Nielsen Hayden genealogy
Henry Willis

-
Name Henry Willis Birth 14 Sep 1628 [1] Baptism 14 Sep 1628 St. Denys, Warminster, Wiltshire, England [1]
Gender Male Death 11 Sep 1714 Westbury, Nassau, Long Island, New York [1]
Person ID I28133 Ancestry of PNH, TNH, and others Last Modified 12 Apr 2020
Father William Willens, b. Bef 23 Dec 1605 d. Bef 4 Jun 1665 (Age < 59 years) Mother Katherine Woodford d. Bef 24 Jan 1642 Marriage 27 Oct 1625 St. Denys, Warminster, Wiltshire, England [1]
Family ID F16782 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Mary Peace d. 23 Jun 1714, Westbury, Nassau, Long Island, New York Marriage 25 Mar 1655 St. Denys, Warminster, Wiltshire, England [1]
Children + 1. Sarah Willis, b. 15 Jul 1671, London, England d. 1 Mar 1730 (Age 58 years)
Family ID F16781 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 12 Apr 2020
-
Notes - George I. Willis (citation details below) notes that the St. Denys parish registers include persons from the adjacent communities of Norton Bavant, Upton Scudamore, Bishopstrow, and Westbury, leaving open the possibility that the Long Island settlement of Westbury was named by Henry Willis for the place where he was born.
George Fox came through Wiltshire the year after Henry and Mary were married, in 1656, and in 1657 a William Willis (possibly Henry's father) was set in the stocks for several hours for attending a Quaker meeting in Marlborough. Henry had certainly joined the Quakers by 1661. In 1667 he and Mary moved to London, where he they were "of Brick Lane, Stepney" and attended the Ratcliff & Barking Monthly Meeting. They emigrated to Long Island in 1674 or 1675.
He appears to have had a close association with TNH ancestor John Bowne. In 1680 they jointly petitioned Governor Andros for redress of fines levelled against them for various Quakerism-related offenses. They were together selected to be Long Island's representatives to the first Yearly Meeting, at Burlington, New Jersey, and both of them were subsequently selected to attend the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
- George I. Willis (citation details below) notes that the St. Denys parish registers include persons from the adjacent communities of Norton Bavant, Upton Scudamore, Bishopstrow, and Westbury, leaving open the possibility that the Long Island settlement of Westbury was named by Henry Willis for the place where he was born.
-
Sources - [S3991] George I. Willis, "The English Origins of Henry Willis of Westbury, Long Island." New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 118:65, Apr 1987.
- [S3991] George I. Willis, "The English Origins of Henry Willis of Westbury, Long Island." New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 118:65, Apr 1987.