This is part of a series about my New England colonial ancestors who arrived by during the Great Migration. If you have early Massachusetts ancestry, be sure to check out AmericanAncestors, as the Great Migration Study Project can be viewed there with a membership to the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

William Fellows was born c1610 in England. His origins haven’t been proven, but he may have come from Leicestershire. One Elizabeth Moricke of Roxbury, Suffolk, Massachusetts, wrote her will on 14 March 1649/50, naming one Leonard Fellows of Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England as one of her excecutors. She also left bequests to William Fellows of Ipswich, Richard Fellows of Connecticut and Samuel Fellows of Salisbury, which strongly suggests that all these people were related.

Like my extended Tuttle family, William Fellows arrived in  Massachusetts in 1635 aboard the ship Planter.

William married Mary (MNU), c1636, not long after settling in Massachusetts. Some say her maiden name was Ayres, which is possible per the Great Migration Study commentary, but has NOT been proven.

William was a shoemaker by trade in England.

William died between 29 November 1676, the date of his will, and 21 December 1676, when it was accepted in court. It was not proved because William neglected to name an executor. The court appointed his three sons to divide the estate according to “the mind of their father.”

Children:

1. Isaac, born c1637, probably Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; died 6 April 1721, Ipswich, Massachusetts; married Joanna Boreman, 29 January 1672/73, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts.
2. Ephraim, born c1641, probably Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; married (1) Mary (MNU), who died 23 February 1671, Ipswich (2) Ann Cross, widow of Thomas Marshall, by 1683.
3. Samuel, born c1643, probably Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; died between 14 April 1712-11 December 1713, Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts; unmarried. He left his estate to his sister Abigail and her children.
4. Mary, born c1645, probably Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; died after 1688, probably Reading Middlesex, Massachusetts; married Josiah Brown, 23 February 1666/7, Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
5. Joseph, born c1650, probably Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; married Ruth Frail, 19 April 1675, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts.
6. Elizabeth, born c1653, probably Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; died after 29 November 1676, when William wrote his will; no further record.
7. Abigail, born c1655, probably Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; married Samuel Ayres, 16 April 1677, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts.
8. Sarah, born 26 July 1657, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts; died after 3 February 1722/23, unmarried at that time; no further record.

William and Mary (MNU) Fellows are my 10X great grandparents.

My line of descent:

1. William Fellows & Mary (MNU)
2. Josiah Brown & Mary Fellows
3. Josiah Brown & Susannah Goodwin
4. Abiel Brown & Sarah Green
5. William Hay & Phebe Brown
6. Joses Bucknam & Abigail Hay
7. Oliver Scripture & Mary Goddard Bucknam
8. George Rogers Tarbox & Mary Elizabeth Scripture
9. Calvin Segee Adams & Nellie F. Tarbox
10. Charles Edwin Adams & Annie Maude Stuart
11. Vernon Tarbox Adams & Hazel Ethel Coleman
12. George Michael Sabo & Doris Priscilla Adams
13. Linda Anne (Sabo) Stufflebean – Me!