 1645 - 1716 (71 years)
-
| Name |
William Weeks |
| Suffix |
Jr |
| Birth |
1645 |
Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Death |
16 Feb 1716 |
Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA |
| Person ID |
I7170 |
tng Genealogy |
| Father |
William Weeks, Sr, b. 1620, Staines, Middlesex, England d. 1688, Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts, USA (Age 68 years) |
| Relationship |
natural |
| Mother |
Mary Lynde Butler, b. 1628, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England d. 1693, Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts, USA (Age 65 years) |
| Relationship |
natural |
| Family ID |
F840 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family |
Mercy Robinson, b. 4 Jul 1647, Barnstable, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA d. 1740, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Age 92 years) |
| Marriage |
16 Mar 1669 |
Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA |
| Children |
| | 1. Samuel Weeks, b. 25 Nov 1669, Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts, USA [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 2. William Weeks, b. 1670, Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts, USA [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 3. Mary Weeks, b. 16 Jan 1670, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA d. 4 Aug 1743, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (Age 73 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 4. Submit Weeks, b. 3 Feb 1670 [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 5. Mehitable Weeks, b. 16 Oct 1671, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA d. Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 6. Sarah Weeks, b. 6 May 1674, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 7. Experience Weeks, b. 24 Jun 1677, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA d. Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 8. John Weeks, b. 18 Aug 1678, Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 9. Jonathan Weeks, b. 1 May 1681, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| + | 10. Benjamin Weeks, b. 4 Apr 1685, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA d. 9 Nov 1744, White Oak River, Carteret, North Carolina, USA (Age 59 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
| | 11. Lydia Weeks, b. 30 Jun 1687, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA d. 1732, Marthas Vineyard, Dukes, Massachusetts (Age 44 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] |
|
| Family ID |
F841 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
-
| Event Map |
|
 | Birth - 1645 - Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA |
 |
| Marriage - 16 Mar 1669 - Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA |
|
| Death - 16 Feb 1716 - Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA |
|
|
-
| Notes |
- William Weeks Jr.
Son of William Weeks Sr.
William Jr. son of William Sr. was born 1645 in MA. He died in 1744. William married Mercy Robinson who was born 4 July, 1647 and was baptisized at Barnstable, MA. Mercy was remembered in the will of Miles Standish in 1655, who stated whom I have tenderly love for Marcy Robinson for her grandfathers sake. Her grand father was the Rev. John Robinson, son of John and Ann Robinson and born 1575.
William was with his father on the vessel of Fifteen Toones in 1667 when it was making a trading trip from the Vineyard, it was laden with miscellaneous freight, mostly food and household items when the vessel was wrecked at Quick's Hole. The vessel was seized and looted by the Indians of Elizabeth Island.
WILLIAM WEEKS, JR.
In 1602 an English navigator, Bartholomew Gosnold, explored the south side of Cape Cod, and is believed to have landed at what is the present Wood's Hole. He sailed from the English port which was later Falmouth, England in 1660. In recognition of his landing on the Cape, the name of the area was changed from the Indian name of Suckanessett to Falmouth in 1694.
Wood's Hole was located on the most southern and western part of Cape Cod, and was one of the Falmouth villages people were attracted to before the town was incorporated. It was named for the water passage, or "hole" between Penzance Point and Nonamesset Island, as early as 1654.
In 1677 it had been divided into lots of 60 acres. Among the names of the new owners were Thomas Ewer, William Gifford, Joseph Hull, John Jenkins, Thomas Johnson and William Weeks, "who were Quakers."(39)
William Weeks Jr. was born about 1645 in Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts. He married Mercy Robinson, daughter of Isaac
Robinson and Margaret Hanford, 16 March 1669 in Barnstable.(40) She was christened 4 July 1647 in Barnstable.(41) As far as known, they resided in Barnstable until about 1677/78, when William and his brother, John, were granted land in West Falmouth.(42)
It has been noted in a couple of references that William and John Weeks were Quakers. (43) This is the second mention of William Weeks being a Quaker.
Thus far, I have found nothing which would solidly indicate that the Weeks were of the Quaker persuasion. The only record which might indicate they were members of that faith was the statement William, Sr. made in conjunction with the seizing of his ship by Indians, which is dated "18 . 9 . 1667".
Quakers did not use the names for days of the weeks or months of the year as most of the names were derived from pagan gods. Instead, they would indicate dates by writing them as: "18th day 9th mo. 1667." William's method of dating his statement may just have been co-incidental, however.
In the History of Barnstable County, by Simeon L. Deyo, pg. 672, it states that nearly all of the early settlers in what became West Falmouth were Quakers. It is known that William Gifford, who was among the first settlers, was a Quaker. With him were William Gifford, Jr., William Weeks and John Weeks. Because they were grouped with some of the Quaker families who were moving into the area, it may have been assumed that John and William were of the same religion, whereas it might simply have been that they championed the cause of religious freedom and moved to an area more congenial with those views.
The land of Woods Hole was divided into lots of 60 acres upland to a share, with the lots commencing at the south end of Little Neck northwest to Great Harbor. Jonathan Hatch, Sr., William Weeks, and William Gifford, among others, received a share. Each also took 10 acres in Great Neck. (44)
In 1685 William's brother, John, took up land in East Falmouth, east of the Five-Mile River, now Dexter's River. In 1691, both he and William were granted lands on the plains. (45)
Mercy died some time after 1687. (46) and William married Mary Hatch, daughter of Jonathan Hatch and Sarah Rowley, about 1689.(47) She was born 14/16 July 1647/48 in Barnstable, Massachusetts.(48)
There is some question whether the Weeks children are from the first or second marriage. The information I have found thus far would seem to point out that they were from the first marriage, with the exception of the C. W. Swift revision of Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families, page 467, in which it is indicated that because the children were christened with names common to the Hatch line rather than the Weeks line, he was confident that the mother of the children was Mary Hatch. The Robinson family genealogy attributes the children to the first marriage. The Hatch family genealogy attributes them to the second marriage.
I thought I had solved the problem when I checked Vital Records of Falmouth, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, by Oliver B. Brown, pg. 128. A list of births of the children assigned them to William and Mary Weeks. Then, I got to the "Marriages" part, and a marriage between William Weeks and "Mary" Robinson was recorded, which threw me right back in the middle of the stew. Apparently "Mary" is a diminutive form of "Mercy". To cover all bases, I went to the original microfilmed records, thinking someone may have misinterpreted handwriting. However, the old record is very legibly written, and there is no mistaking the entries. (49) A transcription of that record is found in the appendix.
Due to the fact that the Hatch, Weeks, and Chase families lived in the same general area, and that there was intermarriage among the families, I don't find it unusual that different names would surface in the family line. However, until additional information comes to light, the precise parentage of the children is in doubt. With that in mind, I will also do a history of the Hatch family in the event Mary Hatch was the parent of the children.
The exact date of William's death is unknown, but it would have been after 1716. He was a witness to the will of Jonathan Hatch in 1710/11, in which Jonathan mentions his daughter, Mary "Weaks."(50) It was signed in 1705 and witnessed by John and William Weeks. I would assume it was this document that pointed to Mary Hatch as William's second wife.
William, and either Mercy Robinson Weeks or Mary Hatch Weeks, had the following children:
1) Mary(51) Weeks, born 16 Jan. 1669/1670 Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts.(52) Md. Aaron Rowley, son of Moses Rowley, 7 Jan. 1690 in Barnstable.(53) He was born 1 May 1666 in Barnstable; died in 1743.(54)
2) Mehitable Weeks, born 16 Oct. 1671 in Falmouth.(55)
3) Sarah Weeks, born 6 May 1674, Falmouth.(56) Md. Seth Stuart 14 June 1716 in Massachusetts.(57)
4) Experience Weeks, born 24 June 1677, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts.(58) Md. Timothy Robinson, son of John Robinson, 3 May 1699, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts.(59)
5) Mercy Weeks, born 24 Apr. 1679, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts.(60) Died 4 Feb. 1708/1709. Md. (1st) Ebenezer Meigs, son of John Meigs, 17 Oct. 1700, Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut. Md. (2nd) Jacob Burnipus, son of Jacob, 18 Apr. 1705. (TAG, Apr. 1967.)
6) Jonathan Weeks, born 1 May 1681, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts.(61) Md. Mercy Robinson, 26 Oct. 1704. (Sandwich VR & Weeks Gen.)(62)
7) *Benjamin Weeks (Beniamen), born 4 Apr. 1685, Barnstable, Massachusetts.(63) Died abt. 1744/45, Carteret County, North Carolina. Md. Mary Chase, daughter of Isaac Chase and Mary Tilton, 14 January 1704 - 27 May 1704 in Vinyard Haven, Dukes County, Massachusetts.(64) She was born about 1687.(65) (See below)
8) Lydia Weeks, born 30 June 1687, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts.(66) Md. William Swift, son of William & Elizabeth Swift, 9 Oct. 1707, Falmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts.(67) He was of Yarmouth, Massachusetts.
SOURCES
1 Charles Edward Banks. The History of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes Co., Massachusetts, Vol. II,, Dukes Co. Historical Society: 1966, pg. 118-119.
2 Charles Edward Banks, pg. 119.
3 Ibid.
4 Banks, Charles Edward. The History of Martha's Vineyard. Dukes County Historical Soc.: Edgartown, 1966, pg. 26. The first known division of common land was made in 1653 and there were 20 proprietors to participate in the allotment, including William Weeks.
5 History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 25.
6 History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 26 -- Edgartown Records, Vol. I, pg. 172; pg. 28 -- Edgartown Records, I, 156; pg. 30 --Edgartown Records, I, 147.
7 Banks, pg. 120.
8 Edwards, pg. 3.
9 Martha's Vineyard, although Martin's Vineyard seems to be the earlier naming of the area.
10 Charles Edward Banks, The History of Martha's Vineyard, "The Annals of Oak Bluffs", Vol. I, pg. 12 -- Edgartown Record, I, 130.]
11 Edwards, pg. 19 -- footnote.
12 History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 32.
13 Banks, History of Martha's Vineyard -- Annals of Edgartown -- Vol. II, pg. 32.
14 History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol., II, pg. 33.
15 William Hopple Edwards, Genealogical & Ancestral Notes, Vol. 2 of Series I & Series I-A, Meridian, Conn., 1957, pg. Appendix
E -- Excerpts from "Early History of Nashon Island" by Amelia Forbes Emerson -- pg. 202.
16 Banks, pg. 121.
17 Banks, The History of Martha's Vineyard - "Annals of Edgartown", pg. 121.
18 "Hole" refers to a small inlet of water which would shelter the boats. "Homes" originally meant an old man. Literal meaning of the term "Homes Hole" would be old man's hole. It was until many years later that the name was referred to as "Holmes Hole" after a family who had settled in the area around 1670 - Annals of Tisbury -- pgs. 3-18 off the internet.
19 Banks, pg. 121.
20 History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 16 -- Deed of Dukes Co., Mass, Bk. III, pg. 314.
21 History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 16 -- Deed of Dukes Co., Mass., Bk. I, pg. 78.
22 History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 16 -- Deed of Dukes Co., Mass, Bk. I, pg. 73.
23 History of Martha's Vineyard, Vol. II, pg. 16.
24 Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families. . F. B. & F. P. Goss Publishers & Printers: Barnstable, Mass., pg. 2, Vol. II -- Revised by C. F. Swift 1979.
25 Banks, pg. 122.
26 Banks, pg. 122.
27 The original vital records of Falmouth, MA, found in the Barnstable County Registry Bldg. [FHL Film #0904590] notes: "Mm. Weckes & Mary Robinson were mared the 18 day of March in the yere 1669." Notice his wife is listed as "Mary" rather than "Mercy."
28 Clarence Almon Torrey. New England Marriages Prior to 1700, pg. 792.
29 In the will of Mary's father, Jonathan Hatch, signed in 1705 and probated in 1710/11, he mentions his daughter Mary Weeks. Witnessing the will are John and William Weeks. It would appear that this notation is what has given rise to the assumption that William Weeks was married a second time to Mary Hatch. Barnstable County Probate Court -- FHL Film #0904596].
30 Brownson, Held & Norton, FHL Film #0889265 Genealogical Notes of Cape Cod Families,(no page numbers).
31 Edwards, Appendix B - Excerpts from The Robinsons & Their Kinfolk, pg. 5.
32 Brownson, Held & Norton.
33 Brownson, Held & Norton.
34 Year from Banks, History of Martha's Vineyard, pg. 496; month and day from LDS Ancestral File, Family History Library, SLC, UT.
35 Vital Records of Falmouth, Massachusetts, film #0904590, pg. 130.
36 Brownson, Held & Norton and Edwards, Series I, Bk. 2, pgs. 192-195.
37 Torrey, pg. 352.
38 FHL Film #0889265 - Brownson, Held & Norton.
39 Mary Lou Smith, ed. The Book of Falmouth, Falmouth Historical Commission: Falmouth, Mass., 1988, pg. 474.
40 FHL Film #0904590 - Barnstable County Registry Building at Falmouth Massachusetts Vital Records, pg. 127.
41 Roberts, pg. 598.
42 Deyo, pg. 672.
43 Theodore Geoffrey, Suckanesset: A History of Falmouth, Massachusetts, Falmouth Publishing Company, Inc., 1930, pg. 26.
44 Deyo, pg. 665.
45 Deyo, pg. 634.
46 Edwards - Genealogical and Ancestral Notes, Series I, pg. 189 - gives Mercy's death date as circa 1740.
47 Torrey, pg. 792.
48 Brownson, Lydia B., Held, Grace W. and Norton, Doris V. Genealogy of Cape Cod Families, film #0889261 and Film #1018892 -- Charles Edson Robinson, Robinson Genealogy,. Vol. One, pg. 36 -- (In the reference it is stated that Mercy died at 93 years of age. However, the marriage year is noted as 1662. If there was an error in one date, there may have been an error in another.)
49 Microfilm of the original records located at the Barnstable County Registry Building, Falmouth Massachusetts Vital Records, Film #0904590.
50 Probate Records of Barnstable, film #0904598, Vol. 1, pg. 194, case #7082 - Family History Library.
51 Noted in the vital records of Falmouth, Massachusetts as "Mrcy".
52 FHL Film #0904590 - Vital Records of Falmouth, MA, pg. 127. The way of reckoning the calendar was different at this time. Therefore, two different year dates are given on most births. The first year would be under the reckoning of the old calendar year -- February to February, and the second year according to our reckoning of time now. Although it may appear that the first child was born before William and Mercy were married, it was actually a good nine months later.
53 Falmouth, Massachusetts Vital Records, film #0904590, pg. 124. Same is original records, FHL Film #0904590, pg. 124.
54 Torrey, pg. 640.
55 Falmouth, Massachusetts Vital Records, film #0904590, pg. 127.
56 FHL Film #0904590, pg. 127.
57 Falmouth, Massachusetts Vital Records, film #0904590, pg. 127.
58 Falmouth, Massachusetts Vital Records, film #0904590, pg. 127.
59 Falmouth, Massachusetts Vital Records, film #0904590, pg. 128.
60 Falmouth, Massachusetts Vital Records, film #0904590, pg. 127.
61 Falmouth, Massachusetts Vital Records, film #0904590, pg. 128.
62 Oliver B. Brown. Vital Records of Falmouth Massachusetts to Year 1850, pg. 216.
63 Falmouth, Massachusetts Vital Records, film #0904590, pg. 128.
64 First date found in Vital Records of Tisbury, MA published by the New England Genealogical Society in 1910, pg. 119. Second date found in the Vital Records of Falmouth, Massauchsetts - original filming of records, FHL Film #0904590, pg. 155.
65 FHL Film # 0904590 - Falmouth Co., MA Vital Records, pg. 155. "Intentions of marring [sic] published."
66 FHL Film #0904590, pg. 128.
67 Falmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts Vital Records [microfilm of the book at the Registry Building], film #0904590, pg. 155; also Swift Gen. film #1004003.
Compiled by:
Judy B. Anderson
4485 S. 2025 W.
Roy, UT 84067
|
|
|
