William Kelsey was born about 1600 in England. While the compiler has not determined the exact location, T.C. Wilcox has found that Kelsey Families lived in Derbyshire near Wicksworth.

William married in England about 1627 to Bethia Hopkins. Bethia was born about 1605; parents & place unknown.

William & Bethia Kelsey had one son born to them in England; after which, they brought their child and sailed to North America, to the Mass. Bay Colony, prior to 29 Mar 1632.

They first settled in Cambridge MA , where 3 or possibly 4 more children were born to them.  William became a “Freeman” on 4 Mar 1635 in Newtown (Cambridge MA).

William & Bethia moved their family and settled as an original proprietor in Hartford CT. They possibly came in 1636, with the large group of settlers from Cambridge MA, led by the Rev. Thomas Hooker.  William Kelsey's name is on the Founders Monument at Hartford CT. His home lot was on the road from Centinel Hill to the North Meadow (near Village St).

During about the next 27 years, 4 more children were born in Hartford.  William was a frequent purchaser of lands. He is listed as an Abutter in 54 land transactions. He also owned a right in the Hartford Mill.

Finally in 1663, William & Bethia Kelsey moved their remaining family again; this time from Hartford to the new town of Killingworth (now Clinton CT); where they were original proprietors, and the 4th family to settle in the town.

In 1671, William Kelsey served as a Deputy to the General Court.  William Kelsey died about 1680 in Killingworth. The compiler has no data on the date/place of death for Bethia Kelsey, widow of William.

Bethia Hopkins may have also spelled her name as Bertha

1. Yates Publishing, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2004;), Database online. Record for William Kelsey.
2. Godfrey Memorial Library, comp., American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 1999;), Database online. 
3. Robert Charles Anderson, Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33 (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2000;), Database online. Record for Abigail.
4. CT Historical Society: Town Lands, Births, & Deaths; Town of Hartford, 1639-1764: Colonial Town Records, Vols. 1&2:
   • Secty Record Book Vol 1 Part 1: (partial List) William Kelsey pg 49, 50
   • Secty Record Book Vol 2 Part 1: William Kelsey pg 32, 71
   • Secty Record Book Vol 2 Part 2: William Kelsey pg 171
   • Stephen Kelsey dyed 30 Nov 1710 (pg 613)
   • Abigall Kelsa, dau of William Kelsa was born 19 Apr 1645, pg 575
   • Daniell Kelsa son of William Kelsa was borne ___Jun 1650. pg. 581
   • Steven Kelsa son of William Kelsa was baptized 7 Nov 1647, pg 578
5. CT Historical Society Collections, Vol XIV: Hartford Land Distributions for Kelsey (Callsey,Callsy, Calsey, Kellsa, Kellse, Kellsea, etc)
   Goodman, abutter pg 137
   Abigail, birth of 575
   Charles, marriage of 619
   Daniel, birth of 581
   Hannah (Larkham) marriage of 619
   John, land rec to 451 
   Ralph abutter 373
   Rebecca(Messenger) marriage of 613
   Steven, abutter 98,115,325,374
   Steven, baptism of 578
   Steven land bought of 95
   Steven land given to 141,143,450,451
   Steven land received of 326
   Steven land recorded to 324
   Steven receives right in Hartford Mill 325
   Steven stray in custody of 627
   
   Kellsey, William:
   Agrees to maintain fence 547
   child born to 575, 581
   land bought by 450
   land bought of, 37,38,50,132,133,136,140, 148,352, 383, 403, 443, 465, 539, 547,
   land deeded by 452
   land drawn by 493
   land formerly belonging to 98,142
   land given by 324
   land received by 136 (other land records not copied)
   marraige of 613
   mentioned as proprietor 499
   Mill rates of 495
   proportion as proprietor 550
   signs agreement 547
   transfers right in Hartford Mill 325
   Wm. Abutter: 30,36,41,44,50,79,81,82,87,88,110,112,114,115,118,119,131,139,140,143,144,147,151,152,189,190,198,236,326,337,348,353,354,372,373,379,381,385,409,412,435,441,446,450,454,455,460,473,484,489,503,516,523,547,
6. Genealogy of Descendants of William Kelsey by Edw. A. Claypool & Azalea Clizbee, pub 1928
7. Pioneers of Massachussetts by Charles Henry Pope, Boston 1900
8. The Hull Family in America by Col. Weygant Hull, 1913
9. Descendants of William Wilcoxson by Thomas C. Wilcox, Pub 1936. The compiler has found this book to be the best researched, and most authoritative work on William Wilcoxson.
10. Families of Early Hartford CT (At Baton Rouge Bluebonnet Library) (At Baton Rouge Bluebonnet Library) By: Lucius Barnes Barbour Copyright by (1) Genealogical Pub. Co Balto MD and by (2) CT Society of Genealogists