JOHN WOOLSEY (GEORGE "JORIS"², GEORGE SR¹) was born January 12, 1660/61 in NY - Flushing, Queens, and died June 10, 1721 in NY - Jamaica, Long Island. He married ABIGAIL _____ (possibly Denton), 1705, in Queens County, New York. John was baptized January 16, 1660/61, Old Dutch Church, New Netherland. He was buried in the Old Jamaica Cemetery, Jamaica, Long Island, New York


CORR:
1999 March 3 from Wilford Whitaker:
The following was received 1 Jul 1998 from Harry Macy, Editor of the NYG&BR: New York Public Library, Rare Books and Manuscripts Division James Riker Papers, Memoria vol. 30, p. 187. "Extracts from an old manuscript book formerly belonging to Capt. William Hallett of Newtown (who died in 1729 age 81) and now in possession of one of his descendants, Marvin R. Briggs of New York, 1851." An Acount of the ages of Mr George Woolseys Children - John Woolsey was born at New York January ye 12, 1661. January ye 16 baptized in ye Dutch Church - Thomas Hall godfather

CORR:
2000 June 6 from Wilford Whitaker
Several of the early researchers show this John2 Woolsey and Abigail _____ [who they named as Abigail Stephenson, but cannot be correct] with several children, including several sons. From the following will, it is apparent that John2 Woolsey and Abigail _____ had only one son and also from the will, probably only the one daughter named Rebecca.


From the Will of George Woolsey of Jamaica
3rd. item - I give and bequeath unto my well beloved Son, JOHN WOLSEY all ye my thirty acre lott of land lying to ye eastward by ye Little Plains runing within ye bounds of Jamaica a for said to have and to hold the said thirty acre lott of land with its appurtenances to use ye said JOHN WOLSEY, heirs and assigns to ye only proper use and benefitt and behoff of him ye said JOHN WOLSEY, his heirs and assigns for ever. I do also give and bequeath unto my said Son, JOHN WOLSEY after my decease, two oxen and all my wearing apperall.

PROBATE: Long Island Source Records - From the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Selected and Introduction by Henry B. Hoff. Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD. 1987. FHL#974.721 H29L. p. 148. Abstracts of early Wills of Queens Co, NY Books A & C at Jamaica, Long Island, New York. C:112-113. I John Woolsey of Jamaica yeoman give to my wife Abigail - life estate in 1/3 of lands and use of the rest til my oldest child and only son John reaches age 21 when he inherits. I give unto my eldest & only son John Woolsey all my land & houses with 2 horses waggons oxes howes. My son John is to pay my daughter Rebecca Woolsey 60 pounds - 20 pounds at her marriage day - 20 pounds day after her marriage & 20 pounds 2 years after her marriage. To my wife Abigail a third part of all my land & meadow. I appoint my wife my sole executor. 10 Jun 1721. - John Woolsey L. S.
Gabrie Luff, Jr.
William Wiggins
Robert Willis
At a Meeting of Isaac Hicks Judge Jonathan Whitehead & John Messenger Justices of ye peace held at Jamaica 5 Feb 1727 [1721] was proved by William Wiggins. Entered 5 Feb 1721 J. Smith, Clerk
Lib. C. Pages 112/113.

The above "will" is from three different abstracts of wills, made by (1) WPA project, Abstracts of early wills of Queens co, NY 1683-1744, part of the "Long Island Collection" WPA project no. 165-97-6999(6115). FHL Film# 017872, item 1. (2) Eardeley, Willliam A. D., Records in the Office of the County Clerk at Jamaica, Long Island, NY 1680-1781. Microfilm of typed manuscript at the Queens Borough Public Library in Jamaica, NY. FHL Film# 017715. 3) From the New York Genealogical and Biographical RECORD, selected and introduced by Henry B. Hoff. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. Baltimore, MD. 1987. p. 146.

John Woolsey and Abigail _______, son of George Woolsey and Rebecca Cornell.
John Woolsey - Old Jamaica Cemetery, North of Jamaica, Long Island, New York.
Woolsey, Robert M., "The Woolsey Family, a Genealogy in the form of annotated Family Charts. 1939-1969 The NYG&B Society. 2.121. John b. Jamaica, (Long Island), N.Y. Res. there to as late as 1711. 83(Jan 1874) Id. M.R.Ruble, May 1968. 84 p3. Editor's note: John Woolsey (1661-1729) is said to be buried in a "Woolsey Family Cemetery in Jamaica"; 84; is there or was there such a thing? This page seems to me (Robert M. Woolsey) to be somewhat conjectural."; [14 Jan 1970]. - Wilford Whitaker

Old Burying Ground (1703), Main Street, Huntington. Some of the Woolseys must be buried here. It is possible that John Woolsey & Abigail ______are buried here. - Wilford Whitaker
(The Old Cemetery that John is buried in is located north of Jamaica, Long Island, New York (now a part of the Queens). When John lived in this area it was known as the New Netherlands. - Steven Alsip)


[Wilford W Whitaker has not seen the original of John Woolsey's will but has combined information found in each of the three above sources into the one "will". www believes the discrepancy in the above dates (1727 vs 1721) is either a transcription error or a misreading of "1" for a "7". The bigger problem is the date given that the will was "proved" or entered into the record. www believes that this should read " 5 Feb 1721/22 " giving the "Old Style" date. This is further substantiated by the fact that this will preceeds
wills that were proven in Oct and Dec 1722.]

Gilliland says "John Woolsey died May 1692 in Hempstead, Nassau Co, Long Island, NY." but from deeds, it is known that he was alive in 1705 and in 1712, and his will was made in 1721. A problem with the date of the will, between written and probated dates (see above). [See John Woolsey 1611-1692]

Also Gilliland says "John Woolsey Jr was born abt 1683", but in the above will, his words are "til my oldest child and only son John reaches age 21", so John Jr. was not yet 21 in 1721. And also Gilliland says that John Jr was the only child, but the above will states "my son John to pay my daughter Rebecca Woolsey 60 pounds when she come of age or marries", so she was not of age in 1721, but there was at least one daughter. Also Gilliland says John Sr. died in 1729, but www has seen nothing that would substantiate that.

From this I believe we can state, with some authority and "documentation" that John2 Woolsey and Abigail Woolsey had two children:

1. John Woolsey, Jr. (md Mary Sammis)
   

2. 2. Rebecca Woolsey (md 9 Apr 1734, in CT, to Stephen Scott, (b 12 May 1711 at Waterbury, New Have CT) At least, this is the only Rebecca Woolsey that www has in his database born early in the 1700's.
   

Children of JOHN WOOLSEY and ABIGAIL are:

	i.	JOHN WOOLSEY II, b. Abt 1706, NY - Jamaica, Queens; d. Aft. 1778, NY - what is now Long Island; m. MARY SAMMIS, December 15, 1730, NY - Huntington, Long Island; b. Abt 1710, NY; d. NY - Huntington, Suffolk
	ii.	REBECCA WOOLSEY, m. STEPHEN SCOTT, April 09, 1734, Connecticut; b. May 12, 1711, Waterbury, New Haven, Connecticut.

The name WOOLSEY (and its derivatives), though not common, was scattered throughout much of England, even before William the Conqueror and the Norman Conquest in 1066.(?)

Then it was found in various places throughout Europe. I have found the name WOOLSEY (and its derivatives) in such divers places as the Scandanavian countries, France, Germany, Holland, Scotland and especially in Ireland. We find a few convicts (and or indentured servants) sent to Australia and America. So it is highly unlikely that there would be any close connection to George 'Joris' Wolsey (Woolsey).

There are two intriguing documents that (1) show a John Wolsey transported to Maryland in 1666 and the death of a John Wolsey in 1692 in Jamaica, Long Island, New York.

HIST: Skordas, Gust, Ass't Archivist State of Maryland, and a foreward by Dr. Morris L. Radoff, Archivist. THE EARLY SETTLERS OF MARYLAND, An Index to Names of Immigrants Compiled from Records of Land Patents, 1633-1680, in the Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland. Baltimore. Genealogical Publishing Company. 1968. p. 516. John Wolsey. Liber 9, Folio 322. Transported 1666.

PROBATE: Long Island Source Records - From the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Selected and Introduction by Henry B. Hoff. Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD. 1987. FHL#974.721 H29L.
p. 74. Abstracts of early Wills of Queens Co, NY Books A & C at Jamaica.
(1) WPA project, Abstracts of early wills of Queens co, NY 1683-1744, part of the "Long Island Collection" WPA project no. 165-97-6999(6115). FHL Film# 017872, item 1. A:75. Queens County SS:
Whereas John Woolsey late of Hempstead died intestate [without a will] leaving the sd County goods and Chattels under the value of 100 pounds and William Lynes a principal creditor of the sd intestate at the court of Common Pleas held at Jamaica on 20 May 1692 having made application to administor upon the estate aforsd. Sd William Lynes having exhibited an inventory of the goods and chattels unto the sd court and also given security to administor of the goods and chattels of the sd Intestate.
May 21 _____ [1698] Andrew Gibb, Clerk. Lib. A. page 75.

This is NOT John or Johannes Woolsey, the son of George "Joris" Woolsey. John or Johannes Woolsey, the son of George "Joris" Woolsey, died in 1721, leaving a wife and two children.

George "Joris" Woolsey had an older brother John Woolsey, son of George Wolsey and Frances Roberts, who was baptized 27 Oct 1611 in St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, Norfold Co, England. Did George "Joris" Woolsey's older brother follow him to New Amsterdam?

Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker

Favorite Quote: "In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we came from. - Alex Haley.

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