ii. Captain John Williams was born about 1621. He died on 22 June 1694 in Scituate, age about 73. [5] He married Elizabeth Lothrop.

John Williams might have been a good soldier, but he appears to have been one of the most unpleasant people in Plymouth Colony. He abused his wife, niece, and those who served him. He continually picked fights, even—apparently—with his father.

John Williams, Jr. was chosen constable of Scituate on 4 June 1650. [1, 2:153] He was propounded for freeman on 4 June 1650 and 3 June 1652 and was admitted a freeman on 7 June 1653. [1, 2:167; 3:30,32]

On 16 February 1655 John was appointed to a Grand Enquest to investigate the death of Richard Man. On 9 August 1655 the jury found that he died accidentally when he fell through the ice while crossing a pond. [1, 3:92]

On 3 June 1656 John was appointed to a jury to lay out lands for Arther Howland and Thomas Chillingsworth. [1, 3:102]

After James Cudworth was removed as Captain of the Scituate military company for his Quaker sympathies, Lieutenant Torrey and Ensign Williams were temporarily put in charge on 2 March 1657/8. [1, 3: 130] On 2 October 1658 John was appointed to a Council of War. [1, 3:153]

On 3 May 1659 a complaint was made against John Williams of Scituate for the hard usage of a daughter of John Barker of Scituate, deceased. The Court noted that the girl was weak and infirm. It ordered that she should live temporarily with Thomas Bird and Thomas should try to find the means to cure her. Thomas was ordered to appear at the next Court to testify about what went on between John and his kinswoman. On 7 June 1659 Ensign John Williams was allowed six shillings for attending court for four days to answer the complaint of Robert Barker on behalf of Deborah Barker. On 6 October 1659 John appeared in court. The Court did not find evidence to support Deborah's claims but it said she should not be returned to her uncle. Deborah chose Thomas Bird as her guardian and this was approved by the court. [1, 3:153, 160, 164, 171–2]

Apparently John had Quaker sympathies as on 1 May 1660 he was summoned for illegally entertaining a foreign Quaker and permitting a Quaker meeting in his house. On 6 June 1660 he was fined 40 shillings and—because he said he was trying to reform the Quakers—only temporarily removed from his post. [1, 3: 185, 189] On 6 March 1665/6 John was relieved as ensign. [1, 4:117]

On 3 March 1662/3 a committee was appointed to divide the land held by John Williams, Sr. and his son Ensign John Williams between them. [1, 4:30]

On 1 June 1663 John was on a jury of General Enquiry. [1, 4:37]

On 1 March 1663/4 Ensign Williams and John Bayly were fined for breaking the peace by striking each other. [1, 4:50]

On 4 October 1664 Edward Jenkins of Scituate complained that John Williams, Jr. built a fence, appropriating common land in Cohasset. The Court appointed a committee to investigate and gave it authority to remove the fence. [1, 4:75]

On 7 June 1665, after receiving many complaints about John Williams, Jr.'s treatment of his wife—calling her a whore and denying that her child was legitimate—the Court ordered John and his wife to appear. After listening to them, the Court admonished both and ordered them to live peacefully. Isaac Buck was asked to be "officious therein." On 3 October 1665 Ensign John Williams appeared in Court to answer Mr. Barnabas Lothrop's complaint on behalf of his sister. His wife pleaded her innocence with respect to the child. John demanded a jury trial, but when it was offered he refused. The Court proclaimed that Elizabeth, the wife of John, had been falsely accused of bearing an illegitimate child. On 1 May 1666, after John's continued bad behavior toward his wife, the Court permitted her to stay with friends and ordered John to provide for her. On 5 June 1666 a jury strongly condemned John's behavior and ordered him to pay his wife ten pounds a year. He was ordered to set aside one-third of his estate for her and was fined 20 pounds. The Court also ordered him to stand in the street or market place with a sign proclaiming his bad behavior. This last punishment was remitted at the earnest request of his wife. On 5 June 1667 the Court ordered Captain James Cudworth and Joseph Tilden to demand and receive from John what was due Elizabeth. On 4 July 1679 Elizabeth—"stricken in years"—complained to the court that she was not being paid enough to live comfortably. The court ordered that if John did not pay her ten pounds the first Tuesday of every month then he would be forced to pay 15 pounds. [1, 4:93, 107, 121, 125–6, 153; 6:18–19] In September 1691 it was noted that Elizabeth had complained that John had not paid the money due her in March 1689/90 and 1690/91. John was ordered to pay her 30 pounds plus costs; she accepted 21 pounds. [6, 19]

On 3 October 1665 John Williams, Jr. was granted guardianship of John Barker, Jr. [1, 4:108]

On 3 October 1666 Captain James Cudworth asked the Court to make a decision about some marsh meadow between his land and John's. He said he had suffered much damage after being unable to resolve matters with John. [1, 4:138–9]

John Williams of Scituate was fined 40 shillings for doing servile work on the sabbath on 1 July 1672. [1, 5:99]

John Williams was granted 75 acres in Scituate on 26 February 1673. [3]

On 1 March 1674/5 John Cowin was ordered to appear in court for assaulting and wounding Ensign John Williams. [1, 5:163]

John is referred to as Captain John Williams on 1 November 1679. [1, 6:24]

John complained that several of his horses had been destroyed and he had good grounds to suspect Edward Jenkins and Edward's servants. The court ordered Edward to appear, but as John produced no evidence, the case was dismissed on 1 November 1679. [1, 6:24–25.]

Captain John Williams was a selectman in Scituate and a deputy from Scituate on 7 June 1681. [1, 6:58, 61]

Two Indians convicted of robbing John Williams of Scituate were ordered to serve him for four months and then depart Scituate. On 8 March 1682/3 the Court noted that the Indian, George Partich, had escaped and had committed sundry misdemeanors such as "swearing, assaulting, threatening to kill" Captain Williams. He was ordered to be whipped, pay John an additional 20 shillings and other fines were imposed. George Clarke paid his fees and George Partich agreed to serve him for a year. [1, 6:11, 104]

On 7 July 1682 the Court ordered that four pounds and four shillings be paid to Captain John Williams for his services in the late war. [1, 6:93]

On 18 July 1685 John Alden wrote to the Chief Marshall of Plymouth and the constables of Scituate. He said that Captain John Williams had obtained a verdict of 16 pounds and seven shillings, plus costs. against Thomas Wade and Timothy White of Scituate and had not been paid. One of them was to go to Thomas or Timothy's houses and secure payment. If they did not get it, they should take one or both to jail in Plymouth. On 31 May 1686 Scituate constable Samuel Holbrooke responded. He said that he went to Thomas Wade's house and Thomas said that part of his estate could be set off to pay the fee. Samuel went to the house of Captain John Willis and asked him to choose an appraiser. John refused to do this and told Samuel that he should take Timothy White to jail. Samuel was uncertain of the law, but assured by John, conveyed Timothy to Boston. The jailer there refused to take Timothy into custody. Samuel then returned and tried again to get John to choose an appraiser, which he again refused to do. [1, 6:173–4]

On 6 July 1686 Thomas Wade and Timothy White brought suit against John. The jury found it depended on a point of law and the court ruled for John. John brought suit against Captain John Briggs and a Nathaniel Tilden in a land dispute. The case was dismissed and John assessed costs. John also successfully brought suit against John Holbrook. In October 1686 John was plaintiff upon an appeal from Thomas Wade and the court found for John. He was plaintiff upon an action of review against Samuel Holbrook—the put-upon constable—and the court found for Samuel. [1, 6:198, 199, 202]

In September 1686 John sued Joseph Parker on the grounds that he had not completed his promised five months service. Joseph said that he had not been paid and John said that Joseph had stolen from him. The jury found for John. [6, 1]

On 26 October 1686 John Negro, a slave of John's, was convicted of breaking into his master's house and stealing from him. He was sentenced to stand for an hour on the gallows, be branded on the hand with the letter B, and pay fines. [6, 3]

In March 1689/90 John sued both Thomas Man and Nathaniel Warren for debt. The jury found for the defendant in the first case and the plaintiff in the second. [6, 13]

In September 1690 John was presented for selling rum, cider, and beer to the English and cider to the Indians. He was released on the first charge and convicted and fined on the second. [6, 15]

In September 1690 Mary Sprout brought suit against John, claiming that she had served him for a year and not been paid. John was ordered to pay her. In September 1691 John brought suit against Mary, claiming that—assisted by Anne Sprout, James Cudworth, and Mary Cudworth—she had entered his chamber the night of 27 November 1689, thrown him on the ground, taken the key to his chest and stolen his goods. The case was abated by reason of uncertainty. [6, 15, 21–22]

On 3 March 1690/1 John was a deputy. [1, 6:259]

In September 1691 John sued John Tilden and Joseph Garrett for cutting timber on his land and Israel Cudworth for killing his steer. In both cases the court found for the defendant. [1, 2:21–22]

John Williams of Scituate wrote his will on 15 October 1691. The will is exceptionally long and wandering; it is now torn. He left his nephew John Barker of Marshfield half his share in his undivided lands at Conahasset and 30 pounds. He left John Barker's son John ten pounds and his farm in Scituate where he lived. His father was to have the farm until John was 21 and if John died without issue his brother Samuel was to have it on the condition he called himself Williams Barker. He also left Samuel 30 pounds and each of his sisters ten pounds.

He left is nephew Abraham Blush his house and the land in Scituate that he inherited from his brother Edward on the condition that Abraham pay ten pounds to his good friend Mr. Samuel Fuller of Middleboro, ten pounds to Sarah, the wife of Thomas Stetson, and forty pounds, equally divided, to Abraham's children.

He left his "Anncient Servant" John Bayley of Scituate the house where John Bayley lived on the condition that he pay some legacies: ten pounds to his sister Mary Dodson and ten pounds each to her daughters Margaret Dodson, Mary Booth, Patience Pierce, Bethiah Dodson, and Eunice Dodson. Mary Dodson had a bond for 40 pounds in her keeping where John Williams was debtor to the estate of his father, John Williams, deceased. A condition for the legacies to Mary and her daughters was that Mary deliver the bond to his executor within six months.

John had two Indian boys, George and Thomas, "Whome I obtained with my Sword and ... Bow." He left each a share of land at Showamet, ten pounds, and another 20 pounds to be paid by John Bayley. He also left George a bed and furniture and his black horse. He left Thomas his corn mill and land in Middleboro, except for what he had deeded his kinswoman Mary, the wife of David Wood, 60 acres he had bought from John Hanmer, his bed, a mare and colt, two cows, and two steers. The two boys were to take his surname. If one died with out issue, their estate was to go to the other; if both died, it was all to go to his servant Tom Bayley, who also received a share of land at Showamet. His Indian servant Will was left a bed and half a share of land at Showamet, which he purchased from Daniel Hicks. If Daniel transferred the land peaceably, he was left the other half share. John set George, Thomas, Tom Bayley, and Will free.

He left his friend and neighbor Joseph Woodworth the rest of his undivided land at Conahasset. He released his kinswoman Mary Wood and her husband from debts due him and gave Mary the 20 sheep in her possession. He left Rebecca, the wife of Samuel House, a cow and heifer. He left Margaret, the wife of George Masset, six pounds and John Hoskins four pounds. He left his "much Esteemed friend" Samuel Sprague 15 pounds. He left five pounds to his kinswoman Deborah Burden and each of her children, his kinswoman Ann Pratt and each of her children, Rebecca House's daughter, Robert Stanford, Richard Cox, James Doughty, and Ruth, the wife of Joseph Garrett. He clarified that Mary's Woods children with her husband Coombs were not included because he had already made provision for them. [7][8]

John named his nephew John Barker executor and Samuel Sprague and Joseph Woodworth executors.

On 5 July 1694 Elizabeth Williams of Barnstable, relict of Captain John Williams of Scituate, constituted her friend William Bassett, yeoman of Sandwich, as her attorney. They asked the court for money that was due her that year that had not been paid for whatever else she was entitled. The will was proved on 10 July 1694. Letters of administration on his estate were granted to new nephew and executor John Barker on 13 August 1694, along with instructions to reserve for Elizabeth her share. Inventory was taken on 14 November 1694 and John Barker made oath to it the next day. [7][8]

iii. Edward Williams died before 20 October 1671.

Edward Williams of Scituate was presented at the Grand Enquest on 2 March 1651 for taking and refusing to return a sack belonging to Gilbert Brooks. [1, 3:5]

Thirteen-year-old Moses Crooker and 11-year-old Richard Man broke into the house of Edward Williams of Scituate, taking his money and goods and endangering his life by spreading gunpowder by his hearth. On 3 March 1662/3 the court ordered them to be fined and severely whipped. They were to be put into servitude, Moses with John Williams, Sr. and Richard with Mr. Thomas Hinckley. [1, 4: 33–34] On 1 August 1665, at the request of the Court, Edward agreed to pay the widow Ann Crooker 40 shillings in consideration of her poor condition and to end all controversy between them over her son Moses. [1, 4:103]

Letters of administration for the estate of Edward Williams were granted to John Williams on 20 October 1671. [1, 5: 81]