Welcome to my genealogy website for Dunk Williams(on)
aka Dunken William(on)on)
My name is Leslie Kirk from Titus, Alabama. I am a descendant of Dunk Williams through his son William Williamson. The information contained on this website was gathered from census records, land deeds, marriage records, wills, interviews, and books. I only list the generations that I have documented proofs and cite my sources. This line is a work in progress and additional information is requested and appreciated. You may email me at [email protected]
This line has been proven in various lineage societies such as Colonial Dames XVII Century, Daughters of the American Colonist, and Holland Dames.
Records exist for the spelling of Dunk Williams name in many forms Dunke, Duncken, Dunck, Dunken, Williams and Williamson. He was known as Dunk Williams, but the inscriptions on the memorial marker placed by his family was Duncan Williamson. In the Williamson (sometimes called the Johnson graveyard) situated in Bensalem township, near Bridgewater, a tablet has been erected with this statement: "In memory of Duncan WILLIAMSON, one of the original settlers of this township, who died about the year 1700."
The history of this family takes us back to the period prior to the grant of Pennsylvania to William PENN and possibly to two or three decades prior to that date when the representatives of three Eureopean nations were battling for supremacy on the shores of our middle states. The Swedes made the first organized settlement on Pennsylvania soil in 1638 under Peter MINUIT. The Dutch began almost immediately to contest their supremacy there, and from the time of the conquest of the Swedes by the Hollanders, two decades later, until the subsequent conquest of the latter by the English, representatives of the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic races began to make their appearance on the Delaware. The earliest records of the court at Upland (now Chester) under English jurisdiction in 1676, show a number of names of undoubted English origin, though the first justices were all Swedes. Dunck WILLIAMES, as his name is usually spelled in the earlier records, though it appears in various forms both as to first and surname, during his whole life was the founder of the family of WILLIAMSON in Pennsylvania.
Just when Dunk WILLIAMSON arrived on the Delaware is a matter of some conjecture. As early as 1667 Dunk WILLIMS and eight others secured from Governor Richard NICOLLS a patent for a tract of land of one thousand acres, known as Passayunk, indicating that he was one of the first settlers to secure title to land in what is now Philadelphia, from the English rulers who conquered the territory in 1664. His grant of land, in connection with Francis WALKER, under patent from Sir Edmund ANDROSS under date of July 18, 1676, comprehended 450 acres on the Neshaminy in the present limits of Bensalem township, comprising the present site of Dunks Ferry, named for him. “Franck WALKER,” first appears of record at Upland as the custodian of goods belonging to Captain Edward CANTWELL, who administered the oaths to the first justices at Upland in 1676. On a "List of Tydable persons under the jurisdiction of ye Court," made November 13, 1677, the names of "Dunk WILLIAMES" and "Franck WALKER" appear in the district of Taokanink (Tacony), and on November 12, 1678, Dunk WILLIAMS petitioned to take up one hundred acres of land "on the lower syde of Nieshambenies (Neshaminy) creek, 50 acres thereof at ye river syde & ye other 50 acres up in the woods;” This was therefore at the mouth of Neshaminy in Bensalem. He also served on a jury at the same date. On March 12, 1678-79, he petitioned to take up four acres of marsh back of his "plantaceion." On the latter date Edmund DRAUFTON brought suit against him for the tuition of his children, showing that at that early date of Pennsylvania colonists were interested in the education of their youth. The title of WILLIAMSON and WALKER to the tract of land in Bucks county was confirmed by PENN, and the former became a large landowner. The will of Dunck WILLIAMSON, dated February 12, 1607-8, and probated March 1, 1699-1700, mentions his wife, Wallery, sons William and John WILLIAMSON, and daughters, Hanns, wife of John GOUND, and Margared, wife of John JOHNSON.
Beginning in 1679, Dunken Williams operated a ferry across the Delaware River (to a location that is today in the City of Beverly, Burlington County, New Jersey). The road gave travelers access to his ferry for over 150 years, and today, over three hundred years later, 'Dunks Ferry' Road perpetuates both his name and enterprise. "Dunks Ferry Road, forming one of the boundaries of the park, is one of the oldest roads in Pennsylvania.
Dunk's Ferry is mentioned many times by George Washington in the Washington Paper's. George Washington's final plan was for three crossings, with his troops, the largest contingent, to lead the attack on Trenton. A second column under Lieutenant Colonel John Cadwalader was to cross at Dunk's Ferry, near Bristol, Pennsylvania, and create a diversion to the south.
General Washington considered it an important strategic point at a critical period of the Revolution. Click here to see more:
https://pennsylvaniagenealogy.org/bucks/dunks-ferry-in-pennsylvania.htm
Credits: Partial text taken from page 216, 217, 218 of: David, William W. H., A. M. History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania [New York-Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1905] Volume III
This line has been proven in various lineage societies such as Colonial Dames XVII Century, Daughters of the American Colonist, and Holland Dames.
Records exist for the spelling of Dunk Williams name in many forms Dunke, Duncken, Dunck, Dunken, Williams and Williamson. He was known as Dunk Williams, but the inscriptions on the memorial marker placed by his family was Duncan Williamson. In the Williamson (sometimes called the Johnson graveyard) situated in Bensalem township, near Bridgewater, a tablet has been erected with this statement: "In memory of Duncan WILLIAMSON, one of the original settlers of this township, who died about the year 1700."
The history of this family takes us back to the period prior to the grant of Pennsylvania to William PENN and possibly to two or three decades prior to that date when the representatives of three Eureopean nations were battling for supremacy on the shores of our middle states. The Swedes made the first organized settlement on Pennsylvania soil in 1638 under Peter MINUIT. The Dutch began almost immediately to contest their supremacy there, and from the time of the conquest of the Swedes by the Hollanders, two decades later, until the subsequent conquest of the latter by the English, representatives of the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic races began to make their appearance on the Delaware. The earliest records of the court at Upland (now Chester) under English jurisdiction in 1676, show a number of names of undoubted English origin, though the first justices were all Swedes. Dunck WILLIAMES, as his name is usually spelled in the earlier records, though it appears in various forms both as to first and surname, during his whole life was the founder of the family of WILLIAMSON in Pennsylvania.
Just when Dunk WILLIAMSON arrived on the Delaware is a matter of some conjecture. As early as 1667 Dunk WILLIMS and eight others secured from Governor Richard NICOLLS a patent for a tract of land of one thousand acres, known as Passayunk, indicating that he was one of the first settlers to secure title to land in what is now Philadelphia, from the English rulers who conquered the territory in 1664. His grant of land, in connection with Francis WALKER, under patent from Sir Edmund ANDROSS under date of July 18, 1676, comprehended 450 acres on the Neshaminy in the present limits of Bensalem township, comprising the present site of Dunks Ferry, named for him. “Franck WALKER,” first appears of record at Upland as the custodian of goods belonging to Captain Edward CANTWELL, who administered the oaths to the first justices at Upland in 1676. On a "List of Tydable persons under the jurisdiction of ye Court," made November 13, 1677, the names of "Dunk WILLIAMES" and "Franck WALKER" appear in the district of Taokanink (Tacony), and on November 12, 1678, Dunk WILLIAMS petitioned to take up one hundred acres of land "on the lower syde of Nieshambenies (Neshaminy) creek, 50 acres thereof at ye river syde & ye other 50 acres up in the woods;” This was therefore at the mouth of Neshaminy in Bensalem. He also served on a jury at the same date. On March 12, 1678-79, he petitioned to take up four acres of marsh back of his "plantaceion." On the latter date Edmund DRAUFTON brought suit against him for the tuition of his children, showing that at that early date of Pennsylvania colonists were interested in the education of their youth. The title of WILLIAMSON and WALKER to the tract of land in Bucks county was confirmed by PENN, and the former became a large landowner. The will of Dunck WILLIAMSON, dated February 12, 1607-8, and probated March 1, 1699-1700, mentions his wife, Wallery, sons William and John WILLIAMSON, and daughters, Hanns, wife of John GOUND, and Margared, wife of John JOHNSON.
Beginning in 1679, Dunken Williams operated a ferry across the Delaware River (to a location that is today in the City of Beverly, Burlington County, New Jersey). The road gave travelers access to his ferry for over 150 years, and today, over three hundred years later, 'Dunks Ferry' Road perpetuates both his name and enterprise. "Dunks Ferry Road, forming one of the boundaries of the park, is one of the oldest roads in Pennsylvania.
Dunk's Ferry is mentioned many times by George Washington in the Washington Paper's. George Washington's final plan was for three crossings, with his troops, the largest contingent, to lead the attack on Trenton. A second column under Lieutenant Colonel John Cadwalader was to cross at Dunk's Ferry, near Bristol, Pennsylvania, and create a diversion to the south.
General Washington considered it an important strategic point at a critical period of the Revolution. Click here to see more:
https://pennsylvaniagenealogy.org/bucks/dunks-ferry-in-pennsylvania.htm
Credits: Partial text taken from page 216, 217, 218 of: David, William W. H., A. M. History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania [New York-Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1905] Volume III