The name Woolsey/Wolsey is not a common name, especially in Colonial America, so, when one finds the name appearing very early in the records of Maryland, one has to give special attention to it. Who is this John Wolsey/Woolsey, that seemingly appears out of nowhere?

Our Immigrant Ancestor George Woolsey had an older brother John Woolsey, Christened in 1611 in St. Nicholas Church in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. Is it too much of a stretch of the imagination to think that the older John Woolsey wanted to come to America to see his younger brother George? Perhaps not, when we realize that one John Woolsey died intestate in Hempstead, Long Island, New York, just a few miles from Jamaica, Long Island.

In the following record we find that one John Wolsey was transported to Maryland in 1666. Could he be the one for whom "Woolsey Manor" was named? And then we found the intriguing record in the Queens County, New York WILLS. Some early researchers stated that this John Woolsey, who died in 1692, was the son of our Immigrant Ancestor George Woolsey. However, the will of John Woolsey (son of our Immigrant Ancestor George Woolsey) was probated in 1721/1722 and mentions his wife Abigail, his son John and his daughter Rebecca.

The estate of John Woolsey of Hempstead was "intestate", meaning no will was found, and it appears as though this John Woolsey left no heirs, as his principal creditor, William Lynes, administered his estate of under £100.

Our Immigrant Ancestor George Woolsey died in 1698, aged 82 years. If this John Woolsey was his brother christened in 1611, John would have been 81 years of age when he died. Interesting question, isn't it?

!HIST: Skordas, Gust, Ass't Archivist State of Maryland, and a forward by Dr. Morris L. Radoff, Archivist. THE EARLY SETTLERS OF MARYLAND, An Index to Names of Immigrants Compiled from Records of Land Patents, 1633-1680, in the Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland. Baltimore. Genealogical Publishing Company. 1968. p. 516. John Wolsey. Liber 9, Folio 322. Transported 1666.

!ON-LINE: LAND: Kent County Land Grants - included:
"Woolsey or Chancellor Point" - 1000 acres surveyed 25 Aug 1659 for Philip Calvert, Esqr.

!ON-LINE: Talbot Co, MD Free Library Local History and Genealogy Special Collection. History of Talbot Co., MD 1661-1861. "Chancellor's Point, in Bolingbrook Neck on the Choptank River, is located at the southern end of the tract of land called "Woolsey Manor," containing 1000 acres, which was originally surveyed for Philip Calvert, Esq., who was sometime Chancellor of the Maryland Province. Hence his land was, and continues to be, called Chancellor's Point." - Talbot Co was formed in 1662 from Kent Co, MD.

!PROBATE: Long Island Source Records - From the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Selected and Introduction by Henry B. Hoff. Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD. 1987. FHL#974.721 H29L.
p. 74. Abstracts of early Wills of Queens Co, NY Books A & C at Jamaica.
(1) WPA project, Abstracts of early wills of Queens co, NY 1683-1744, part of the "Long Island Collection" WPA project no. 165-97-6999(6115). FHL Film# 017872, item 1. A:75. Queens County SS:

Whereas John Woolsey late of Hempstead died intestate [without a will] leaving the sd County goods and Chattels under the value of 100 pounds and William Lynes a principal creditor of the sd intestate at the court of Common Pleas held at Jamaica on 20 May 1692 having made application to administor upon the estate aforsd. Sd William Lynes having exhibited an inventory of the goods and chattels unto the sd court and also given security to administor of the goods and chattels of the sd Intestate. May 21 _____ [1698] Andrew Gibb, Clerk. Lib. A. page 75.