Notable Descendants of Robert and Elizabeth (Stalham) Williams

Williams Notables

Alcott, Louisa May	Author
Appleton, Frances	Wife of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Huntington, Jabez Williams	US Senator, 1840-47
McClellan, General George	Civil War General - Union Army
Napoleon	Susan May Williams married Napoleon's great nephew. See this page illustrating this interesting connection
Spencer, Lady Diana	See how it is that many Williams descendants claim cousin relationship to Princess Diana through marriages two Parke and one Wise marriages.
Warren, General Joseph	Revolutionary war hero and martyr, killed early in war at Bunker Hill.
Whitney, Eli	Inventor of the Cotton Gin, progenitor of the interchangeable parts and the industrial revolution.
Williams, William	Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur	The originators of heavier-than-air-powered flight

Louisa May Alcott Author of "Little Women"

"ALCOTT, Louisa May, author, was born at Germantown. Pa., Nov. 28, 1832, daughter of Amos Bronson and Abby (May) Alcott.

Her father removed to Boston when she was but two years of age and personally conducted her education, assisted by his friend, Henry D. Thoreau. This education, with a short attendance at a young ladies' school, did not possess the practical quality that could be put to ready use in earning a livelihood. When necessity compelled her to support herself, she was obliged to resort to elementary teaching and sewing, and even to house service, and has given some hints of her struggles in a book entitled "Work." The statement that she worked thus to support herself does not bring all the nobility of this fine woman into view. Her efforts were for her family as well as for herself. Every dollar that she could spare from the bare necessities of life went into her home, to assist those she loved.

She began to write stories for weekly journals when she was about twenty years of age, and received a mere pittance compared to that given to authors of established reputation for no better literary work. Sixteen years she lived in this way with just enough success now and then to keep her from becoming altogether discouraged, and then the civil war broke out. She volunteered as a nurse, and was stationed at Georgetown, D.C.

Her first book was inspired by her army experience. It was called "Hospital Sketches," and yielded her the sum of two hundred dollars. She began to write articles for the magazines, and her book had given her a name that gained acceptance for some of her articles, but most of them were returned and, she says, "Consigned to an empty flour barrel." She continued writing short stories for small sums until 1867, when her publishers suggested that she should write a story for girls, and she wrote [p.49] "Little Women." The work occupied her three months, and she offered to sell the manuscript for one thousand dollars. Her publishers, however, induced her to accept a royalty, and she received many thousands of dollars from the sale of this one book. Eighty-seven thousand copies were sold in three years, and the advanced sale of "Little Men," which she wrote soon after, was fifty thousand copies.

"Little Women" established her reputation, and editors of magazines began to solicit contributions instead of declining them. She said she invariably supplied their requests by thrusting her hand into the flour barrel, and sending to the editor the article which he had previously returned "with thanks." Her books were so popular with the young that she could not write them fast enough to supply the demand and it is estimated that she received from them a total of over one hundred thousand dollars. After the publication of her "Life, Letters, and Journals," edited by Ednah D. Cheney, the respect which Miss Alcott had commanded as an author was deepened by the respect felt for her as a woman. This book revealed a personality that was greater than her work; it showed a life deeply and simply religious, void of cant and capable of unselfish living.

Her publications are: "Flower Fables or Fairy Tales" (1855); "Hospital Sketches" (1869); "An Old-Fashioned Girl" (1869); "Little Men" (1871); "Aunt Jo's Scrap Bag," series (1871-'82); "Work: A story of Experience" (1873); "Eight Cousins" (1874); "Rose in Bloom" (1876); "Silver Pitchers" (1876); "Under the Lilacs" (1878); "Jack and Jill" (1880); "Moods" (1864, revised edition 1881); "Proverb Stories" (1882); "Spinning-Wheel Stories" (1884); and "Lulu's Library" (1885).

She died on the day her father was buried, March 6, 1888 of Boston Mass."

The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans: Volume I, page 49

Louisa May Alcott is a cousin of ours through our Williams line (she is a cousin of Princess Diana, as well):

1 Robert Williams 1608 - 1693

.. +Elizabeth Stalham 1597 - 1674

.... 2 Stephen Williams 1640 - 1720

........ +Sarah Wise 1647 - 1728

........... 3 Joseph Williams 1682 - 1720

............... +Abigail Davis 1687 - 1771

.................. 4 Joseph Williams 1708 - 1798

...................... +Martha Howell 1712 - 1766

........................ 5 Abigail Williams 1740 -

............................ +Samuel May 1740 -

............................... 6 Joseph May 1770 -

................................... +Dorothy Sewall 1770 -

...................................... 7 Abigail May 1800 -

.......................................... +Amos Bronson Alcott 1800 -

............................................ 8 Louisa May Alcott 1832 - 1888

Source: Notable Kin, 1998, Gary Boyd Roberts, p 202

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Frances Appleton Wife of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Poet

The Williams lineage of Frances Appleton follows. She died a tragic death. Her dress caught fire from candle drippings and she died from the burns so suffered. Her famous husband, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is related to me via John Lathrop - See Longfellow's Lathrop line.

Frances is part of an interesting network of Appleton connections. Her first cousin, Samuel Appleton, married a daughter of Daniel Webster. A daughter from that marriage married a xg-nephew of Napoleon. (That nephew was also of Robert Williams descent.) A second cousin, Jean Means Appleton, married President Franklin Pierce. See the William-Napoleon Connection Page for more.

1 Robert Williams 1608 - 1693

.. +Elizabeth Stalham 1597 - 1674

.... 2 Isaac Williams 1638 - 1708

........ +Martha Parke 1642 - 1675

........... 3 William Williams 1665 - 1741

........... *2nd Wife of William Williams:

............... +Christian Stoddard 1676 - 1764

.................. 4 Israel Williams 1709 - 1788

...................... +Sarah Chester 1707 - 1770

........................ 5 Sarah Williams 1736 - 1817

............................ +Perez Marsh 1729 - 1784

............................... 6 Martha Marsh 1765 - 1827

................................... +Thomas Gold 1760 - 1827

...................................... 7 Maria Theresa Gold 1786 - 1833

.......................................... +Nathan Appleton 1779 - 1861

............................................ 8 Frances Appleton 1817 - 1861

................................................ +Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807 - 1882

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Jabez Williams Huntington - US Senator 1840-47

HUNTINGTON, Jabez Williams, a Representative and a Senator from Connecticut; born in Norwich, Conn., November 8, 1788; pursued classical studies; was graduated from Yale College in 1806; taught in the Litchfield South Farms Academy one year; studied law; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Litchfield; member of the State house of representatives in 1829; elected to the Twenty-first, Twenty-second, and Twenty-third Congresses and served from March 4, 1829, to August 16, 1834, when he resigned to accept the appointment of judge of the State supreme court of errors; moved to Norwich in October 1834; elected as a Whig to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Thaddeus Betts; reelected, and served from May 4, 1840, until his death in Norwich, Conn., November 1, 1847; interment in Norwichtown Cemetery.

Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949, page 1353

The Williams lineage of Jabez Williams Huntington is:

1 Robert Williams 1608 - 1693

.. +Elizabeth Stalham 1597 - 1674

.... 2 Samuel Williams 1633 - 1698

........ +Theoda Parke 1637 - 1718

........... 3 Samuel Williams 1656 - 1735

............... +Sarah May 1659 - 1712

.................. 4 Ebenezer Williams 1690 - 1753

...................... +Penelope Chester 1693 - 1764

........................ 5 Hannah Williams 1726 - 1807

............................ +Jabez Huntington, General 1719 - 1786

............................... 6 Zechariah Huntington 1764 -

................................... +Hannah Mumford 1760 -

...................................... 7 Jabez Williams Huntington 1788 - 1847

Note that Jabez Williams is a grandson of Revolutionary War General Jabez Huntington, whose wife, Hannah, provides the Williams connection.

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General George McClellan - Civil War

Robert Williams line to General George McClellan of the Union Army - Civil War

1 Robert Williams 1608 - 1693

.. +Elizabeth Stalham 1597 - 1674

.... 2 Isaac Williams 1638 - 1708

........ +Martha Parke 1642 - 1675

........... 3 John Williams 1667 - 1702

............... +Martha Wheeler 1667 -

.................. 4 Eunice Williams 1690 -

...................... +Joseph Gallup 1690 -

........................ 5 Lucy Gallup 1720 -

............................ +James Eldredge 1720 -

............................... 6 Eunice Eldredge 1775 -

................................... +James McClellan 1775 -

...................................... 7 George McClellan 1805 -

.......................................... +Elizabeth Sophia Brinton 1805 -

............................................ 8 George Brinton McClellan 1826 - 1885

Source: Notable Kin, 1998, Gary Boyd Roberts, p 222

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Princess Diana Spencer Connection

A sizable chunk of Williams descendants can claim cousinhood to Princess Diana because they will share Parke ancestry with Princess Diana.

See the Parke / Gager chart for an illustration.

General Joseph Warren

The Williams lineage of Revolutionary War General and martyr killed at Bunker Hill, Joseph Warren:

1 Robert Williams 1608 - 1693

.. +Elizabeth Stalham 1597 - 1674

........ 2 Samuel Williams 1633 - 1698

............ +Theoda Parke 1637 - 1718

.................. 3 Deborah Williams 1668 - 1743

...................... +Joseph Warren 1668 -

............................ 4 Joseph Warren 1700 -

................................ +Mary Stevens 1700 -

...................................... 5 General Joseph Warren 1741 - 1775

NEHGR 136:307 Apr 1982 - Princess Diana cousins article, Gary Boyd Roberts

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Eli Whitney Inventor of the Cotton Gin, Progenitor of Interchangeable Parts and the Industrial Revolution

See the Eli Whitney Page. Following is his line of descent from Robert Williams.

1 Robert Williams 1608 - 1693

.. +Elizabeth Stalham 1597 - 1674

.... 2 Elizabeth Williams 1626 - 1662

........ +Richard Cutter 1621 - 1693

........... 3 Elizabeth Cutter 1645 - 1693

............... +William Robinson 1640 - 1693

.................. 4 Mercy Robinson 1676 - 1740

...................... +Nathaniel Whitney II 1675 - 1730

........................ 5 Nathaniel Whitney III 1696 - 1776

............................ +Mary Child 1700 - 1776

............................... 6 Eli Whitney, Sr. 1740 - 1807

................................... +Elizabeth Fay 1740 - 1777

...................................... 7 Eli Whitney 1765 - 1825

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William Williams Signer of Declaration of Independence

"We cannot believe," wrote William Williams, of Lebanon.... "that they will draw the sword on their own children; but, if they do, our blood is more at their service than our liberties."

Book First -- The Confederation
Chapter 1 A Retrospect, Early Movements Toward Union

On the eleventh of November able representatives from each of the four New England states and New York -- John T. Gilman of New Hampshire, Thomas Cushing, Azor Orne, and George Partridge of Massachusetts, William Bradford of Rhode Island, Eliphalet Dyer and William Williams of Connecticut, John Sloss Hobart and Egbert Benson of New York -- assembled at Hartford. The lead in the convention was taken by the delegates from New York, Hobart, a judge of its supreme court, and Benson, its attorney-general. At their instance it was proposed, as a foundation for a safe system of finance, to provide by taxes or duties a certain and inalienable revenue, to discharge the interest on any funded part of the public debt, and on future loans. As it had proved impossible to get at the valuation of lands, congress should be empowered to apportion taxes on the states according to their number of inhabitants, black as well as white. They then prepared a circular letter to all the states, in which they said:

"Our embarrassments arise from a defect in the present government of the United States. All government supposes the power of coercion; this power, however, never did exist in the general government of the continent, or has never been exercised. Under these circumstances, the resources and force of the country can never be properly united and drawn forth. The states individually considered, while they endeavor to retain too much of their independence, may finally lose the whole. By the expulsion of the enemy we may be emancipated from the tyranny of Great Britain; we shall, however, be without a solid hope of peace and freedom unless we are properly cemented among ourselves."

History of the United States by George Bancroft (6 Volumes)
Volume 6 HISTORY OF THE FORMATION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN FIVE BOOKS

Eliphalet Dyer - Link

This is the Williams lineage of William Willams, signer of the Declaration of Independence:

1 Robert Williams 1608 - 1693

.. +Elizabeth Stalham 1602 - 1674

. 2 Isaac Williams 1638 - 1708

..... +Martha Parke 1642 - 1675

.... 3 William Williams 1670 -

........ +Christian Stoddard 1670 -

........ 4 Solomon Williams 1700 -

............ +Mary Porter 1700 -

........... 5 William Williams 1731 - 1811

............... +Mary Trumbull 1745 - 1831

Lineage is from: P 141, Notable Kin, Vol 1, Gary Boyd Roberts, 1998.
His sources are further delineated in the book.

See:

William Williams - A Biography

William Williams - Another Biography

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The Wright Brothers - Orville and Wilbur

Following is the Williams lineage for the Wright brothers, inventors of motorized, heavier-than-air flight:

1 Robert Williams 1608 - 1693

.. +Elizabeth Stalham 1597 - 1674

.... 2 Samuel Williams 1633 - 1698

........ +Theoda Parke 1637 - 1718

........... 3 Abigail Williams 1674 - 1765

............... +Experience Porter 1676 - 1750

.................. 4 John Porter 1700 -

...................... +Abigail Arnold 1700 -

........................ 5 Sarah Porter 1730 -

............................ +Edmund Freeman 1730 -

............................... 6 Sarah Freeman 1760 -

................................... +Daniel Wright 1760 -

...................................... 7 Daniel Wright 1790 - 1861

.......................................... +Catherine Reeder 1800 - 1866

............................................ 8 Milton Wright 1828 - 1917

................................................ +Susan Catherine Koerner 1831 - 1889

....................................................9 Wilbur Wright 1867 - 1912

................................................... 9 Orville Wright 1871 - 1948

Read:

The fascinating day by day story of the first flight.

A comprehensive set of links on the Wright Brothers.

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