506 APPENDIX. 



understood to come from the papers of one of the most eminent gene- 

 alogists of our city, now for some years deceased, and who contem- 

 plated preparing, and did in part prepare, bestowing much labor on it, 

 "A Dictionary of our Philadelphia Genealogies," may in part supply the 

 loss; and I have the greater satisfaction in presenting it in these volumes 

 since a portion of it, the poetical tribute to an early member of the 

 family, is from the pen of my ancestor. Dr. Smith; whose ready talents, 

 often called on in this way, rarely found a worthier subject for their 

 exercise. The Willings belonged to the Proprietary party,* and until 

 Dr. Smith was displaced from the college by the confiscatory act of 

 1779, were munificent friends of that institution. On these accounts, 

 as for others, they were highly valued by Dr. Smith. 



The Willings came into England from the neighboring district of 

 Wales. The name, which in its present form is not a common one 

 either in England or America, has been regarded, on traditional report, 

 as a change upon that of Wellyn, or Llewellyn. 



Joseph Willing, of Gloucestershire, England, married, July i, 1672, 

 Elizabeth Plaver, by which lady (who died October 4, 1675) he had 

 issue : 



(i) George, born September 12, 1673. 



(2) Joseph, born September 22, 1675. 



He married, secondly. May 24, 1676, Ava Lowle, of Gloucester, an 

 heiress of ancient family and of good estates, descended to her through 

 several generations from her Saxon ancestors. By this lady, whose 

 arms, in place of the proper arms of his own family, he took with her 

 estates, and who died December 31, 1717, he had issue, six children, 

 among whom were Mary, born June 3, 1678; married, October 11, 

 1705, to Stephen Burcomb, of Monmouth, by whom she had issue: 



(i) Ann. 



(2) Thomas, of whom presently. 



(3) Richard, born May 26, 1681 ; died September 6, 1736, and is 

 buried in the Mayor's Chapel at Bristol; married, February 21, 1790, 

 Mary Syms, by which lady he had issue, three children, among whom 

 were 



(i) Charles, born November 23, 171 2; married December 22, 

 1735, Chadery Tudsbury. 



(2) Mary Syms, born May 2, 1725 ; died at Temple Cloud, in the 



* Mr. Thomas Willing was one of the persons who, along with Lynford Lardner, 

 Richard Hockley, William Peters and some others, " applauded " when Dr. Smith, 

 A. D. 1758, had his great quarrel with the Quaker Assembly, and were arrested by 

 order of the Assembly for a breach of privilege. See Vol. I., p. 177. 



