[1] Incremental progress was made as the colonists learned the Native Americans' method of raising corn and beans, cattle were imported from England and multiplied, and some trade in wampum and other goods was established.

The Plymouth Colony was reluctantly joining in this effort, initiated by Isaac Allerton, in order to protect their established trading post on the Kennebunk River.

[8] An account of the expulsion of the English from Penobscot and the subsequent attempt to regain it from the French point of view exists in a letter from Sieur D'Aulney to Governor John Endecott of Massachusetts.

[12] He probably spent little time at the Kennebunk River trading post given his other activities, but Winthrop[13] recorded one incident where a potential theft or worse by some Native Americans was thwarted by Willett in 1639.

Willett was "Admitted to the freedom of this society" (i.e., recognized as a full citizen, or "freeman") in 1633/4[14] and married Mary Browne on July 6, 1636.

[20] Willett's initial beginning as a merchant in addition to the continuing involvement in the fur trade may have come in 1641/2 when he furnished a sixteenth portion of the construction cost to build a 40–50 ton bark[21] (ship).

Willett had moved to this western area of the colony and became involved in the affairs of Rehoboth by the early 1650s, serving in numerous capacities,[26] particularly after the death of Browne in 1662.

[32] Willett became a part owner with other prominent men, including his father-in-law and a son-in-law, John Saffin, of a large development consortium, the Atherton Company, leading to interests in properties in a number of the early New England towns.

His letter stated that "Mr. Willett was more acquainted with the manners and customs of the Dutch than any English man in the country, and that his conversation was very acceptable to them".

[38] When the colony was reorganized with the name of New York, Willett was appointed the first mayor of the town (June 1665) with the approval of the English and Dutch alike; he had apparently maintained a residence in New Amsterdam for some years[39] in addition to his long-establish trading relationships.

[40] One of the greatest services Willett provided to the colony for many years, along with his father-in-law John Browne, was maintenance of good relations[41] with the Pokanokets whose main village was near Rehoboth, close to Mt.

[42] Philip, the next eldest son, then became the Pokanoket's leader; relations eventually deteriorated to the point of open warfare between the English colonies and most of the New England tribes in 1675.

After his first term as New York mayor, Willett apparently spent time in Rehoboth in early 1667 where he was appointed Captain of the town's militia[43] and was the principal in the establishment of the Township of Swansea.

[48] After Swansea was officially recognized, a small group led by Willett was given control over who was allowed to set up residence in the new town.

The most commonly encountered description of his early life from the Dictionary of National Biography[59] describes him as the fourth son of the English clergyman Andrew Willet.

A differing opinion exists in Dexter's compilation of the Leyden congregation in the appendix of his work, England and Holland of the Pilgrims.

There is disagreement however over whether or not he went back to England shortly thereafter for the trial of Edward Ashley who was accused of trading weapons and ammunition to Native Americans.

The evidence that this might have been the case is based upon a listing of passengers on the ship Lyon which sailed from London on June 22, 1632, with William Pierce as Master as given by Charles Edward Banks in his Planters of the Commonwealth.

This and the indication[65] that only the depositions of Willett and others accompanied Ashley back to England for his trial are contrary to Banks' passenger list.

He moved with the Brown(e) family from Plymouth westward, originally to the Taunton area by the 1650s, and later to the eastern shores of Narragansett Bay to Wannamoisett, near present-day Barrington, Rhode Island.

His original gravestone also stated that he died "in the 64th year of his age" in 1674[78] (i.e., he was born in 1610 or 1611)[79] and this is in agreement with the range given in Dexter's listing for the Willet family in Holland.

[81] Willet died August 4, 1674, and was buried in the Little Neck Cemetery at Bullock's Cove, Riverside area of East Providence, Rhode Island.

Browne's objective may have been to leave his property to the relatively more needy members of his family rather than to those of Mary's branch, as she was married to one of the wealthiest men in the colony.

However this might have been, Browne's intent could have been better expressed and the result was an unusual mention in the colony's records regarding Mary Willett's good relationship with her father.

This was a source of great sorrow to Philip as reported by the servant captured when Hezekiah was killed[94] (this probably was the slave later ordered freed by the colony's court[95]).