She was the daughter of Henry and Jane ( Feylde ) Sharpe ---------------------------------------------------------------- ( contuned notes from Simon Willard's notes. There is no more room in his notes. ) Signature on inventory of Thomas Atkinson in 1646. A man of unusual energy, sagacity and character. He married Mary, sister of Rev. Henry Dunster. ( Information on his wives and families on family pages ) He was buried 27 April 1676. Inventory of his estate filed 1 June 1656/7 by Mrs Willard. She petitioned the court in 1681 ( having in the meantime married Joseph Noyes ) for further settlement of the estate especially of the lands due him of the Indians for the benefit of the six younger children some of whom vere very young ----------------------------------------------------------------- From WILLARD MEMOIR by Joseph Willard His mother died before he was four and his father and step-mother died before he was twelve. He was of a Puritan leaning. He gave to Cyprian Stevens, his son-in-law, his home in Lancaster when he moved to Groton. This was his daughter's dowry He was given 300 acres which is now the western part of the town of Harvard. At the time of his death he owned 1521 acres of land besides meadows ect that were not laid out yet. ----------------------------------------------------------------- From HEROIC WILLARDS by James Andrews Phelps He was a man much above the average for his day.From his arrival till his death no other man was constantly in contact with public affairs and private activities. He was the chief instrument in settling Concord and when Lexington was settle the community set aside choice lands for him if he would come and live. As the was commander of the colonial forces and gave exceptional service in quieting and repressing outbreaks.At the outbreak of the King Phillip's War, at the age of 70. he mounted his horse and gave of himself without fear and thoughlessness of fatigue. When he died in 1676, his sorowering friends attended in masse . His was the first great military funeral in New England. " no man was ever more fully, and more deservidly, honored in life - and death " ----------------------------------------------------------------- From THE DESCENDANTS OF SILAS WILLARD SR. by Estelle Avery Lamps Among things not mentioned in the above books, At the outbreak of the King Phillip's War he was made Commander in Chief against Hostile Indian Tribes. His homes in Groton and Lancaster were burned by the Indians before they were subdued. He died in 1676 and several hundred soldiers marched for his funeral. A tablet was erected in his honor in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral in London ----------------------------------------------------------------- From THE WILLARDS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS - by Lorene Jones Lyon He left a long four paragraph statement saying farewell to the people. I will just write the last paragraph, the rest of the document is in my files.. " You would honor my memory, and are very free in expressing veneration: but if you would honor me aright, if you feel the veneration you express, show it by your deed; by reverence of that which is higher and holier; by doing all your duty activily and earnestly in your generation by adhering to the old paths of justice, faithfulness, and holy trust;by sincerely in belief, abondoning all anti-nomian heresies as you would the other extreme of dead formalism; by being bold for the right,modestly and firmly maintaining your opinions, whether called by public station or in the more private walks; following no man or cause because of popularity, shunning no man or no cause that you believe to be right because of unpopularity or reproach; but avoiding the parasite and self-seeker, and standing bravely by your own convictions" Farewell
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FromTHE HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN, NH by H.H.Sanderson Pg618 -619
Major Simon Willard born at Kent,England emigrated to Newton( now Cambridge MA ) Also he was one of the original purchasers at Concord,MA. Simon resided there through 1635. In 1654 he was commissioned Comander-in-Chief of the forces of MA in the Ninigret and Philips war. In 1660 he removed to Lancaster,MA and then to Groton,MA in 1672. He died at Charlestown MA April 24 1676. He married first Mary Sharp, then Elizabeth Dunster and he married a third time ( wife's name unknown ) but he had 17 children,9 sons and 8 daughters
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From A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GROTON, MA. by Dr. Samuel A Green 1894 pg25
One of the prominent men in the history of the Mass. Colony was Major Simon Williard. He came to MA in the year 1634. He lived in Concord, Lancaster and Groton. He served various civil offices and was a noted military man. His farm was situated at Nonacoicus now Ayers, MA. His dwelling house was the 1st bldg. burned in the attack on Groton,MA. 13 Mar 1676. At this assault Major Willard came with a company of cavalry to the town's relief. He died at Charlestown MA 24 April 1676 a very few weeks after Groton, MA was abandoned.