According to research done by Mary Vance-Shaw and published in two volumes on the Hosmer family history: "Hosmer of Alabama" and "Hosmer Heritage", James Hosmer came to the USA from Ticehurst, Sussex County, England, aboard the "Elizabeth" in 1635. The Hosmers had for many years lived in Kent and the name is on record back to 1066.
According to the information in these volumes, your family is traced as follows:
995. Woodrow Martin Hosmer, Jr. (12)
840. William, (11)
611. Sylvester (10)
360. Sylvester (9)
195. Samuel (8)
107. Abel (7)
58. Josiah (6)
29. Stephen (5)
13. Stephen (4)
5. James (3)
2. Stephen (2)
1. James (1)
Born 25 Dec. 1918, Tusc. Cty., Al., m (1) 17 Jul 1941, in Bess. Jeff. Co., Al., Edith Elizabeth Gilly,
m. (2) 16 Apr 1942, Beulah Laverne Kendrich. Woodrow died 16 Aug 1987, Tusc. Co., Al., Bur. Hepzibah Baptist Church Cem., Tusc. County, Al. Woodrow M. Hosmer, tombstone says "Sgt WII"
Children by Beulah Laverne Kendrich-Hosmer:
1. Rebecca Laverne Hosmer, m. 03 Mar 1983, in
Bess., Jeff. Co., Al., Percy Burle Wheeler
Thus, you would be a 13th generation of the Hosmers in America.
Of note:
James Hosmer, born 06 Dec 1605 in Hawkhurst, Kent, England, the son of Stephen of Hawkhurst, sailed on 09 April 1635 from London for America aboard the ship Elizabeth with his wife and two children. They landed in Cambridge, Mass., where his wife and two children died the first winter. He then went to what is now Concord, Mass., took up land, remarried and was one of the first 10-12 families to settle there. James remained in Concord and died there 17 Feb 1685. He was a well-educated man, college taught, and one of the sturdy liberties loving yet law abiding men of his day. He is buried in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Mass. He fathered two sons in Concord - James II, born in 1637 and Stepen (of whom the Alabama Hosmers are descended) born on 17 Dec 1642. James II was killed by Indians in 1676 as he swam across a river during the King Phillips War. Joseph, a third generation descendant of James II, was born 17 Dec 1735 in Concord and was very prominent in the Revolutionary War. At the 19 April 1775 battle at North Bridge ("the shot heard around the world") Joseph served as adjutant. Another Hosmer, Abner, was killed during the battle.
Samuel Hosmer (son of Abel), served in the War of 1812 and received a land grant for his time in the war comprising land in Tuscaloosa County, Al., later becoming and known as Brookwood. He and his wife Susan were some of the first settlers in the State after it was formed in 1819, arriving sometime in the 1820's. Their descendants are many and are scattered all over the United States. Among them are many famous Statesmen, Ministers, Lawyers, Engineers, Artists, Teachers, and CEO's. Samuel was listed on page 606 of the 1830 Tuscaloosa County, Al., census, was appointed Justice of the Peace of Tuscaloosa County on 15 Apr 1833. Two or more of his sons served in the Confederate Army. He was the 6th generation of Hosmers in America and the first in Alabama.
Abel Hosmer, father of Samuel J., was a third generation descendant of Stephen and was born in Concord, Mass., and served with distinction in the Revolutionary War, recorded in Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors Disk I Vol III.
Stephen (son of Stephen, son of James, Stephen, James), was a soldier in King Phillip's War in 1675/6 under Capt. Thomas Wheeler. Stephen was a selectman of Concord in 1700-03 and 1729. The soldiers and their heirs were granted several townships, each six miles square, to be divided into lots for 120 proprietors in each township.
The Hosmer family history volumes were
compiled and published by
Mary Frances Vance-Whatley-Shaw
99 Shaw Lane
Alpine, Al 35014-5446
MFVance@aol.com
205-268-0234