William Will (January 27, 1742, Nieuwied-am-Rhein - February 14, 1798,

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

) was an American

pewterer Pewter () is a malleable metal alloy consisting of tin (85–99%), antimony (approximately 5–10%), copper (2%), bismuth, and sometimes silver. In the past, it was an alloy of tin and lead, but most modern pewter, in order to prevent lead poison ...

and officer of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

. He was the fourth son of pewterer Johann (later John) Will, with whose family he came to

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

in 1752. He served his apprenticeship in the workshop of his brother Heinrich (later Henry) in New York, before moving to Philadelphia with his brother Phillip. In 1776, despite his young age, Will was able to raise a company of infantry, and eventually rose to the rank of colonel in various regiments of the Continental Army. In 1777 he was appointed, along with

Charles Wilson Peale Charles Willson Peale (April 15, 1741 – February 22, 1827) was an American painter, military officer, scientist, and naturalist. In 1775, inspired by the American Revolution, Peale moved from his native Maryland to Philadelphia, where he set ...

and four others, to the 'Commission for the Seizure of the Effects of Traitors'. He subsequently served in various other public offices. Despite this extensive involvement in public life, Will was able to maintain a successful business in the manufacture and sale of

pewter Pewter () is a malleable metal alloy consisting of tin (85–99%), antimony (approximately 5–10%), copper (2%), bismuth, and sometimes silver. In the past, it was an alloy of tin and lead, but most modern pewter, in order to prevent lead poi ...

. During his career, Will produced an extensive variety of pewter wares, from mundane household items such as plates and tankards, to ecclesiastic pewter such as communion flagons and chalices. A primary criterion in assessing the quality of pewter is the content of the alloy. While many other American pewterers achieved a standard equal to Will's in this regard, his work is noted for its extraordinarily fine workmanship, and the ambition of his designs. He is particularly known for teapots.

References

Laughlin, Ledlie I.: Pewter in America, Its Makers and Their Marks, American Legacy Press, New York, 1981. {{DEFAULTSORT:Will, William 1742 births 1798 deaths American people of German descent Pewterers American metalsmiths 18th-century metalsmiths 18th-century American artisans Continental Army officers from Germany Continental Army officers from New York (state)