iliff;
5. Lydia Williams, b: 8 mo., 18, 1752 (N.S.), m: David Burson
6. Benjamin Williams, b: 10 mo., 30, 1756; m: Dorothy Leiper
7. Anne Williams, b: 7 mo., 15, 1758, m: Jacob Ritter
8. William Williams, b: 9 mo., 20, 1760, m: Rachel Leiper
9. Samuel Williams, b: 7 mo., 20, 1762, m: Sarah Watson
10. Susanna Williams, b: 7 mo., 30, 1765, m: (Mr) Stroud.

Benjamin and his family moved to Nockamixon Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, some time prior to 1760, and must have lived there some considerable time before receiving a deed for the property. It was finally deeded to him in 1769.  There were 515 acres and 31 perches, the boundaries reaching from near the Narrows to the village of Upper Black’s Eddy along the river, and extending over the hill regions for a considerable distance.

This was the land once owned and controlled by the Chief Nutimus and his tribe, and this chief was always an honored guest of Benjamin Williams, Sr., whose home was nearly on the site of the mansion built by Jacob Stover soon after purchasing in 1818.  Benjamin Williams, Sr., and his family lived here during the time of the raids by the Doans, and having a valuable horse of which he was very fond, and hearing of the approach of the Doans, he quietly stabled his favorite horse in his kitchen and it was thus saved from falling into the hands of the lawless gang. Soon after taking possession of the land in Nockamixon the young Indians roaming over it at will, gathered the apples from the trees and took them away, and disturbed the water in the spring until it was unfit for use for a time. Benjamin expostulated with Nutimus, and asked why they did it. Nutimus replied it was true the Indians had sold the land, but not the apples and spring. Benjamin asked them how much they wanted for the apples and spring, and the chief replied, five bushels of Indian corn, five bushels of buckwheat and five loaves of rye bread.  After that the spring and the apples were not disturbed. 

In 1778 or ’79 Benjamin bought about 500 acres of land in Tinicum Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and built the house on the river road later owned by Clinton Haney, near the little hamlet of Lodi. The little creek which empties into the Delaware was the northern boundary of this tract. His son, Jeremiah, took possession of this tract in 1779. Some time after this Benjamin bought about 500 acres in the beautiful Buckingham Valley, which was occupied by his youngest son Samuel.

In his last Will, which was dated at Nockamixon Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania on 3 mo., 16, 1809 and probated 5 mo., 30, 1809, he mentioned “a general arrangement of my estate”, in which, on the ‘4th d of the 1st m. in the year one thousand eight hundred and three” he deeded to his three sons, Jeremiah and Benjamin, the land on which they were living, and on the “3rd of the first m. in the year one thousand eight hundred and four” he deeded the land in Buckingham to his son Samuel, who was then residing there. Benjamin died at the home of his son Samuel in Buckingham and was buried in the grave yard at the Buckingham Meeting House. He died in 1809, probably in the early part of the fifth month.

Jeremiah Williams (son of Benjamin Williams and Mercy Stevenson) born 5 mo., 9, 1749, married 4 mo. 25, 1779 (N.S.) to Mary Blackledge (daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Blackledge, of Richland Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Their children were ...

1. John Williams, b: 1 mo., 27, 1780 (referred to hereafter);
2. Thomas B. Williams, b: 4 mo., 11, 1781; m: Rebecca Arndt
3. Benjamin Williams, b: 12 mo., 18, 1782; m1: Mary (Meredith) Burson (widow of  ??? Burson); m2: Rachel Williams (daughter of Benjamin Williams and Dorothy Leiper)
4. Susan Williams, b: 6 mo., 1785 (never married)
5. William Williams, b: 6 mo., 12, 1789; m: Hannah Whiting
6. Samuel Williams, b: 6 mo., 18,1792; d: 1812
7. Isaac B. Williams, b: 4 mo., 23, 1794; m: Martha Shelton White
8. Margaret Williams, b: 4 mo., 28, 1796; m: Abel Lester
9. Jeremiah Williams, b: 12 mo., 28,1798; m: Elizabeth Lake.

John Williams (son of Jeremiah Williams and Mary Blackledge) born 1 mo., 27, 1780, married July 1804, Christiana Moore (daughter of John Moore and Anne (Kimple=Kimball). Christiana was born 3 mo., 5, 1781. Their children were ...

1. Mary Williams, b: 5 mo. 20, 1805; m: Nathan Whiting
2. Newbury Davenport Williams, b: 5 mo. 9, 1807; m: Lucy Adelaide Gould; was made the first cashier of the Frenchtown, New Jersey, National Bank, when that institution was established
3. James Williams, b: 8 mo. 23,1809; d: 14 Mar1903 at nearly 94yrs; m1: Phoebe Treichler; m2: Josephine Krause (widow)
4. Ann Eliza Williams, b: 7 mo. 30, 1812l m: Jonas Smith, at this writing, 26 Aug 1905, she is still living in possession of all her faculties, and enjoying a ripe old age in the home of her only child, John W. Smith, at Stockton, New Jersey
5. Barzilla Newbold Williams, b: 7 mo. 4, 1814, referred to later
6. Caroline Williams, b: 1 mo. 18,1821; m: Thomas W. Harris.

John and Christiana Williams built a home on the estate of his father, at Lodi, at the intersection of the river road and a road leading back to the western part of the township.  The place was later owned by a Mr. Adams. After the death of his father, Jeremiah Williams, in 1834, John bought land, in Tinicum Township, of the William Erwin estate, about 300 acres, and moved there in the spring of 1837. In the settlement of his father’s estate, Thomas was the only purchaser of any part of the original estate; his purchase being about one-half of the land on the north and west side of the tract. His three brothers, Benjamin, Isaac and Jeremiah, with their sisters, Margaret Lester and Susan Williams moved to Ohio with their families about 1840. John died 6 mo. 6, 1858. Prior to his death he sold the middle portion of the tract, bought of the Erwins, to Conrad Wyker and at the sale, after his death, the northern portion was bought by his son Barzilla and the remaining portion by his daughter Caroline. There had been a few lots sold to others for building purposes, and these together with three houses on the south side of the public road comprise the little village of Erwinna.

Barzilla Newbold Williams, born 7 mo. 4, 1814, married first, in 1839 to Mary Davis (daughter of Azariah Davis and Anna Cummings) of Sussex county, New Jersey, and had two daughters ...

1. Stella Williams, b: 6 mo. 13, 1841; d: 10 mo. 4, 1843
2. Anna M. Williams, b: 1 mo. 4, 1844; m: 2 mo.15, 1877 William H. Stahr (son of Rev. Samuel Stahr and Katherine (Wolfinger).  (page break) 

Anna and William Stahr lived in Philadelphia, PA; he died 3 mo. 9, 1903; they had one daughter, Francelia Williams, who resides with her mother in Philadelphia, PA.  She was born 1 mo. 10, 1878. 

In September 1847 he married Sarah S. King (daughter of William L. King and Elizabeth Large), by whom he had two children ...

1. Josephine King, b: 10 mo. 4, 1852, referred to hereinafter
2. Sarah Francelia, b: 3 mo. 4, 1855, m: 3 mo. 7, 1878 Evan Thomas Worthington (son of Elisha Worthington and Harriet Lukens). Their children were ...
3. Elisha, b: 2 mo. 27, 1879
4. Helen b: 6 mo. 15, 1881, d: 9 mo. 30, 1881
5. Eleanor F., b: 12 mo. 7, 1887; d: 6 mo. 15,1888.

Sarah F. and Evan T. Worthington resided in Buckingham, Pennsylvania, where he had a general store until the spring of 1890 when they moved to Newtown, Pennsylvania, where he conducts the middle store purchased by him before his removal to Newtown.

Barzilla Williams' second wife died 1 mo. 26, 1856 and in March 1858, he married thirdly to Mary Morrow (daughter of George Morrow and Maria Davis) by whom he had one son, Samuel Silvey Williams, born 2 mo. 1, 1859; he married Harriet May Hendricks (daughter of William Hendricks and Mary Ann Hagenbuck) of Chicago, IL. They were married 12 mo. 10,1888 and have one child, Marion Francelia Williams, born 6 mo. 7, 1897. Samuel Silvey Williams and his family reside in Chicago, IL where he is the associate manager of the Detroit Stove Works, whose main office is located in Chicago, IL.

On 6 mo.1, 1875, Barzilla Williams married his fourth wife, Hannah (Harrison) Johnson (daughter of Martha and Ralph Harrison) and widow of a (Mr) Johnson, of Camden, New Jersey, who still survives him. They had no children. He died 6 mo. 1, 1901, and was buried in the Pursell burying ground at Upper Black’s Eddy, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Josephine King Williams (daughter of Barzilla Williams and Sarah King) and the compiler of this record, was born at Erwinna, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 10 mo. 4, 1852. She married, 4 mo. 22, 1885, Stacy B. Pursell (son of Bruce M. Pursell and Martha Poore) of Upper Black’s Eddy, Pennsylvania, a record of whose ancestry on both sides is embraced in this work. At the time of their marriage Stacy was a druggist in Portland, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1888 he sold his drug store in Portland, PA and they removed to Bristol, Pennsylvania, their present place of residence. 

In the settlement of the estate of Barzilla Williams, the administrator, Stacy B. Pursell, sold the farm to Readen Tettemer, and thus, excepting a store property in Erwinna, owned by Joseph Williams, and a house and lot at Lodi, owned by Mrs. Alice (Williams) Winter, all the ancestral estate in Tinicum has passed out of the name, as it has also in Nockamixon; only a few acres of the hill regions of that tract are now owned by the descendants of Benjamin Williams, the original purchaser."  Source; Records from Roger Williams Family Association Book "Descendants of Roger Williams " Book IV Through son of Joseph Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas Olney : An Original Proprietor of Providence, R I , Who Ca, Ancestry.com, 2016

Mackenzie, George Norbury, and Nelson Osgood Rhoades, editors. iColonial Families of the United States of America: in Which is Given the History, Genealogy and Armorial Bearings of Colonial Families Who Settled in the American Colonies From the Time of the Settlement of Jamestown, 13th May, 1607, to the Battle of Lexington, 19th April, 1775./i 7 volumes. 1912. Reprinted, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1966, 1995./p Publisher, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016, Lehi, UT, USA

Torry, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700/i. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.