William J Roylance

William J. Roylance was born March 17, 1819 in Upper Peover,k Cheshire, England. His father was George Roylance, christened June 26, 1781 in Lower Peora. His mother was Elizabeth Rycroft, born June 18, 1778. They were married on Chritmas day 1806. When William was born his dad was 37 and his mother was 41. He was the seventh child in a family of eight children. His brothers were John, George, James, George, Samuel and Thomas; his only sister was Ann. His second oldest brother died when he was two years old, and his parents named the fifth child George. Samuel lived only seven weeks. The sister Ann died at the age of eight.

William and his oldest brother, John, were the only members of his family who joined the church and cam to America. There was a george Roylance of Lostock who was baptized into the LDS church by T. Nelson and was cut off in 1845. It is not known if this was William's father or brother George.

William was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints December 10, 1839 by John White in Lower Peover. He was ordained a Priest October 6, 1840 and volunteered his services as a missionary at the Manchester Conderence in England. On November 22 he baptized an Isaac Ash and a James Ash 1841.

You may have noticed that William J. is the only one of his family with a middle initial, he must have added this to his name after he came to America. It was a custom in England at that time to have no middle name or initial.

When William J. came to America, he left behind his parents and brothers, George, James and Thomas who lived long useful lives and reared large familes. His oldest brother John and wife Mary Ann and their four childred had sailed a month earlier on the ship Sheffield. William J. left Liverpool, England March 16, 1841 on the chip Echo. This was the second boat load of saints to leave England. There were 109 passengers aboard. William landed in New Orleans April 16, 1841.

The ship Alesto said with 54 Saints aboard and arrived in New Orleans May 16, 1841. On this ship was Mary Hill, a widow, age 33 and a William Roylance, age 3. Willia J. married this Mary Yarwood Hill in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Ill. in 1842 or 1843. Their son Hyrum was born in Nauvoo July 4, 1844.

William J. was personally acquanited with the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, and he stood guard at Carthage jail at the time of the Martyrdom.

He was ordained to the 39th quorum of first council of seventies in 1845 by Levi Hancock. In 1846 they were driven from Nauvoo to Iowa. He was a shoemaker in Burlington, Des Moines Iowa. He was also a butcher, a tanner, a farmer and a surveyor. While in Burlington their daughter Rachel was born - May 17, 1848. Thier son James was born November 30, 1849.

The 1850 census of Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa read as follows -------House number 1264 -

   William Ryland age 33 Shoemaker B. England

Mary " " 40 " England
William " " 12 " England
Hiram " " 5 " Ill.
Rachall " " 2 " Iowa
James " " Baby " "
The family left Kanesville with the Orson Spencer/ Joel J. Terrell Company (1853),

One report says after they reached Salt Lake they were assigned to settle in Springville. They arrived 19, September 1850 (this doesn't agree with other dated.) This was the day after the first settlers came to Springville.

Mary was sealed to William in the Endowment House April 16, 1854. Other reports hae the Roylance family settling in North Ogden at 1658 N. 400 E.