Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/554

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

John Addison Willett. John Addison Wil- lett, cashier of the First National Bank of Newport News, is descended from a very old American family, which was located for sev- eral generations in the state of New York. Rev. Thomas Willet, first known ancestor of the American family, born 1510, died 1598, was rector of Barley, sub-almoner to Ed- ward VI., prepender of Ely in the reign of May I., married, in 1560, Elizabeth, whose surname is unknown. She was probably his second wife. They were the parents of Rev. xAndrew Willet, D. D., who entered Cam- bridge College at the age of fourteen years, and pursued his studies for a period of eighteen years. He was rector of Barley, county Leicester, England, for twenty-three years, and the author of over forty treatises. He was called "the walking library." One of his descendants, Ralph Willet, of Merley Hall, was founder of the celebrated Merley Library. One of his sons. Colonel Thomas Willet, born 1605, was a dissenter, and lived for some time at Leyden, Holland, whence he came, in the spring of 1630, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, and was magis- trate there from 165 1 to 1664. He was a very extensive trader, and had privileges in Maine, traded with New Amsterdam and with Europe, and became very wealthy for his time. The Indians reposed great con- fidence in him, and he had much influence in restraining them from attacks upon the settlers. He died August 4, 1674, before the beginning of King Philip's war. Through his commercial relations with New Amster- dam, he was intimately acquainted with the people of that town, and was popular with them. Upon the approach of the English fleet, bound to capture New Amsterdam in 1664, he joined it at Boston, and was made first mayor of New York under that title by Colonel Nichol, the English governor, to whom the town was surrendered in Sep- tember, 1664. In 1673 h^ removed to Bar- rington, Rhode Island, where he died. An- other son, Richard Willet, born 1620, mar- ried Mary Washburn, who accompanied him to America, and after tarrying a short time at Boston and at New London, Con- necticut, settled on Long Island, among the first in what was known as Jericho, in the present town of Oyster Bay. His name ap- pears among the records of fifty proprietors of land in the early settlement of the town of Hempstead, which was founded in 1643.

He was a tax payer at Jericho in 1657, and appears of record, April 18, 1658, as one of the assistants to the magistrate of Hemp- stead court. He was surveyor of highways in 1639, a townsman in 1662, and died at Jericho about 1665. His wife Mary was a daughter of William and Jane Washburn, who were among the early settlers of Hemp- stead. She was born in 1629, probably in England, and died in 1713, aged about eighty-five years. Early in the history of the Quaker movement in Long Island she became identified with that society, was a minister, and held meetings at her own house in Jericho as early as 1678. They were the parents of Hope Willets, born July, 1652, who married Mary Langdon. Their son, Joseph Willet, married Deborah Seaman, and they were the parents of John Willett, born 1718, who married Rachel Hughes. Cornelius, son of John Willett, was born January 15, 1756, and died April 9, 1843. i" Argyle, Washington county, New York. Tradition says that he was a revolutionary soldier, and received land in Argyle from the state as a reward for this service. His name does not appear on the printed muster rolls of New York Soldiers of the Revolution. He was affiliated with the Presbyterian church, and married, in 1780, Nancy Whalen, born June 16, 1761, died April 19, 1843, surviving her husband ten days. They had children: Hannah, born October 30. 1781 ; Elizabeth, October 12, 1783; James W., February 15, 1786; Wil- liam, January 30, 1788; John, mentioned be- low ; Samuel, January 5, 1792; Sarah, Octo- ber ID, 1793; Cornelius S., November 21, 1795 ; Nancy, November 19, 1798; Henry S., September 11, i8di ; Reuben W., October 27, 1804.

John Willett, son of Cornelius and Nancy (Whalen) Willett, was born January 10, 1790, and settled not far from the paternal homestead, in Tinmouth, Rutland county, Vermont. Thence he returned to his native county, settled in North Granville, New York. He entered the war of 1812 as 'a drummer boy, but never reached the front. Lie was a successful farmer, and active in the interests of the Presbyterian church. He married Saiinda Allen, a descendant of Ethan Allen, the revolutionary hero of Ver- mont. Their son. Addison W'illett. born 1820. in Tinmouth. was eight years old when his parents remo\-ed to North Granville. His