OBJECTIVES

Continue research on Obadiah Seeley’s ancestry in England by doing the following:

• Continue with probate research in an attempt to prove or disprove Thomas and Elizabeth Bissell as the parents of William Bissell (b. abt. 1547).
• Continue to seek the parents of Alice Chamber who was probably born in the late 1540s or early 1550s.
• Locate the marriage of William Seeley and Anne or Alice Bloxish. Then continue to extend their ancestral lines. The 1558 will of Richard Blockesyche named a daughter Alice whose birth probably occurred in an appropriate time period to be the ancestress. Richard’s family needs to be pursued further.

RESULTS

• Determined the most likely parents for William Bissell were Thomas Bissell and his wife Elizabeth of Kings Norton, Worcestershire. Thomas left a will dated 1595 that named his eldest son William. Christening records located for several of Thomas Bissell’s children indicated William would have been born about 1546 or earlier, which fits perfectly with the estimated birth year of the ancestral William Bissell.
• Searched for any additional probate records for Bissell/Byssell individuals of Kings Norton in indexes to the two courts with jurisdiction over this parish and examined them. There are no earlier probate records for Bissells of Kings Norton parish to be searched. Having exhausted probate records and taken the Bissell line back before the inception of Church of England parish registers, the Bissell ancestral line has ended with Thomas and Elizabeth Bissell who were probably born about 1520 at Kings Norton, Worcestershire.
• Determined the John Chamber whose will was probated in 1575 was probably the ancestral Alice Chamber’s older brother, uncle, or cousin. John Chamber married Margaret Greve, daughter of Thomas Greve. The multiple Chambers and Greves individuals who served as godparents to the children of William Bissell and Alice Chamber indicates connections between these families. The Chambers and Greves godparents were likely Alice’s close relations. One godparent in particular, George Chamber, was likely another brother of Alice. However, despite rigorous efforts using church and probate records, the parents of Alice Chamber have not been identified. George Chamber and the John Chamber whose will was probated in 1575 were likely her brothers. Alice’s father may have been the John Chamber Sr. who died in 1569. Unfortunately, he did not leave a will that would have better clarified which of the Chambers born between the 1530s and the 1550s were siblings.
• Determined the only candidate to be the father of Alice Bloxish was the Richard Bloxish who left the 1558 will that named Alice as his daughter. The christening record of one of Richard Bloxish’s children indicated Richard was christening children in the 1550s when Seeley Genealogical Society. Seeley2017Aug Alice was probably born. The name of Alice’s mother is unknown since the woman named in Richard’s will as his wife was his second marriage.
• Found church register entries concerning Morice Bloxish, the brother of Richard Bloxish.
• Evaluated probate records for Bloxish testators but did not find any further evidence to extend the Bloxish line past Richard Bloxish. The line has ended with Richard Bloxish who was probably born about 1520 in Aston, Warwickshire.
• Entered data concerning Obadiah Seeley’s into a gedcom file to make it easier to follow the ancestry while reading this report.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Continue research on the Seeley line as this was not completed during this project. As Augustus Seeley may or may not be a direct descendant of Obadiah Seeley, all male children of William Seeley (Obadiah’s father) need to be traced down to learn if any of them immigrated to Massachusetts and may be the direct ancestor of Augustus Seeley. Obadiah Seeley had no full brothers who survived to adulthood, but through his father’s second marriage to Hannah, he had four half-brothers—only one of whom (Jeremiah) is known to have died young. The fate of the other three men, Samuel, Jonathan and Jonas, is unknown. In addition, all male descendants of William’s Seeley’s parents, William Seeley and Alice Bloxish, need to be identified and traced down for the same purpose.
• Follow recommendations from the AugustusSeeley2016March and SeeleyEngland2016July reports concerning the American Seeley line:
  • Trace the seven identified descendants of Obadiah Seeley who are candidates to be Augustus Seeley’s father to learn if any of them lived in Massachusetts about 1739.
  • Consider other possibilities for Augustus Seeley’s ancestry such as (1) Augustus Seeley could be related to the Cilleys of Maine, and (2) Augustus might be a descendant of one of Obadiah’s siblings or ancestors who immigrated to Massachusetts. Also consider the possibility that Seeley families may have lived in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, in the mid-1700s as Berkshire borders Rensselaer County, New York (where the Brisbins lived).
  • Examine probate, land, and marriage records in Rye, Westchester, New York, and Newburgh, Orange County, New York, seeking the family of Augustus Seeley (b. about 1748; d. 1811 Elizabethtown, Leeds, Ontario, Canada).

The objective of this project was to continue research on Obadiah Seeley’s ancestry in England by (1) continuing with probate research in an attempt to prove or disprove Thomas and Elizabeth Bissell as the parents of William Bissell (b. abt. 1547), (2) seeking the parents of Alice Chamber who was probably born in the late 1540s or early 1550s, and (3) locating the marriage of William Seeley and Anne or Alice Bloxish, and continuing to extend their lines.

Background Information

During the previous project, the 1608 marriage of William Seeley and Alice Bissell was found in the parish of Yardley, Worcestershire. This record proved Alice’s surname was Bissell. The 1612 will of William Bissell was examined and it identified Alice (Bissell) Seeley as William Bissell’s daughter. Christening records were located for four of Alice Bissell’s siblings, but christenings for Alice and her brother Samuel were not found. The marriage of Alice Bissell’s parents, William Bissell and Alice Chamber, was located in the parish of Kings Norton, Worcestershire, dated 1571. Two potential christenings for William Bissell were located in Yardley, Worcestershire; neither entry included the names of parents.

Wills for Chamber testators were examined and one will was located that mentioned a daughter Alice. However, the testator was proven not to be the father of the ancestral Alice Chamber, but he could be Alice’s brother. Wills were also examined for Bissell testators and a likely couple to be the parents of William Bissell was identified. Thomas Bissell’s 1595 will named his eldest son as William Bissell. Presumably Thomas’ next oldest son was Richard who was christened in 1548. A birth before 1548 for the ancestral William Bissell would fit perfectly.

In addition, Seeley/Seale and Bloxish probate records were examined. The 1558 will of Richard Blockesyche was located. This document named a daughter Alice whose birth probably occurred in an appropriate time period to be the ancestress. Richard’s family needed to be pursued.

William Bissell

William Bissell married Alice Chamber in 1571 in the parish of Kings Norton, Worcestershire. The large number of Bissells noted in the Kings Norton church registers indicated William Bissell may have been born in this parish. But there were also many Bissell entries found in the parish registers of Yardley, and many of the Bissell testators whose probate records were presented in the last research report had also been residents of Yardley. The ancestral William Bissell may have originated from either parish. The most likely candidate to be the father of the ancestral William Bissell identified in the previous report was Thomas Bissell of Kings Norton who left a will probated in 1595. The abstract of that will, presented in the previous report, is repeated here.

1595 will of Thomas Bissell, yeoman of Kings Norton¹

• Will dated 3 Jul 1595; probated 29 Jul 1595
• Will named his eldest son William Bissell; sons Richard Bissell, John Bissell, and Humphrey Bissell; daughters Alice, Isabel, Anne, and Joyce [no surnames listed]; wife Elizabeth who is the executrix; overseers are sons John and Humphrey

Christening records were located previously for several of the children named in Thomas Bissell’s will; all were christened in Kings Norton parish. William Bissell’s christening was not found, but this is easily explained. William Bissell was named as Thomas’ eldest son; the next oldest son, Richard, was christened in 1548. This would mean William was likely born about 1546 or earlier. The existing Kings Norton parish registers begin in 1546, and are incomplete in the early years. William’s christening may have occurred just prior to the existing church records. If true, his record no longer exists.

Three Bissell individuals were named as godparents for three of William Bissell’s children: Elizabeth Bissell (godmother of his daughter Elizabeth, christened in 1572), Thomas Bissell (godfather of his son John, christened in 1574), and John Bissell (godfather of his son William, christened in 1579). These three individuals were likely close relations of William Bissell; Thomas Bissell and Elizabeth Bissell could be William’s parents, and John Bissell could be William’s brother—if William was, in fact, the son of Thomas Bissell, the 1595 testator.

Additional probate records for Bissell individuals that were not examined in the previous project were sought. The information they contained was compared and evaluated in conjunction with the information provided in the many Bissell probate records found previously. This search produced three more wills. Brief abstracts of these documents are as follows:

1571 will of Robert Byssell of Wotton, Warwick²

• Will dated 1568
• Persons named in the will were daughters Sarah and Martha (minors); wife Avys; son Nathaniel

1594 will of William Bissell, wheelwright of Kings Norton³

• Will probated 1594
• Persons named in the will were wife Margery; four daughters, Joan, Mary, Anne and Dorothy

Robert Byssell of Wotton did not mention any relation named William. William Bissell, the wheelwright, was buried on 17 December 1594 in Kings Norton. His wife Margery was likely the same Margery Bissell, widow of Kings Norton, who left a will dated 30 November 1609. She was buried at Kings Norton on 21 April 1610. Her will is found in the court index, but was not filmed, likely because it no longer exists. However, as William Bissell, the 1594 testator, did not name any sons in his will, this William and Margery Bissell are not the parents of the ancestral William Bissell. The probable christenings for William Bissell’s children are dated 28 November 1565 for daughter Joan, 4 November 1569 for daughter Mary, 7 February 1575 for daughter Anne, and 22 January 1579 for daughter Dorothy. This is the same time period in which the ancestral William Bissell was christening his children. Therefore, the two William Bissells were not brothers, but may have been cousins.

John Byssell, blacksmith of Yardley, Worcester⁴

• Will dated 12 Aug 1634; probated 14 Nov 1634
• Persons named in the will were five daughters, Ellinor, Elizabeth, Marie, Anne and Frances (all minors); wife Mary; cousin William Byssell of Yardley; cousins John Marston the elder and John Marston his son, both of Yardley
• Witnesses were John Marston and William Byssell

John Byssell of Yardley named his cousin William Byssell of Yardley. The ancestral William Bissell was not this testator’s cousin as the ancestor lived in Kings Norton, not in Yardley. None of the three additional wills offered information about the ancestor. The best candidate to be the father of William Bissell remains Thomas Bissell of Kings Norton, the 1595 testator.

The hypothesis is that William Bissell was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Bissell. William Bissell and Alice Chamber named their first daughter Elizabeth (after his mother?), their second daughter Alice (after Alice, and possibly her mother), their first son John (after her father?), their second son Thomas (after his father?) and their third son William (after William).

Probate records are the best source to extend an ancestral line before church records begin. Unfortunately, no further probate records for Bissell/Byssell individuals of Kings Norton were found in indexes to the two courts with jurisdiction over this parish (the court of the Bishop of Worcester and the Prerogative Court of Canterbury). The Bissell ancestral line has ended with Thomas Bissell and his wife Elizabeth who were probably born about 1520 at Kings Norton, Worcestershire.

Alice Chamber

Alice Chamber married William Bissell on 25 November 1571 at Kings Norton, Worcestershire, England. Based on her marriage year, Alice’s estimated birth range was considered to be the late 1530s through the early 1550s. A potential christening record for Alice had not been found. Previously, multiple wills for Chamber/Chambers testators were examined and analyzed. One will mentioned a daughter Alice, but the testator was proven not to be the father of the ancestral Alice Chamber, but he may have been her brother.

Godparents for William Bissell and Alice Chamber’s children were listed in their christening records. The list of godparents included multiple Chamber individuals: John Chamber, George Chamber, Margaret Chamber, Thomas Chamber, and Marten Chamber. These five individuals were likely Alice’s close relations—parents, siblings, grandparents, or aunt and uncles. Another godparent named in a christening record was Agnes Greve, perhaps Alice’s aunt or grandmother. In addition, godparents for two Chambers children who were christened in Kings Norton in 1559 and 1561 included Greves individuals: Richard Greve, Thomas Greves, and Margaret Greves. Clearly the Chambers and Greves were somehow related. Since the Chambers probate records searched previously did not directly reveal the parents of Alice Chambers, perhaps reading the wills of Greves testators would indicate who her parents were.

The 1575 will of John Chamber of Kings Norton that was presented in the previous report named Richard Greve as his brother-in-law. John Chamber’s wife was Margaret and his brother was Thomas Chamber. John Chamber, his wife Margaret Chamber, and his brother-in-law Richard Greve were likely three of the godparents named for the children of William Bissell and Alice Chamber. This placed the John Chamber who died about 1575 as a probable very close
relation of Alice.

Probate research for the Greve surname produced the 1551 will of Thomas Greve that named his daughter Margaret as the wife of John Chamber (d. 1575). Therefore, Thomas Greve’s son, Richard Greve, was the brother-in-law named by John Chamber in his will. An abstract of Thomas Greve’s will is as follows:

1551 will of Thomas Greve of Kings Norton⁵

• Will dated 25 Mar 1551; probated 8 Jun 1551
• To be buried at Kings Norton
• Persons named in the will were sons Richard Greve, Marten Greve, John Greve, William Greve; daughters Alice Ratten, Margaret Chamber, and youngest daughter Mary; wife Isabell
• Overseers were “my sons” John Ratton, John Greve, William Greve, Richard Greve, and John Chamber

Thomas Greve named John Chamber as his “son,” meaning son-in-law, clearly tying the Chamber and Greves families together.

The children named by John Chamber in his will dated 1572 (probated 1575) were Dorothy Chamber, Elizabeth Chamber (his youngest daughter, a minor), John Chamber, Peter Chamber, Thomas Chamber and Richard Chamber. Since John’s youngest daughter Elizabeth was under the age of 21 in 1572, she was born between 1552 and 1572. The two Chamber christening records found in Kings Norton’s church registers that listed Greves individuals as godparents were as follows:

• Elizabeth Chamber, christened 6 Oct 1559 (godparents were Isabel Grisolde, Richard Greve, Elizabeth Sparry),
• Richard Chamber, christened 18 May 1561 (godparents were Thomas Greves, Margaret Greves, John Bissell)

Both of the above children are likely the younger children of John Chamber (d. 1575) and his wife Margaret Greve. Elizabeth’s godfather, Richard Greve, was probably Margaret (Greve) Chamber’s brother. Richard Chamber’s godfather, Thomas Greves, was not Margaret (Greve) Chamber’s father as he died ten years earlier in 1551. Nor was Thomas Greves her brother since her father did not name a son Thomas in his will. The identity of Thomas Greves is unknown at this point. Perhaps he was a cousin or an uncle. Studying Greves probate records helped identify at least one connection between the Greves and the Chambers (the marriage of John Chamber and Margaret Greves), but did not clearly identify the parents of Alice Chamber. Alice was not the daughter of John Chamber and Margaret Greves or she would have been named in their will as a daughter. But since a John Chamber and a Margaret Chamber were godparents for two of Alice (Chamber) Bissell’s children (John was a godfather for their daughter Elizabeth Bissell, christened on 21 December 1572; Margaret Chamber was a godmother for their son John Bissell, christened on 31 October 1574), John Chamber may have been Alice Chamber’s older brother, uncle, or cousin.

John Chamber’s 1575 will named just one sibling, a brother Thomas Chamber. The 1585 will of Martin Chamber of Kings Norton (discussed in the previous report) named a brother Humphrey Chamber. (Martin Chamber served as a godfather for Alice Chamber Bissell’s son Thomas, christened on 17 November 1576). Based on information in the wills of John Chamber and Martin Chamber, both men likely christened their children between the 1550s and the 1570s, a time frame that would mean they were old enough to be Alice’s older brothers or uncles.

The 1614 will of Humphrey Chamber of Kings Norton (presented in the previous report) named his deceased brother Martin’s children, John and Thomas Chamber. Humphrey also named his goddaughter Anne Greves, and John Greves the son of Edward Greves. Clearly there was likely more than one familial relationship between the Chamber and Greves families.

The George Chamber who was a godfather to Alice (Chamber) Bissell’s son John (christened 1574) was likely the George Chambers of Yardley who died in 1617. He married in Kings Norton in 1577 to Joane Marten and was probably born in the 1550s—shortly after the ancestral Alice Chamber. George could be Alice’s brother. George did name one of his daughters Alice. Godparents for George’s children who were christened in 1578 and 1583 included Thomas Greve, Thomas Chamber, and Martin Chamber—the same men asked by Alice (Chamber) Bissell to be godfathers for her children.

It seems the ancestral Alice Chamber might be a sister or cousin to George Chamber, Martin Chamber, Thomas Chamber, Humphrey Chamber, John Chamber (wife is Margaret Greve), and maybe Richard Chamber. Humphrey and Martin were definitely brothers; John and Thomas were definitely brothers. Since church records for Kings Norton parish begin in 1546, they are dated too late to find christening records for some of the above Chamber individuals. Two christenings were found in the parish records for children named Martin Chamber; one dated 1546, the other dated 1548. Neither entry included the names of parents. Searches were made for probate records for any Chambers individual dated in the early to mid-1500s that might clarify who the parents of some of the above individuals were. This attempt was not successful.

The 1565 will of Alice Chamber of Tardebigge was discovered, but the will was partially destroyed. A large hole in the middle of the document obscured some of Alice’s relations. The existing sections indicated Alice Chamber of Tardebigge had children named Elinor, Anne, and Richard. There could have been, and probably were, more.

Kings Norton burial records were searched to learn the names of Chamber individuals who died between the inception of the Kings Norton registers and 1590 as one or two of the burial entries probably related to the ancestral Alice Chamber’s parents. This is the list of Chamber individuals buried in Kings Norton during the search period.

• Bur 22 Mar 1554 Kings Norton – Alice Chamber
• Bur 12 Aug 1558 Kings Norton – Alice Chamber
• Bur 18 Apr 1569 Kings Norton – John Chamber Sr.
• Bur 29 Sep 1569 Kings Norton – Sibill Chamber
• Bur 25 Feb 1573/4 Kings Norton – John Chamber of Branderde (this man is probably the John Chamber whose will was written in 1572 and probated in 1575)
• Bur 19 Apr 1584 Kings Norton – Marten Chamber (this was the Martin Chamber who wrote the 1584 will)
• Bur 1 Nov 1590 Kings Norton – Isabell Chambers

Note that the burial entries did not specify the names of parents, spouses, etc. There was no indication if these individuals were children or adults. One or two of the above persons is probably one of Alice Chamber’s parents. Her father was not Martin Chamber or John Chamber of Branderde (he was the man married to Margaret Greves). But her father could be the John Chamber Sr. who died in 1569; her mother could be one of the two Alice Chambers, Sibill Chamber, or Isabell Chamber. There is a definite possibility that John Chamber Sr. might be the father of the John Chamber who married Margaret and who died in 1573/4 leaving a will. If so, John Chamber Sr. could be the father of John, Alice, Thomas and other Chamber individuals of Kings Norton.

In the hopes of finding some mention of the Chamber families in Kings Norton, monumental inscriptions for the parish published in 1947 were searched, but most of the entries were for persons buried in the 1800s and 1900s.⁶ A history of Kings Norton parish was also searched, but no mention was found for any Chambers.⁷ A heraldic visitation for the county of Worcestershire taken in 1634 was reviewed, but the only surname of interest was that of Greves (see the Research Calendar for details).⁸

Despite rigorous efforts using church and probate records, the parents of Alice Chamber have not been identified. Most likely, she had at least one brother, George Chamber. The John Chamber whose will was probated in 1575 was likely another brother. Alice may have been the daughter of John Chamber Sr. who died in 1569. Unfortunately, John Chamber Sr. did not leave a will. Due to the number of Chamber families living in Kings Norton parish in the 16th century, Alice Chamber was probably born in this parish.

Alice Bloxish

The marriage of William Seeley to Anne or Alice Bloxish was sought in the vicinity of Birmingham, Warwickshire. Their elusive marriage was located in Yardley, Worcestershire (the couple had been indexed incorrectly as William Serko and Alice Blarkserge).

• Mar 31 Jan 1579/80 Yardley, Worcestershire – Willm Seeley and Alice Blockeseche

A marriage in 1580 suggested Alice may have been born in the mid- to late 1550s. Although a christening for Alice Bloxish was not found in Birmingham or Yardley dated in the 1550s, the following Bloxish entries were noted:

• Chr Feb 1554/5 Birmingham St. Martin – Robert, son of Richard Blokeshey¹⁰
• Mar 22 Jan 1558/9 Birmingham St. Martin – Richard Collins and Agnes Bloxich¹¹

Richard “Blokeshey” was the only man of that surname found christening children in the 1550s in the Birmingham area. During the previous research project, his will was found and discussed in the report. Richard did name a daughter Alice and was the only candidate being considered to be her father. An abstract of his will is repeated here.

1558 will of Richard Blockesyche of Birmingham¹²

• Will dated 14 Oct 1558; proved 15 Jan 1558/9 Persons named in the will were his eldest son William; sons Richard and Robart; eldest daughter Jone; daughter Alice; Elsabeth, his wife’s eldest daughter; John and James, his wife’s sons; wife Agnes who is the executrix; brother Moryse Blocksyge

The 1555 christening of Richard’s son Robert verifies Richard was having children in the 1550s when Alice was likely born. His will indicates his current wife Agnes was his second wife as she had three children of her own by another man (Elsabeth, John and James). Richard “Bloxiche” was buried on 21 October 1558 at Birmingham St. Martin.¹³ Therefore, it was his widow Agnes “Bloxich” who married Richard Collins the following January at Birmingham St. Martin, as seen in the marriage entry above.

Richard’s eldest daughter Joane was likely born in the mid- to late 1540s as she married Robert Bennet in Birmingham St. Martin on 25 October 1570.¹⁴ It may have been Richard Bloxish’s stepdaughter Elizabeth Bloxiche who married Henerie Dosey in Birmingham St. Martin on 24 January 1567/8 if Elizabeth took the surname of her stepfather.¹⁵

Just two references in church records were found regarding Richard Bloxish’s brother Morice whom he named in his will.

• Chr 29 Jan 1563/4 Aston, St. Peter and St. Paul – Thomas, son of Morice Bloxsuche¹⁶
• Bur 18 Oct 1603 Aston, St. Peter and St. Paul – Maurice Bloxseech¹⁷

Morice Bloxish did not leave a will, which is unfortunate as his will could have clarified which of the men who were found living in Aston were his children. The parish registers for Aston, St. Peter and St. Paul, also known as Aston juxta Birmingham, begin in 1544. The registers skip a number of years, mostly in the earliest time period. These registers were searched for the Bloxish family. The first entry encountered was a marriage for Richard Bloxish dated 1577. Richard Bloxish (will dated 1558) had a son Richard who would have been born probably about 1552, so a marriage year of 1577 would suit him. The only known child of Morice Bloxish was his son Thomas who was christened in 1564. However, Morice probably had additional children, some of whom may have been born before that date. If he did, their christenings were not found in or near Aston or Birmingham. Whether the Richard Bloxish who married in 1577 was the son of Richard Bloxish (will dated 1558) or Morice Bloxish could not be discerned. The Richard Bloxish who left the 1558 will definitely had a son Richard as he was named in the will. And, this son Richard was not found marrying or christening children in Birmingham, which meant he was free to be the man who married in Aston. This evidence suggests Richard’s (will dated 1558) son Richard may have moved to Aston where his uncle Morice was living. The following entries pertain to this Richard Bloxish.¹⁸

• Mar 29 Jan 1576/7 Aston – Richard Bloxishe and Mary Holdon¹⁹
• Chr 8 Nov 1579 Aston – Humfrey, son of Richard Bloxishe of Erdington
• Chr 3 Oct 1580 Aston – Humfrey, son of Richard Bloxishe of Erdington
• Chr 26 May 1583 Aston – Margaret, daughter of Richard Bloxishe of Erdington
• Bur 28 Sep 1583 Aston – Margaret, daughter of Richard Bloxishe of Erdington
• Chr 15 Sep 1586 Aston – Margaret, daughter of Richard Blocksush

Although a burial for Richard’s first son named Humfrey was not found in these registers, it is almost certain that Humfrey died soon after birth since a second son was given the same name. The Richard Bloxishe who married in 1577 left a will dated 1619; it was presented in the last report. An abstract of the will is repeated here.

1619 will of Richard Bloxwich of Aston juxta Birmingham²⁰

• Will dated 1 Jul 1619; proved 23 Jul 1619
• Persons named in the will were daughter Margaret Birch; Thomas Birch, son of Roger Birch; Richard Bloxish, son of Thomas Bloxish; daughter Marie Bloxich; wife Marie Bloxish who is the executor
• Witnesses were Thomas Humfrie and Edward Bloxiche

Richard’s will did not provide sufficient information to determine if he was the son of Richard Bloxish (will dated 1558) or Morice Bloxish.

Multiple Bloxishe entries are found in the Aston church registers dated in the 16th century. There is a good possibility that brothers Richard and Morice Bloxish were born in Aston or nearby. Richard Bloxish probably married his first wife, whose name is unknown, about the time the Aston registers begin in 1544. His marriage was not found in those registers. Richard Bloxish was likely born about 1520, possibly in Aston. As Richard Bloxish’s 1558 will was the earliest dated probate record found for a testator of this surname, further research to extend the Bloxish line has likely come to its end. There is a town called Bloxwich in southern Staffordshire, not far from Birmingham and Aston. This could be where the Bloxish surname originated some centuries earlier.

William Seeley

William Seeley’s family members were not pursued during this research period and this has become an important recommendation for the future. One clue to the extension of his ancestral may be the following marriage found while searching the Aston church records for the Bloxish surname.

• Mar 30 Apr 1566 Aston, Warwickshire – Thomas Saunders and Margaret Seele²¹

Perhaps the Seeley and Bloxish families originated in the same parish.

Conclusion

A study and evaluation of church and probate records led to the conclusion that the most likely parents for William Bissell were Thomas Bissell and his wife Elizabeth of Kings Norton, Worcestershire. Thomas left a will dated 1595 that named his eldest son William. Christening records located for several of Thomas Bissell’s children indicated William would have been born about 1546 or earlier, which fits perfectly with the estimated birth year of the ancestral William Bissell. Searches for additional probate records for Bissell/Byssell individuals of Kings Norton were made and the documents found were examined. They did not offer any useful information to extend the line. There are no earlier probate records for Bissells of Kings Norton parish to be searched. Having exhausted probate records and taken the Bissell line back before the inception of Church of England parish registers, the Bissell ancestral line has ended with Thomas and Elizabeth Bissell who were probably born about 1520 at Kings Norton, Worcestershire.

Alice Chamber was likely the sister, niece, or cousin of the John Chamber whose will was probated in 1575. John Chamber married Margaret Greve, daughter of Thomas Greve. The multiple Chambers and Greves individuals who served as godparents to the children of William Bissell and Alice Chamber indicates familial connections between these families. The Chambers and Greves godparents were likely Alice’s close relations. One godparent in particular, George Chamber, was likely a brother of Alice. Despite rigorous efforts using church and probate records, the parents of Alice Chamber have not been identified. George Chamber and the John Chamber whose will was probated in 1575 were likely her brothers. Alice’s father may have been the John Chamber Sr. who died in 1569. Unfortunately, this man did not leave a will that would have better clarified which of the Chambers born between the 1530s and the 1550s were siblings.

The only candidate discovered who could be the father of Alice Bloxish was the Richard Bloxish who left the 1558 will that named Alice as his daughter. The christening record of one of Richard Bloxish’s children indicated Richard was christening children in the 1550s when Alice was probably born. The name of Alice’s mother is unknown since the woman named in Richard’s willas his wife was his second marriage. Church register entries were found concerning Morice Bloxish, the brother of Richard Bloxish. Probate records for Bloxish testators were examined, but no further evidence was located to extend the Bloxish line past Richard Bloxish. The line has ended with Richard Bloxish who was probably born about 1520 in Aston, Warwickshire.

Recommendations

• Continue research on the Seeley line as this was not completed during this project. As Augustus Seeley may or may not be a direct descendant of Obadiah Seeley, all male children of William Seeley (Obadiah’s father) need to be traced down to learn if any of them immigrated to Massachusetts and may be the direct ancestor of Augustus Seeley. Obadiah Seeley had no full brothers who survived to adulthood, but through his father’s second marriage to Hannah, he had four half-brothers—only one of whom (Jeremiah) is known to have died young. The fate of the other three men, Samuel, Jonathan and Jonas, is unknown. In addition, all male descendants of William’s Seeley’s parents, William Seeley and Alice Bloxish, need to be identified and traced down for the same purpose.
• Follow recommendations from the AugustusSeeley2016March and SeeleyEngland2016July reports concerning the American Seeley line:
  • Trace the seven identified descendants of Obadiah Seeley who are candidates to be Augustus Seeley’s father to learn if any of them lived in Massachusetts about 1739.
  • Consider other possibilities for Augustus Seeley’s ancestry such as (1) Augustus Seeley could be related to the Cilleys of Maine, and (2) Augustus might be a descendant of one of Obadiah’s siblings or ancestors who immigrated to Massachusetts. Also consider the possibility that Seeley families may have lived in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, in the mid-1700s as Berkshire borders Rensselaer County, New York (where the Brisbins lived).
  • Examine probate, land, and marriage records in Rye, Westchester, New York, and Newburgh, Orange County, New York, seeking the family of Augustus Seeley (b. about 1748; d. 1811 Elizabethtown, Leeds, Ontario, Canada).

Footnotes

1. Will of Thomas Bissell of Kings Norton, Worcester, 1595, Church of England, Diocese of Worcester, Wills of the consistory court of Worcester, 1493-1857 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1953). FHL film 97950 #53. Documents 15a-b
2. Church of England. Episcopal Consistory Court of the Diocese of Worcester, Wills of the consistory court of Worcester, 1493-1857 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1953) FHL film 97911.
3. Church of England. Episcopal Consistory Court of the Diocese of Worcester, Wills of the consistory court of Worcester, 1493-1857 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1953) FHL film 97947.
4. “Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858,” 1634 will of John Byssell, blacksmith of Yardley, Worcester, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com).
5. “Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858,”, 1551 will of Thomas Greve of Kings Norton, Worcestershire, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com). Documents 1a-b
6. Monumental inscriptions of St. Nicholas, Kings Norton, Worcestershire, England (1947) FHL book 942.47/K1 V3m.
7. Helen Goodger, Kings Norton (Studley : Brewin, c1990) FHL book 942.47/K1 H2g
8. Alfred Trego Butler, The visitation of Worcestershire 1634 (London, England: Harleian Society, 1938) FHL book 942 B4h v. 27 and 90.
9. Church of England. Parish Church of Yardley, Worcestershire, “Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812,” Ancestry (www.ancestry.com) Document 2
10. Church of England. Parish Church of Birmingham St. Martin, Warwickshire, “Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812,” Ancestry (www.ancestry.com) Document 4
11. Church of England. Parish Church of Birmingham St. Martin, Warwickshire, “Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812,” Ancestry (www.ancestry.com) Document 3
12. Will of Richard Blockesyche of Birmingham, Warwickshire, 1558, “Dioceses of Lichfield and Coventry Wills and Probate 1521-1860,” FindMyPast (www.findmypast.com). Documents 4a-c
13. Church of England. Parish Church of Birmingham St. Martin, Warwickshire, “Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812,” Ancestry (www.ancestry.com) Document 5
14. Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812,” Ancestry (www.ancestry.com) Document 6
15. Church of England. Parish Church of Birmingham St. Martin, Warwickshire, “Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812,” Ancestry (www.ancestry.com) Document 7
16. Church of England. Parish Church of Birmingham St. Martin, Warwickshire, “Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812,” Ancestry (www.ancestry.com) Document 8
17. Church of England. Parish Church of Aston, Warwickshire, The first volume, 1544 to 1639/40, of the registers of the parish church of Aston-juxta-Birmingham (Birmingham, England: C. Cooper, 1900) FHL book 942.48/A3 V26a.
18. William F. Carter, The first volume, 1544 to 1639/40, of the registers of the parish church of Aston-juxtaBirmingham (Birmingham, England : C. Cooper, 1900) FHL book 942.48/A3 V26a.
19. William F. Carter, The first volume, 1544 to 1639/40, of the registers of the parish church of Aston-juxtaBirmingham (Birmingham, England : C. Cooper, 1900) FHL book 942.48/A3 V26a. Document 9
20. Will of Richard Bloxwich of Aston juxta Birmingham, Warwickshire, 1619, “Dioceses of Lichfield and Coventry Wills and Probate 1521-1860,” FindMyPast (www.findmypast.com).
21. Church of England. Parish Church of Aston, Warwickshire, The first volume, 1544 to 1639/40, of the registers of the parish church of Aston-juxta-Birmingham (Birmingham, England : C. Cooper, 1900) FHL book 942.48/A3 V26a.