I9344: Edward ALVIS (BET 1800 AND 1830

Notes

CONFLICT Parents: Father: Robert Sir Weckes b. About 1581 in Staines, Middlesex County, England and Mother: Sarah Enderlry b. About 1585 in Staines, Middlesex County, England;
Birth: Before 1620 in Stanes, Middlesex County, England
Death: Bet 1688 and 1689 in Edgartown, Dukes County, Massachusetts
Mary Lynde (Wife) b. About 1629 in Dunstable, Bedford County, England

Vol II, Annals of Edgartown, pp 118-22 in Banks' Martha's Vineyard.
William Weeks participated in the first recorded division of lands in Edgartown, May 8, 1653, indicating a prior residence of some duration, and on April 10, 1655, was granted land 'near the pines in the middle of the island.' That he was married at this time is indicated by a deposition of Goodwife Weeks, dated Dec. 25, 1655, and it is probable that his children were either brought here when he settled or were born shortly after. His name appears in 1656, 1657, 1659, and 1660, in which year on February 22, he was sued by one William Lambert. This same year he is mentioned as a proprietor of one share in the town and was elected constable. That he kept an ordinary or inn seems to be indicated by the following entry on the town records, as well as a later one to be referred to: William Weeks is fined for selling of strong liquor: paying ten shillings: to Thomas Mayhew 14 s & t(w)o bottles of liquor to the townsmen and further he doth promise for himself and family that they shall no more be sold by him or them [28 January 1661, Edgartown Records, 1, 145]

The next year William Weeks had some lawsuits on his hands, suing Thomas Jones for his passage from Rhode Island, and in turn was sued by Jones for weaving done. In both cases he received the verdict. His name is not in the train band list of 1662, perhaps he was exempted on account of his occupation, but he took part in the division of Quanomica the next year, and was plaintiff in a number of suits against Robert Codman, Richard Arey, Nicholas Norton and William Vinson.

His name occurs in the records each year following in minor connections till 1667, when on November 18 of that year, while making a trading trip from the Vineyard in his 'vessel fo 15 tunnes, laden with corn, pork, hides, tobacco, wheat, vegetables and other miscellaneous freight,' he was wrecked at Quick's Hole and his vessel was seized and looted by the Indians of the Elizabeth Islands. His son William was on board, and according to the story of their experiences, testified to by them they were very badly treated. 'They tooke away a new hatt and a new paire of shooes from my sonne,' he said, and 'a suite of cloathes from me, 2 pre of shooes (and) all my tooles.' (New York Col. Doc., III 168) John Dixey 'brought the deponents with his sloop out of their bondage' and carried the news to the Governor of New York, who wrote back to Governor Mayhew to deal with the piratical Indians for their unlawful acts and require restitution of the vessel and all the stolen cargo. It was not until 1671 that he had his lands recorded on the town books, and the following is a copy of his estate as then held by him:

Desember the 11th 1671 The Petickelers of the parcells of Land Granted unto William Weeks by the Inhabitance of Edgartown at the Great Harbour of Marthas Vinyard and Ordered to Be Recorded the Day above writen one whole Comonage of the thirty seven Shears with all preveledges there unto Belonging as fish and whale: one house Lott of Twenty Poles Broad Bounded By Thomas Bayes on the South and Richard Sarsen on the North Being Ten acres More of Less: the the Line Ten acres eleven Poles and a half Breadth Bounded By Thomas Bayes on the West Richard Sarson on the East: Land Bought of Peter Foulger one Neck Lying West to the Planting feild Being Eight acres More or Less: with one acre and a half of Meadow at Sanchacantackett on eshear of Meadow: one Shear at Felix Neck: another Shear at Meachemus feild: one Shear at Quanomica: one Shear at Cracketuxett: One Devidant Lying at the Great Neck Being Twenty five acres more or Less Lying betwixt Thomas Peases and Mrs Blands: with one thach Lott ajoyning Part upon my said Devidant at the Neck: at Chapequideck one Lott of three acres More or Less Bounded By John Pease on the North and young Mr. Mayhew on the South: two acres of Meadow Lying on the South East Side of Chapequideok More or Less: one acres of Meadow on the East Side of the Planting feild Lying Northward of Thomas Doggetts Be it More or Less: These all Granted By this Town and Purchased of Indians and one twenty fifth part . . . .

He had acquired some land at Homes Hole before the first record of it appears (Feb. 9, 1680), as that is the only way to account for his appointment on a committee in Tisbury on Jan. 16, 1678, to view every man's lot and equalize it in the matter of swamp lands. It is likely he was on the committee as an outsider, with Isaac Chase and Thomas Mayhew, to deal impartially as arbitrator. The next year he was juryman at Nantucket, and was plaintiff in a suit against John Daggett for trespass.(Nantucket Recorts, I: Dukes Court Records, I. In 1680 he served agian as a juror, and in 1681 Arthur Biven entered a complaint against Weeks as follows: The 'said Buiven caled for a gill of Rum & they brought half water and the said Weekes had no lodgeing for him nor food for his horse.' (Dukes Court Records, I. June 28,
1681.) This complaint shows that Weeks was still keeping a tavern. The town and county records give evidence of his activities in business and litigation in 1684, 1685 and 1687, not necessary here to enumerate. He sold to Isaac Chase on July 25, 1688, his real estate interests at Homes Hole, and his last appearance on the records is another sales on December 29, same year.

Between that date and Aug. 3, 1689, he had died, as his widow Mary sold the home lot and he is referred to as then deceased. (Dukes Deeds, III, 41). This sale of her interest to Simon Athearn resulted in litigation with the sons, William and Richard, who claimed ownership, and the court gave them possession. (These sons were then living in Falmouth, where children are recorded to William and another son John.) There is no record of a will or administration of William Weeks' estate. His son Samuel had a grant of land in the town in 1681, consisting of ten acres on the north side of the old mill path, but he sold it in 1688 to Benjamin Smith, and is not further known as a resident here. With the death of William, Sr., the family name ceased on the island until 1710, when Joshua Weeks came here and bought the house lot formerly owned by George Martin of Edgartown and Newport. Josua later settled in Tisbury, and his descendants resided there and in Chilmark until within recent years.

Dr. Banks in the History of Martha's Vineyard which he wrote believes William came from Staines on the north bank of the Thames in the County of Middlesex about 15 miles west of London. Dr. Banks believes the name in England might have been either Atwick or Wickes. William first appears in the records of Martha's Vineyard on May 8, 1653. He was a large land owner and a tavern keeper. He died betwen Dec. 29. 1688 and Aug. 3, 1689 when his widow sold his home.

Children:
William Weeks, Jr. b. About 1645 in Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts
Elizabeth Weeks b. About 1648 in Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Samuel Weeks b. About 1651
Richard Weeks b. About 1653
John Weeks b. About 1655
Abigail Weeks b. About 1658

My Southern Family

Edward ALVIS

BET 1800 AND 1830 - ____

ID Number: I9344

Sources

HART

ABT 1730 - ____

ID Number: I32559

Sources

Zarilda HIGGINBOTHAM

12 Dec 1831 - 4 Oct 1901

ID Number: I16638

Notes

Sources

William PATTERSON

ABT 1740 - ____

ID Number: I94030

Sources

James Philip Bosman PENDLETON

ABT 1850 - ____

ID Number: I55334

Sources

Ruth Verniece SANDIDGE

12 Jan 1896 - 15 Sep 1919

ID Number: I11271

Sources

Mary SEWALL

1658 - 1693

ID Number: I42730

Notes

Sources

Robert THOMAS

ABT 1730 - ____

ID Number: I80538

Sources

William WEEKES Sr.

1627 - 13 Dec 1677

ID Number: I103129

Notes

Sources