Michael Willis (abt. 1610 - bef. 1669)

Born about 1610 in England

Husband of Mildred (Unknown) Willis — married about 1650 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before 27 Sep 1669 before about age 59 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony [uncertain]

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Biography

Origin & Immigration

Michael Willis' parents, date and place of birth are currently not known.

According to Pauline Willis, author of Willis Records, "Michael Willis is said to have come from London, England, in 1635, sailing on the ship "James" from Bristol. Rev. Richard Mather was also on board, and they arrived in Boston on August 17th. No authentic account of the departures from Bristol at that time, however, is to be found."^[1]

Rev. Richard Mather, bound for Dorchester, Massachusetts, was indeed among the twenty-one people listed as passengers on the James of Bristol, which sailed June 4, 1635, and arrived August 17. Yet the ship was also said to have carried "one hundred passengers, honest people of Yorkshire."^[2] Rev. Mather had joined the First Church of Dorchester within a year after his arrival, as did Michael Willis and his wife, leading to the supposition that they may have followed him there.^[1]

Marriages

Michael's first wife was Joan, surname unknown. They were probably married in England and came over together. Their names, "Michael Willyes" and "Joane Willyes," are found in the records of the First Church of Dorchester, Massachusetts, which they probably joined about 1636, soon after their arrival in New England.^[1][3][4]

Michael's second wife was Mildred, surname unknown. She survived him.^[1][5]

Life Facts

Michael was by occupation a gunsmith and is said to have been connected with ship building. "He was prosecuted for repairing in those early days a gun-lock belonging to an Indian, this being contrary to the law, but was discharged from his fine December 1st, 1641, on the ground of not knowing that it was the property of an Indian."^[1] He was also described as a "Cuteller" in a 1669 probate document, in which dozens of assorted knives, scissors, swords, etc., as well as associated parts and support pieces were listed in his inventory.^[6]

Michael and George Willis, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who may have been brothers, are on a May 2, 1638 list of men who were admitted to the freeman's oath.^[1][7]

"Michael Willis became a founder of the Second Church in Boston, June 5th, 1650, and his name is mentioned in the history of its foundation, so that he probably gave up his residence, as well as his property, in Dorchester, and moved to Boston. He was admitted as an inhabitant there in 1647."^[1]

Death

The will of Michael Willis of Boston was written June 21, 1669.^[8] "At a meeting of the witnesses, October 5th, 1669, they speak of him as 'the late Michael Willis,' and declare that they saw him sign and seal it."^[1] "An Inuntorie of thee Goods and Chatells of Mickall Wills Senior Cuteller of Boston Lately Deceased" was taken September 27, 1669.^[6]

Children

Pauline Willis has provided the names of the children of Michael Willis and has drawn a line separating them by children of first wife Joan or second wife Mildred.^[1] The only child with a birth record mentioning the mother is Michael, "of Michael & Millered Willis," born November 11, 1752. The September 6, 1658, death record for Adingstill says she was "daughter of Michaell and Mildred." But, there is an October 22, 1642, baptism record for an "Addingstill Willeyes" in the records of Dorchester First Church, albiet without any mention of parents, the date of which could mean she was a child of Joan.

The September 20, 1680, will of the widow Mildred Willis provides insight into the marriages and descendants of some of the children. Mentioned are daughters: Abigail Bill, Lydia Nowell, Joanna Ellis, _____ Pollard; grand-children: Michael and Marah Willis.^[7][9] Grandchild Joseph Phillips is named in the June 21, 1669, will of Michael Willis.^[8]

James Savage postulated that second wife Mildred may have been a young widow when she married Michael Willis and already had children from her previous marriage. This appears to be based on Mildred's mention of her "five own daughters" in her will. Unfortunately, their names were not recorded.^[9](Savage)

Children of Michael Willis and first wife, Joan:^[1][7]

1. Joseph Willis, baptized February 3, 1639-40 ("12^mo 3^tio Vicesimo 1639"), in Boston; probably died young.^[1][10]
2. Adingstil Willis, baptized October 22, 1642 ("8 mo 22^do — 1642"), at Dorchester First Church.^[11]
3. Experience Willis, baptized September 9, 1646 ("9 - 7 mo - 46"), at Dorchester First Church;^[12] married, October 25, 1676, Elizabeth Bolton;^[13] died before 1716.^[1]
4. Temperance Willis, baptized April 9, 1648 ("9 day 2 mo. [1648]"), at Boston First Church;^[14] unmarried.^[1]
5. Joana Willis, baptized April 13, 1651 ("13 day 2 mo. [1651]"), at Boston First Church;^[15] married John Ellis.^[1]

Children of Michael Willis and second wife, Mildred:^[1][7]

1. Michael Willis, born November 11, 1652, in Boston;^[16] married Elizabeth Lowden; died 1711-12.^[1]
2. Addingstill Willis, "daughter of Michaell and Mildred," died September 6, 1658, in Boston.^[1][17]
3. Abigail Willis; married (1) John Leader, of Boston, (2) Thomas Bill;^[18] died November 7, 1696.^[1]
4. Lydia Willis, married George (?) Nowell.^[1]
5. Elizabeth Willis, married Zachariah Phillips.^[1]

Will (Abstract) & Estate

No. 505.— Michael Willis, will, Boston, 21 June, 1669, Wife Mildred executor. Two sons, Experience and Michael, shall have free use of shop and tools, utensils, &c., paying rent to their mother, and, on her decease, enjoy dwelling house, with yard, garden and warehouse, the same to go to their male heirs. Daughter Temperance, if unmarried and obedient to her mother, fifteen pounds. Grandchild Joseph Phillips, when he comes to discretion, twenty shillings. Married daughters five shillings apiece, grand children two shillings apiece. Cousin Jabesh Salmon of Roxbury five shillings, sons to be partners in business. William Alford, Richard Cooke and Elisha Cooke, witnesses. Inventory by Thomas Bumsted and John Odlin.^[8]

The will was proved October 7, 1669.(Morse)

Inventory. "An Inuntorie of thee Goods and Chatells of Mickall Wills Senior Cuteller of Boston Lately Deceased," taken September 27, 1669, by Thomas Bumsted and John Odlin, amounted to £733:12:00 after expenses.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19} Willis, Pauline. Willis Records; or, Records of the Willis Family of Haverhill, Portland, and Boston. (St. Vincent's Press, London: 1908). Pages 9-13. Citing: "Michael Willis I."
2. ↑ Banks, Charles Edward. The Planters of The Commonwealth (The Riverside Press, Boston, 1930). Pages 134-5. Citing: "James of Bristol, sailed June 4, Arrived August 17, ..."
3. ↑ Torrey, Clarence Almon. Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (NEHGS, Boston, 2015) Volume 3, Page 1687 ($). Citing: "WILLIS, Michael (-1669) & 1/wf Joan ____; by 1639, by 1633?; Dorchester/Boston {Morse: Ancient Puritans 2:199; Bill 45; Reg. 5:467; Dorchester Ch. Rec. 152}"
4. ↑ Records of the First Church at Dorchester in New England, 1636-1734 (George H. Ellis, Boston, Mass., 1891) . Page 3. Citing: "Michael Willyes ... Joane Willyes"
5. ↑ Torrey, Torrey’s New England Marriages: Volume 3, Page 1687 ($). Citing: "WILLIS, Michael (-1669) & 2/wf Mildred ____; wid?; by 1648?, by 1652; Boston {Bill 45; Morse: Ancient Puritans 2:199; Reg. 5:467, 48:324}"
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017-2019. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized images provided by FamilySearch.org). Case 505, { Wills, Willis } Michael, Sr., 1669 Oct. 7, will [inventory].
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} Old Dorchester, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, 1851) Volume V(5), Page 467. Citing: "Wiles, Michael."
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Watkins, Walter K., Abstracts of Early Wills on Record, or on File in the County of Sufflok, Massachusetts., The New England Historical and Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, 1894) Vol. XLVIII(48), Page 324. Citing: "No. 505.— Michael Willis, will, Boston, 21 June, 1669."
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org($). New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017-2019. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized images provided by FamilySearch.org) No. 1220, Willis, Mildred 1681/2 Mch. 2, Will ($).
10. ↑ Records of the First Church at Dorchester: Page 152. Citing: "Joseph Willies"
11. ↑ Records of the First Church at Dorchester: Page 155. Citing: "Addingstill Willeyes 8 mo 22^do — 1642."
12. ↑ Records of the First Church at Dorchester: Page 158. Citing: "Experience Willies 9 — 7 mo — 46."
13. ↑ Boston Records Commissioners Reports (Rockwell & Churchill, Boston, 1890). Vol. 21. Dorchester Births, Marriages, And Deaths to the End of 1825. City Document No. 59. Dorchester Marriages. Page 23. Citing: "Exsperience Willis & Elizabeth Bolton were Married by M^r. William Stoughton October 25 : [16]76."
14. ↑ Boston Records Commissioners Reports: Vol. 9. (1883) Boston Vital Statistics, 1630-1699. City Document No. 130. Births and Baptisms. 1648. First Church. Page 28. Citing: "Temperance of Michael Wills member of Ch. of Dorchester 9 day 2 mo. [1648]."
15. ↑ Boston Records Commissioners Reports: Vol. 9. (1883) Boston Vital Statistics, 1630-1699. City Document No. 130. Births and Baptisms. 1651. First Church. Page 34. Citing: "Joana of Michael Wills 13 day 2 mo. [1651]."
16. ↑ Boston Records Commissioners Reports: Vol. 9. (1883) Boston Vital Statistics, 1630-1699. City Document No. 130. Births and Baptisms. 1652. Town. Page 37. Citing: "Michael of Michael & Millered Willis born 11th Nov. [1652]."
17. ↑ Boston Records Commissioners Reports: Vol. 9. (1883) Boston Vital Statistics, 1630-1699. City Document No. 130. Births and Baptisms. 1658. Town. Page 66. Citing: "Addingstill daughter of Michaell and Mildred Willis died September 6 [1658]."
18. ↑ Bill, Ledyard. History of the Bill Family (New York, 1867). Page 45. Citing: "Thomas Bill married for his second wife Abigail Willis."

See also:

• Handler, Elizabeth, "Surname Saturday ~ Willis of England and Massachusetts" blog post, 7 May 2016, (FromMaineToKentucky.blogspot.com). Accessed (27 Oct 2023)

• Morse, Rev. Abner. A Genealogical Register of the Descendants of Several Ancient Puritans. (H.W. Dutton & Son, Boston, 1859). Volume II, Page 199. Citing: "Willis."

• Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1862). Vol. 4: (S - Z) Page 576. Citing: "[Willis,] Michael."

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25747376/michael-wills: accessed 25 October 2023), memorial page for Michael Wills (1615–unknown), Find A Grave: Memorial #25747376; Burial Details Unknown; Maintained by Oh look, a chicken! (contributor 46868335). Note: Contains Unknown Burial and Unsourced Information. For Research Only.