Three hundred colonial ancestors and war service, their part in making American history from 495 to 1934 online

accession to the throne of James in 1603, were grievously dashed when James him-
self said, "no bishop, no Kiag; I wiU make them conform themselves; or I will
harry them out of the land, or else do more."

(P. xvi) Charles I ascended the throne in 1625 and the following nine years
were troublous ones for England. The struggle with the Crown for the mainten-
ance of the constitutional rights of EngUshmen and the conflict between the liberty
of the people and the royal prerogative, in addition to a reUgious movement be-
came part of the great political strife which resulted in Civil War and culminated
in the death of the King. In 1627, many people of large means refused on constitu-
tional grounds to pay the "Ship Money tax," or forced loan of Charles I because
it was not levied with the consent of ParUament.

As early as 1629, Charles had summoned and prorogued four Parliaments
because each had dared demand redress against the King's illegal acts — redress
against the extortion of gifts and forced loans; against the arbitrary commitment
to prison and the degradation of the judiciary. Charles resolved to govern with-
out ParHament. For eleven years no ParUament sat at Westminster. For eleven
years the king taxed his people without representation, and confined in the Tower
those who questioned his right. The people of England rose in one mighty protest
against such tjrranny. They found their leaders in Elhot and Pym and Hampden.
Political and constitutional Uberty was dead, except as it Uved in the hearts and
memories of the EngUshmen, who could not forget Rune-mede and Magna Carta.
All of these things resulted in a steady stream of emigration of Separatists and
Puritans, who sought toleration in Holland, and especially in America, recognizing



328 Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service



the "special hand of Providence in raising this plantation." Green says that
"between the sailing of Winthrop's expedition (1629) and the assembly of the
Long Parliament (1640), in the space of ten or eleven years, two hundred emigrant
ships had crossed the Atlantic, and twenty thousand Englishmen had found refuge
in the West.

Individuals of the name of Wheeler appear in Massachusetts, Maryland,
Virginia, Connecticut and Pennsylvania as early as 1629, in some places and in
considerable numbers during the next five years in all the others except Pennsyl-
vania. The Concord settlers came from OdeU, Bedfordshire, twelve families
according to Walcott embarking at London, May 9, 1635, in the ship "Susan
and Ellen" xmder the leadership of Rev. Peter Bulkeley, and later with the
Rev. John Jones in the ship "Defiance," landing Oct. 3, 1635.

(P. 491), Ephraim Wheeler married Ann Turney. He may be the brother of
Thomas, No. 2700. Referred to as Sergeant. It is thought that he came from
England with Rev. John Jones' Company in the ship Defiance, Oct. 3, 1635. He
was made "freeman" at Concord, Mass., March 13, 1639. In 1644, he joined the
portion of the Concord population that followed Rev. Mr. Jones to Fairfield, Conn.,
taking with him his wife and one or two children, and was granted a home lot of
3 acres at Pequonnock. He became a large landowner and a leading citizen, and
was one of the wealthiest citizens of that coimty. His wiU dated Sept. 22, 1669,
mentions his wife, Ann, and his children as foUows: bequeaths "lands and hous-
ings" to 3 sons, Samuel, Timothy and Ephraim; and to Isaac, Mary and Ruth,
10 shillings each, they having previously had their share; to Hannah 15£; to
Rebecca, Judith and Abigail, 30£ each. The inventory taken Oct. 28, 1670,
amounted to £1026-18-6. His widow in 1681, paid tax on 706 acres of land. One
of his daughters married Samuel TreadweU.

Children:

1. Isaac Wheeler, b. abt. 1638, d. soon.

2. Isaac Wheeler, b. Dec. 23, 1642, at Concord, Mass.

3. Mary Wheeler.

4. Ruth Wheeler.

5. Hannah Wheeler.

6. Rebecca Wheeler, m. Samuel Gregory.

7. Judith Wheeler.

8. Abigail Wheeler, d. Feb. 7, 1712; probably unm.

9. Samuel Wheeler.

10. Timothy Wheeler, b. 1660.

11. Ephraim Wheeler.

Reference: "Wheeler Family," by A. G. Wheeler, 1914 Pt. 1, pp. 11, 12, 13.
15. See Gregory Ancestry.

WHITE ANCESTRY

This family traditionally derived from De Vite or De Wit, who
accompanied the Conqueror to England, and obtained lands in
Wiltshire, was established in Ireland by one of the fellow soldiers of
Raymond le Gros, temp, Henry II, who obtained estates in the
Counties of Wexford and Wicklow.

C'Gen. Conn.," p. 898), Robert White, father of John White of
Somerset, England. Robert White was Church Warden there in
1578. His wife, Alice, was buried 1596; Robert, Sr., 1600. Their

son John died 1623; he married Mary ; she died 1693. John

White, Bishop of Lincoln, 1554, Winchester, 1557, connected with
John Rogers, the Martyr.

Sir John White came to America with Wilham Penn; and he
was prominent in the Government of the Colony.



Three Eundred Colonial Ancestors cmd War Service 329

The White Family from whom came Mary White, the wife of
John Terry. There were three Brothers, Thomas, Robert and
Richard, and one sister, Edith.

1. Thomas White, b. 1513, d. June 11, 1588. WUl dated June 4, 1588; Pvd;

June 19, 1588.

2. Robert White, mentioned in will of brother Thomas White. The father

of John White of Stanton St. John, of Alice and Avys.

3. Richard White, of Ealing near to Southampton. Mentioned in Will of

Thomas.

4. Edith White, mentioned in Will of Thomas.

John White of Stanton St. John, Oxford gentleman, probably
the son of the above Robert. Will dated 30 Sept. 1616; proved
26 Sept. 1618. In it he mentions his children, his two sisters and
gives a bequest to New College Oxford. He appoints his two sons-
in-law, John Terry and Thomas Gardner, Overseers of this, his
last Will, and gives them forty shillings each for their trouble.

John White had six children, two of whom were:

1. Mary White, eldest chUd, born about 1570; m. about 1590, John Terry,
Rector of Stockton in Wiltshire, was living in 1625. She had six sons. Her grand-
daughter Abigail Terry m. in 1667, Joseph Kellogg of Hadley. She is mentioned
in the Will of her father, John White of Stanton and also in the will of her husband,
John Terry, dated 25 April 1625; Proved 5 July 1625. 2. Reverend John
White, Rector of Dorchester, "The Patriarch of Dorchester," who sailed in the
ship "Lyon" from London, England, June 22, 1632, and arrived in Boston, Sept.
16, following. He settled in Cambridge, was adm. freeman, March 4, 1633.
Representative, 1664 and 1669, from Hadley. He received a Grant of land at
Cambridge, Mass., 1633, and was a Selectman there, 1635, Selectman in Hartford,
1642-46-51-56. He was Deputy to the General Court. He sold the greater part
of his land in Cambridge before June, 1636, and prob. removed to Hartford with
Hooker's company. He was one of the original proprietors of Hartford, and his
home-lot in 1639, was on the east side of the highway, now Governor St. and was
about ten rods south of the Little River. He was also frequently a juror. His
name is fifth on the list of signers of the agreement to remove to Hadley, and he
was one of the first townsmen chosen there, 1660, and again 1662, 1663, and 1665;
he and his wife returned to H., were received to 2d Ch., Hartford, from Hadley,
April 9, 1671; ordained Ruling Elder, March, 1677. He d. Jan., 1683/4. His
wife's name was Mary, and she d. before him. Children: 1. Mary, m. Jan. 29, 1646,
Jonathan GUbert, of Hartford; d. in 1650. 2. Nathaniel. 3. John. 4. Lieut.
Daniel, h. 1634. 5. Sarah, m. Stephen Taylor; m. (2) Oct. 15, 1666, Barnabas
Hinsdale, of Hatfield and Deerfield; killed at Bloody Brook, Sept. 18, 1675/6;
m. (3) Walter Hickson, of Hatfield. She d. Aug. 10, 1702. 6. Ensign Jacob, b.
in Hartford, Oct. 8, 1645.

("Ancient and Honorable Artillery Co.," p. 191), Capt. John
White, Maiden, freeman, 1647; Captain of Militia; Representative
1666-1684, where he was Speaker. D. A. C, p. 60, John White
married Mary Levit; he was one of the first settlers of Hartford.

("Planters of the Commonwealth," by Banks, pp. 87, 101, 129),
"Mary and John," Thomas Chubb, Master. She sailed from Ply-
mouth, England, March 20, 1630, with one hundred and forty
passengers from the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Devon under
the patronage of the Reverend John White. She arrived at Nan-
tasket. May 30, and all the passengers settled at Mattapan which
was renamed Dorchester. "Christian" of London, John White,
Master. She sailed from London in March and arrived at Boston,



330 Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service

in June. "Lyon," William Peirce, Master, sailed from London,
June 22, 1630, and arrived September 16, at Boston. He brought
one hundred and twenty-three passengers, whereof fifty children,
all in health. They had been twelve weeks aboard and eight weeks
from Land's End. On list of passengers was: John White, Mrs.
Mary White, Nathaniel White, Mary White.

William White, 1610-1690, from England in the "Mary and
John" to Ipswich, Mass., 1634; freeman at Newbury, 1642; one
of the first settlers of Haverhill, where he died; Captain of first

Military Company at Haverhill; married (first) Mary , died

1681, age 75 years. ("Soc. Col. Wars," pp. 46-51, Wm. White and
John Terry, Asst. Govs.)

References: N. S. F. & P. (1914), p. 71. Comp. Am. Gen., Vol. I. Genealogy
Terry, White, Woodbury, pp. 9 and 10. Hadley, Mass. History (Judd), pp. 594,
595. See Summary of Ancestry of John Terry.



WHITNEY ANCESTRY

("Colonial Families," by New York Historical Society, 1928,
pages 168-179)



Arms — Azure, a cross chequy or and
gules.

Crest — ^A bull's head couped sable,
armed argent, the points gules.

Motto — Magnanimiter crucem sustine
(Gallantly uphold the cross.)




The surname Whitney was originally a place name. The parish
from which the family takes its name is located in County Hereford,
England, upon the extreme western border, adjoining Wales, and is
traversed by the lovely Wye River. The name of the place doubt-
less comes from the appearance of the river, meaning in Saxon,
white water, from "hwit," white, and "ey" water. The English
ancestry of John Whitney, the immigrant, who settled at Water-
town, Mass., has been established by Henry Melville and presented



Three Eundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service 331

in an exquisitively printed and illustrated volume. Very few Ameri-
can families have their English genealogy in such well authenticated
and satisfactory form. ("Watertown, Mass." — Bond, 2nd Edition,
Vol. I, pages 642-643.)

Whitney. — 1. Embarked at Ipswich, England, April, 1635, for
New England, in the Elizabeth and Ann, Roger Cooper, master,
John Whitney, aged 35; wife Ellin (Eleanor), aged 30; sons John,
aged 11; Richard, aged 9; Nathaniel, aged 8; Thomas, aged 6; and
Jonathan, aged 1 year. He was admitted freeman, March 3, 1635-
1636; was selectman several years between 1638 and 1655, inclusive,
and was town clerk 1655. In 1642 his homestall lot of 16 acres
(where he continued to reside), was bounded E. and S. by William
Jennison; W. by Martin Underwood; N. by Isaac Mixer (See 60).
He at the same time owned eight other lots, amounting to 212 acres.
The Registry of Deeds shows that he made additions to these po-
sessions. His early admission as a freeman, and his early election
as selectman, show that he held a respectable social position. His
wife, Eleanor, died May 11, 1659, and he married (2), September
29, 1659, Judah (Judith) Clement. He died a widower, June 1,
1673, aged 74. His will, dated April 3, 1673, attested by William
Bond, Sr., and Sarah Bond, Sr., mentions sons John, Richard,
Thomas, Jonathan, Joshua and Benjamin. Inventory, dated June 4,
1673, 50 acres dividend land, £25; 3 acres of Beaver Brook meadow,
and 13^ acres upland £60; 1 acre plain meadow, £10. He had pro-
bably previously distributed much of his estate in the settlement of
his sons. See his son Benjamin (60).

Children of John and Eleanor Whitney:

1. John, b. in England, 1624.

2. Richard, b. in England, 1626.

3. Nathaniel, b. in England, 1627; not mentioned in his father's will, probably

d. young.

4. Thomas, b. in England, 1629.

5. Mary, b. Apr. 29, 1650; unm. in 1693.

6. Joshua, b. in Watertown, Feb. 15, 1635/6.

7. Caleb, b. in Watertown, July 12, 1640; not mentioned in his father's will,

probably d. young.

8. Benjamin, b. in Watertown, June 6, 1643.

John Whitney, Jr., was admitted freeman. May 26, 1647, then
aged 23; was selectman 1673, 74, '75, 76, 78 and '79. He married
Ruth, daughter of Robert Reynolds, of Boston. (The will of Robert
Reynolds, of Boston, dated April 20, 1658, mentions his daughter
Ruth Whitney, and her eldest son; his daughter Sarah Mason, and
her son Robert.) He died October 12, 1692, and adm. granted to
widow Ruth, and sons John and Benjamin. Inventory, dated Octo-
ber 26, 1692, taken by Elnathan Beers and Thomas Hammond. It
embraced 18 lots or parcels of land, amounting to about 210 acres,
and prized at £197/15. It embraced one lot of 17 acres, "purchased
of father Arnold."



332 Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service



Children of John, Jr., and Ruth Whitney:

1. John, b. Sept. 17, 1642, (?) of Rox.; admitted freeman May 7, 1684; was

he the one who m. Sarah, dau. of Richard Haven, of Lynn?

2. Ruth, b. Apr. 15, 1645; m. (1) Jxme 20, 1664, John Shattuck (9); 4 children.

He was drowned Sept. 14, 1675; and she m. (2) in Wat., Mar. 6,
1676/7, Enoch Lawrence, son of John Lawrence, q.v.; 4 children. Her
descendants are very numerous.

3. Nathaniel, b. Feb. 1, 1646/7; d. m Weston, Jan. 7, 1732/3.

4. Samuel, b. July 28, 1648; m. Feb. 16, 1863/4, Mary Bemis (3). Children :

1. Mary, h. Sept. 30, 1689; m. July 13, 1715, John Knapp (5-1), of
Newton.

5. Maey, b. Apr. 29, 1650; unm. in 1693.

6. Joseph, b. Jan. 15, 1651/2; d. Nov. 4, 1702.

7. Sarah, b. Mar. 17, 1653/4; m. Oct. 18, 1681, Daniel Harrington.

8. Elizabeth, b. June 9, 1656; m. Dec. 19, 1678, Daniel Warren.

9. Hannah, unm. 1693.

10. Benjamin, b. June 28, 1660.

Reference: For Royal Line see "Famihes Directly Descended from all the
Royal FamiUes in Europe," Vol. I, by EUzabeth M.
Rixford.

Summary of Robert Reynolds:

1. John Whitney, son of Thomas and Mary (Bray) Whitney, was b. in Eng-

land in 1583, and d. Jvme 1, 1673. He emigrated from London, England,
in 1635, and settled in Watertown, Mass., the first of the name in

America. He m. in England, EUnor , who was b. in 1599, and d. in

Watertown, May 11, 1659. He m. (2), in Watertown, Sept. 29, 1659,
Judith Clement, who d. before her husband.

2. John Whitney, Je., son of John and EUnor Whitney, was b. in England in

1624; m. Ruth Reynolds, of Boston. He d. Oct. 12, 1692, and his
wife d. later.

3. Ruth Whitney, b. Apr. 15, 1645; m. (1) a Shattuck; m. (2) Enoch Law-

rence, Mar. 6, 1676-7. He was b. Jan. 5, 1648, and d. Sept. 28, 1744.

4. Capt. Daniel Lawrence, b. Mar. 7, 1681; d. 1777; m. Sarah , who

d. probably at Canaan, Conn.

5. Isaac Lawbence, Sr., b. Feb. 25, 1704r-5; d. Dec. 2, 1793; m. Lydia

Hewitt, who d. Nov. 14, 1765.

6. Isaac Lawrence, Jr., of Canaan, Conn.; m. May 8, 1760, Mary Brown,

7th child of Dea. Samuel Brown.

7. Lydia Lawrence, b. 1761-2, d. Sept. 20, 1813; m. at New Haven, Vt.,

Phineas Phelps, b. Apr. 10, 1767; d. Apr. 20, 1813.

8. Nash David Phelps, b. Oct. 4, 1796; d. Apr. 15, 1884; m. Apr. 20, 1821,

Elizabeth Hungerford, b. Feb. 7, 1798; d. Jan. 7, 1878.

From here same as Summary of Arms Ancestry, 8th to 10th Generations;
Colonial Daughters of the 17th Century, p. 136, No. 772; and Daughters of the
American Colonists, 1931, pp. 26-36, No. 2089; ancestry traced by the author of
this book.



Three Hundred Calonial Ancestors and War Service



333




Imot



WILMOT ANCESTRY
Sir Roger Wilmot

Sir Rogers Wilmot married
Alice Davenport.

Roger2 Wilmot, Esq., M. P.,
married Ann .

The Wilmot Family came from
good old English stock, and was
closely alHed to the English nobil-
ity, being a lineal descendant of
Sir John Eardly Wilmot. WilHam
Bunnel, Emigrant Ancestor, born
England, settled in New Haven;
married Ann, daughter of Ben-
jamin Wilmot.

Benjamin^ Wilmot, New Haven,
son of Benjamin^, was born in
England, and was one of the signers
of the Original Compact of Civil
Government in 1639. He married
Ehzabeth, widow of the father of ^j

James Heaton. Benjamin Wilmot,
1584-1669, signed the oath of allegiance early at New Haven, was
born in England and died in New Haven, Conn.

Benjamin^ Wilmot and his wife Ann, settled early in New Haven,
Conn. At "a Court the 2th of Maye 1648," "Old Goodman WiU-
mote and Samuel Marsh tooke the oathe of fidellitie" (Colonial
Records, Vol. I, p. 111). His son Benjamin^ was in New Haven at
least as early as 1641. On May 1, 1654, "Old Goodman Willmot
desired the Court, that his son may be freed from training which
was considered and with reference to his own age, his wife's weak-
ness, and their living at a Farm, his Son was freed, only is to attend
as other Farmers do" (Colonial Records, Vol. II, p. 180). The
son referred to was WiUiam^. The father, Benjamin^ died Aug. 18,
1669, aged "about fourscore;" and his wife died Oct. 7, 1668.

Children:
I. Ann^, m; William Bunnel.
II. Benjamin.
III. William.

2. Ann^ Wilmot (Benjamin^), married WilUam Bunnel. She
died before May, 1654.
Children:

I. Ltdia Bunnel, m. April 10, 1661, Francis French.

Benjamin Bunnel, m. (1) Rebecca Mallory; m. (2) Elizabeth Post,

widow of John Sperry.
Nathaniel Bunnel, m. Jan. 3, 1665, Susanna Whitehead; removed to

New Jersey.
Maby Bunnel, b. May 4, 1650; m. Oct. 31, 1671, Eleazar Pecks
Ebenezer Bunnel, b. Aug. 28, 1653, d. before May, 1654.



II.

III.

IV.
V.



334 Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service

3. Benjamin^ Wilmot (Benjamin^), married Elizabeth Heaton,
a widow, who had a son James Heaton. Benjamin^ died April 8,
1651 ; and his widow married third, Feb. 8, 1660, William Judson.

Children :

I. Hannah^ bapt. Jan. 25, 1645; m. (1) April 9, 1667, Samuel Miles; m.

(2) Sept. 21, 1681, Miles Merwin, Jr.
II. Maey, bapt. Feb. 16, 1647; m. JiUy 15, 1679, Richard Bryan.
III. Elizabeth, bapt. Sept. 23, 1649; m. John Mix.

References: Genealogy of Conn., Vol. IV, p. 1708. Savage's Diet., Vol. IV,
p. 680. D. A. C. Lineage Book, 1929, pp. 300, 301, 302, 307. The Wihnot Family
of New Haven, Conn.

Summary of Ancestry :

1. Benjamin Wilmot and wife Ann settled early in New Haven, Conn. He

d. Aug. 18, 1669, and wife d. Oct. 7, 1668.

2. Benjamin^ Wilmot, b. ,d. Aprils, 1651; m. Elizabeth Heaton (widow);

she m. (3) Feb. 8, 1660, William Judson.

3. Elizabeth Heaton Wilmot, bapt. Sept. 23, 1649, d. Aug. 11, 1711; m.

John Mix, b. 1649, d. Jan. 21, 1711/12.

4. John Mix, b. Aug. 26, 1676, d. Dec. 10, 1721; m. Nov. 25, 1702, Sarah

Thompson, b. Jan. 16, 1676, d. Nov. 21, 1711.

5. Rachel Sanford, b. July 23, 1733, d. (not positive) abt. 1800; m. Oct. 31,

1751, Stephen Mead, b. 1728, d. Oct. 18, 1806.

6. Esther Mead, b. Aug. 11, 1760, d. Dec. 22, 1836; m. abt. 1777, Isaiah

Hungerford, b. Jan. 23, 1757, bapt. Jan. 23, 1758, d. June 16, 1833.

7. Elizabeth Hungerford, b. Feb. 7, 1798, d. Jan. 7, 1878; m. April 29, 1821,

Nash David Phelps, b. Oct. 4, 1796, d. April 15, 1884.

From here same as Summary of Arms Ancestry, 8th to 10th Generations;
Colonial Daughters of the 17th Century, p. 136, No. 772; and Daughters of the
American Colonists, 1931, pp. 26-36, No. 2089; ancestry traced by the author of
this book.



Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service



335




,WiUsm



WILSON ANCESTRY

Arms — Per pale azure and argent, three lions' g^mbs barwaye erased and
counterchanged. Crest — A Lion's head erased argent, guttee de sang.

The surname Wilson is one

of the most common and wide-
spread in England, Scotland,

and Ireland. It is derived from

Will and Son, in the same way

as Johnson, Jackson, Davidson,

etc., and, like those surnames,

there are doubtless hundreds of

progenitors of related families

that assumed the surname when

the custom became general in

the twelfth century or earlier.

Many of this name have won

distinction. In Scotland the

Wilsons were numerous in Ren-
frewshire, Elginshire, Eifeshire,

Lanarkshire, and were found in

other counties also at an early

date. During the frightful per-
secution of the Scotch Presbyterians, one of this family suffered
martyrdom. In 1685, James II, an avowed Roman Catholic, be-
came King of England, sworn to maintain the Established Church
(Episcopal) but his accession brought no relief to the persecuted
Covenanters in Scotland and Ireland. An Episcopal farmer named
Gilbert Wilson had two daughters — Agnes, aged thirteen, and
Margaret, aged eighteen. These girls attended conventicles and had
become Presbyterians. Arrested and condemned to death, their
father succeeded in procuring the pardon of the younger by paying
one hundred pounds sterling, but the elder, and an old woman
named Margaret MacLaughlin, were bound to stakes on the sea-
shore that they might be drowned by the rising tide. After the old
woman was dead and the water had passed over Margaret Wilson's
head, the latter was brought out, restored to consciousness, and
offered life if she would take the abjuration oath. But she said:
"I am one of Christ's children; let me go." She was then once more
placed in the sea, and her sufferings ended by death.

In the North of Ireland the crown granted to Wilham Willson, of
Suffolk, England, two thousand acres of land in the precinct of
Liffer (Barony of Raphoe), County Donegal, about 1610. In 1611,
Willson bought two thousand acres granted to Sir Henry Knight.
His residence is given as Clarye, in Suffolk, and his Irish agent was
Chris. Parmenter. He brought over some English settlers. This
Englishman may never have settled there himself. In 1619, we
find a Scotchman named Stephen Wilson (also Woolson), a tenant



336 Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service

of John Cunningham, precinct of Portlough, County Donegal,
Ireland. There were doubtless other Scotch from time to time
settling in Ulster. Few surnames are more numerous than Wilson
in Ireland. In 1890, there were three hundred and sixty-six births
of children of this name, two hundred and eighty-seven being in
the Ulster counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, Tryone, London-
derry and Fermanagh, indicating a population of about 18,000 of
this name in Ireland at the present time. In 1689, one of these
Scotch Wilsons living in Enniskillen became famous. July 1, Lieu-
tenant MacCarmich, in whose company James Wilson was a
soldier, made a stand against the Duke of Berwick, as illegitimate
son of King James, at the head of a detachment of Irish, six hundred
dragoons on foot and two troops of horse. Governor Hamilton, his
superior ofl&cer, failed to keep his promise to support MacCarmich,
and his little company was fairly cut to pieces, his son slain at his
side, and he was taken prisoner. But thirty escaped. Among these
was a brave soldier named James Wilson. Surrounded by a number
of dragoons he was assailed by all at once, some of them he stabbed,
others he struck down with his musket, and several he threw under
the feet of their own horses. At last, wounded in twelve places,
his cheeks hanging over his chin, he fell into a bush. There a
sergeant struck him through the thigh with a halbert ; but Wilson,
exerting all his strength, pulled it out and ran it through the ser-
geant's heart. By the assistance of this halbert, he walked back to
Enniskillen. He was afterwards cured of his wounds, and survived
for thirty years.

The Wilson family is one of the many whose love of liberty and
desire to worship in their own fashion and according to the dictates
of their own conscience, drove them from native England, by way
of Holland, to the New World. The original home of the Wilsons
was in Nottinghamshire, and the ancestors of the family were of
good old "mid-country" stock. Burke, in his "General Armory,"
records more than forty coats-of-arms for individuals and groups
of the Willson or Wilson family residing in counties Sussex, Berks,
York, Westmoreland, Cumberland, Durham, Essex, Kent, Lei-
cester, Norfolk and Suffolk, in England, and in Scotland and Ireland.
The armorial bearings described herewith are recorded by Burke
for Wilson without designation of locality, and have been used in
this country by descendants of Roger Willson.

1. Roger Willson, was born about the year 1588, in the village of Scrooby,
and we have it of record that he was a member of the Rev. John Robin-