Woolsey's Myths




George Woolsey & Rebecca Cornell's Children

by Wilford Whitaker



The Myth

George Woolsey and Rebecca Cornell only had six or seven children.

Source of the Myth

Various writers have ascribed five, or six, or seven children to the family of George Woolsey & Rebecca Cornell.

01. Dwight, Benjamin W. of Clinton, NY. The New York Genealogical and Biographical RECORD. Vol. 4:143ff. "The Descendants of Rev. Benjamin Woolsey, of Dosoris (Glen Cove), L. I." "His [George Woolsey] will bears date 2 Nov 1691 and names with his wife Rebecca, daughters Sarah (Hallet), Mary and Rebecca (Wiggins). He seems to have had three sons, GeorgeWoolsey, Jr. and Thomas and John Woolsey.

Delafield, John Ross, Brig. Gen. (A.M., LL.B., D.S.M.). Delafield - The Family History Vol. II. Privately Printed. 1945 p. 646. John Ross Delafield names seven children, but does not name the second Mary, who he confused with the first Mary.


Straightening the Record

A careful study of the Long Island Baptisms of the children of George Woolsey and Rebecca Cornell reveals that they had eight children, one of whom was named Mary, who died before 1673, and another daughter was also named Mary who lived. And their youngest son William Woolsey who died before 1691, the date of George Woolsey’s will.

What the Facts Tell Us About the Myth

  1. 1. Sarah (Sara) Woolsey b 3 Aug 1650, New Amsterdam, chr 7 Aug 1650 "at ye English Church at Newtown".
  2. 2. George (Joris) Woolsey b 10 Oct 1652, New Amsterdam, chr 13 Oct 1652, at the Dutch Reformed Church there.
  3. 3. Thomas Woolsey b 10 Apr 1655, Hempstead, chr Sun. 11 Apr 1655, by "Mr. Denton at ye English Church"
  4. 4. Rebecca Woolsey b 13 Feb 1659, chr Sun. 16 Feb 1659 at the Dutch Reformed Church in New Amsterdam.
  5. 5. John (Johannes) Woolsey b 12 Jan 1661, New Amsterdam, chr Sunday 16 Jan 1661, at DRC near Flushing.
  6. 6. Mary (Marritje) Woolsey b 19 Mar 1664, New Amsterdam, chr 19 Mar 1664, at Dutch Reformed Church, d. bef 1673.
  7. 7. William (Willem) Woolsey b 12 Oct 1665 at Jamaica, "on ye Isleand Nassau", chr 30 Jun 1678, Flatbush, Brooklyn, " of reasonable age." William died before 1691 as he is not listed in his father’s will at that time.
  8. 8. Mary (Marritje) Woolsey b 8 Sep 1673 at Jamaica, "on ye Isleand Nassau", chr 30 Jun 1678, Flatbush, Brooklyn, "of reasonable age." with her brother William. She was named after Mary, above, who died.



If you have myths to suggest, or evidence to add supporting or further refuting a myth, please send your message to Wilford Whitaker - Editor and Chief of Woolsey Myths.


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