Williams family genealogy

A scrapbook on the Williams family includes the following:
- The first page is The Robert Williams Family as written in The Genealogy and History of the Family of Williams in America More Particularly of the Descendants of Robert Williams of Roxbury by Stephen W. Williams, Greenfield, MA 1847. The first entry Robert Williams, b.1608, m. Elizabeth Stratton
- “Esther (Williams) and Her Daughters”: A Matrilineal Study of Marriage and Vocation, Part 2. Esther Williams was born 10 April 1691 in Deerfield.
- Copies of Lois Goldsbury Macy’s applications to:
The Daughters of the American Revolution naming Joseph Williams as Revolutionary Ancestor; Supplemental application to the Daughters of the American Revolution naming Samuel Williams as Revolutionary Ancestor (later in the scrapbook there is material showing that Joseph, although he was a prominent citizen and served in many civil capacities, did not serve active duty in the Revolutionary War, while Samuel was in command of a regiment of minutemen); The National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century; The National Society Women Descendants of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company.
- Several pages of Williams family genealogy, generation 1 through generation 13 (1580-2004).
- Article from Boston Sunday Globe April 17, 2011 “Going to the Chapel” about the marriage of Will and Kate. An item from The Royal Descents of 500 Immigrants in the American Colonies or the United States showing the connection of the America Williams family to the Princess of Wales (Diana Spencer) and Prince William and Prince Harry.
- An excerpt from Elizabeth, A Biography of Britain’s Queen by Sarah Bradford
- An article by Lois Goldsbury Macy entitled “Our Family and the French and Indian Wars” saying that in all probability there are Indian cousins as Eunice Williams after being captured by the Indians in 1704 chose to stay with the Indians, marry an Indian and raise a family.
- A copy of a talk by Lois Goldsbury Macy given at the November 1997 meeting of the XVII Century Dames, Old Boston Chapter. Lois tells of Robert Williams, a shoemaker, born in Great Yarmouth, England and who came to Roxbury in 1637 with his wife. Lois is a descendant of one of their sons, Stephen. Joseph (Stephen’s grandson) and his son Samuel came to Gardiners’ Canada (Warwick) from Roxbury. Col. Joseph Williams was among the officers from Roxbury who served in the Canada Campaign and was one of the original proprietors of Warwick. Joseph’s granddaughter, Jerusha, married Col. James Goldsbury and Lois is a descendant of that union.
- A copy of a page from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War with a paragraph on Samuel Williams from Warwick. - Several pages of copies of Warwick town records re the Williams and Goldsbury families. Samuel Adams died in 1786, 300 hundred people attended his funeral.
- Copy of birth certificate for Tryphena Lyman born April 30, 1749, daughter of Gad Lyman and Thankful (the name Pomeroy is hand written on certificate).
- Copy of page from Blake’s History of Warwick with death of Mrs. Tryphena Dutton, January 5, 1830
- Copies of several pages from The History of Roxbury and Vital Records of Roxbury re. Williams family.
- Copy of page from Legislators of the Massachusetts General Court 1691-1780. Joseph Williams - public official, wealthy, owned slaves. “The largest landholder of Roxbury.” Ten of his fourteen years in the HR he ranked among the most active committeemen.
- Copies of several pages from The Town of Roxbury by Francis S. Drake, 1878 with a great deal of information on Col. Joseph Williams, from a description of Joseph’s home, to the fact that “no name occurs oftener in the town records” to mentioning he was the father of fifteen children. In The Town of Roxbury, Its Memorable Persons and Places by Francis S. Drake: Drake tells that Joseph urged the repeal of the Stamp Act, and of the many committees he was an active member of during the Revolutionary War. He again describe Joseph’s home and speaks of his wealth, great landholdings and that he had slaves.
- A typewritten page of excerpts from Charles Morse’s History of Warwick pertaining to Colonel Samuel Williams.
- Descendants of Joseph Wise 1615-1684
- Copies of documentation showing the Civil Service for Col. Joseph Williams during the Revolutionary War. Lois Goldsbury Macy provided the New England Historical Genealogical Society a notice from the DAR stating that they no longer accept applications on Joseph as a Revolutionary ancestor.
- Correspondence between Joseph Stevens and Mrs. H.E. Stocker of Fargo, ND re Samuel Williams (son to Samuel and Tryphena Williams) born May 15, 1781, great grandfather to Mrs. Stocker. Correspondence dated 1941.
- Many pages of correspondence between Alfred Stocker, Professor, University of Virginia, first between “The Pastor, Congregational/Unitarian Church, Warwick” and Betsy Lincoln, Office Secretary of the Metcalf Memorial Chapel and then extensive correspondence between Professor Stocker and Lois Goldsbury Macy. Professor is a descendant of Col. Joseph Williams and he has a chair which has come down in his family. The chair has the initials ’S.W.’ carved in its back and is believed to have belonged to Samuel Williams (Stocker’s grandmother’s maternal grandfather who died in 1785). Professor Stocker would like to present this chair to the Historical Society and in fact he did at a meeting of the Warwick Historical Society June 8, 1994.
- Ten pages of handwritten notes on Joys and Sorrows of Home by Anna Leland (Anna Stevens Rich Metcalf) 1857. A copy of this book is in The Warwick Public Library. Anna wrote about her relatives, friends, and neighbors who lived in Warwick between 1793 and 1830. In an envelope pasted inside the book there is a key to the real names in the book.

Donated by
Lois Goldsbury Mayo
Donation date
2012-07-28