Thomas Willett: Difference between revisions

After having lost his first wife, Willett married Joanna Boyse in September 1671.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/peterpruddenstor00prud/page/56/mode/1up Prudden, Lillian Eliza (1901). ''Peter Prudden: a story of his life and New Haven and Milford, Conn.'' New Haven, Conn.: Tuttle, Morehouse and Taylor. p. 56.]</ref>

 

 

Willett left a large estate as evidenced by the inventory compiled for probate.<ref>[http://www.histarch.illinois.edu/plymouth/P231.htm THE INVENTORY OF THOMAS WILLETT.] ''The Plymouth Colony Archive Project''.</ref> When the Dutch recaptured New York in 1673, Willet's holdings along with those of the other English landowners there were confiscated; he died shortly thereafter and these holdings were never restored.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/newenglandhistor1907wate/page/164/mode/1up Burgess, p. 164.]</ref> Even with these losses, Willett died one of the wealthiest men in the colony as can be seen from the lengthy inventory. Although no record appears to exist indicating that Willett participated in the slave trade, the inventory of his estate indicates ownership of eight negro slaves when he died. The Plymouth court later decided to grant freedom after two years additional service to one of Willett's slaves who had been taken prisoner during King Philip's war and later returned to Willett's heirs.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/recordsofcolonyo05newp/page/216/mode/1up Shurtleff, '''V''' (November 1, 1676): 216.]</ref> Willett's will left the bulk of his estate to be divided among his sons (including Samuel Hooker, married to his daughter, Mary), along with more minor bequests to his unmarried daughters, grandchildren, an old servant, schools, churches, and the pastor, John Myles.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/newenglandhistor1907wate/page/159/mode/1up Burgess, p. 159.]</ref> Willett's will was made in April of 1671, prior to his second marriage.