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WILLIAM GIFFORD (d. 1687)

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William died between 9 April and 21 December 1687. [1] He had one or more unknown wives. He married last Mary Mills of Sandwich on 16 July 1683 in Sandwich. [2][3]

On 22 May 1651 the town of Sandwich ordered that four men, Goodman Tupper, Goodman Burge, Sr., Nathaniel Willis, and William Gifford, had the right to call a town meeting. [4]

William Gifford, was a tailor of Sandwich. [5] He became a Quaker. [5] By two or three wives he had seven sons and one or two daughters. [5]

William Gifford of Sandwich made his will on 9 April 1687. He says that he has already made gifts to his sons and his daughter. He mentions his wife Mary. He left his son John 20 shillings; his son Hannaniah 10 shillings; his son William "one stock of Beese;" his son Christopher a crosscut saw and a pair of new shoes; he son Robert five pounds; his daughter Mary five pounds; his daughter Mary a cow; his sons Jonathan and James ten acres of upland. He also left bequests to grandchildren with the last name of Kirby and other unnamed grandchildren. He named his wife Mary his executrix. His will has the paragraph, shown below. Inventory was taken on 21 December 1687 and his widow testified to it on 7 March 1687/8. [1]

Daniels and McLean published a detailed article on the lives of William and his children. [3]

Children of William Gifford:

i. John Gifford was born about 1642 in England. He died in 1708 in Sandwich. He married Elishua Crowell.

ii. Patience Gifford was born about 1644 in England. [3] She died about 1675. [3] She married Richard Kirby the younger on 9 October 1665 in Sandwich. [2]

iii. Hannaniah Gifford was the second son. [5] He was born about 1646 in England. [3] He died about 1709, probably in Manasquan, Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, New Jersey. [3] He married Elizabeth Unknown. [5] She married second ___ Greene, probably John Greene of Rhode Island. [3]

Hannaniah left Sandwich as early as 1670. [5] He and Elizabeth witnessed a wedding in Shrewsbury in 1679. [5]

iv. William Gifford was born about 1654. [3] He died in 1739 in Falmouth. [3] He had an unknown first wife, perhaps named Patience. [3] He married last Lydia Hatch. [3] Lydia, the daughter of Joseph and Amy (Allen) Hatch, was born on 13 July 1685 in Falmouth. [3]

v. Robert Gifford was born about 1654. [3] He married Sarah Wing in 1680 in Sandwich. [2]

vi. Christopher Gifford was born in July 1658 in Sandwich. [2][3] He died on 22 November 1748 in Little Compton, Rhode Island. [3] He married Deborah, the daughter of Edward and Mary (Freeman) Perry. [3] She was born on 2 April 1665 in Sandwich. [2][3] She died on 23 March 1724 in Dartmouth. [3]

Christopher may have gone to Shrewsbury with his brother Hannaniah. [3]

vii. Mary Gifford was mentioned in her father's will.

Children of William Gifford and Mary Mills:

viii. Jonathan Gifford was born on 4 May 1684. [3] He died on 10 February 1734/5 in Sandwich. [3] He married Lydia Abbott on 3 August 1708. [3]

ix. James Gifford was born on 10 March 1685/6. [3] He died on 20 October 1734 in Sandwich. [3] He married Deborah Lewis on 30 March 1710. [3] Deborah, the daughter of James (Thomas, George) and Eleanor (Johnson) Lewis, was born on 20 August 1686 in Falmouth. [3]

References:

1. “Barnstable, MA: Probate Records, 1685–1789,” database with images,  AmericanAncestors, vol. 1: 17–18.

2. "Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620–1850," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Sandwich.

3. Almon E. Daniels and Maclean W. McLean, "William¹ Gifford of Sandwich, Mass. (d. 1687)," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 128 (1974): 241–61; 129 (1975): 30–35.

4. Sandwich and Bourne Colony and Town Records, Library of Cape Cod History and Genealogy (Yarmouthport: C.W. Swift, 1912), no page numbers.

5. Stephen W. Gifford, Jr., "Yelverton Crowell of Yarmouth, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 125 (1971): 231–6.

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Last revised: 10-Feb-2024