WEEKS GENEALOGY
(version 3/20/11)
Please email corrections to Mike Clark

Although Sir Walter Raleigh and others made a few ill-fated attempts to establish British settlements in North America as early as 1585, colonization did not truly begin until the successful settlement in 1608 of Jamestown, in what became the Virginia Colony. Other settlements followed, including the founding in 1630 of Piscataqua, also called the Strawberry Banke, on the Atlantic Coast in what was then the Massachusetts Colony.

Strawberry Banke became incorporated as the town of Portsmouth in 1653, and included an area on the southwest outskirts that dates to thirteen years earlier when Captain Francis Champernowne settled there and called it Greenland. Portsmouth became a thriving port, as well as a haven for settlers leaving the Puritan intolerance of other Massachusetts settlements. When New Hampshire Colony was carved out of Massachusetts in 1679, Portsmouth became its first capitol.

1. Leonard Weeks is first mentioned in the parish records of Compton Martin in Somerset County, England, which record the names of two of the sons of John Wyke of Moreton - William who was baptised in 1636, and his brother Leonard who was baptised in 1638. However, it is likely that Leonard's acutal birth was several years prior, perhaps in 1635.

   When and how Leonard Weeks came to America is unknown, but his name is not mentioned next until Dec. 6, 1655, when he is listed as witness to a bond in what is now York County, Maine. He is mentioned next in the Portsmouth records on June 29, 1656, when he received a grant of eight acres of land. Because it is said that "when he first went to the part of Portsmouth now called Greenland, he lived one year on a farm owned by Capt. Champernoon", it is likely that Leonard's land grant was in the same area. He received more land in 1660, presumably in Greenland again, and he was living the following year in Greenland on the Winnicut River, where he remained the rest of his life.

   Leonard Weeks is mentioned several times in the Portsmouth town records, and he held various town offices. He was elected one of the selectmen (basically a town elder) in 1661. He later became a constable, and for several years he was the sheriff. When New Hampshire colony separated from Massachusetts in 1665, "Leonard Weeks stood for Massachusetts." He married first in 1667 Mary Haines, the daughter of his neighbor Deacon Samuel Haines, and second Elizabeth, who survived him. He died in 1707 at his farm in Greenland. He had seven children, all born in Greenland, who are listed below. The first five were with Mary Haines, and there is speculation that the last two were with Elizabeth, but this is not certain.

   children - WEEKS

   John Weeks was born June 14, 1668; and died before Feb. 1711/1712. He is said to have had three or more children.

   Capt. Samuel Weeks was born Dec. 14, 1670; and married his cousin Elinor Haines, with whom he had several children. He died March 24, 1746.

   Joseph Weeks was born March 11, 1672; and married Hannah, with whom he had several children. He died Nov. 27, 1775.

   Col. Joshua Weeks (1674-1758) who follows:

   Mary Weeks was born July 19, 1676; and married Lieutenant Joshua Brackett, with whom she had several children. She died in 1749.

   Jonathan Weeks married Elizabeth Cate; and died "an old man" on June 27, 1748.

   Margaret Weeks was born June 4, 1679; and may have married Tobias Lear. Margaret and sister Sarah may have been twins born to Leonard Week's second wife Elizabeth.

   Sarah Weeks may have been Margaret's twin, which would place her birth on June 4, 1679, but this is tentative. She may have married Tobias Langdon.

    

2. Col. Joshua Weeks, the son of Leonard Weeks and Mary Haines, was born born 30th June, 1674 in Greenland, New Hampshire; and married Comfort Hubbard in Nov. 1, 1699 in Boston, Massachusetts. Comfort was the sister of Thomas Hubbard, a merchant in Greenland. Joshua lived on a farm at the Bay Side in Greenland that had previously been occupied by Deacon William Weeks. He was the colonel of a regiment, and served as Justice of the Peace. Comfort died March 20, 1756, and was followed by Joshua who died at the Bay Side on June 13, 1758. Joshua and Comfort had several children, all born in Greenland, who are listed below.

   children - WEEKS

   Martha Weeks was born in 1704; and married first Chase Wiggin on Jan. 9, 1723, and second Col. Winthrop Hilton on Dec. 9, 1736. She had several children by both husbands.

   Joshua Weeks was baptized in Hampton, New Hampshire on Nov. 19, 1706; and married Sarah Jenness on Oct. 24, 1734. He died Feb. 10, 1736, just before the birth of his only child, a son.

   Comfort Weeks was born about 1706; and married Walter Weeks, with whom she had several children. She died Dec. 1786.

   Mary Weeks was born abt. 1710; and married Capt. Jonathan Chesley, with whom she had several children. She died in Durham, New Hampshire in July 1765.

   Icabod Weeks was baptized in 1713; and "was a young man of promise", but died Nov. 3, 1736.

   John Weeks (1716-1763) who follows:

   Thankful Weeks was baptized in 1720; and married George Marshall on April 17, 174, with whom she had four children.

   Maj. William Weeks was born July 28, 1723; and married Elinor Clement on March 20, 1748, with whom he had thirteen children. He died Sept. 17, 1798.

   Richard Weeks was baptized in 1727; and died young.

   Margaret Weeks was baptized in April 1728; and married first Ebenzer Smith, and second John Frost. She had several children with both husbands.

    

3. Dr. John Weeks, the son of Col. Joshua Weeks and Comfort Hubbard was born in 1716 in Greenland, New Hampshire; and married first on Dec. 10, 1737 Martha Wingate, the daughter of Major Joshua Wingate of Hampton. Martha died of a "violent fever" in 1758, leaving nine children. He married second a girl named Elizabeth. John was a physician by trade, and was a follower of the Methodist theologian John Whitfield, which is said to have displeased his father. Joshua died Oct. 20, 1763 of consumption, leaving a young widow and nine children, all from his first marriage.

   children - WEEKS

   Rev. Joshua Wingate Weeks was born 1738, graduated Harvard University in 1758, and married Sara Treadwell of Ispwich abt. 1762. He died in 1806 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

   Comfort Weeks was born Jan. 10, 1740 or 1741; and married first Dr. Coffin Moore on March 3, 1760, with whom she had several children. She married second Simon French, and had died Nov. 1, 1814.

   Martha Weeks was born in 1742; and married Capt. Benjamin Randall, but died of consumption two years later, leaving a son.

   Mary Weeks was born Feb. 22, 1745. She married first Adino Nye, and second Joseph Brackett, and had children by both husbands.

   Sarah Weeks was born in 1747; and married Rev. Jacob Bailey in Aug. 1762, with whom she had several children. She died March 22, 1818 at Annapolis.

   Capt. John Weeks was Feb. 17, 1749 born in Hampton, New Hampshire; and married Deborah Bracket on Dec. 20, 1770, with whom he had several children. He died Sept, 10, 1818

   William Weeks was born March 20, 1751 in Hampton, New Hampshire; and married Susanna Haines, with whom he had several children. He died in Chester, New Hampshire in Sept. 1821.

   Ward Cotton Weeks (c.1753-1780) who follows:

   Joanna Weeks was born Dec. 31, 1755; and married Levi Folsem in Newmarket on Dec. 4, 1777, with whom she had several children. She died July 17, 1826 in Tamworth.

    

4. Ward Cotton Weeks, the son of Dr. John Weeks and Martha Wingate was baptized July, 1753 in Hampton, Massachusetts; and married Mary Barker of Exeter on Aug. 12, 1774. Ward was a solder in the Revolutionary War in 1775 in Captain Samuel Gilman's Company in a regiment commanded by Col. Enoch Poor. Later that year he was promoted to sergeant and was among those who received regimental colors. His company in 1777 was assigned to the northern army commanded by Zebulon Weeks and took part in the Battle of Saratoga. He became a clothier after the war, and was in partnership with his father-in-law Jonah Barber in 1778. Afterwards, he became a sea captain and died of yellow fever on board ship, possibly in the West Indies, on June 8, 1789, leaving a young son under seven years of age, who follows.

   children - WEEKS

   John Wingate Weeks (c.1787-1865) who follows:

    

5. John Wingate Weeks, the son of Ward Cotton Weeks and Mary Barker was born about 1787, probably in Newmarket, New Hampshire; and married either Hannah Durgin or Hannah Perkins (b. 1777, d. Sept. 22, 1852), probably the former. He moved to Brighton, Maine and died there May 1, 1865.

   children - WEEKS

   Cotton Weeks resided in Wellington, Maine and lived to the age of 94.

   Gilman Weeks was born 1810.

   John Weeks (1806-1882) who follows:

   Alva Weeks, the fourth child.

   Noah Weeks was born 1820; and died Nov. 5, 1852.

   Bradford Weeks was born 1819; and died Sept. 8, 1822.

   Caroline Weeks was born 1812; and died Noc. 10, 1848.

   Joanna Weeks, the eighth child.

   Mary Weeks died June 6, 1842.

   Hannah Weeks died Jan. 1, 1845.

    

6. John Weeks, the son of John Wingate Weeks and Hannah, was born Feb. 10, 1806 in Cornville, Maine; and married Amanda Lord (b. Sept. 15 1810), daughter of James Lord (1770-1841) and Olive Goodwin (1777-1846) of Athens, on June 24, 1828 in Wellington, Piscataquis County, Maine, which is next to Athens. He was a miller by trade, but listed his occupation in the U.S. Census of 1880 as a retired grocer. John and Amanda moved their family to Ware, in Hampden County, Massachusetts prior to 1850, then again to Greenwich, in the same county, sometime before 1855. John died February 22, 1882 in Springfield, Massachusetts, afterwhich Amanda returned to Ware, where she died on Nov. 5, 1890.

   children - WEEKS

   Adeline Weeks was born May 20, 1828 in Brighton, Maine; and married Nathan G. Reed of Ware, Maine. She died Nov. 16, 1902.

   Joanna Weeks was born March 8, 1830 in Wellington, Maine; and married Henry H. Greene. She died Jan. 25, 1902 in Warren, Maine.

   Lydia Weeks was born 1833 in Maine; and married Philander Emery. She died in 1855.

   Melinda Lord. Weeks was born July 16, 1836 in Brighton, Maine; and married Henry H. Warner of Ware.

   John Milton Weeks was born Aug. 31, 1840 in Maine; and married first Sarah P. Shumway on June 1, 1862, and second Charlotte Sargent.

   James Lord Weeks (1842-1923) who follows:

   Charles A. Weeks was born about 1844 in Maine.

   Some family trees also place Hannah Weeks (b. 1842) and Jane Eliza Weeks, (b. 1844), both born in Brighton, Maine, in this family also. However, neither of these girls appear in the US Census of 1850 for this family, when the family was living in Ware, Massachusetts; and neither appear in the 1855 Massachusetts State Census when the family was in Greenwich, Massachusetts.

    

7. James Lord Weeks,, the son of John Weeks and Amanda Lord, was born March 1, 1842 in Brighton, Maine; and married Martha E. Bridges in on Aug. 21, 1862 in Warren, Massachusetts. He listed is occupation as blacksmith in the U.S. Census of 1880. Martha died sometime between 1900 and 1910, and James died Jan 29, 1923 in Hampden, Massachusetts. James and Martha had one surviving son.

   children - WEEKS

   John Weeks was born Aug. 17, 1870 and died the same day. His twin brother James survived.

   James William Weeks (1870-1910) who follows:

    

8. James William Weeks, the son of of James Lord Weeks and Martha Bridges, was born August 17, 1870 in Hampden, Massachusetts. His twin brother John died the same day. Although James survived, he was so small that he slept in a shoe box behind the stove, and because of his size, he was given the nickname "Wee Willie Weeks". He married Alice Maud Smith on Dec. 7, 1892 in Southbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Alice had been born Dec. 1870 in Massachusetts, and her parents were Daniel Smith (b. c.1842), and Susan Hovey (b. c.1850). Her father Daniel, who had been born in New York, died in an old soldiers home, which indicates that he was probably a Civil War veteran. Alice died on March 12, 1910 in Palmer, Massachusetts, just a few days after the birth her fifth child Philip. James died on June 14, just three months later, and their children were sent to live with friends and relatives. Both James and Alice are buried in the Prospect Hill Cemetery in Hampden.

   children - WEEKS

   Edward Carl Weeks was born May 10, 1894 in Hampden Massachusetts. He had an ailment, possibly epilepsy, and was in an institution in Monson, Massachusetts from the time his mother died in 1910, possibly right up until his own death in Monson in March 1941.

   Albert Sidney Weeks was born Aug. 2, 1897 in Hampden Massachusetts, and went overseas with the U.S. Army during WWI, where he was killed by machine gun fire in France on Aug. 2, 1918. He was serving as a corporal in the 4th Division, 47th Infantry Regiment, and he died during the Second Battle of the Marne. He is buried in the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery in Picardy, France (Plot B Row 14 Grave 21).

   Hilda Rose Weeks was born Sept. 27, 1899 in Hampden Massachusetts, and died on Sept. 2, 1900, a few days before her 1st birthday.

   Helen Louise Weeks (1902-1982) who follows:

   Philip James Weeks was born Feb. 20, 1910 in Hampden Massachusetts. When Philip's parents both died shortly after his birth, he was sent at first to live with Charles and Nellie Hastings. Later, he went to live with Bertha Davis and her first husband Frank Davis, who adopted him and changed his name to Philip Weeks Davis. He grew up to became an interior decorator, and died unmarried, after a short bout with kidney disease, on Dec. 24, 1966 in Boston (Palmer?), Massachusetts.

    

9. Helen Louise Weeks, the daughter of James William Weeks and Alice Maud Smith, was born March 12, 1902 in Palmer, Massachusetts. She lived in Palmer until the 1910 death of her mother, after which she stayed on in Palmer in the care of her Sunday School teacher Jennie Effie Brainerd. She married her first husband Arthur Webster Harris on June 30, 1927 in Palmer, but he was several years older than she, and they divorced shortly after their daughter Jean was born in 1931. Helen then placed Jean in the care of family friend Bertha Cloon, and traveled all around the United States teaching cooking classes, until she married her second husband Navy officer Lawrence Earl Hall in 1948 in Sparks, Nevada. The web page on Bertha Cloon has some more information on Helen and Jean, up until the time of this second marriage. Lawrence, who was a career officer in the Navy, eventually got assigned to the Navy shipyards at Vallejo, California, which resulted in them moving to northern California, where he and Helen eventually rented an old Victorian House on Rockville Road in the orchards on the outskirts of Fairfield. Commander Hall died while living in this house in May, 1970, and Helen's first husband Arthur died May 17, 1971 in Woodville, New Hampshire. Helen stayed on at the Rockville house and died April 22, 1982 in Fairfield, California. Lawrence is buried with a millitary tombstone in the Fairfield-Suisun Cemetery, and Helen's ashes were scattered at sea. Helen had two children, one from each marriage, who are listed below.

   Of the first marriage (to Arthur Harris)

   Jean Alice Harris (1931-2011), see Harris Genealogy

   Of the second marriage (to Lawrence Hall)

   Lynn (Toby) Weeks Hall was born June 12, 1945 in Compton, a suburb of Los Angeles, California. He married Ruby (Debbie) Lee Gray (b. Nov. 9, 1940), on Aug. 2, 1970 in Sacramento, California. Debbie had four sons from her previous marriage to James? Vangundy - John Vangundy, Daniel J. Vangundy (b. April 5, 1962 in Fairfield, CA), James A. Vangundy (b. March 20, 1966 in Fairfield, CA), and David Erwin Vangundy (b. c.1968). Their second son Daniel committed suicide in 1997. Toby and Debbie lived for a time in Susanville, California, then moved to the Reno and Sparks area of Nevada, and later to Washington state. After a long battle with Alzheimers, Debbie died on Feb. 25, 2009 in Aberdeen, Washington, where Toby lives today.

    

SOURCES:

1. Lineage written by James L. Weeks c.1894-1898, amended by Philip James Weeks: family papers, 1 p.

2. Cutter, William Richard (1910) - Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., New York, v.II, p. 841-843.

3. Chapman, Jacob (1889) - Leonard Weeks of Greenland, N.H. and his Descendants, 1639-1888, Joel Munsell's Sons, Publishers, New York, 184 p.

4. Melinda Lord (Weeks) Warner Obituary: from an unknown newspaper.

Please email corrections to Mike Clark