William Woolsey II 1717-1794










William II and Sarah Lewis Woolsey




WILLIAM WOOLSEY II (WILLIAM4 , THOMAS3 , GEORGE "JORIS"2 , GEORGE SR1 , WILLIAM WOLSEY) was born June 06, 1717 in NY - Jamaica, Long Island, and died 1794 in TN - Greene County. He married SARAH LEWIS in 1738 in NY - Bedford, Westchester. She was born Abt. 1719 in NY - West County, and died Abt. 1795 in TN - Greene County. William and Sarah are buried in Greene County - Woolsey Family Cemetery, TN.




Camp Creek, Greene, TN - Woolsey Family Cemetery


Records of Greene County, North Carolina, now Greene County, Tenn., show that Rev. William Woolsey, his daughter Sarah and her husband Zephaniah, came to the area about 1787 with a large party, all seeking homes in the wilderness, for that it was as far west as they could go at that time. The party stopped at a big spring (that is now in the center of Greeneville, the county seat of Greene County, Tenn.). After a short rest Father Woolsey looked toward the range of high mountains and said, "We will go there". Others begged him to not take his family to the mountain and away from the safety of the group. Indians roamed that very area. The Woolsey's did not heed their friends advice but started on their way. Twelve to fifteen miles distance they saw a bold spring with cool, clear water gushing from a hillside. Father Woolsey stopped and said, "The Lord has put this spring here for us and this is where will make our home". He lived there until his death in the 1790's, always holding to his strong faith in God, and a determined will of his own. Indians came as his friends said they would. He was shaving and when his son warned him of the impending danger, he said he would continue shaving as he thought they would all be killed and he wanted to meet his master clean shaven! His granddaughter was scalped by the Indians, but lived to be a ripe old age. She also lived to have a large family. Persons born as late as 1850 remember her as a little old lady in church wearing a black scull cap under her bonnet. Father William Woolsey's son Zephiah and his wife Sarah remained on the Woolsey farm.

They had a son William who built a large brick house near the Woolsey spring. It had a room on the third floor they used for a "look-out", probably remembering the Indian raid and his sister's bad luck.

William's brother Nehemiah lived nearby. Until recent years an apple tree planted by him, in his garden, was called the "Miah apple".

As Zephaniah's sons and daughters grew up and had their own families. They had the same inherent wanderlust as their ancestors left the home place and went further west. The Woolsey family retained its tradition of education, culture, and good citizenship. Records show that members of the family were teachers, preachers, and doctors. They helped establish schools and churches. This is not only true of those who came South, and those who went further West, but it is true of the ones in the older generations. The entire history of this family is woven into the development of our country.

Our own Zephaniah and his brothers were officials in the town of Marlborough, New York. Zephaniah's cousin Thomas, was one of the first Baptist preachers in S.E. Virginia. He was living there during the Revolutionary War. His granddaughter Sarah, married Zephaniah's son William. The descendants of that couple have three distinct lines back to the Emigrant Ancestor, George. The Woolsey's were always leaders in the community. They had high ideals, and were deeply religious. The minutes of the Flag Branch Church have preserved, and they show Nehemiah's request for a letter of dismissal when he and his family went west.

Our Woolsey family was blessed with worldly goods. They were known to be honest and just, but very close with a trace of the miser. Many of the wills of the members of the older generations have been found in the court records, in places where they lived, and died.

As in most formal wills they first gave thanks to God, and their belief in the Resurrection. They then divided their worldly goods. The wife always provided with a generous share, each child was named (not always), and given a share. Our Zephaniah gave William 200 acres; Nehemiah 190 acres; oney to Stephen; and to his six daughters. Some of the land given by Zephaniah has remained in the Woolsey family.

Judging from the thrifty ways of his descendents, it has been thought some of his money (Zephaniah's), that he brought from New York, is still stored away by those of the present generation. Let it be said to their credit that the last will written (1955), included bequest of substantial amounts to the church, and college.

Drive through the old community today, in the shadow of, "Father Woolsey's" memory, and you will see well kept houses, green fields, cattle, and meet fine people that are hard working, and will stop long enough to say, "Hello Mr. Woolsey"!

Compiled by Mary Rahle (deceased), Newport, TN, in June, 1970, and Mrs. Chapman, Carrolton, MO

CORR:
20 May 2002 from Marcia Cooper
MILITARY: William Woolsey and his sons Richard, William, Jonathan and Noah are listed in "Roster of Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Tennessee" 1974, compiled by Lucy Womack Bates, Chairman, Revised 1979 by Helen Crawford Marsh. Published by the Tennessee Society NSCAR.

William and his sons are also listed in "Membership Roster and Soldiers Tennessee State Society of the National Society DAR 1970-1985 compiled by Carolyn West Stricklin, published by the Tennessee State Society NSDAR.

Family Researcher 1: Tom and Pam Chapman
Family Researcher 2: Mary Rahle
Military: American Revoluntionary War - PVT - Vol. 22, Pg 90, Encyclopedia of N.C.
Occupation: Rev - Baptist in Westchester Co., NY & Greene Co., TN
Residence: NY - Ulster County
Residence 2: VA
Residence 3: TN

Children of WILLIAM WOOLSEY and SARAH LEWIS are:
  1. NOAH WOOLSEY, born 1750 in NY - Winchester, New York, and died March 05, 1832 in NY - Marlboro, Ulster. He married (1) PHEBE THOMPSON. He married (2) PHOEBE WOOLSEY February 21, 1821, NY - Milton, Ulster.

  2. DORCAS WOOLSEY, b. NY - Ulster County; d. Bef. 1832; m. (1) ENOCH AVERY, December 05, 1765, NY - Salem, Westchester. She married (2) Abijah Lee, born 1746 in NY - Westchester and died in April 1786 Putnam Valley, Putnam, NY

  3. WILLIAM WOOLSEY was born 1742 in NY - Ulster County, and died Bef. 1832. He married ABIGAIL NORTHRUP

  4. THOMAS WOOLSEY was born 1741 in NY - Bedford, Westchester, and died August 21, 1815. He married REBECCA.

    CORR:
    2002 May 11, from Wilford Whitaker
    Rev. Thomas Woolsey, b. 1741, and died 21 Aug 1815 and is buried in the Asbury Methodist Churchyard in Saugerties, Ulster Co, NY. His record reads: "112. Woolsey, Thomas. 21 Aug 1815, 74th year. Forty years a Minister in the M.E. Church." His wife was also Rebecca, which raises some tantalyzing questions but his birth is too early?? This Rev. Thomas Woolsey is said to be the s/o Rev. William Woolsey and Sarah Lewis of Ulster Co, NY and Greene Co, TN.

    MILITARY: American Revolution - Continental Line
    Occupation: Rev - Methodist Episcopal Minister, Ulster Co., NY - 40 years

    Children of THOMAS WOOLSEY and REBECCA are:
    i.   JACOB BRIAN WOOLSEY, b. September 1773.
    ii.   MILES T WOOLSEY, b. Abt. 1778, NY; m. SUSANNA MOWRY.
    Occupation: Rev - Methodist Episcopal, New York
  5. RICHARD WOOLSEY was born May 08, 1750 in NY - Ulster County, and died 1825 in NY - New Marlborough, Ulster. He married (1) ESTHER HARCOURT, daughter of RICHARD HARCOURT. She was born 1757, and died 1796. He married (2) ELIZABETH Abt. 1796. She was born 1760 in ENG, and died Aft. 1850.

  6. SARAH WOOLSEY was born August 25, 1747 in NY - Bedford, Westchester, and died December 13, 1834 in TN - Greene County. She married ZEPHANIAH WOOLSEY February 20, 1766 in NY - Westchester County, son of JOHN WOOLSEY and MARY SAMMIS. He was born June 03, 1740 in NY - Huntington, Long Island, and died May 14, 1807 in TN - Camp Creek, Greene.

  7. JONATHAN WOOLSEY, b. November 22, 1755, NY - Westchester and died November 26, 1822 in NY - Marlborough, Ulster; d. 1822. He married in about 1766 REBECCA KNOWLTON (Springer?); b. September 17, 1759 and died January 8, 1922 in NY - Ulster County.
  8. REBECCA WOOLSEY, m. EBENEZER NORTHRUP.



JOURNAL AND DIARY OF RICHARD I. WOOLSEY
of Milton, Ulster County, New York
INDEX to DIARY

______, Jane First wife of Richard I. Woolsey
Anthony, Sara Anna Wife of Thomas Woolsey, son of Richard Woolsey and Cloe
Bolton, William Unknown
Bond, Bernerd Unknown
Carpenter, Mobury Unknown
Dubois, Ely Husband of Mary Harcourt
Fowler, James Unknown
Fowler, Philip Unknown
J_____, Thomas Unknown
Gedney, Dr. William Unknown
Gidney, Elezar Husband of Rebecca Gidney, unknown
Gidney, Rebecca Wife of Elezar Gidney, maiden name unknown
Gillis, Melki Unknown
Gillis, Mrs. Unknown
Harcourt, Mary Wife of Ely Dubois, unknown
Harcourt, Nathaniel Unknown
King, Daniel Husband of Elisabeth Lyon
Knoulton, Daniel Unknown
Lewis, Alfred Unknown
Lewis, Cornelius Unknown
Lewis, Mycagy Unknown
Lockwood, Abigail Dau of Richard Lockwood, wife of James Woolsey, brother of Richard I. Woolsey
Lockwood, Josiah Captain Unknown
Lyon, Elisabeth Wife of Daniel King
Northrup, Abigail Wife of Ensign William Woolsey, parents of Richard I. Woolsey
Northrip, Curtis W. Son of Zephaniah Northrip and Ester Merritt, s/o Ebenezer Northrup & Rebecca Woolsey, d/o Rev. William W.
Northrap, Zephaniah Son of Ebenezer Northrop and Rebecca Woolsey, d/o Rev. William Woolsey & Sarah Lewis
Patten, George Unknown, died in explosion of Steamer Niagara
Cloe (Chlorine) 2nd wife of Richard I. Woolsey, d/o John Woolsey & Chlorine Peck Cloe (Chlorine) Wife of John Woolsey
Rhoads, Ester Unknown
Rhoads, Richard Unknown
Rowley, Charlot Wife of Jacob Rowley, maiden name unknown
Rowley, Jacob Husband of Charlot Rowley, Unknown
Sands, Benjamin Unknown
Sands, John Unknown
Smith, Lidy Wife of Nemiah L. Smith, maiden name unknown
Smith, Nemiah L. Husband of Lidy Smith, unknown
Steamboat Niagara 31 Jul 1847 - burst her steampipe
Townsand, Benjamin Unknown
Townsend, Pathy Unknown
Tuttle, Abraham Unknown
Wheeler, Phily Unknown
Wood, Edward Unknown, brother of William Woolsey Wood
Wood, John Unknown
Wood, Sarah Widow of John Wood - maiden name unknown
William Woolsey Unknown
Woolsey, Abigail Wife of James Woolsey, a brother of Richard I. Woolsey. Maiden name unknown
Woolsey, Abigail Relic of Stephen Woolsey, maiden name Woolsey?
Woolsey, Amanda Dau of Richard I. Woolsey & Cloe Peck
Woolsey, Clorine Dau of Richard I. Woolsey & Cloe Peck
Woolsey, Cyprian Meech Son of David William Woolsey, son of Richard Woolsey & Cloe Woolsey, David William Son of Richard I. Woolsey & Cloe Peck
Woolsey, Eleazer Son of Stephen Woolsey, son of Josiah Woolsey, son of Richard Woolsey & Sarah Fowler
Woolsey, Electa Dau of Richard I. Woolsey & Cloe Peck
Woolsey, Elijah Son of Henry Woolsey, son of Henry Woolsey & Sarah, son of Captain John Woolsey & Cloe Peck
Woolsey, Elijah Reverend Son of Captain John Woolsey and Cloe Peck Woolsey, Henry
Unknown Woolsey, James
Husband of Abigail Woolsey. James a brother of Richard I. Woolsey & Cloe Woolsey, Jonathan
Uncle of Richard I. Woolsey (See Letter) Woolsey, John (Captain) Husband of Cloe Peck, s/o Richard Woolsey & Sarah Fowler
Woolsey, John Son of Richard I. Woolsey & Cloe Peck
Woolsey, John G. Unknown, there is a John G. Woolsey, b abt 1813 - parents not known
Woolsey, Nathaniel Brother of Richard I. Woolsey
Woolsey, Noah Son of Rev. William Woolsey & Sarah Lewis. Noah was an uncle of Richard I. Woolsey.
Woolsey, Phoebe d/o of Joseph W. s/o Richard W. & Sarah Fowler, 4th Wife of Noah Woolsey, s/o Wm W. & Sarah Lewis
Woolsey, Richard Unknown - died 11 Mar 1827
Woolsey, Richard I. Son of Ensign William Woolsey and Abigail Northrup
Woolsey, Stephe (Stephen) Husband of Abigail Woolsey, his parents unknown
Woolsey, Thomas Son of Richard I. Woolsey & Cloe Peck
Woolsey, Walter Son of Thomas Woolsey & Sarah Ann Anthony, son of Richard I. Woolsey & Cloe
Woolsey, Brother (William) Brother of Richard I. Woolsey Woolsey, William (Ensign) Husband of Abigail Northrup, parents of Richard I. Woolsey
Wigant, Mical Unknown
Wygant, William Unknown, died in explosion of Steamer Niagara



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