John WILLIAMS

1680 - 1741  (60 years)

• Name	John WILLIAMS  [1, 2]
  	...His interest in military affairs is shown in the two commissions he obtained from the State Assembly, in 1721 as Lieutenant, and in 1735 as Captain, in the 5th Company of te Eastern Society of Norwich, by which titles he is always referred to in town records and deeds thereafter. These were not as empty and complimentary as they too frequently have been in later days, and were the highest grades known to the colonists in times of peace. he was active not only in local affairs and in the school of the solider, but socially, religiously, and as a public-spirited citizen. He was influential as few others have been, in reaching out for new fields in the opening up of trade, and in the bringing of fresh business to the port of Norwich, which was just beginning at that early epoch to give promise of its subsequent importance. he engaged in the business of building ships and trading in them to foreign parts. We read of vessels as early as 115, venturing in the trade with the Barbadoes, and, although we do not know the names of the merchants connected with the enterprise, we may be assured that John Williams was not behind in supporting it. We know that he owned two warehouses at the "Landing," besides a wharf. He developed the possibilities of the water-power at Poquetannock, where we learn of his having a sawmill, a gristmill and a fulling-mill. There was abundance of sheep in the neighborhood yielding wool in great plenty; and a fullin-mill, which, without doubt, included the entire manufacture of cloth as it was understood at that time, was a crying necessity. The mill seat was bought 7 May, 1720, and the adjoining farm 26 Oc. 1723. Upon purchasing the latter he erected the dwelling house, which is still standing (1925) and has been an object of veneration for succeeding generations. it is situated at the bend of the road just before one enters the village of Poquetannock from the present city of Norwich, which is distant perhaps five miles by the rive route..... John Williams must certainly have been a man of charitable impulses. the records of 1711 and again of 1715 make mention of his contributions to the building of the meeting-house in Norwich for which there was granted a piece of land in requital; and he is credited with having made a gift of the land at "Long Society," which includes the church site and the graveyard adjoining, where are buried the remains of its benefactor together with those of his wife and others of his family..... That John Williams was a man of mark and one of te most prosperous in the colonies for his day and generation is a matter of record. In the diary of Joshua Hempstead, of New London, a most faithful record of current affairs, excelling the daily newspapers of the 18th century, is found this entry: "Jan. 12, 1741/2, Capt. John Williams died at Poquetannock, of pleurisy after seven days illness. he was a good Commonwealth's man, traded much by sea and land with good success for many years, and acquired wholly by his own industry a great estate. He was a very just dealer aged about 60 years." His total estate was estimated at L21,727. Among the personal effects were five negroes valued at L600. Very few fortunes in the early days of the eighteenth century, particularly in the United Colonies, approached anything like this figure. The will provides for his son Joseph not yet of age, the only child surviving (and the only one to carry down the Williams name), his two sons-in-law, and his widow Mary, who was made executrix. [1]
  Birth	17 Feb 1679/80	Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Fact	Son of Joseph Williams and Mary Fuller   [1]
  Death	11 Jan 1741	Poquetannock, Connecticut   [1, 2]
  Person ID	I61759	Main Tree
  Last Modified	15 Feb 2022

  
  

  Father	Joseph WILLIAMS,   b. 18 Apr 1647, Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts d. Aft 4 Jan 1720/1, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA (Age 73 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Mary FULLER,   c. 16 Jun 1644   d. 11 Nov 1720, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA (Age ~ 76 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Marriage	18 Nov 1674	Haverhill, Massachusetts   [2]
  Family ID	F17034	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary KNOWLTON,   b. 29 Mar 1681, Ipswich, Essex Co., Massachusetts d. 09 Mar 1749, Poquetannock, Connecticut (Age 67 years)
  Marriage	26 Jun 1706	Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA   [1, 2]
  Children	1. Mary WILLIAMS,   b. 17 Feb 1714, Poquetannock, Connecticut d. 29 Apr 1733, Norwich, New London County, Connecticut (Age 19 years)  [Birth]   2. Zipporah WILLIAMS,   b. 28 Jul 1720, Norwich, New London Co., Connecticut d. 24 Mar 1739, Preton, Connecticut (Age 18 years)  [Birth]   3. Joseph WILLIAMS,   b. 23 Apr 1723, Poquetannock, Connecticut, USA d. 19 Jan 1776, Brattleboro, Vermont (Age 52 years)  [Birth]
  Family ID	F03455	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	12 Feb 2022

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 17 Feb 1679/80 - Haverhill, Essex Co., Massachusetts  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S5445] Cornelia Bartow Williams and Anna Perkins Williams, "Descendants of John Williams" of Newbury and Haverhill, Mass. 1600-1674, (Chicago - Privately Printed-1925). [S7183] Mayflower Families Through 5 Generations Vol. 4 Edward Fuller , (General Society of Mayflower Descendants).