My Willett ancestors moved from Maryland to Washington County, KY in the late 1700s, relocated to Graves County, KY in 1812-14.
Samuel Willett and his wife Elizabeth founded the community of Fancy Farm in Graves County, KY, in the far western part of the state. His brother John Willett joined him at a later date. This John Willett was my maternal great grandfather.
Email from Carole Embry, ccembry -at- gmail
More from Carole Enbry:
The Willett family was from Maryland:
http://voices.yahoo.com/willett-family-was-first-settle-fancy-farm-5494183.html?cat=37.However, Uncle Jack Willett may well have been born in NC since his father, John Willett, died about the time he was born. Our grandfather John F. Willett usually gave his father’s birth place as NC, so my theory is Uncle Jack’s mother may have gone their to be with family for a time. That’s my best guess. I don’t know of other evidence that the Willett’s lived in NC.
There is listing for Samuel Willett’s marriage to Anne Orme (first wife) in Prince George’s County MD in 1784. It is on page 168.
http://archive.org/stream/marylandrecordsc01brumuoft#page/168/mode/2up
Sam also signed an oath of allegiance in MD, I think in 1778.Captain Sam moved to VA/KY about 1784 and served in militia helping to build Ft. Nelson (Louisville) and later became Captain of Militia for Nelson County. He married Ann Lee and they were the parents of John Willett.
The Lee Family along with the Hayden’s was one of the first Catholic families to move to Pottinger’s Creek. A reference to Phillip Lee’s diary is here.
http://www.archive.org/stream/centenaryofcatho00webb#page/28/mode/2up(It states that the Cash family was frequently mentioned, but not which Cash family.)
John Willett and Matilda Summers were the parents of Uncle Jack Willett.
Also see
- St. Jerome Cemetery, Fancy Farm, Graves Co., KY – rootsweb
- Saint Jerome Church
- Fancy Farm – gravescountyky.com
- Annual Fancy Farm Picnic
- Graves County, Kentucky – KYGenWeb
- KYGenWeb
- 11C. Pottinger’s Creek: The League of Catholic Families