William Ilsley

William Ilsley c1610-1781

Summary

• Parents not yet discovered
• Origin: Caversham, Oxfordshire, England
• Married 6 Mar 1637/8 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England to Barbara Stevens
• Died 22 Jul 1681
• Shoemaker later successful Yeoman

Brief Biography

William Ilsley, of Newbury, "yeoman," was born between 1608 and 1612. William "Ilsbey," age 26, and a John "Ilsbey," both "shoemakers" and probably brothers came in the ship "Confidence" in April 1638 sailing from Southampton, England. The former had a wife Barbara (Stevens) Ilsley, aged 20, and a servant Phillip Davis. He married 6 Mar 1637/8 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England to Barbara Stevens. Barbara Stevens was baptized at Caversham on 1 Sep 1611 daughter of John and Alice (Atwood) Stevens of Caversham. Also on the Confidence in 1638 where Barbara (Stevens) Ilsley, her mother Alice (Atwood) Stevens and her two brothers John and William Stevens as well as John's wife Elizabeth (Pakrer) Stevens and their two servants. He made his home on the high road in Newbury a half mile from the Parker River across the street from the Jackman-Willet house.His supposed brother John lived in Salisbury and married to Sarah Haffield and had four children.

John Rolfe deposed that "William Ilsly Sr & John Muselwhitt" were Quakers visiting John Emery's house [EQC 3:67]. However,William Ilsley and his wife joined the Newbury Church in 1674. He took the oath of allegiance in 1678. It is doubtful he was ever a Quaker but some of the children did become baptist who were sympathetic to their cause.

He died 22 July 1681 leaving a will dated 26 Feb 1679 proved 28 Jul 1681. His wife is named in the will but her death date is not found. He became a very successful farmer. His estate was the 6th wealthiest in Newbury at the time of his death in 1681.

The name Ilsley is derived from the town originally named Hildesley or Ildesley in Berkshire. The name slowly evolved into the current towns of East and West Ilsley. In 1284 a John de Ildesley made oath in Newbury, Berkshire on the death of Richard de Turberville [British Record Society 36:154].

No genealogist has yet published evidence to support the birthplace or parents of the Ilsley brothers of New England. William was clearly in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England when he married his wife. It is possible he was also of Oxfordshire or nearby Berkshire. Earlier theories proposing other areas of England are now dismissed. FindAGrave lists their parents as [Richard Ilsley] and [Joanne Jane Ilsley] but no corroborating evidence is presented to support the claim that their children of the same name are identical to the immigrants. While it certainly is possible genealogists do not accept baptism records alone as proof of English parentage. And extensive search of probate records in both areas has been done (see sources) and nothing conclusive has been found to date.

Children

1. Mary Ilsley est 1638 - bet 1678
2. Elisha Ilsley est 1640 - 1690/91
3. John Ilsley 1641 -
4. Unknown Ilsley 1646 -
5. William Ilsley 1647/48 -
6. Joseph Ilsley 1649 - 1724
7. Isaac Ilsley 1652 - bet 1702
8. Sarah Ilsley 1655 - 1681/82
9. Unknown Ilsley 1658 - 1658/59 Of the seven children who lived to maturity four migrated to Woodbridge, New Jersey: Mary (Samuel Moore), John, Elisha and Sarah (Samuel Hale) [see also TAG 31:89,180; 34:165]. Elisha returned to New England.

Sources

1. Essex County Probate Record # 14471
2. Robert Charles Anderson's Great Migration Directory p 179 says he originated in Caversham, Oxfordshire and arrived in 1638 on the ship "Confidence" to Newbury, MA
3. John Insley Coddington FASG, "The Search for WIlliam Isley of Newbury, Massachusetts," in The American Genealogist (1985) 34:164-68
4. John Insley Coddington in "William Ilsley and his wife Barbara Stevens," in The American Genealogist (1974) 50:61-2
5. Drake's Founders of New England p 59;
6. George A Moriarty FASG. "Stevens of Newbury and Andovre, Mass." in NEHGR (1931) 85:396-401
7. Samuel G. Drake, "The Founders of New England" in NEHGR 14:334-336 @ 335 column 2.
8. Torrey 2:834 1638 England: ILSLEY, William (1612-1681) & Barbara ____ (1618-1681+); in Eng, by 1638; Newbury {Salisbury Fam. 215; Noyes-Gilman 244; Chute lxxxii; Hale (,1) 29; Shotwell 19; Treman 1185; Snow-Estes 1:138; TAG 34:164}
9. Joshua Coffin, A Sketch of the History of Newbury (1845) 305-6
10. Hoyt, David W. The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts. (Providence, RI, 1897-1919), 1:215-6 William(1) Ilsley, of Newbury, "yeoman," b. ab. 1608-12 [Wm. and John were prob. brothers. A William "Ilsbey," age 26, and a John "Ilsbey," both "shoemakers," came in the ship "Confidence" in 1638. The former had a wife Barbara, aged 20, and a servant Phillip Davis (G. R., 1860, p. 335)]; m. Barbara b. ab. 1618. He came from Newbury, Wiltshire, Eng., [later proved incorrect; they came from Caversham, Oxfordshire] to Nb., Mass., ab. 1638; he and wife members Nb. Chh 1674; oath. al. 1678. He d. July 22, 1681[Nb]; will Feb. 26, 1679; July 28, 1681; wife Barb. ment.
11. Noyes-Gilman: Noyes, Charles Phelps, Noyes-Gilman Ancestry (St. Paul, Minn.: Gilliss Press, 1907) p 244
12. Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1911), II:622 " Ilsly, William, (died) July 22, 1681"
13. Stearns, Ezra S. Genealogical and Family History of the State of New Hampshire (Lewis Publishing Company, 1908) Vol. 2, Page 653
14. Monnette, Orra E. "William Ilsley, Patriarch of Newbury". First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge, Olde East New Jersey, Los Angeles, CA, part 6, 1934, page 1193.
15. Pope, Charles H. "Ilslie, etc.". The Pioneers of Massachusetts, Genealogical Publ. Co., Baltimore, 1900, 1965, page 251.
16. "The Ilsley-Chase Account Books" in Essex Institute Historical Collections 86:175-182
17. Savage 2:518