Pierce

William Wilson and Mary Pierce b. 1660

/ Kirstin Miller

William Wilson and Mary Pierce, my 8th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree

William Wilson was born around 1660 in Charlestown, Massachusetts to Edward Wilson and Mary Hale. William’s dad Edward and his uncle John Hale were Puritan ministers. John Hale was famous in the Salem witch trials and afterwards wrote a book about his involvement & thoughts. “A Modest Inquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft, in which he suggested the fear of witchcraft was so great that it impaired the judgment of everyone involved in the trials, possibly resulting in the death of innocent people.”

Mary Pierce was born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 13, 1661. “Boston Records Births, Pearse Mary ye Daughter of John Pearse and of Isabell his wife borne 13 March 1661”. Her parents, John and Isabell Pierce, could have been born in America or England. There are not a lot of records for Mary Pierce.

William and Mary were married on October 1, 1685 in Charlestown. “William Wilson and Mary Pearce of Boston married by Humphry Davies Esq. Oct 1, 1685.” Mary and William had two kids: Samuel and Mary. William was a woodworker, he made chairs and was a turner, using a lathe to make bowls and candlesticks.

William Wilson in U.S., Craftperson Files, 1600-1995 at Ancestry.


In September of 1695 William and his neighbors learned a bridge was being built near their road. They were against this bridge, to stop it they threw lots of logs, stones and lumber onto the road. They were called to the Boston Court on September 30, 1695. The Court ordered them to remove ‘nuisances and annoyances’ by October 1 or the men would all pay fines. There’s no final court record with further fines or issues so it all must have worked out.

William wilson and neighbors didn;t want the bridge, A Report of the record commissioners of the city of Boston at HathiTrust


William died in 1732 in Boston, Mary’s death date in unknown. When William Wilson died, his son in law Samuel Connable, husband of Mary Wilson was the estate administrator. Samuel and Mary’s 2nd great granddaughter Leydia Connable, moved west from Massachusetts to Indiana, then to Dunkerton, Iowa in 1854.

Sources

John Pierce b. 1639

/ Kirstin Miller

John Pierce 9th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

John Pierce was born about 1639 in America or England. His last name could have been Pierce, Pearce or Pearse or any variation. He was in Boston in 1659 where he married Isabel her last name is unknown. John was a bricklayer and mason in Boston. Mary Pierce (8th great grandmother) had a birth record in Boston: Mary ye Daughter of John Pearse and of Isabell his wife borne 13 March 1661 or 62. The year is listed as 1661 or 1662 because of the worldwide switch from the Julian, of Julius Caesar, to Gregorian, of Pope Gregory 13, calendar. The calendar switch made some years Old Style or New Style, double year dates show this.

John wrote his will April 8 1690 and probably died soon after this. A lot of unknowns.

Pierce coat of arms

Dixit et Fecit: He said and he did.

The Pierce coat of arms shows Three Ravens. The Crest is a Dove with an olive branch.

Sources