TENTH GENERATION

520. * James WILSON *Sr. ^{(188) (117)(148) (189)(147)} was born between 1663 and 1665 in Woburn, Middlesex Co., MA. He died after 1760 in Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., MA. James occupation was independant farmer. In 1689, he appears on a list of businessmen of Rehoboth, Massachusetts. On 16 Jan 1692, he exchanged fifty acres of land in Charlestown (Woburn), containing dwelling house, orchard and barn, for sixty acres in Cambridge Farms (Lexington), at a place called World's End (Tophet Swamp). This exchange was with Isaac Hildreth, husband of sister Elizabeth. From records it appears James and Deborah became residents of Cambridge Farms (Lexington), on or before 1693 when he was taxed for purchasing ministerial lands. On 6 Feb 1699, James and Deborah joined the First Parish Society Church where most of their children were baptised. In 1701, at a convened meeting of selectmen, James and one other were chosen to oversee fences and to survey boundaries between Cambridge Farms and Billerica. He also served as an assessor in 1703 and a constable in 1713.

James second marriage was to the widow of William Peters who was killed in 1696 by Indians leaving her with a ten months old son. She was employed by James as a housekeeper, and soon after her husbands death, they were married.

In 1715, James of Lexington, purchased 300 acres of land in Killingly, Connecticut, from Samuel Converse of Woburn. Sometime between 1714 and 1715, James and Margaet moved from Cambridge Farms (Lexington), to Killingly, Connecticut. Also, during this period, James purchased land in Leicester, Worchester County, because in 1626 he signed over land there to his son James Jr.

From records of the Old Church on Putman Heights, First Parish Church of Killingly, Connecticut, Rev. John Fisk recorded that James and Margaret were admitted as members on 27 Dec 1715. Other members of this parish were Samuel, Edward and Thomas Converse, relations of James first wife Deborah. In May 1728, by act of a General Assembly, an area was set aside as the Second Parish Church of Killingly, also known as the North Society, and in May 1785 it become the Town of Thompson. Constituent members of this parish were Marston Cabot, pastor elect, James Wilson, Samuel, Edward and Thomas Converse. On 15 Oct 1738, James, his second wife Margaret, and their daughter Hannah, moved their church membership from the First Parish Church of Killingly, located in Putnam, to the new Second Parish Church which was closer to their home. In 1785, the Second Parish of Killingly was established as the town of Thompson. Records for many generations of the Wilson family are found in the Churches of Putman and Thompson, Connecticut [Note: Wilsonville, or Child Mills, Thompson Township, was named after an unrelated Wilson family].

It is recorded that James was one of the original thirty-seven grantors or settlers of Leicester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Whether he ever actually lived there is unknown. However, in Jan 1724 the State conveyed the land to the original settlers. How much land was conveyed to James is also unknown. However, the following year he conveyed one hundred fortyseven acres to his son James Jr., believed to be Lot 10 and Lot 2 [see Map of Leicester, East Precinct (settlers part), 1714-1717]. A deed of conveyance was recorded in Killingly.
He was married to Deborah PIERCE * on 19 Jan 1686/87 in Woburn, Middlesex Co., MA.⁽¹⁹⁰⁾

521. Deborah PIERCE * ^{(191)(192) (193)} was born on 30 Oct 1666 in Woburn, Middlesex Co., MA. ⁽¹⁹⁴⁾ She died on 14 Dec 1703 in Lexington, Middlesex Co., MA. It is assumed she died from the effects of childbirth as she died 5 days after giving birth to her 8th child (stillborn). She was mentioned in her fathers will when he left a legacy to the children of his deceased daughter, Deborah Wilson. Children were:

i. Infant WILSON⁽¹⁹⁴⁾ was born on 4 Jul 1688 in Woburn, Middlesex Co., MA. She died on 4 Jul 1688 in Woburn, Middlesex Co., MA.
ii. Deborah WILSON⁽¹⁹⁵⁾ was born on 27 Feb 1689/90 in Woburn, Middlesex Co., MA. She was baptized in Aug 1699 in Cambridge Farms (Lexington), Middlesex, MA. Children of Deborah and Hezekiah Russ were: Deborah, 1710; Margaret, 1714; Abigail, 1718; John, 1720; Hezekiah, 1723; Jonathan, 1726, and Meriam, 1732.
iii. Abigail WILSON^{(148) (196)} was born on 8 Feb 1692 in Woburn, Middlesex Co., MA. She was baptized in Aug 1699 in Cambridge Farms (Lexington), Middlesex, MA. She died on 30 Aug 1730 in Putnam, Windham, CT. Abigail and Capt. Jacob Cummings had five children: Abigail, 1722; Sarah, 1723; James, 1726; Martha, 1727, and Mary, 1729.
260 iv. Deacon James WILSON *Jr..
v. Infant WILSON was born about 1694 in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., MA. He (or she) died about 1694 in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., MA.
vi. Ebenezer WILSON^{(197) (148)(198)} was born about 1699 in Cambridge Farms (Lexington), Middlesex, MA. He was baptized on 15 Oct 1704 in Cambridge Farms (Lexington), Middlesex, MA. He died on 27 Oct 1785. Ebenezer came to Connecticut when his father settled in Thompson in about 1714. Record of his marriage to Anne (?), cannot be found. However, they are often referred to in Church Records of Killingly. On 15 August 1756, they were admitted into full communion of the First Church of Killingly. All their children were baptised in the Killingly church, and were: Sarah, b. 3 Jul 1722, d. 14 Mar 1801, Woodstock, m. Killingly, 28 May 1740, John Mascraft, son of Samuel and Mehitabel (Bacon) Mascraft; Ebenezer, 9 Mar 1723/4, m. Thankful Atwell of New London; Anne, b. 17 Jun 1726; Mary, b. 23 Jan 1727/28, m1. Woodstock, 21 Mar 1746, Jacon Mascraft, son of Samuel and Thankful (Holmes) Mascraft (his 2nd wife); Elizabeth, b. 19 Feb 1729/30, m. 23 Feb 1748/9, John Knight, Jr. of Killingly; William, b. 9 Nov 1731; Jonathan, b. 28 Aug 1733; Phebe, b. 7 Dec 1735, m. Killingly, 4 Mar 1756, Elisha or Elihu Lawrence; Sybil, b. 25 Mar 1737/8, d. Woodstock, 24 Sep 1815, m1. Killingly, 7 Nov 1754, John Ranney, son of John and Martha (Miller) Ranney, m2. Woodstock, 24 Oct 1765, Isaiah Lyon, son of Aaron and Elizabeth (Allen) Lyon; Isaac, b. 6 Dec 1739; and Chloe, b. 11 Jul 1743.
vii. John WILSON^{(148) (199)(200)} was born about 1702 in Cambridge Farms (Lexington), Middlesex, MA. He was baptized on 17 Sep 1704 in Cambridge Farms (Lexington), Middlesex, MA. He died on 28 Jul 1773 in Coventry, Tolland Co., CT. He was buried in Old Coventry Cemetery. John had received 40 acres of land in Killingly from his father in February 1726. On 18 April 1728, John's wife Dorothy was received into full communion at the Old Church on Putnam Heights in Killingly. In January 1738, John and Dorothy, of Coventry, sold their land in Killingly. John's will was dated 21 May 1768. He names his wife Dorothy, sons William and Joseph, daughter Abigail Herrick, and children of his deceased son Francis.
First four children by John and Dorothy were recorded in Killingly, the others in Coventry: John, bapt 18 Apr 1728, d. Coventry, 10 Sep 1740; William, b. Killingly, 8 Jun 1729, d. Coventry, 1819, m. Cov, 26 Jul 1749, Sarah Rust, dau of Samuel and Srah (Hockings) Rust, Sarah and Samuel had 9 children recorded in Cov.; Francis, b. Lillingly, 11 Jun 1732, d. Cov. 15 Jan 1767, m. Cov. 10 Feb 1757, Abigail Fellows, dau. of Isaac and Abigail (Hutchins) Fellows; Dorothy, b. Killingly, 24 Apr 1735, d. Cov 2 Jun 1739/40; Abigail, b.Cov. 10 Aug 1738, d. Tyringham, MA, 27 Jan 1789, m. Ezekiel Herrick, son of Ezekiel and Mary (Rust) Herrick; and Joseph, b. Cov. 31 Mar 1745, who lived in Tolland, CT, and Tyringham, MA.
viii. Infant WILSON was born on 9 Dec 1703 in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., MA. He (or she) died on 9 Dec 1703 in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., MA. Child died 5 days before it's mother.