Willis Family - Ourfolk
Benjamin Willis 13 MAY 1718 - 1756
Benjamin was born on 13 MAY 1718 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA and died on 1756 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA and was buried on 1756 in Hardwick, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA .
Benjamin was married to Hannah Spooner (Willis) on 30 MAR 1743 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA.
Hannah was born on 18 AUG 1719 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA and died on 6 FEB 1812 (age: 92) in Hardwick, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA and was buried on FEB 1812 in Hardwick, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA .
She was the daughter of Samuel Spooner (4 Feb 1692-4 Feb 1693 - 1781) and Rebecca Weston (Spooner) (ABT 1696 - 20 Jan 1728-20 Jan 1729).
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Sources:
S1 Footnote: Records of William Spooner of Plymouth, Massachusetts &hisdescendants Thomas Spooner, 1883
Benjamin Willis was a farmer. He removed from Darmouth to Hardwick,Massachusetts, about 1749.
A grandson of his wrote some years since:
'My grandfather Willis died before I was born. I recollect but fewcircumstances mentioned by grandmother.'
'They moved into the wilderness; no land was cleared. They had to cutpoles and to make a yard before they could unyoke the oxen. She (mygrandmother,) showed me the rock beside which she made a fire and baked aJonny-cake for supper. Grandfather got his farm under such cultivation asto keep a good stock of cattle before he died. Grandmother administeredand settled the estate after great trouble, and carried on the farm. Thelatter part of one winter and in early spring, snow fell so deep that thefences were covered, and the crust was hard enogh to bear both men andcattle. Men went to march and April town meetings in a direct line. Beingshort of wood, grandmother would yoke the oxen, uncle Lemuel drive them(he was then ten or twelve years old) to the edge of the woods on thecrust of the snow; she cut down a tree, hooked the chain, and he drove tothe house while she cut another tree.
I remember after grandmother was eighty years of age, as she was singingone of her great-grand-children to sleep in her room, a neighbor called;the door of her room being ajar, he inquired withsome earnestness, 'whatyoung girl is in the other room singing?' '
Source: Records of William Spooner of Plymouth, Massachusetts & hisdescendants Thomas Spooner, 1883
A grandson of his wrote some years since:
'My grandfather Willis died before I was born. I recollect but fewcircumstances mentioned by grandmother.'
'They moved into the wilderness; no land was cleared. They had to cutpoles and to make a yard before they could unyoke the oxen. She (mygrandmother,) showed me the rock beside which she made a fire and baked aJonny-cake for supper. Grandfather got his farm under such cultivation asto keep a good stock of cattle before he died. Grandmother administeredand settled the estate after great trouble, and carried on the farm. Thelatter part of one winter and in early spring, snow fell so deep that thefences were covered, and the crust was hard enogh to bear both men andcattle. Men went to march and April town meetings in a direct line. Beingshort of wood, grandmother would yoke the oxen, uncle Lemuel drive them(he was then ten or twelve years old) to the edge of the woods on thecrust of the snow; she cut down a tree, hooked the chain, and he drove tothe house while she cut another tree.
I remember after grandmother was eighty years of age, as she was singingone of her great-grand-children to sleep in her room, a neighbor called;the door of her room being ajar, he inquired withsome earnestness, 'whatyoung girl is in the other room singing?' '
Source: Records of William Spooner of Plymouth, Massachusetts & hisdescendants Thomas Spooner, 1883
Last change (on this page): 15 OCT 2018