Williams Family papers

Call Number

MS 698

Date

1739-1842 (Bulk 1747-1770), inclusive

Creator

Extent

0.75 Linear feet

(2 boxes)

Language of Materials

The documents in the collection are in English.

Abstract

A collection of correspondence, military records, legal documents, estate papers, receipts, accounts, invoices, inventories and personal items belonging to various members of the Williams family of Deerfield, Massachusetts, and other New England towns. Most of the collection involves Dr. Thomas Williams, his wife Esther, his brother Col. Ephraim Williams, his father-in-law Rev. William Williams, his son Solomon Williams, their relatives, friends and associates. Much of the correspondence and military material is dated 1755-1756 and relates to military expeditions in the Lake George, New York, area during the French and Indian Wars.

Biographical Note

Chronology

1607 Birth of Robert Williams (1607-1693) who, with his wife Elizabeth Stalham (1597-1694) began this New England Williams line. The materials within the collection primarily involve the descendants of his sons Isaac (1638-1707) and Samuel (1632-1698) who married sisters Martha Parke (1641-1674) and Theoda Parke (1637-1718).

1664 Birth of John Williams, son of Samuel Williams (1632-1698) and Theoda Parke (1637-1718). John Williams (1664-1729), one of the most well known members of the Williams family, was an ordained minister and an early settler of Deerfield, Massachusetts. He lost his first wife, Eunice Mather, and two of his children in the Indian raid known as the Deerfield Massacre (1704) and was held in captivity in Canada for two years before returning to Deerfield. He married Abigail Bissell and one of their daughters, Abigail (1708-1787), married Col. Ebenezer Hinsdale (1706-1763). Hinsdale estate papers are included in this collection.

1688 Birth of William Williams, son of William Williams, Sr. (1664-1741) and Elizabeth Cotton (d. 1698). William Williams (1688-1760) is the author of many of the letters within this collection. He was a minister and the father of six children (several others died in infancy). Some of his children are represented in the correspondence: Esther Williams (1726-1800) who married Dr. Thomas Williams (see below); William Williams (1713-1788); and Anna Williams, whose husband, Oliver Partridge, is also represented in a number of letters. All of William's children are mentioned in his will, which is among the papers.

1706 Birth of Ebenezer Hinsdale. Ebenezer Hinsdale (1706-1763) was the son of Mehuman Hinsdale (1673-1736), said to be the first white child born in Deerfield. Mehuman's father, Samuel (1643-1675), was killed in the Indian raid known as the Bloody Brook Massacre (1675), and Mehuman was captured by Indians twice. Ebenezer was ordained as a missionary but had more success in military and business enterprises. He founded Hinsdale, New Hampshire, and build Fort Hinsdale. He served in the French and Indian Wars. His marriage to Abigail Williams, daughter of Rev. John Williams, formed the connection between the Hinsdales and the Williams family.

1713 Birth of John Hinsdale. John Hinsdale (1713-1746), son of Mehuman Hinsdale and brother of Col. Ebenezer Hinsdale, was another of the Hinsdales of Deerfield. The Hinsdale family was one of the wealthiest in Deerfield. Samuel Hinsdale (1641-1675), one of the first settlers and grandfather of John Hinsdale, owned 1/12 of the entire 8,000 acre grant originally set aside for settling the Pocumtuck territory (later becoming Deerfield, MA). Papers relating to John Hinsdale's estate are included in this collection.

1715 Birth of Ephraim Williams, son of Ephraim Williams, Sr. (1691-1754) and Elizabeth Jackson (d. 1718). Ephraim Williams (1715-1755) has a significant presence within this collection. Correspondence, his will and various other papers are included. Ephraim Williams was the founder of Williams College in Massachusetts; he lived in Stockbridge, Hatfield and Deerfield and had a notable career in the military. He was a commissioned officer as the continuing conflict between England and France erupted in King George's War (1745-1748) and the French and Indian War (1754-1763). He was captain of a company raised for the invasion of Canada in 1746, became major in 1753 and then colonel of the Hampshire troops. He was killed leading his regiment on the "Bloody Morning Scout," September 8, 1755, near Lake George.

1718 Birth of Thomas Williams, son of Ephraim Williams, Sr. (1691-1754) and Elizabeth Jackson (d. 1718). Much of the correspondence and many of the other papers included in this collection involve Dr. Thomas Williams (1718-1775) and his immediate family. A physician, Dr. Williams also participated in several military campaigns. In addition, he served in a number of local government positions. George Sheldon, in his 1895 book A History of Deerfield Massachusetts, writes that Williams "came to Deerfield in 1789; became a prominent figure as a man of affairs, as well as in his profession; was surgeon in the abortive Canadian expedition 1746 and for the line of forts; he left Fort Mass. only two days before its capture in 1746; was surgeon in the regt. of his brother Ephraim, at the battle of Lake George, Sept. 8, 1755 and dressed the wounds of Baron Dieskau, the captured commander of the Fr. army; in the campaign of 1756 he was lieut.-col.; rep 2 yrs; selectman 2; town clerk 17; judge of probate and justice of the court of common pleas; and had an extensive professional practice." Dr. Williams married Anna Childs in 1740 and three children were born before her death in 1746. He then married Esther Williams, the daughter of his cousin, Rev. William Williams (1688-1760). They had eleven children, although three died in infancy.

1764 Birth of Solomon Williams, son of Dr. Thomas Williams (1718-1775) and Esther Williams (1726-1800). Solomon Williams (1764-1836) is represented in this collection both in correspondence and in papers related to his position as town clerk and "Collector of the Direct Tax."

(Williams family trees are available in the repository.)

Additional sources of information include the following volumes, available in the library at the New-York Historical Society:

Andrews, Herbert Cornelius. Hinsdale Genealogy: Descendants of Robert Hinsdale of Dedham, Medfield, Hadley and Deerfield. Lombard, Ill: A.H. Andrews, 1906.

Sheldon, George. A History of Deerfield, Massachusetts: The Times When and the People by Whom it was Settled, Unsettled and Resettled. Deerfield, Mass., [Greenfield, Mass., Press of E.A. Hall & Co.] 1895-96.

Williams, Edward Higginson. Robert Williams of Roxbury, Mass., and His Descendants Four Generations. Newport, R.I., 1891.

Arrangement

Most of the items in this collection were, at one time, assigned numbers (top left-hand corner of documents) and arranged within groups of numeric sequences. To facilitate access and utilization, however, a new arrangement has been imposed with series based on category of document. See Series Descriptions for arrangement of each.

This collection has been microfilmed. The arrangement of the film matches neither the old collection arrangement nor the new. Its sequence is outlined in the Microfilm Guide located at the end of the Container List.

The Williams Family Papers have been arranged into the following series:

Series I. Correspondence (1747-1842, undated)

Series II. Military Documents (1748-1790, undated)

Series III. Receipts, Promissory Notes and Bills (1745-1797, undated)

Series IV. Wills and Estate Papers (1746-1806, undated)

Series V. Legal Material (1741-1810, undated)

Series VI. Survey and Plan (1739, 1761)

Series VII. Medical Inventories and Recipes (1748-1763, undated)

Series VIII. Poetry (undated)

Series IX. Personal Items and Notes (1693-1741, undated)

Scope and Content Note

The descendants of Robert Williams (1607-1693) and Elizabeth Stalham (1597-1674) were a prestigious group whose members were social, economic, political, military and intellectual leaders. A great number were physicians, clergymen, or lawyers and many held positions of civic responsibility. Several had distinguished military careers. The founding of Williamstown, Massachusetts, and establishment of Williams College are among their accomplishments. William Williams (1731-1811), great great grandson of Robert Williams, was among the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Members of the Williams family were among the earliest settlers of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Much has been written about Deerfield's Indian raids - the Bloody Brook Massacre in 1675 and the Deerfield Massacre, 1704 -- including several narratives concerning the capture of Reverend John Williams and his immediate family. The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion (1707) was written by Rev. Williams describing his experiences in captivity. The Unredeemed Captive: A Family Story from Early America, written by John Demos in 1994, tells the story of Eunice Williams, John Williams' daughter, who chose to remain with her Indian captors.

The bulk of this collection falls during the time of the wars between the British and the French. Much of the correspondence and many of the papers involve military activity, some during King George's War (1745-1748) but most during the French and Indian War (1754-1763), especially the campaigns at Lake George and Crown Point.

There are 143 letters within the collection, the majority either written or received by Dr. Thomas Williams (1718-1775). Other materials include military papers; wills and other estate papers; inventories; surveys; receipts, notes and bills; deeds and other legal documents; medical papers; poetry and miscellaneous personal items.

Condition of the various items is mixed. Some are sturdy and legible while others are very fragile, torn, missing pieces or difficult to read. The collection has been microfilmed.

Subjects

Organizations

Great Britain. Army -- Colonial forces -- Massachusetts.; Great Britain. Army -- Colonial forces -- New York (State)

Families

Hinsdale (Family)

Genres

Catechisms; Correspondence.; Estate inventories.; Military records.; Muster rolls.; Poems; Recipes.; Returns (military reports).; Wills.

Access Restrictions

Materials in this collection are stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.

Portions of the collection that have been microfilmed will be brought to the researcher in that format and can be made available by Interlibrary loan.

Use Restrictions

Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.

Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.

Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as the Williams Family Papers, MS 698, The New-York Historical Society.

Location of Materials

Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.

Related Material at The New-York Historical Society

This collection, along with several of the items mentioned below, is available on microfilm (Williams, of Deerfield). See Microfilm Guide at the end of this document for sequence of items, as it does not follow the same arrangement as the collection itself.

Further information on the Williams family can be found in the following titles available in the New-York Historical Society library's collections:

Andrews, Herbert Cornelius. Hinsdale Genealogy: Descendants of Robert Hinsdale of Dedham, Medfield, Hadley and Deerfield. Lombard, Ill: A.H. Andrews, 1906. (Call Number: CS71.H665 no. 5)

Williams, Edward Higginson. Robert Williams of Roxbury, Mass., and His Descendants Four Generations. Newport, R.I., 1891. (Call Number: CS71.W72 no. 9)

The Library's Broadsides collection contains at least one item transferred from the Williams Family Papers:

Shirley's Orders for enlistment for the [Louisburg] expedition. Boston, 1755. (Call Number: S P1755-4)

Several bound volumes exist in the Manuscript Department:

Account Book and Daybook, 1785-1836 - Call Phrase: BV Williams, Solomon

List of the Inhabitants of Deerfield, Massachusetts, with Amount of Tax Paid by Each, 1800-1801 - Call Phrase: BV Williams, Solomon

Account Books and Blotter, 1749-1797 - Call Phrase: BV Williams, Thomas

Sermons, 1708-1746 - Call Phrase: BV Williams, William

Collection processed by

Jan Hilley

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 15:50:12 -0400.

Language: Description is in English.

Processing Information

Processed by Jan Hilley, before 2011.

Repository

New-York Historical Society