WILLIAM LEWIS

02 Nov 1740-?

and

ANN GAILEY

31 Jul 1743-23 Apr 1786

William was born in Marden and Ann in the neighboring parish of Bodenham it the county of Herfordshire, England. William was a laborer by occupation as was Ann’s father, Thomas Gailey.

On 4 Apr 1763, when Ann was 20 years of age, she gave birth to a son who was fathered  by William. The child was given the name of William Lewis Gailey there was no marriage. The baby was given Ann’s surname and was given the middle name, Lewis. One year later, on 09 Jan 1764, Ann gave birth to a second son also fathered by William Lewis. He was given the name John Lewis Gailey.  Marlin Galley is a descendant through the bloodline of William Lewis Gailey.

No reference was found regarding other relationships between Ann Gailey and William Lewis, but the fact that she gave her sons the middle name, Lewis, suggests that she was fond of William and would have chosen to marry him had she the choice. William Lewis later married Elizabeth Chrissul in Marden, Herfordshire on 17 May 1768. It seems very likely that Ann had hoped to marry William, and that she waited until after he married another before she married. Two years later on 05 Feb 1770, Ann married John Preese, in Marden. No record was found of children born to William and Elizabeth, but one son and five daughters were born to Ann Gailey and John Preese.

They were:

ANN                           09 May 1771

MARY                        10 Jan 1773

SARAH                      26 Feb 1775

JOHN                          17 Mar 1778

ELIZABETH              19 Sep 1779

CATHERINE             20 Aug 1781

 

Ann Gailey and John Preese were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on 09 Mar 1949. William Lewis Galley and John Lewis Gailey were sealed to them on 05 Dec 1973 in the Provo Utah Temple.  The six Preese children were sealed to them on varying dates and in other temples.

Had the relationship between William Lewis and Ann Gailey been formalized in marriage, our surname would have been Lewis rather than Gailey.