The information here is based on parish records and censuses.
Further information (especially baptismal dates) will be added as time permits - plus, eventually, an index of names and places.
This is not a complete set of information as there are other WILLS families from Bridford. See the Bridford page.
LAST UPDATED 16/7/2002
Most of the WILLS families appear to be descended from three couples though it has not been possible to tie these into earlier WILLS' in the village.
There are also some that appear, at present, to be unlinked. These may be descended from other WILLS families in the neighbouring parishes.
George Wills (date and place of birth unknown) married Sarah Holman at Bridford on 5th August 1730.
Children:
John - baptised 22 Jan 1730
Mary - baptised 3 Nov 1735 - possibly buried 31 Dec 1741
George - baptised 8 Jan 1739
Robert - baptised 18 Feb 1741
Mary - baptised 1 Nov 1744
George was buried on 6th December 1779, Sarah on 22nd November 1744, probably as a result of giving birth to her fifth child.
SECOND GENERATION
John Wills (baptised 22 Jan 1730). He may be one of my ancestors so he has his own page! - just click on his name.
George Wills (baptised 8 Jan 1739), married Susannah. This may be Susannah Pitman in which case it was on 22 Apr 1761
Children:
George - baptised 1763
Sarah - baptised 1766
Mary - baptised 1768 - buried 22 May 1779
Susanna - baptised 1770
William - baptised 1772
Betty - baptised 1775 - married John Bolley 23 Sep 1800
John - baptised 1780 - buried 1797
Robert Wills (baptised 18 Feb 1741), married Phoebe Sawdy 1 Jan 1765. Phoebe was born in 1732.
Children:
Joanne - baptised 1766
William - baptised 1767 - buried 1783
Elizabeth - baptised 1769
Phoebe - baptised 1771
Robert - baptised 1772
George - baptised 1774 - buried 1776
Sarah - baptised 1775 - buried 1777
Joseph - baptised 1778
William - baptised 1772
THIRD GENERATION
William Wills (baptised 1772) - married Ann (surname unknown) of Moretonhampstead. In 1851 they were living at Leigh Cross Cottage, Doddiscombsleigh. He was formerly a farmer.
Children:
Elizabeth - baptised 1799
John - baptised 1800
Joseph - baptised 1802 - buried 1802
John Wills - baptised 1800 - married Mary, born 1803 Lived at Lower Westcott. Mary was buried in 1867
Children:
James - baptised 1829
John - baptised 1832
Maria - baptised 1837 - married John Eaton 17 Jul 1869
Mary Ann - baptised 1839 - married Samuel Youlden 15 Mar 1860
William - baptised 1843
John Wills- baptised 1832 - married Mary Hall 1 Jul 1859
John Wills (date and place of birth unknown) married Mary Tingcombe 3 Jun 1782.
Children:
William - baptised 1783
Mary - baptised 1784
John - baptised 1787
Anne - baptised 1789 - had daughter Anne in 1810
Jenney - baptised 1798
Betty - baptised 1795
Joseph - baptised 1792
Samuel - baptised 1792
William Wills - baptised 1783 - married Elizabeth (surname unknown). Lived at Hill. William may have remarried as he was living at Lower Hole, Bridford with wife Maria (20 years his junior). He was an agricultural labourer
Children: (with Elizabeth)
John - baptised 1809
William - baptised 1812 - buried 1812
Sarah - baptised 1813
Joseph - baptised 1816 - buried 1818
William - baptised 1819
John Wills - baptised 1809 - married Mary Lee in Moretonhampstead 10/9/1832 and their children were born there. In 1851 the family were at Lower Hill, North Bovey (1851 Census)
Children:
William - baptised 30/8/1835
George - baptised 29/4/1838
Sarah - baptised 10/4/1842
Mary Ann - baptised 25/5/1845
Susan - baptised 11/1/1846; buried 4/2/1846
Miriam - baptised 6/2/1848
William Wills - baptised 1819 - married Ann Wills 11 Feb 1844
Children:
- baptised 1799
Joseph Wills- baptised 1792 - married Joanna. Lived at Hill and also Heltor. In 1851 They were at Lower Heltor; he was an agricultural labourer
Children:
Martha - baptised 1816
Mary - baptised 1818 - married William Sercombe 5 Nov 1837
John - baptised 1822
Anne - baptised 1823 - married William Wills 11 Feb 1844
William - baptised 1827
Joseph - baptised 1831
George - baptised 1833
James - baptised 1837
John Wills - baptised 1822 - married Joanna Knapman of South Tawton on 3 Apr 1845. Lived at Heltor. In 1851 they were living with the three eldest children at Thorn, Bridford. He was an agricultural labourer. In 1881 they were at Middle Hilton Cottage, Bridford with their youngest son.
Children:
Mary Ann - baptised 1846 - buried 1862
Maria - baptised 1848 - buried 1862
George - baptised 1850
Hannah - baptised 1853 - buried 1861
Joseph - baptised 1855 - buried 1862
James - baptised 1857 - married Ann (surname unknown) of Ipplepen. In Exeter in 1881.
Louisa - baptised 1859 - married Thomas Fursdon of Exwick 10 Jun 1883
Mark - baptised 1864
William Wills - baptised 1827 - married Eliza (surname unknown) who came from Dunsford. In 1851 they were living at Lower Westcott, Bridford. He was an agricultural labourer. In 1881 they were living at Little Warm Hill, Hennock with their three youngest children. Presumably they had moved about as William was born in Bridford, John in Kingsteignton and Alice in Moretonhampstead.
Children:
Mary Ann - baptised 1850
James - baptised 1852 - buried 1852
Anna Marie - baptised 1853
George - baptised 1854
Elizabeth - baptised 1856
William - baptised 1858
John - baptised 1866
Alice M - baptised 1875
George Wills - baptised 1833 - married Mary Georgina Tavener 25 June 1861
Child:
Georgina - baptised 1864
James Wills - baptised 1837 - married Mary Ann Knapman 11 Oct 1860
Children:
William - baptised 1864
John - baptised 1870
Florence Mary - baptised 1876
Alice Louisa - baptised 1878
George Wills - baptised 1854 - Married Jessie Jane (surname unknown) of Christow. In 1881 they were living at Warrens Cottage, Tedburn St Mary. Both children were born in Moretonhampstead
Children:
Evelina - baptised 1878
William - baptised 1880
Joseph Wills - baptised 1831 - married Elizabeth Knapman of Dunsford on 18 Oct 1855. In 1881 they were living at Stone Cottages, Dunchideock with their two youngest children.
Children:
John - baptised 1858
Frank - baptised 1861 - married Thirza Saunders 6 Oct 1889
Walter - baptised 1861 - married Sarah Saunders 6 Apr 1889
Louisa - baptised 1871
Henry - baptised 1873
Samuel Wills- baptised 1792 married Charity Wannell in Lustleigh. Lived at Coombe. In 1851 Samuel & Charity were living at Lower Hole with their youngest son Thomas. Both Samuel and Thomas were agricultural labourers.
In 1861 Charity was living at Pooks Cottage with her son Joseph, a miner. This Joseph must have been born c. 1840 but his birth appears to be unrecorded. Samuel was, presumably, dead. In 1881 Joseph is living with his wife Elizabeth (surname unknown) of Newton St Cyres in King St Exter
Children:
Anne - baptised 1816
Sam - baptised 1818 - buried 1820
Samuel - baptised 1820
John - baptised 1823
William - baptised 1826
James - baptised 1828
Thomas - baptised 1831
Charlotte - baptised 1833 - buried 1834
Charlotte - baptised 1835 - married William Milton 27 Mar 1855
Charles- baptised 1835
Charity - baptised 1837 - married William Yeoman 6 Apr 1858
Joseph - baptised 1839
Samuel Wills - baptised 1820 married Ann (surname unknown) who came from North Bovey. In 1851 they were living at Bullaton Cottage, Hennock but had previously lived at North Bovey (where Abraham was born) and Lustleigh (where William was born). He was an agricultural labourer. In 1881 Samuel and Anne were back in Lustleigh, at Pethybridge, with their youngest son
Children:
Abraham - baptised 1845
William - baptised 1848
Thomas - baptised 1850
WJ - baptised c 1867
John Wills - baptised 1823 married Ann (surname unknown) of Paignton. It is not known whether they had any children but in 1881 the couple were living at West Town, Newton St Cyres
William Wills - baptised 1826 - married Elizabeth (surname unknown) from Abbotskerswell. In 1851 they were living at Tinhams Cottage, Ipplepen with their son William. He was an agricultural labourer. In 1881 they were still in Ipplepen witgh their four youngest children.
Children:
William - baptised 1851
Elizabeth - baptised 1857
John T - baptised 1865
George - baptised 1867
Mary - baptised 1869
James Wills - baptised 1828 - married Emma Cooper of Dunsford on 8 Feb 1863. In 1881 they were living at Middle Bennal, Christow with their son
Child:
Thomas - baptised 1865
Thomas Wills - baptised 1831 - married Emma (surname unknown). In 1881 they were living at Searles Cottage, Bridford with their family.
Children:
Frederick - baptised 1872
Alice - baptised 1875
Arthur - baptised 1877
Emma - baptised 1879
Joseph Wills - baptised 1839 - married Elizabeth (surname unknown).
Thomas Wills - married Susannah (surname unknown) who was from Spreyton. Lived at Smithicott and later Moor Barton in Moretonhampstead. Thomas had died before 1851 as Susan is the farmer at Moor Barton, living with three of her children - Henry being absent.
Children:
Thomas - baptised 1818
George - baptised 1825 - buried 1825
Henry - baptised 1828
Richard - baptised 1828
Susan - baptised 1831
Thomas Wills (baptised 1818) married Susan (surname unknown) of North Bovey. Susan was around 12 years his junior. In 1881 they were living, with all of their children, at Moor Barton House, Moretonhampstead.
Children:
Fanny Thirza - baptised 1860 - married William Dodd of Bovey Tracey 16 May 1889
John H R - baptised 1863
Thomas - baptised 1866
Susanna - baptised 1868
Annie - baptised 1870
Ada - baptised 1873
Lucy - baptised 1875