Events
Date of Baptism: 28 September 1611.
Place of Baptism: Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England.
The baptism is given in the parish registers.
Date of Death: unknown.
Place of Death: unknown.
Relationships
Father: Richard Willets (born 1573).
Mother: Elizabeth Dudley.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Henry Payton. Married 3 May 1636 in Dudley (St Edmund’s).
The marriage is recorded in the parish registers. Henry mentions his wife, Ann, and his brother-in-law, Richard Willets, in his will. Ann's father Richard Willets mentions his son-in-law Henry Payton in his will.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
John Payton (baptized 1 April 1638 - buried 20 October 1711) married Katherine Parks 7 June 1663 in Dudley. Noake’s Worcestershire records John’s persecution for his Quaker beliefs in the 1660s.
Mary Payton (baptized 25 July 1641) married Jonathan Russon 22 October 1663 in Dudley.
Sarah Payton (baptized 20 August 1643 - buried 9 August 1699) married Richard Bach 18 June 1665 in Tipton, Staffordshire.
Ann Payton (born 20 May 1645).
Joseph Payton (baptized March 1647 - buried 10 November 1654).
Samuel Payton (baptized 25 February 1649 - buried 8 December 1655).
Elizabeth Payton (baptized 29 June 1651 - buried 17 July 1653).
Elizabeth Payton (baptized 9 June 1654).
Commentary
Anne’s parentage:
The 1671 will of Anne’s husband Henry Payton names Ann and his brother-in-law Richard Willets. The will of Richard Willets of Rowley Regis (made 1657, proved 1661) mentions his son Richard, his other children, and his son-in-law Henry Payton.
This information makes it possible to identify Anne’s baptism 26 September 1611 in Rowley Regis (father Richard Willets).
The identification of Anne’s father is clear. It is also possible, although not as straightforward, to identify Anne’s mother.
“Elizabeth wife of Richard Willett” was buried in Rowley Regis 4 May 1654.
The 1598 will of William Dudley of West Bromwich, Staffordshire names his wife Anne and daughter Elizabeth. Anne married secondly Edward Grove. Edward Grove, in his will (made 1634 and proved 1641/2) refers to Anne’s children by her first marriage as his sons- and daughters-in-law. One of these is “Elizabeth Willetts”. Elizabeth’s daughter Sarah is also named. “Richard Willetes” was one of the witnesses to the will.
William Dudley’s son Thomas Dudley in his 1650 will leaves to two of his sons parts of “Collins Land” in Rowley Regis. Richard Willets in his 1657 will leaves parts of “Collins Land” in Rowley Regis to two of his daughters.
I have not found a marriage record, but the indirect evidence that William Dudley’s daughter Elizabeth married Richard Willets of Rowley Regis is good enough. Richard had children baptized in Rowley Regis in 1609/10, 1611 (Anne), 1613, 1615/6, 1617 (Sarah), and so on. Sarah is explicitly stated to be Elizabeth’s daughter in Edward Grove’s will. Given the timing of the baptisms and the absence of any evidence of a second marriage, it is reasonable to assume Anne was too.
References
Adams, Percy W. L. (ed.). Rowley Regis Parish Register, Part I with index (Staffordshire Parish Registers Society, 1912).
Dudley, Worcestershire, St Edmund’s, parish registers, FHL film 992181, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Will of Edward Grove of West Bromwich. Proved 1641 in the Court of the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry.
Will of Henry Payton of Dudley. Proved 1672 in the Worcester Consistory Court. Digital images on FamilySearch.org acessed 9 August 2018.
Will of Richard Willets of Rowley Regis. Proved 1661 in the Worcester Consistory Court. Digital images on FamilySearch.org accessed 31 July 2018.
Will of Thomas Dudley of West Bromwich. Proved 1652 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
Will of William Dudley of West Bromwich. Proved 1598 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.