I have found many records for George Woolsey, our immigrant ancestor and
pioneer. These records are some of the ones that I found. I thought you
might find them interesting. Although an Englishman by birth, George Wolsey
spent most of his early life in Rotterdam, Holland, probably working with his
father as a clerk, where he learned to speak Dutch with some fluency and then
spent his early years in America with the Holland Dutch settlers of Nieu
Amsterdam, now New York. Some of his life was spent under the Dutch
government, until the Dutch surrendered to the English fleet in 1664. It has
been suggested that George´s father worked for the West India Company and
moved to Holland. I have not found any records to confirm that he worked for
the West India Company, although he did move to Holland by 1623.. Also, it has
been suggested that George was put out as an apprentice to Isaac Allerton (of
the
Mayflower
) who later worked as an agent for the Dutch West India Company. Although
George Woolsey was closely connected with Isaac Allerton, I have not found any
records that would confirm that he was an apprentice to Isaac. More research
needs to be done here and in the records of the West India Company and in
Holland. [This is NOT complete.]
960
|
St. Wulsey, first Abbott of Westminister
- The great sixteenth century
Cardinal Wolsey
was not the first of the name to attain distinction at Westminster. Almost
six centuries before his time, flourished
Saint Wulsey
, the first abbot of Westminister, "...where...", says the historian, "he lived
for many years, exemplary for his conversation, until his death, which happened
Anno Domini
960. Then was his body buried in the same monastery; and the 26 day of
September was kept by the citizens of London with great veneration of his
miracle-working memory."
|
c1440
|
Johannes Gutenberg invents moveable type and printing press in Germany
|
c1473
|
Thomas Wolsey, later Cardinal Wolsey, was born at Ipswich, Suffolk, England. [c
1471]
|
1492
|
Christopher Columbus discovered the New World.
|
1493
|
Pope Alexander VI publishes bull
"Inter cetera divina"
dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal
|
1493
to
1498
|
Da Vinci :
"The Last Supper"
|
1498
|
Michelangelo:
"Pieta"
, sculpture, St. Peter's Rome
|
1500
|
First black-lead pencil used in England
|
1501
to
1504
|
Michelangelo:
"David"
, sculpture
|
1503
|
Pocket handkerchief comes into use
|
1505
|
John Knox, leader of Scot. Reformation born (d. 1572)
|
1508
|
Michelangelo begins to paint ceiling of Sistine Chapel, Rome ( - 1512)
|
1509
|
Henry, Prince of Wales (1t 18) succeeds his father as King of Henry VIII of
England and married Catherine of Aragon, his brother's widow
|
1509
|
John Calvin, Swiss reformer, born (died 1564)
|
1512
|
Copernicus:
"Commentariolus"
in which he states that the earth & the other planets turn around the sun
|
1514
|
The first European (Portugal) vessels in Chinese waters - Pineapples arrive in
Europe
|
1514
|
Thomas Wolsey (c1473-1530) made Archbishop of York
|
1515
|
Thomas Wolsey appointed Cardinal and Lord Chancellor of England
|
1516
|
Erasmus publishes the
New Testament
with Greek and Latin text - Sir Thomas More:
"Utopia"
|
1517
|
Martin Luther, in protest against sale of indulgences, posts his 95 theses on
door of Palast Church in Wittenberg
|
1517
|
"Evil May Day" riots in London; 60 rioters hanged on Cardinal Wolsey's orders
|
1517
|
Coffee in Europe for the first time
|
1518
|
Peace of London between England, France, Emperor Maximilian I, the pope, and
Spain devised by Cardinal Wolsey
|
1518
|
Melanchthon appointed professor of Greek at University of Wittenberg -
spectacles for the near-sighted
|
1519
|
Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), preaching in Zurich, begins Swiss Reformation
|
1520
|
Henry VIII orders building of bowling lanes in Whitehall - Chocolate brought
from Mexico to Spain
|
1524
|
Giovanni Da Verrazona discovered New York. - Turkeys from South America eaten
for first time in England
|
1525
|
Cardinal Wolsey presents Hampton Court to King Henry VIII, and endows Cardinal
College, Oxford
|
1528
|
Serious outbreaks of the plague in England
|
1529
|
Cardinal Wolsey falls from power; Sir Thomas More made Lord Chancellor
|
1530
|
Cardinal Wolsey died after having been arrested as a traitor
|
1531
|
Henry VIII recognized as Supreme Head of the Church in England - Halley's Comet
arouses superstition
|
1532
|
Chaucer's works published posthumously - sugar cane first cultivated in Brazil
|
1533
|
Elizabeth, d/o of Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn, born, to be the future queen of
England Elizabeth I
|
1534
to
1535
|
Jacques Cartier, seeking the east Indies, discovered instead the mouth of the
St. Lawrence River.
|
1534
to
1536
|
First diving bell - First mention of India rubber -Decree forbidding Eng
farmers to own more than 2000 sheep
|
1536
|
William tynadale, English reformer, burned at the state (b 1494) - 1" song
book with lute accomp. Pub Spain
|
1539
|
First Christmas tree, at Strasbourg Cathedral - A public lottery held in France
|
1543
|
Nicholas Copernuicus published
"De Revolutionibus"
presenting arguments that the planets revolve around the sun.
|
1547
|
First predictions of the French astrologer Nastradamus (1503-1566)
|
1555
|
An Aztec dictionary published - Tobacco brought for the first time to Spain
from America
|
1557
|
From
"The Acts and Monuments"
by Fox, page 402, of Vol. 7: "One,
William Woolsey
of Wells in Cambridgeshire lay a prisoner for conscience sake in Ely gaol in
1551. The said Woolsey standing still at great while suffering them to say
their pleasure. At the last answered in this wise: "Good Master Doctor, what
did our Savior Christ mean when He spoke those words written in the 22nd
chapter of Matthew, 'Woe be unto your scribes and pharisees, ye hypocrites for
ye shut up the Kingdom before men.' "ye," saith Dr. Fuller,"ye must understand
that Christ spoke to the Scribes and Pharisees,' 'Nay Master Doctor,' saith
Woolsey, 'Christ spoke even to you and your fellows here present and to others
such as you be." 'g'Way, Master Doctor," said Christoph orden, 'you can do no
good with this man." This man was burnt at the stake 16 Oct 1557."
|
1558
to
1559
|
Queen Mary I, of England, succeeded by Elizabeth I (-1603) - Coronation of
Queen Elizabeth
|
1563
|
John Foxe's
"Book of Martyrs"
, first English edition. - First printing presses in Russia
|
1564
|
William Shakespeare born 23 Apr. (d. 1616)
|
1590
|
Compound microscope developed in Holland.
|
1604
|
French established a permanent settlement at Port Royal in Nova Scotia.
|
1604
|
George Woolsey, named an apprentice of Nicholas Cutting, Grocer, Great
Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
|
1607
|
English "Gentlemen" founded Jamestown.
|
1608
|
Telescope developed in Holland, probably by Hans Lippershey
|
1608
|
Champlain founded a colony at Quebec.
|
1609
|
Henry Hudson, Englishman, sailing under the Dutch flag, found the river which
carried his name and the Island of Manhattan at its mouth and explored the
Hudson River. Samuel de Champlain visited northern part of New York. It was
on "Mannahatta's Isleand" that the Dutch established New Amsterdam (now New
York).
|
1610
|
As George Woolsey [Sr.] approached the end of his apprenticeship, he married
Frances Roberts
|
1611
|
Philip Woolsey was named an apprentice of George Woolsey, Grocer, Great
Yarmouth, Norfolk, Eng.
Philip Woolsey is George Woolsey [Sr.] youngest brother, who took on an
apprentice as soon as he received his
"Journeyman's License"
and became a FREEMAN in Great Yarmouth.
|
1611
|
John Woolsey, son of George Woolsey and Frances [Roberts] was christened in St.
Nicholas Church.
|
1613
|
Robert Woolsey, son of George Woolsey and Frances [Roberts] was christened in
St. Nicholas Church.
|
1614
|
A small fort & trading center built on Castle Island, Fort Nassau, it was on
the east bank of the Hudson and later, nearby, on the western bank, another
fort was built at Fort Orange (Albany).
|
1616
|
George Woolsey [Jr.], son of George Woolsey and Frances [Roberts] was
christened in St. Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.
|
1620
|
The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth and established their colony in the New World.
|
1623
|
George Woolsey, [Sr.]
"Tobacconist"
had removed his family to Rotterdam, Holland, by 1623.
|
1624
|
The Dutch landed eight men from ship,
New Netherland
, on Manhattan, then proceeded to establish Fort Orange (Albany) the first
permanent white settlement in the New York region.
|
1625
|
Dutch settlers founded New Amsterdam
|
1626
|
Peter Minuit bought Manhattan from the "Manhattan Indians" for about $24 in
goods and trinkets on 6 May.
|
1628
|
The Puritans landed near Salem, Massachusetts, and founded Connecticut and
Rhode Island
|
1629
|
George Wolsey, Sr., "grocer & tobacconist" died in Rotterdam, Holland.
|
1630
|
Colonists from Holland under a liberal charter of the West India Company, at
Fort Orange (Albany)
|
1632
|
Maryland, granted to Lord Baltimore, became a haven for Roman Catholics.
|
1633
|
Roman Catholic Church forces Galileo to recant his support of Copernicus'
theory that the earth revolves about the sun. The Church continued to call it
heretical to believe that the planets circled the sun, etc., until 1822.
|
1636
to
1637
|
Pequot War, the first of the "French and Indian" wars
|
1637
|
The Dutch
patroon
Stephen van Renssalaer arrived in New Amsterdam
|
1638
|
Peter Minuit landed two shiploads of Swedes and Finns at site of Wilmington,
Delaware
|
1641
|
Adriaen van der Donck arrives at New Amsterdam on ship
De Eyckenboom
, wrote A
Description of the New Netherlands
, first description of New York.
|
1642
|
Montreal, Canada, was founded
|
1642
|
Rev. Johannes Megapolensis and his family arrived in Fort Orange.
|
1643
|
George Woolsey came to America and settled in New Amsterdam.
|
1643
to
1644
|
Director William Kieft foolishly insisted on waging war with the Indians.
|
1644
|
Peter Stuyvesant, governor of Curacao, led an attack against the island of
Saint Martin and lost a leg in the battle.
|
1645
|
Indian War ended.
|
1645
|
Van der Donck married an English girl, Mary Doughty, daughter of a maverick
Puritan clergyman, the Reverend Francis Doughty, who had been driven from New
Plymouth in 1642 for preaching that "Abraham�s children should have been
baptized."
|
1646
|
Joris Wolsie, a witness for his brother-in-law Tomas Willit.
|
1646
|
Jorse Wolsy, a defendant in a case concerning powder belonging to Allerton
|
1647
|
Joris Wolsey said he saw Tomas Willet give a present to the fiscal van Dyck.
|
1647
|
Gorge Wolsey�s deposition that he saw Thomas Willett pay a bribe to the fiscal.
|
1647
|
Director-General (Governor) Peter Stuyvesant arrived in New Amsterdam to
succeed William Kieft as director-general of all New Netherlands.
|
1647
|
George Woolsey married Rebecca Cornell in Flatbush, Long Island, New York
|
1648
|
Gorger Wolsey named a fire inspector by the Director General (William Kieft).
|
1648
|
Van der Donck granted
Jonker
(pronounced Yonker) and he was familiarly called
The Yonker or Yonker�s land
.
|
1648
|
Director Stuyvesant lost little time in alienating both his own people and the
English of the neighboring colonies by offering freedom and asylum in New
Netherlands to those liable to arrest in New Haven. He was the last Dutch
governor of colonial New York or New Netherlands as it was then called.
|
1649
|
Van der Donck sailed to the Netherlands
|
1649
|
Town of Jamaica divides the "Little Playnes" among its settlers.
|
1650
|
Van der Donck and others address a "remonstrance" to the States General,
against the administrations of Kieft and Stuyvesant.
|
1650
|
Joris Wolsy�s daughter Sara baptized.
|
1
652
|
Jorys Woolsy, a defendant?
|
1652
|
Joris Woolsy & Rebecca�s son Joris was baptized.
|
1653
|
Joris Wolsey was named as a militia man in the New Amsterdam Second Corp of
Militia.
|
1653
|
Van der Donck returns to New Netherlands
|
1655
|
Peter Stuyvesant captured all New Sweden, including the present state of
Delaware, and mde it a part of New Netherland.
|
1655
|
Tjaert Wolcy�s son Thomas was born.
|
1655
|
Van der Donck dies at his estate near Albany,
Colen Donck
, age 35
|
1658
|
Robert Hooke invents balance spring for watches
|
1659
|
Joris Wolsey�s daughter Rebecca was baptized.
|
1661
|
Tjaert Wolsey�s son Johannes was baptized.
|
1661
|
George Woolsey was among the freeholders of Jamaica, Long Island, New York.
|
1664
|
Joris & Rebecca Wolsy�s daughter Marritje was baptized. She died before 1678.
|
1664
|
Late August, Col. Richard Nicolls sailed into New Amsterdam harbor; a week
later the Dutch dream was over and the colony was in possession of the English,
and renamed New York.
|
1666
|
Mary Doughty Van der Donck, widow, married Hugh O�Neal of Maryland, reaffirmed
her title to Van der Donck�s estate,
Colen Donck
, only to sell it to her brother Elias Doughty. He divided the estate and
began selling off portions of it, including to the Philipse family. See Later.
|
1672
|
Daniel Denton published
A Brief Description of New-York: formerly called New-Netherlands
. . .in London
|
1675
to
1678
|
King Philip's War
|
1676
|
Bacon's Rebellion
|
1678
|
Gorge & Rebecca Wolsy�s children Wm. & Marritje Wolsy were baptised at Brooklyn.
|
1679
|
New Hampshire became a separate colony.
|
1681
|
William Penn founded Pennsylvania which became a thriving colony of Quakers,
dissidents, and Germans.
|
1683
|
Leeuwenhock is first to observe bacteria
|
1689
to
1763
|
Many battles were fought in New York during the French and Indian Wars.
|
1689
to
1697
|
King William's War
|
1691
|
George Wolsey of Jamaica made his last Will & Testament.
|
1693
to
1703
|
Capt. George Woolsey, son of George Woolsey, the Immigrant, kept a "general
store" in Jamaica.
|
1698
|
George Woolsey died and buried in Jamaica.
|
1702
to
1713
|
Queen Anne's War
|
1713
|
The Treaty of Utrecht ended the war of the Spanish succession (Queen Anne's
War), gave Nova Scotia to England and the French acknowledged her right to
Newfoundland and the Hudson Bay Region.
|
1714
|
Mercury thermometer developed
|
1743
to
1748
|
King George's War
|
1750
|
By this time, there were over a million and a half English settlers in North
America
|
1754
to
1763
|
French and Indian War
|
1755
|
Discovery of Carbon Dioxide
|
1763
|
The "Peace of Paris" ended the Seven-Years War and France gave up all her
territory in North America
|
1764
|
James Hargreaves invents spinning Jenny
|
1766
|
Discovery of hydrogen
|
1773
|
The Boston "Tea Party"
|
1775
to
1783
|
The American Revolution
|
1776
|
Declaration of Independence
|
1776
|
New York declared its independence from Great Britain at White Plains and
became a battleground of the Revolutionary War. The Woolsey story here and in
Southern U. S. will be taken up later.
|
1786
|
Shay's Rebellion
|
1790
to
1793
|
The Miami War
|
1794
|
The Whiskey Rebellion
|
1798
|
John Adam's War
|
1805
|
War with Tripoli
|
1811
|
Shawnee War
|
1812
to
1814
|
War of 1812
|
1817
to
1818
|
First Seminole War
|
1832
|
Black Hawk War
|
1835
to
1842
|
Second Seminole War
|
1837
to
1838
|
Patriot War
|
1846
to
1848
|
Mexican War
|
1861
to
1865
|
Civil War
|
1872
to
1873
|
Modoc War
|
1876
|
Sioux War
|
1898
|
Spanish-American War
|
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.