Notes:

. John is the son of Jane Ramsay & Hugh Willson, born 1700 Ireland.
John's first wife died 1768 in Ireland. He then married Catherine Kuhn in New York.
> NOTE: This first husband of Catharine Kuhn is unrelated to the John Willson, Esq., 2nd husband of Catherine B Kuhn. - PJA

* John Willson, b. 1745, d. before 1791 Feb 12 Clinton.
Note: date wife was appointed administratrix. - PJA]

. He fled Ireland ahead of the authorities as he was outspoken against injustices & rigged trials leaving his pregnant wife in his parents' care. The newspapers carried account of their flight.
Hugh L. Willson was born in County Down while the family had been living in Carrickfergus County Antrim leads me to think that John's FIRST wife was living on her brother-in-law's farm at the time of Hugh L Willson's birth.
He met & married Catherine in New York & they had a rented farm 12 miles east of Poughkeepsie near the Connecticut border.
John had little sympathy for the xx & that before & after the actual declaration of war, he had been arrested several times, bound over to keep the peace, fined & even served a term of imprisonment for defending sometimes with his fists, his right to reject the excesses of the most militant of the colonists.

. 1790 Clinton, Duchess, New York Census
Augustine Titus, Males 3, Boys under 16Y 2, Females 5 [Total 10 Persons], (& next person is )
John Willson, Males 3, boys under 16Y - 2, Females 6 [Total 11 Persons].

. Clinton, Dutchess Co., NY
Clinton was first settled around 1755. The town was part of the Great Nine Partners Patent of 1697. The town was established in 1786 from territory from the Towns of "Charlotte" & Rinebeck.

Prior to the War of the Revolution Presbyterians at Poughkeepsie held services with more or less regularity. They shared the ministrations of a pastor now with the Rombout Church at Brinckerhoff & now with the Pleasant Valley Church. During the war the congregation at Poughkeepsie lapsed out of existence. In 1817 the congregation was revived & in 1826 it was formally organized. This lot of land was given to the church in 1821 for burial purposes. Since 1911 the lot has been sold by the church & a garage built upon it but legal difficulties have been encountered, in connection with passing the title, affording a specific instance of the fact that ground originally set aside for burial purposes can rarely be transferred with clear title.
Ref: Old Gravestones of Dutchess Co. NY, JW Poucher, 1924.

. The GREAT Nine Partners:
Located in the present Poughkeepsie Precinct (i.e. similar to a county).
Dutchess then comprised the following towns: Amenia, Beekman, Clinton (formed March 13, 1786, from portions of Charlotte & Rhinebeck Precincts), Fishkill, North East, Pawling, Poughkeepsie, Rhinebeck & Washington. A Presbyterian church was organized in Poughkeepsie as early as 1749, but failed to maintain itself or erect a building. - - -

Died:
(Nine Partners is near Poughkeepsie, NY & also borders on Connecticut.)

John married Catherine B KUHN in 1770 in New York State. Catherine was born on 10 Feb 1754 in Dutchess County, New York; died on 10 Feb 1840 in Sharon, E. Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Hugh Latimire WILLSON, Jr. 2 was born in Dec 1768 in Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, Ireland; died on 3 Jan 1828 in Sharon, E. Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds.
2. David L WILLSON, .1 was born on 7 Jun 1778 in Nine Partners, Dutchess Co., New York; died on 19 Jan 1866 in Sharon, E. Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds.
3. Capt. John I WILLSON, .2 was born on 15 Aug 1781 in Pleasant Valley, Dutchess Co., New York; died on 16 Feb 1859 in Cherry Hill, Pennsylvania; was buried in Cherry Hill Cemetery.
4. Anna Maria ANNIE WILLSON was born in Aug 1786 in Clinton Twp., Dutchess Co., New York; died on 24 Dec 1824 in Sharon, E. Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds.
5. Mary MOLLY WILLSON, .1 was born on 22 Jun 1792 in Clinton Twp., Dutchess Co., New York; died on 22 Jun 1858 in Sharon, E. Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds.

Notes:

. Hugh had been destined for the Presbyterian ministry, but the economic disruption of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) had led to a downturn in the family fortunes & put an end to Hugh's schooling.

. 1775, Hugh followed his Brother John Willson to America, bringing with him John's son, Hugh L., who went to live with his father & stepmother. Two sons Hugh & John Willson came to American 1770, sail up the Hudson River to Dutchess County NY.

Hugh made a fortune in shipbuilding. Three or four of his grandsons built mansions in Ireland while the oldest continued living in Daramona House. George built Dunardagh, Robert built Coolcarrigan & James built Currygrane. - - -

Died:
ie. near Poughkeepsie, NY

Hugh married Sarah SAVAGE. Sarah was born in 1745 in County Down, Ireland; died on 4 Jun 1827 in Wentworth Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Verify age, too young?

Buried:
West Gwillimbury Twp., ON