HEIRS OF NOAH WOOLSEY
Marlborough, New York

by W. Herbert Wood, B.A., F.A.S.G, New Haven, Connecticut

Two decades or more ago, this petition for administration in the files of the Surrogate of Ulster County, N.Y., was copied because of the wealth of genealogical material it contained. Recently it was consulted again and found to be in tatters and a part of it gone. To ensure its preservation, it is here published. Very few documents of this nature show so large a related group of people.

On (31) March 1832, Richard I. Woolsey in a petition for Letters Testamentary in the matter of the estate of Noah Woolsey (William 4, William 3, Thomas 2, George 1) states that Noah Woolsey died on or about 5 March 1832 (aged 82 by gravestone) in the town of Marlborough and left Phebe, his wife, but no issue, and that the heirs at law are:

Richard I. Woolsey, the petitioner, of Marlborough, Rachel Cronkite, widow, of Washington Co., Nathan Woolsey of Cortland Co., Sarah Humphrey of Wayne Co. (Tioga Co., elsewhere), James Woolsey, of Orange Co., and William Woolsey, of New York City, children of William Woolsey, dec´d, a brother of the testator (Noah).

Roger Gale, Plat Gale, Henry Gale, Josiah Gale, Benjamin Gale, and Sally Gale, res. unknown, children of Henry and Betsey Gale, both dec´d, Betsey was a child of William Woolsey, brother of the testator (Noah).

Abigail, w. of Jonathan Westcot, Catharine, w. of Seneca Weed, Milenda, w. of Miller Hoyt, Richard Drake, Hannah, w. of Ezra Westcot, Jane, w. of Stephen Hyatt, and Polly, w. of Jonathan Calkins, children of Josiah Drake and his w. Polly, who was a daughter of William Woolsey, brother of the testator (Noah), all of Saratoga Co.

Dorcas, w. of John Dingham, res. unknown, Polly, w. of William Fowler, of Utica, Oneida Co., Deborah, w. of Noah Woolsey, Jr., of New York City, Hannah, w. of Abraham Dubois, and Owen Wright, of Orange Co., children of Stephen Wright and his w. Jane, both dec´d, and Jane was a daughter of William Woolsey, brother of the testator (Noah).

Nathaniel Woolsey, Esther, w. of Stephen Rhoades, Clarissa, w. of William Rhoades, of Milton, Ulster Co., Sarah, w. of Samuel Wood, res. unknown, Prudence, w. of Ichabod Warner, and Joshua M. Woolsey, Of Green Co., and Polly w. of Dact Spencer, dec´d, no heirs known, of Otsego Co., children of Richard Woolsey, dec´d, brother of the testator (Noah).

Smith Woolsey, Mary Ann, w. of Samuel Purdy, of Ulster Co., Phileta, w. of Stephen Ward, of Orange Co., Noah Woolsey, James Woolsey, Hiram Woolsey, Hannah M. Woolsey, Margaret Woolsey, and Julia Woolsey, which said Noah, James, Hiram, Hannah M., Margaret, and Julia, are minors, residing in Ulster Co., children of Richard Woolsey, Jr., dec´d, son of Richard Woolsey, brother of the testator (Noah).

Samuel Lyon, and Eliza, w. of Jesse Gordon, of Wayne, Steuben Co., Polly, w. of Charles Rutgers, Delia, the w. of _____, and Ruth Lyon, and Phebe Lyon, of Marlborough, minors, children of Jesse Lyon and Phebe, his wife, who is dec´d, which said Phebe was the daughter of said Richard Woolsey, brother of the testator (Noah).

Sarah Woolsey, Philip Woolsey, Hannah, w. of Benjamin Anthony, of Marlborough, Cenith, w. of Charles Frost, of Orange Co., Ruth Woolsey, Milo Woolsey, Esther, w. of Anthony Denue, of Troy, N.Y., Penina, w. of John Holmes, John Woolsey and William Woolsey, res. unknown, children of Jonathan Woolsey, dec´d, brother of the testator (Noah).

William Avery, Elisha (crossed out) Avery, Stephen Avery, Sarah, w. of Henry Pratt, Alanson Avery, Serena Avery, Mary, widow of David Chapman, Ruhamy, widow of Nathan Sniffen, Alfred Avery, and Autha, w. of Isaac Lyon, of Westchester Co., grandchildren and children of Enoch Avery and Dorcas, his wife, said Dorcas the sister of the said testator (Noah), dec´d.

Sarah, w. of Zephaniah Woolsey, a sister of the said testator (Noah), whose residence is unknown.

Zephaniah Northrop, of Milton, Ulster Co., Abraham Northrop, of Madison Co., and James Northrop, John Northrop, and Sarah, w. of Jesse Wright (which said Jesse is dead and the said Sarah married again), whose residence is unknown, all the children of Rebecca, w. of Ebenezer Northrop, both dec´d, which said Rebecca was the sister of the testator (Noah). [end of article]

The parents of the above Richard I. Woolsey were Ensign William Woolsey and Abigail Northrup. Ensign William Woolsey was a brother of Jonathan Woolsey (who married Rebecca Knoulton) and also a brother of Sarah Woolsey (who married Zephaniah Woolsey), children of the Revolutionary War veteran Reverend William Woolsey and Sarah Lewis. Jonathan and Rebecca remained in New Marlborough, Ulster County, New York, but Sarah Woolsey and her husband, Zephaniah Woolsey, (son of John Woolsey and Mary Sammis) removed to Greene County, Tennessee, with Sarah and Jonathan Woolsey's parents Rev. William Woolsey and Sarah Lewis.