William Westley, Hartford Founder

Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist

WILLIAM¹ WESTLEY, HARTFORD FOUNDER was born abt. 1585 in England, and died bef. 22 Feb 1651/52 in Hartford, CT d. s. p.. He married ANNA _____. She died 30 May 1669.

The ancestry, source, and when and where to William Westley removed to the American colonies is unknown. In fact, extremely little is known of him. He was in Hartford by 1639, as his property is listed in the land inventory of February 1639/40: two roods on which his dwelling house stood on the west side of the road from Founder George Steele’s to the Great Swamp; three acres lying in the forty acres; and two acres east of the Great River.

Other than this listing in the land inventory, he is only mentioned in Hartford records on three occasions: he was named an inhabitant of Hartford “Granted lotts to haue onely at The Townes Courtesie wth liberty to fetch wood & keep Swine or Cowes By proportion on the Common”; he was freed from watching 9 April 1646; and his wife was called the widow Wesley on 22 February 1651/2 during a town meeting.

His widow signed the Agreement to remove to Hadley in 1659, and died 30 May 1669

There are no probate documents to be found on William Westley, and he is not known to have had any children.

Genealogy: N/A, as he had no children