George Willard

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ¹⁵⁵⁵
Geoge Willard was the younger brother of Major Simon Willard. He was mentioned in his father's will, "to son George Willard, six silver spoons and a silver and cilt cup, to be delivered to him after his mother's death." Geore Willard appears in the registers of the parish of Horsemonden as being baptized 4 Dec 1614.

George came to New England as early as 1638, or even as early as 1634 when his brother Simon arrived in the Americas. The first record of George was from 1 Feb 1638/9 when he was one of the citizens of Scituate, in Plymouth colony, when he took the oath of allegiance. George was called before the court 3 May 1641 to answer for "contemptuous words." The indictment ran that he had said that "they were fools and knaves that paid the rate" (taxes); that "the churches here and in the Bay (Massachusetts) did wrong in not baptizing their children;" thtat "the Assistants (judges) did not take the oath of supremcy before entering upon their places," etc. The chargest agains George Willard were dropped. George's dissatisfaction with the predominant church joined with other in the Second Church of Scituate lead by minister, William Etherell. Three of George's children were baptised in this church:

"Baptisms in the Second Church of Scituate by minister, William Wetherell since his election into office in Septembre: 1645:"

14 Sep 1645:
"Deborah ye daughter of George Willard"
"Daniel ye son of George Willard"
2 Nov 1645
"Joshua ye sonn of Geo; Willard"

There are no more records for George Willard in Scituate, but his name begins to appear in land records for Maryland.

"Jan: 9th 1652 George Willard Demandeth Two Hundred Aces of Land for Transporting himself and Samuell and Daniell his Sons and John Rele his Servant into this province this present Month."

"Warrent to lay out for George Willard two hundred Acres Lying above the back Creek between Harris' Land and Captain Cornwalleys on the South side of patuxent River not formerly taken up and this is your Warrent.

Aug 17th 1653, pat: A.A. Dan : Willard Called Willard purchase.

"Laid out for George Willard of patuxent River of the province planter a parcell of Land lying on the West side of the said River next adjoying to the Land of James Godsgrace and the said River planter beginning at the South bound tree of the Godgraces Land next the River and Running South and by East down the River for the length of one hundred perches to a marked Oak bounding on the South with a line drawn West from the said Oak for the length of three hundred and twenty perches On the West with a line drawn North and by West from the end of the West line for the length of One hundred perches unto the said Godsgraces Land. On the North with the said Land On the East with the said River Containing and now laid out for two hundred Acres more of less.     Robert Clark Surveyor."

"Willard's Purchase" was in the present town of Nottingham, Maryland. Only one deed of the "planter" is on record, a bill of sale of a cow, in the Maryland records:

"These presents witness that I George Willard planter in Patuxet doe hereby alienate assign and make over unto Arther Wright planter of the same county one black Cow with a red calfe by her side with the said cow marked with a hole in the right eare and the hole splitt out and the left eare whole with all and under the belly white, To have and to hold the said cow and calfe with all her future increase to him the said Arther Wright his executors administrators or assigns without the let trouble or molestation of me the said George Willard executors administrators or assigns and from all person or persons whatsoever Shall hereby Warrant and defent the same and to make good the sale. Witness my hand this 12 July in the year of our Lord God 1653.             George Willarde
Teste John Hamilton
       Jno. Kale.
      This same black Cow hath a bob tayle and white upon the Rump."

Children:

Deborah, baptized at Scituate 14 Sep 1645; m. Paul Sears, son of the founder of the Sears family of Massachusetts.
Daniel, bap. at Scituate 14 Sep 1645
Joshua, bap. at Scituate 2 Nov 1645. No further records found
Samuel, mentioned in Maryland land record.

Willard Genealogy, pp. 3-4, 10-14

• Background Information. ¹¹⁴
George Willard, the father of Paul Sears' wife, was the son of Richard and Joane (Morebread) Willard, of Hormonden, Kent, England, where he was baptized Dec 1641. He settled at Scituate for a time, removing thence it is said to Maryland. There is some reason to believe that his wife was Dorothy Dunster, daughter of Henry Dunster, of Balehold, near Bury, Lancaster, sister to Elizabeth Dunster, who married his brother Simon Willard; and the Reverand Henry Dunster, President of Harvard College.

~The Descendants of Richard Sares, p. 44