FIRST GENERATION
1. Thomas WILLSON
(1) was born before 1737. (1757 is the year Thomas's second son was
born. Thomas was probably 20 years old or older when this event took place.)
He resided before 1756 in Colerain, Lancaster Co., PA.
(2) (Thomas was a land-owning resident of the Township from 1756 until
his death in 1783.) He served in the military in 1756 in Colerain, Lancaster
Co., PA.(3) (In 1756, Robert, Joshua,
Johua, Jr., and Samuel Anderson raised a company of associators during the French
and Indian war. Thomas was one of 57 members of this company.) He owned 231
acres of land between 1767 and 1781 in Colerain, Lancaster Co., PA.
(4) (Thomas purchased this land from Daniel McClellan 12 Oct 1767
and sold it to his son Hugh 1 Jan 1781 (LCC Deeds Z-3:400). This property is
shown as #2 on the property map of Colerain Township. It is located in the northwest
corner of the Township.) He signed a will on 12 Nov 1783 in Colerain, Lancaster
Co., PA.(5) He died before 17 Feb 1784.
This is as far as this researcher is able to document this family. The research
believes the family were Scotch-Irish. Either Thomas or a forebearer immigrated
from Northern Ireland at some time before 1757, the year Hugh was born and baptized
in Lancaster County. The reason for the migration of this family could be the
conditions that resulted from the increased rentals on the renewal of expiration
of leases or the destruction of the woolen industry that occurred in 1717-1718,or
the poor harvests in the 1740s when famine forced an average of 12,000 a year
to flee to the New World (Source: Klett, Guy S. "The Scotch-Irish in Pennsylvania."
Gettysburg: The Pennsylvania Historical Association, 1948, p. 3-4.)
Lower Lancaster County was settled as early as 1712 by the Scots-Irish Presbyterian
and Friends found a area where the earth was made up of silica, clay, slate of
argelite, micaious earth, and serpentine--ingredients which, unaided by fertilizers,
would not produce an abundance of farm products. Both groups however continued
to settle the area and founding their churches--the Presbyterians about 1740
and the Friends in 1744. ["Southern Lancaster County, " (Philadelphia
Weekly Press, June 21, 1872.)
In his will, Thomas identifies his wife as Eloner, his three sons as Andrew,
John, and Hugh, and his four daughers as Jean, Nancy, Margaret, and Sarah. He
also identifies his grandsons as Thomas, Andrew, Hugh, and William, and his granddaughter
as Eloner. These are all the children of Hugh WILLSON.
There is a document, dated 21 May 1743 and registered in Lancaster County, PA
that recognizes Barbara WILLSON, Thomas PATTON, and Samuel WILLSON as administrators
of the estate of one Thomas WILLSON. There is no known connection between these
Thomas WILLSONs except the commonality of given names. (There is a Samuel WILSON
(d. 27 Jan 1753, aged 46) buried in the Carmichael Cemetery, the first cemetery
of the Little Britain Presbyterian Church.)
He was married to Eloner.
(6) Eloner is recognized
in in her husband's will in 1784.(7) "I
give and Bequeath unto my beloved Wife Eloner Wilson the sum of forty pounds
together with one Cow and two Sheep and my Black mare (and at the death of my
Said Wife the Said Mare is to descend to my Grand Son Thomas Wilson) together
with her bed cloths and all of her wearing apparel with her own room in the house
as formerly and sufficient maintainance off the plantation and the horse and
Cow and Sheep kept as formerly during her natural life and if my Said Wife will
not live in her Room and house as formerly but moveth therefrom, She is to Enjoy
no longer Privileges off or from Said Plantation." In the 1800 census of
Bart Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa there is listed a "widow Wilson" with
a female between 10 and 16, and a female between 26 and 44. Thomas WILLSON and
Eloner had the following children:
2 i.
Andrew WILLSON is recognized in in the will of his father.
(7) "I do also Bequeath to my oldest Son Andrew Wilson the Sum
of sixty pounds. " Andrew resided in Colerain Township and appeared on
its tax rolls as an "inmate and Sojurner" for only three years: 1781,
taxed 6 shillings; 1782 taxed 15 shillings for a horse, a cow, and 2 sheep;
1783, taxed 15 shillings; 1783. He also appears in the 1790 census of Colerain
Township, with one female.
+3 ii.
Jean WILLSON.
4 iii.
Nancy WILLSON is recognized in in the will of her father.
(7) " I also Give and Bequeath to my daughter Nancy Wilson the
sum of Sixty pounds."
5 iv.
Margaret WILLSON(8) is recognized in
in the will of her father.(7) ".I
also give and Bequeath to my daughter Margaret Wilson the sum of Sixty pounds."
There is a Margaret WILSON who married Joseph DENNY on 27 Nov 1769, at St.
James Episcopal (Anglican) Church, Lancaster, PA.
6 v.
Samuel WILLSON was born on 26 Jul 1752 in Lancaster Co, PA.
(9) He died before 1783 in Lancaster Co, PA. Samuel is not mentioned
in his father's will.
+7 vi.
Sarah WILLSON.
8 vii.
John WILLSON is recognized in in the will of his father.
(7) "I also give and Bequeath to my Son John the Sum of two pounds.
"
+9 viii.
Hugh WILLSON.
10 ix.
Thomas WILLSON was born on 13 Apr 1760 in Lancaster Co, PA.
(10) He died before 1783. Thomas is not mentioned in his father's
will.
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