Memoirs of the Wilkinson Family in America, published 1869
Memoirs of the Wilkinson Family in America, 1869
"Widow" Wilkinson of New Milford, Ct.,
and Her Descendants.

Our information concerning this branch of the family is briefly as follows:

______ Wilkinson of New Milford, probably a descendant of Edward, married ______ _______ and had a family. After his death, his wife with her six sons, all farmers except Abel moved to Poplar Ridge, now Scipio, Cayuga county, N. Y.

Col. Lyman L. Wilkinson of Auburn, [Cayuga Co.,] N. Y., a great grandson of the widow, writes as follows,  "My great grandmother—name unknown—from New Milford, [Litchfield Co.,] Conn. settled at Poplar Ridge in this county with her six sons, all farmers except my grandfather who was a blacksmith, in the year 1794. I should think from what I have heard the old settlers say that my great grandfather living on the "Sound" was a man of some property, which he held subordinate to the greater consideration of giving his boys a good common school education for those times, which always included a strictly religious Baptist education. Our family came here when Auburn had but two or three settlers. Old Mr. Hardenburgh and Eldad Steele were living here in shanties covered with bark, and one other family whose name I have forgotten."

Edward Wilkinson from whom this family is perhaps descended, was one of the orginal sic planters of New Milford where he settled in 1645. July 2, 1682 sic, he married Rebecca, daughter of Henry Smith of Stamford, Ct.*

* Henry Stamford, Ct. propounded for freeman 1670, had been one of the first settlers at that plantation 1641 and went from Weathersfield. Died 1687,—in his will names only son John; but he had a daughter Rebecca, who married 2 July, 1672 sic Edward Wilkinson of Milford, and Hannah who married a Lawrence; and perhaps others."   Savage's Gene. Dic. in loc.

His children were as follows:

Edward Wilkinson,
Rebecca Smith,

Of New Milford, Ct.

I. Elizabeth,b. 1674.d.          
II. Rebecca,b. 1676.d.
III. Edward,b. 1679.d.
IV. Ruth,b. 1682.d.
V. Hannah,b. 1685.d.
VI. Abigail,b. 1687.d.
VII. Samuel,b. 1690.d.
VIII. John,b. 1692.d.
IX. Thankful,b. 1696.d.

Edward died about 1697 or 8, and his estate was inventoried March 21, 1698.* The author has been unable to make the connexion sic, or to trace the unbroken lineal descent from Edward to this family, but has no doubt it could be done with a sufficient amount of time, money and labor.

* "Wilkinson, often Wilkeson, Edward, Milford, married July 2, 1672, Rebecca, daughter of Henry Smith of Stamford,—had Elizabeth, aged 24, Rebecca, 22, Edward, 19, Ruth, 16, Hannah, 13, Abigail, 11, Samuel, 8, John 6 and Thankful, less than 2, at the giving of his inventory, March 21, 1696. sic   Savages' Gen. Dic.

The family of 1. "Widow" Wilkinson1 (2-7):

______ Wilkinson,
______ _______,

Of New Milford, Conn.

I. Abel2 (2-3) b.           d.        
II. Ichabod2 b. d.
III. Jonathan2 b. d.
IV. Amos2 b. d.
V. Asahel2 b. d.
VI. Isaac2 b. d.

I. Abel. The date sic of birth and death of this family have not been ascertained. Abel was born in Conn. and came with his mother to Poplar Ridge in 1790-4. He was a blacksmith and married Rebecca Somers, of P. R., now Scipio. They had two children.
Abel was among the early settlers of Fleming, Cayuga Co., N. Y., and kept the first inn there in 1792.*

II. Ichabod's name is mentioned in connection with Benj. Irish, father or brother of Rev. David Irish, Joseph Grover, Edward Wheeler, James Herrington, and his brother Abel, the early settlers of Fleming.*

* See "Gazetteer of New York" p. 202.

Abel Wilkinson,
Rebecca Somers,

Of Poplar Ridge, N. Y.

I. Lois b.     1772 d.       1822.
II. Orange (4-9) b.     1776d. Dec. 1848

I. Lois married Elijah Perry, r. [Town of] Aurelius, [Cayuga Co.,] N. Y.

II. Orange married Lovina Kinney, Esther Warner and Lucinda Tift. Col. L. L. Wilkinson of Auburn, [Cayuga Co.,] N. Y. writes—"My father had three wives (my mother being the second) by whom he had fourteen children, a majority of whom are now living, married and settled all the way from this place to the Rocky Mountains. My mother was the daughter of Dr. Warner of Danbury, and sister of Dr. Warner, his son. This Warner family seem to have been represented in the medical profession for several generations."
They lived in what is now the [Town of] Aurelius, [Cayuga Co.,] N. Y.


Orange Wilkinson,
Esther Warner

Of Aurelius, [Cayuga Co.,] N. Y.

I.  4.  Marietta4 b. Apr., 1805, d. 1854, m. John Babcock, r. Providence, R. I.

II.  5.  Orange W.4 b. Aug., 1807, m. Grace E. Parry, r. Varick, Seneca Co., N. Y.

III.  6.  Lemuel A.4 (10-13) b. Jan. 1809, m. Sarah A. Burgess, r. Sennett, [Cayuga Co.,] N. Y.

IV.  7.  Lyman L.4 (14-16) b. March 22, 1811.

V.  8.  Caroline4 b. May, 1813, m. Jas. Hadden, r. [Town of] Springport, [Cayuga Co.,] New York, died 1834.

VI.  9.  Fleming4 b. June, 1815, d. 1817.

IV.  Lyman L. m. Mary V. Bowen, r. Auburn, N. Y.  They have a family of three children.  Mr. W. is a master mechanic in most every department of the business,—he is a politician—an impressive speaker—a good singer, and writes a "telling" newspaper article in prose or poetry.  In response to a request to furnish some personal reminiscences, he says "You ask me for a narrative of my whole life.  It is all summed up in one word—I believe I have always been a live man, and can not be anything else.  My whole family are in moderately independent circumstances, and all 'paddle their own canoes' as best they may."

The following facts and names have been secured since the above was in press.

Orange Wilkinson, had a son Garry who married Eliza Beach and resides in Keokuk, Iowa.  Hersey married Eliza Hoaster, r. in Miss., and has Horace, r. Syracuse, N. Y., Laura, Loren, Alonzo and Cora, all residing in Seneca Co., N. Y.  Esther m. Abraham Degroff, r. Ohio.  Sarah Ann m. Samuel Kinney, r. Indiana.  Fleming A. m. 1st. Elizabeth Adams, 2 ______ ______, r. Leroy, [Coffey Co.,] Kansas.  Loren died young.  Mary Jane m. Aaron Remington, r. Iowa.


Lemuel A. Wilkinson4,
Sarah A. Burgess.

Of Sennett, [Cayuga Co.,] N. Y.

10.I. Francis A.5 b.        1838? d.          
11.II. Ellen Maria5 b. Aug. 1841?d.
12.III. Mary E.5 b.        1846?
    m. George Yates,
    r. Sennett, N.Y.		d.
13.IV. Edwin H.5 b. d.

I.  Francis A. m. Ephraim Beach—has children:  (1) William, Fleming, [Cayuga Co.,] N. Y.; (2) George, same place; (3) Sarah A., same place; (4) Harmon, same place.


Lyman L. Wilkinson4,
Mary V. Bowen.

Of Auburn, [Cayuga Co.,] N. Y.

14.I. George B.5 (     ) b. July 5, 1840.d.          
15.II. Orange W.5 b. Nov. 1, 1846.d.
16.III. Charles L.5 b. Oct. 15, 1855.d.

I.  George B. m. Nellie Bardon, r. Auburn, N. Y.  He is a physician.


I.  ______ Wilkinson.1 (2-4)

"The tradition concerning this family is," says Mrs. Betsey (Munn) Wilkinson of N. Y., that three brothers came from Wales. One settled in Mass.,—one in R. I.,—and one in Vt. When they came is not remembered. One was named Joseph, another is supposed to be Oliver,—and the third is not known (probably David). Joseph settled in Greenfield, [now Franklin Co.,] Mass. Oliver at Townshend, [now Windham Co.,] Vt., and had families, David also had a family, and moved to Townshend from some place in Mass.

Oliver Wilkinson of Townshend says, "my grandfather David came from Saron, Foxborough, or Wrentham, Mass., about the year 1788, or 1790, with a family of eight children—the oldest at that time being about 25, and the youngest, about 12 years of age. My great grandfather lived somewhere near Providence, R. I."  Rev. Reed Wilkinson of Iowa Blind Asylum says, "My grandfather David lived in Roxbury and Wrentham until his children were all born."

David Wilkinson of Castleton, Vt. says "my grandfather Joseph lived in Dedham, Mass."

Arthur Wilkinson of Cambridge, Mass. says "I remember a very long while ago my father told me that he was called upon in Greenfield, Mass.,—where he lived many years,—by a gentleman from R. I.,—I think a Quaker—and after conversing some time, they made out that they were of the same stock."

This Quaker from R. I. was undoubtedly one of the descendants of Lawrence,—and how the relationship was made out we have no means of ascertaining at this late period. The traditions are unreliable as a general thing, very little dependence can be placed upon them. I am inclined to think that this family of Wilkinsons are descended from one, or other of the early settlers of the name in Mass., or Conn. Edward settled in Milford, Ct., as early as 1645, and died about 1698.

His family is as follows—

Edward Wilkinson,
Rebecca Smith,

Of New Milford, Ct.

I. Elizabeth,b. 1674.d.          
II. Rebecca,b. 1676.d.
III. Edward,b. 1679.d.
IV. Ruth,b. 1682.d.
V. Hannah,b. 1685.d.
VI. Abigail,b. 1687.d.
VII. Samuel,b. 1690.d.
VIII. John,b. 1692.d.
IX. Thankful, b. 1696.d.

Edward was married July 2, 1672. His wife was daughter of Henry Smith of Stamford, Ct. Edward was one of the original planters of New Milford. His property was inventoried March 21, 1698.


There was a John Wilkinson also, who came to Attleboro, Mass., about 1700, and died Jan. 24, 1724-5, and the family names are so similar that I venture to insert his family also:

John Wilkinson,
Rachel Fayles,

Of Attleboro, [now Bristol Co.,] Mass.

I. John, b.         1702. d.              
II. Joseph,b. d.
III. Rachel,b. d.
IV. Mary, b. d.
V. Hepzibeth, b. d.
VI. Abigail,b. d.
VII. Sarah,b. d.
VIII. Hannah,b.         1723. d.

There was another John Wilkinson of Malden, [now Middlesex Co.,] Mass., who died Dec. 12, 1675, and left a family—one son John is mentioned as taking the oath of allegiance, to King Charles, in 1674. He was the only son of widow Prudence Wilkinson of Charlestown, Mass., 1635,—she died about 1655.

There are other Wilkinsons mentioned as emigrating to America at an early period—for instance: