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WILLIAM GIFFORD (d. 1687)
William died between 9 April and 21 December 1687. [BMPR] At the time of his death he had a wife named Mary.
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. [SBCR]
William Gifford, was a tailor of Sandwich. [YCY] He became a Quaker. [YCY] By two or three wives he had seven sons and one or two daughters. [YCY]
William Gifford of Sandwhich 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 sonw 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 pouns; 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 a curious paragraph, shown below. Inventory was taken on 21 December 1687 and his widow testified to it on 7 March 1687/8. [BMPR]
Children of William Gifford:
i. John Gifford married Elishua Crowell.
ii. Hannaniah Gifford was the second son. [YCY] He married Elizabeth Unknown. [YCY]
Hannaniah left Sandwich as early as 1670. [YCY] He and Elizabeth witnessed a wedding in Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, New Jersey in 1679. [YCY]
iii. William Gifford
iv. Christopher Gifford
v. Robert Gifford
vi. Mary Gifford
vi. Jonathan Gifford
vii. James Gifford
viii. Unknown daughter who died before 9 April 1687 and who married Unknown Kirby (unless Mary married Unknown Kirby)
References:
WGS. Almon E. Daniels and Maclean W. Mclean, "William1 Gifford of Sandwich, Mass. (d. 1687)," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 128 (1974): 231–61, specifically 250–2; 129 (1975): 30–44, specifically 36–40.
SBCR. Sandwich and Bourne Colony and Town Records, Library of Cape Cod History and Genealogy (Yarmouthport: C.W. Swift, 1912), no page numbers.
YCY. Stephen W. Gifford, Jr., "Yelverton Crowell of Yarmouth, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 125 (1971): 231–6.
BMPR. “Barnstable, MA: Probate Records, 1685–1789,” database with images, AmericanAncestors, vol. 1: 17–18.
Last revised: 21-May-2021