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Note: THE FOLLOWING IS COPIED FROM “THE WILLETT FAMILIES OF NORTH AMERICA” , vol. 1, by ALBERT JAMES WILLETT, JR. (1985) [begin ALBERT JAMES WILLETT, JR. quote] from pp 248-251: The widow MARY (WASHBURNE) WILLETS A few years after Richard Willets' death his widow, Mary Willets, moved with her children to Jericho (or Lusum, or Springfield, or the Farms, as it Was variously called), one of the hamlets of Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, some ten miles distant from Hempstead. On March 24, 1666/67, she sold unto Joseph Williams of Hempstead the home lot and house next to the lot of Joseph Langdon on the north side of it, "the said home lot and housing I did lately dwell in." She brought a portion of her brother-in-law's, Robert Williams, Oyster Bay patent, or purchase, and settled at Jericho where she and her children resided the rest of their lives. She was among the earliest converts to the Quaker preaching of George Fox. Perhaps this was just a natural lean towards the faith of her own family. Early in the history of the Quaker movement, she became identified with that Society, and was a minister and held meetings at her own house in Jericho as early as 1678. Since falling to the English, Quakerism was less tolerated. The Anglican Church sought to establish its position as the state church. Mary Willets suffered distraint of property at the hands of the authorities on account of her non-payment of Minister's Church Rates. "There was less persecution of Friends in Oyster Bay than in some of the neighboring towns, and a meeting was settled there in 1659, and prospered. A half meeting existed as early as 1671, and George Fox, himself, preached there in 1672. A rock is still shown in the woods, on which he stood to address a multitude too large for any house to hold. In 1691, Oyster Bay Meeting included all Friends in Long Island, and New York, and as such, sent representatives to the general meeting at Newport, Rhode Island. “As early as 1678, Mary Willets, widow of Richard, a mother in Israel, had opened her house in Jericho for meetings and entertainment of travelling Friends. She, and her daughter-in-law, Abigail (who was left a widow early in 1703), suffered much in the distraint of their goods, for conscience sake. In 1703, a constable came to their houses and demanded 10 shillings for the priest who should be sent from England to Hempstead; and on their refusal, took from Mary ten and a half Yards of linen, worth 31 shillings, 6 pennies. And then going to Abigail's chamber, took nine and a half bushels of wheat, worth 38 shillings. “In 1705, another constable took from Mary and from Abigail's chamber what he pleased for John Thomas, the priest, how much neither knew, both being absent at meeting. In 1705, the collector demanded of Abigail 21 shillings 6 pence, and then going in the yard tool, five wethers, worth 50 shillings, and on demand from Mary of 12 shillings took her two pairs of new shoes and two platters, worth 25 shillings. Again a constable on demand of money for the priest, John Thomas, went into Mary's inner room and got her keys and opened her chest and took what money he chose, and going to Abigail's did the like. “In 1707, when Mary was counting money to pay a tax bill, the col- lector pulled out a bill for the priest's worship house, and seized what money he pleased, and then went to Abigail's house and searched for money and took, she knew not how much." At her death, on February 17, 1713, she was described as: "widow, Mary Willits, of Jericho, age near 85 years, an ancient and worthy minister in the Church of Christ. She received the blessed truth in early days and bore a public testimony in meetings, and continued faithful to the end of her days." (Bookstaver, page 82-83; Cornell, pages 238-239; Hook, pages 91-93; Wardwell, pages 112-113; and Willits, pages 56-60). [end ALBERT JAMES WILLETT, JR. quote]
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