The maternal ancestor of Ulysses G. Stockwell, of Albany, New York, is John Wetherbee, born in England and an early settler at Sudbury and Marlboro, Massachusetts. The earliest form of the name in New England was Witherby, but has since passed through several changes, as Wetherby, Witherbee, Wetherbee, Weatherby, etc. The New York family generally use the form, Witherbee. John Wetherbee married (first) in Marlboro, Massachusetts, September 18, 1672, Mary Howe, born June 18, 1654, died in Stow, Massachusetts, June 5, 1684, daughter of John and Mary Howe. He married (second) Lydia More, who survived him.
(II) John (2), son of John (1) and Mary (Howe) Wetherbee, was born in Marlboro, Massachusetts, March 26, 1675. He resided in Stow, Massachusetts, where he died about 1720. By wife Catherine he had seven sons and one daughter.
(III) Hezekiah, son of John (2) and Catherine Wetherbee, married, April 23, 1728, Huldah, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Gove) Martyn. They resided a short time in Marlboro, where their eldest child was born. In 1729 he removed to Lunenburg, Massachusetts, and there resided until his death. The exact date of his demise is not known, but was prior to 1759, as on that date intentions of marriage were published between "Abel Platts of Rowley, Canada, to Phebe Wetherbee, daughter of Widow Wetherbee from over beyond Mulpus." Mulpus is the name of a brook in Lunenburg. Widow Huldah Wetherbee married (second) January 12, 1773, Deacon Ephraim Peirce, of Lunenburg, whom she survived, later removing to Rindge, New Hampshire, with her children. Children:
- Benjamin, died young;
- Thomas;
- Phebe, died young;
- Sarah, married Noah Dodge, a soldier of the revolution;
- John;
- Abraham;
- Hezekiah;
- Rachel;
- Benjamin (2), a soldier of the revolution;
- Mary;
- Kezia.
(IV) Thomas, son of Hezekiah and Huldah (Martyn) Wetherbee, was born in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, November 27, 1730. He removed to Rindge, Massachusetts, between 1777 and 1780, and to New Ipswich, same state, in 1800. He married, April 22, 1756, Hannah Munroe, of Carlisle, Massachusetts. Children, all born in Lunenburg:
- Thomas, August 7, 1757; married Maria Sawtell.
- Daniel, December 16, 1758; married Hepsibah Merriam.
- Hepsibah, February 28, 1760; married Nathan Hewett.
- Isaac, September 2, 1761; married Hannah Knapp.
- Sarah, March 30, 1763; married (first) Joshua Heald; (second) a Mr. Hamblin; (third) a Mr. Nesmith.
- David, of further mention.
- Hannah, February 16, 1766; married Tilley Mason.
- Lucy, August 4, 1767; married Gregory Fairlie.
- Josiah, March 17, 1769; married Lavina Hyde.
- Martha, October 16, 1771; married Benjamin Bacheller.
- Molley, November 14, 1773.
(V) David, son of Thomas and Hannah (Munroe) Wetherbee, was born in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, May 31, 1764. He removed to the state of Maine, later settling in Washington county, New York. He served in the war of 1812 against Great Britain and received an award of money for his services. After the war he removed to Oswego county, New York, where he died. He married, in Massachusetts, Esther Hathorne, of the Massachusetts family of Judge Hathorne, the "Witchcraft" judge, and of Nathaniel Hawthorne, the distinguished author.
(VI) Waldron S., son of David and Esther (Hathorne) Witherbee (as the name is now used in the family), was born in 1802 (perhaps in Connecticut, where David may have lived for a time); came to Washington county, New York, in 1818, settled in the town of Dresden, where he died in 1883, aged eighty-one years. He was collector of the town in 1865; a prosperous farmer; member of the Baptist church; a Republican in politics. He married Paulina Guilford, born in Hampton, Washington county, New York, in 1810, died 1876. She was also an active member of the Baptist church. Children:
- Marcena, of further mention.
- Robins M., born November 16, 1843; became a leading wholesale and retail merchant of Whitehall, New York; a veteran of the civil war and prominent in his community; married Mary L. McLaughlin; children: Minnie E., married Emmet L. Gray; Clayton R.; Ada J.
- Waldron.
- John J., of Dresden, New York.
(VII) Marcena, daughter of Waldron S. and Paulina (Guilford) Witherbee, was born in the town of Dresden, Washington county, New York, in 1833, died in 1870. She married Isaac Hall, the revolutionary soldier and the adopted son of Abraham Stockwell, born 1792, a prosperous farmer of Dresden, married but without children. Abraham was no doubt a descendant of Abel (3) Stockwell, of Marlborough, Vermont, born in Massachusetts, 1744, kept an inn which was a great resort for the "Green Mountain Boys" during the revolution, served as a soldier during almost the entire revolutionary period, received a soldier's grant of land in New York state. His father, Abel (2) Stockwell, born in 1708, was the first actual settler of Marlborough, Vermont, where he was sheriff and inn keeper. Sessions of court were frequently held at his inn. Abel (2) Stockwell was of Salem, Massachusetts, had a brother Quinton who was captured by the Indians from his home in Deerfield, Massachusetts, September 19, 1677, taken to Canada, ransomed in 1678 and returned to his home by way of Albany, New York. Isaac Hall was born in the town of Queensbury, Warren county, New York, March 23, 1838. He was educated in the public schools. After his adoption by Abraham Stockwell (whose name he took legally) he lived in Dresden, Washington county; where he grew to manhood. He was a boatman on the canal and river, later worked at the carpenter's trade. His residence is now (1910) at Ticonderoga. He married Marcena Witherbee. She was a devout Congregationalist. Children:
- Abraham, born 1863, died February 6, 1905; married but had no children.
- Ulysses G., of further mention.
- Dorcas, died in infancy.
(VIII) Ulysses Grant, second son of Isaac and Marcena (Witherbee) Stockwell, was born in Dresden, New York, April 6, 1867. He was educated in the town schools of Dresden, New York, and West Haven, Vermont, and at Troy Business College, where he was graduated in 1886. He began his business career as a life insurance agent in Troy, New York, and was so successful and well adapted to the business that he made rapid strides upward. He was appointed general agent for the state of Vermont by the Washington Life Insurance Company, with offices at Rutland, and continued until 1890. For the following three years he was manager for the United States Life Insurance Company with headquarters at Scranton and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From 1893 to 1896 he was superintendent of agencies for the Netherland Life Insurance Company with offices in New York city and Albany. This company retiring from business, Mr. Stockwell assumed a similar position with the American Life Insurance Company, continuing with that company until 1898. In that year he retired from the life insurance field and has since been engaged as a real estate operator and general contractor in Albany. He has been a potent factor in the improvement of the city, where he has erected two hundred and twenty-five dwellings. His greatest activity has been in the erection of houses and modern apartments, in the latter having introduced features and conveniences hitherto unknown in Albany. He is a man of great energy and has gained his prominence in Albany solely by his own force of character and acknowledged reliability in business dealings. He is well-known and highly respected by all who know him. He is of the Presbyterian faith, and a Republican in politics. He holds all degrees in the Masonic order except the thirty-third degree of the Scottish Rite. He is affiliated with Temple Lodge, No. 14, Free and Accepted Masons; Champlain Chapter, No. 25, Royal Arch Masons, of Whitehall, New York; DeWitt Clinton Council, No. 22, Royal and Select Masters; Temple Commandery, No. 2; Knights Templar; Cyprus Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; Albany Sovereign Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. He married, June 30, 1891, Florence, daughter of William and granddaughter of Samuel Clark, born in Sharon, Vermont, who had children: Harry, Emmeline, Amanda and William. William Clark was born in 1819, and died 1899. He married, March 26, 1844, Eveline, daughter of William Porter, of Quechee, Vermont. Children:
- Helen,
- William,
- John,
- Samuel,
- Florence, who married Ulysses G. Stockwell. Children:
- Anna Porter, born April 6, 1893;
- Florence C., May 30, 1901;
- Helen, June 7, 1904.