Col. Thomas Willett III and
Helena Stoothoff appeared on the census of 1698 in Flushing, New York.
Col. Thomas Willett III left a will dated 19 August 1722. The will of Thomas Willett of Flushing, Queens County, was dated 19 August 1722 and proved 11 October 1722.
In his Will he names his other children, John, William, Abraham, Thomas, Mary,
Sarah De Key and Elizabeth Stevenson.
Besides the land he deeded William he also gives to him a slave, his seal ring, riding horse, saddle, furniture, sword and pistols.
To Thomas he left his lands in Flushing and a lot in Fresh Meadows which had been laid out to Captain Thomas Hicks, and a piece of boggy meadow.
To Abraham lands in Flushing and elsewhere already given him by deed and a patentee right of land to the place he now lives.
To John lands already deeded to him.
To (Thomas, Abraham and John) 3 sons he left the Swamp in Flushing called Doughty's Swamp, all his lands and salt meadows on Newtons Neck and two patent rights of meadow at Fresh meadow in Flushing, called Double Patent Rights, one of which "belonged to my (step) father John Bridges (one family genealogist has Sarah Cornell marrying 2nd Charles Bridges 11/3/1647 in NYC, 3rd John Lawrence 11/20/1682), and the other patent right to Thomas Sauls, also his meadow ground lying at Gravesend in Kings County and all other lands and rights.
And to each son a negro slave.
To his daughter Mary Willett, he left L12, besides a sum which is secured to her and as much of my movable estate as will purchase for her household stuff to the value of what his daughter Elizabeth Stevenson has already had.
The rest of movables to the 3 daughters,
Sarah DeKey, Elizabeth Stevenson and Mary Willett.
The 4 sons were named Executors.
Witnesses were Isaac Hicks, Richard Power and S. Clowes.
Col. Thomas Willett took an active part in military affairs, and rose by promotion. He was a Lieutenant in 1673, a Major in 1685, and Colonel of a regiment of 1500 men in 1691-3, composed of foot and horse of Queens County [NY] militia. On August 26, 1688, he was commissioned Sheriff of his county. When Leisler usurped the government of New York in 1689, Colonel Willett took sides against him for which he was ordered under arrest.
He served as a member of Governor Slaughter's Council from 1689 to 1691; a member of Governor Fletcher's Council from 1691 to 1693, and of Governor Bellemont's Council in 1698, from which latter position he was suspended. He was elected to the New York Assembly on 1711, and served as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Queens County, from 1703 to 1723.
Col. Thomas Willett was a member and vestryman of Grace Church, Jamaica, Long Island. During Lord Cornbury's administration as Governor of New York, he was summoned before him to explain the disputes between the congregation of that church and the Independents.
His will is dated August 19, 1723, and.was probated October 11, 1723.
He had nine children by his first wife, viz:
1. Major William Willett, born in 1668. married, first, a daughter of Robert and Susannah Field, of Newtown ; second, on December 12.1722, Mary, nee Hinchman, and widow of William Bloodgood ;
2. Capt. Thomas Willett, born in 1672, married, first, August 24, 1695, Sarah, daughter of Thomas Hinchman; second, Kezia, daughter of Samuel Thome, Jr.;
3. Elbert Willett, born in 1678, married, May 7, 1701, Johanna, daughter of Rev. Rudotphus Van Varick;
4.
Sarah Willett, married, October 9, 1695, Jacobus DeKay; 5. Helena Willett, baptized March 27, 1681, married William Hartshorne, May 1, 1713;
6. Elizabeth Willett, born in 1692, married Daniel, son of Thomas and Ann Stevenson, of Newtown, May 24,1711;
7. Charles Willett;
8. Cornelius Willett;
9. Abraham Willett married, May t, 1713, Susannah, daughter of Edward and Charity Stevenson;
10. John Willett married September 14, 1714, Mary, daughter of Dr. John and May Rodman.
• Their descendants may be found in the genealogy of the Rodman family.
2 Col. Thomas Willet of Flushing was Surrogate of Queens County and a member of the Governors Council.
THE WILLETT FAMILY HISTORY
As Researched by Monique Willett
Colonel Thomas Willett (2), born in 1645, (baptized Nov. 26, 1645, in the Reformed Dutch Church of New Amsterdam) married in 1667/68 to Helena Stoothoff , born in 1646. Colonel Thomas Willett drew his will at Flushing on Aug.19, 1672, and he died between that date and Oct. 11, 1722, when the will was proved.
Helena died in 1703/04.
Thomas Willett was appointed, on October 13,1668, to be a Cornet, with his brother William, as a Lieutenant of a volunteer troop of horses to be raised on Long Island. In 1671, he was Lieutenant of a troop of horses. In 1676-1678, he was Captain and High Sheriff of Long Island. In 1679 -1680 he was one of three Justices of the Peace. He bought land from the Indians atCow Neck Long Island. In 1687, the Militia of the Province was put in readinessto meet the French, Col. Nicholas Bayard for New York, Major Thomas Willett &Capt. John Jackson for Queens were in command. In 1690, Leisler's orders to Queens County officers was to arrest Colonel Willett for alleged adherents toJames the second, he was forced to flee. In 1692 Petition of Col. Thomas Willetton behalf of Officers and soldiers employed in the 1687 Expedition to Albany for arrears of pay. In 1692, Order to Colonel Willett to dispatch 800 men to Albany. In1695, a letter of Governor Fletcher to Colonels Young, Willett and Heathcote wasto hasten their detachment to Albany. Colonel Willett was among those paid for service on the Canadian Expedition in 1711. From 1710 to 1715, Colonel Willett was a member of the General Assemblies of the Province.
It would appear that his home in Flushing became the Colden Estates,known as Spring Hill in the late 18th Century, and since the late 19th century, asthe Cedar Grove Cemetery. The records of the Grace Church, Jamaica, give theburial of Charles Willett at 'Coll. Willetts' in 1719. The 1762 deed between theWillett family and Colden (Cadwallader Colden was Lt. Governor and frequentlyacting Governor of the Province of New York). This was his county seat, where helived when released from official cares, and here he died on September 20, 1776.Lt. Governor Colden had given the property (on which was the house he erected in1762-1763) to his son David Colden. It was confiscated in about 1779, and thenhad a succession of owners until it became the Cedar Grove cemetery. We are toldthat in Colden's days, this farm was one and one half miles south of the village of Flushing, and about two hours traveling time from the city. Also, the Willettburial ground was near the North line of the farm, not far from the present Horace Harding Boulevard.
Colonel Willett's wife, Helena, died about 1704, less than sixty years before this deed, and hers is the first known death in thefamily in Flushing.
This Thomas Willett led an interesting life during the period of New York'sdevelopment. The king appointed him in 1689 to the Council of the Province, serving from 1691 to 1698 under Governor Slaughter, Fletcher, and Bellemont.The judicial services of Colonel Willett were many, through much of his life he was a Justice of the Peace. As a Justice of the Peace for the North Riding of Yorkshire, he served in 1680 at the Court of Assises, then the highest Court of theProvince.As a leader of the community, he was undoubtedly the Thomas Willett appearing on the early record concerning the parochial church of Jamaica;his son was also an active member (Grace Church, Jamaica was the successor erected in 1734.) The prior church lacked a name and was the old Episcopal church of the region.
Thomas Willett’s first wife was Helena Stoothoff, in one later deed by her son her name was Anglicized to mother Elena Willett deceased. Thomas Willett’s second wife was Charity Stevenson, to whom he was married by license on Jan. 13, 1705. Charity Willett of Flushing died in May 1712 according to the records of the Society of Friends there. Helena Stoothoff's parents were Elbert Elbertsen Stoothoff (1620-1688) from Holland to Flatlands, L.I., who signed himself Elbert Elbertsen, and Altje Cornelise Cool; they were married at the Dutch Church New Amsterdam on August 27, 1645. The daughter, Helena was born around 1646-49 and was married about 1667 to Thomas Willett. She died between January 8, 1703/04 when she deeded the Stoothoff family land to her children.
The censusof the inhabitants of Flushing 1698 gives:
Coll. Thos & Mtrs Alena [Helena] his wife
Elbert, Cornelius, Abraham & John, his sons
Alena [Helena] & Elizabeth, his daughters
John Clement, servant
Negroes: Francis, Jeffrey, Harry, Jack and Dick and Mary
Thomas Willett Sarah his wife
Sarah his daughter
1 Negro
Thomas Willett married to Sarah is the older son of Thomas Willett.
WILL and TESTAMENT Overview:
Thomas Willett of Flushing for love to my son Elbert 200 acres or four fifty acres lots.
To our children namely William, Thomas, Elbert, Charles, Cornelius, Abraham, John, Sarah alias De Key, Helena and Elizabeth convey land in Flatlands bequeathed to us by the last will and testament of our father Elber Stoothoff deceased.
Thomas Willett drew his will at Flushing on August 19, 1722, and he died between that date and October 11, 1722, when the will was proved.
I leave to my eldest son William (3) of Westchester what I have alreadygiven to him by deed, one of my slaves, my seal ring, my riding horse and saddle and its furniture and my sword and pistols.
To my second son Thomas of Flushing all those lands in Flushing that I have given to him by deed and various other lands including a boggy meadow lying on the Northeast side of a creek nearthe house where my son now lives.
To Abraham all those lands in Flushing and elsewhere that I have formerly given to him by deed and other lands a patentee right of land which belongs to the place where my son now lives.
I leave to my son John (3) all those lands that I have given to him by deed.
I leave to my three sons Thomas, Abraham and John my certain swamp in Flushing called Doughty'sSwamp, and all my lands and salt meadows on Newton's Neck. My son John shall have for his share two fifty acre lots. I also give to my three sons my two paten trights of meadows at Fresh Meadow in Flushing. I also leave to each of my sons a Negro slave.
I make my four sons executors.
Children of Thomas Willett (2) 12 (11 by 1st wife & 1 by second)
William born 1668,
Sarah born 1670 was the oldest daughter of Thomas and was married May 9, 1694, to
Jacobus De Key (De Kay), born 1672. By 1698, they were inpossession of one of the houses on the Willett homestead in New York City and were given title thereto in 1701, by her father, Thomas Willett, as part of her marriage portion.
Thomas born 1672,
Mary born 1674,
Elbert born 1676,
Charles born 1678,
Helena baptized March 27, 1681at Flatbush,
Cornelius born 1683, died 1722,
Abraham born 1685,
John Willett (3) born about 1690 married in 1714
Mary Rodman born in 1693.
John died in 1774.
Elizabeth born about 1692 is listed in the 1698 Census as the youngest daughter of Thomas Willett, who names her in his Will of 1722 as daughter Elizabeth Stevenson. She married May 24,1711, Daniel Stevenson of Newtown, who was born about 1692 and died in Flushing in 1754.
Mary born about 1705, issue from a second marriage, she married 16 March 1723 Samuel Rodman. She died May 21, 1751 at the age of forty-six and is buried in Newport, Rhode Island.
Thomas Willet (Willett) (1646 - 1723)
Source:www.geni.com
Birthdate: October 1, 1646
Birthplace: Plymouth Colony, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Death: Died October 11, 1723 in Long Island City, Queens, New York, USA
Managed by:
Eileen Burroughs Last Updated: March 10, 2011.
[:CR:
]Geni World Family TreeThomas Willett
Gender: Male
Alias name: Thomas Welert
Birth: 1645
Nieuw-Amsterdam, Nieuw-Nederland
Baptism: Nov 26 1645
Dutch Reformed Church, Nieuw-Amsterdam, Niew-Nederland
Occupation: Military officer
Marriage: Spouse: Helena Elbertse Willett (born Stoothoff)
Circa 1668
New York, USA
Death: Sep 1722
Flushing, Queens County, Province of New York
Father: Thomas Willet
Mother: Sarah Lawrence (born Cornell)
Wives: Helena Elbertse Willett (born Stoothoff)
Charity Willet (born Stevenson)
Children:William Willett
Thomas Willett, IV
Charles Unknown
Sarah DeKay (born Willet)
Elbert Willett
Cornelius Unknown
Abraham Willett
Mary Willett
John Willett
Elizabeth Willett
Samuel Willet
Mary (born Willett)
Helena (born Willett)
Mary Rodman (born Willett)
Siblings: William Willett
Elizabeth Willet
Source: View full record on Geni website.
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