Williscroft, Woolliscroft, Wolliscroft & Variant's Worldwide Onename Study

Absolam Woolliscroft left England on a great adventure to America arriving in Baltimore, Maryland, USA in September 1820. He travelled around the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia for a time keeping a diary of his adventures which his family still has. By 1825 he was living in Cincinnati and was later ordained as a Methodist Preacher. More

Ann Woolliscroft married Adam Moore at Astbury, Cheshire, England in 1833. The witnesses at the marriage were Thomas Woolliscroft and Martha Moore. In November 1874 a notice appeared in the Times newspaper in England. They were trying to contact Adam Moore and his wife Ann who had gone to Cleveland, Ohio, USA in 1839 and formerly lived in Hanley. Adam was a joiner and at the time of his marriage he was living in Hanley, Staffordshire.  In 1834 a notice appeared in Perry’s Bankrupt Gazette to say that Adam was to appear at Stafford on the 26 November for his case to be heard. Adam was referred to as ‘Adam jnr’ and from this I believe he was the son of Adam Moore and Mary Harrison. However, Adam and Ann did not emigrate in 1839 as in 1841 they were living in Smallthorn, Norton in the Moors, Staffordshire on the census returns. By 1850 they were living in Liverpool, Columbia, Ohio, USA where Adam was farming. In 1870 Ann was a boarding house keeper living in Rush Creek, Logan, Ohio, USA where she died in 1873. I have been unable to find a death record for Adam but Ann’s death certificate states she was a widow. The couple do not appear to have had any surviving children.

Thomas Bentley Woolliscroft. Thomas  and his wife arrived aboard the ‘New England’ at New Orleans on the 11 September and settled in Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin, USA. During the 1850’s Thomas was joined by his parents and Elizabeth Woolliscroft, and brothers David Woolliscroft and William Bentley Woolliscroft and Williams family. In 1866 he was joined by his sister Alice Fernyhough and her children. His father Jesse died in Janeville and his mother Elizabeth returned to England where she died in 1881. The family were originally from Fulford in Staffordshire. 

Richard Woolliscroft was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England in 1829. He was still in England on the 1851 census returns but became a US Citizen in Pennsylvania in 1855. He married twice. His first wife Mary Ann Knowles remained in England. He married his second wife Emma Barber in 1857. He was a miner and died in 1892 at Streator, La Salle, Illianois, USA.

Walter Williscroft was the son of Samuel & Elizabeth Williscroft born in Dudley, Worcestershire, England in 1844. He emigrated to Polk, Wisconsin, USA about 1868. In 1870 he was living with his wife Laura Wright in Farmington, Polk, Wisconcin, USA. Walter was still in Farmington ten years later but the couple had gone their separate ways. He married his second wife Frances Lane in September 1880. Walter died in Greenwood, Spokane, Washington, USA in 1911. Walter’s widowed mother, brother John and sister Agnes with her husband Edward Chalingsworth emigrated to Australia. The family story is that Walter travelled to the States from Australia but I have found no evidence to support this theory but the family maintained contact.

In 1868 John Woolliscroft and his wife Lucinda (nee Owen) were living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with their daughter Carrie. Carrie passed away in 1875 and her mother had died by 1892. John was a widower aged 71 when he died in 1892 in Philadelphia. John was most likely the son of  John & Elizabeth Woolliscroft born at Bradley by Stafford, Staffordshire, England in 1825.

William H Williscroft and his sister Jennie (Esther Jane) Williscraft were living in Analy, Sanoma, California, USA on the 1870 US census. William had moved to Arizona by 1872 where he was a cattle rancher at Ash Forks near Prescott, Yavapai, Arizona, USA. William is perhaps best known for being one of the earliest photographers in Arizona. He was also a witness to the notorious murder of Deputy Sheriff Murphy at Walnut Grove in 1885. He died in 1920 whilst on a visit to his family in Canada with his sister Jennie. His sister Jennie Williscraft remained in California where she married William Guilford Lee in 1871. William was a JP and an attorney at law. Jennie died in 1919 whilst on a visit to Canada with her brother William. William & Jennies brother John Williscroft was living at Salt Point, Sonoma, California in 1870.  He had moved to Yavapai, Arizona by 1880. He later moved to Oklahoma where he died in 1918. William, John and Jennie were three of the children of William and Sarah Williscraft who arrived in Canada from Ireland in 1828.

James Woolliscroft was living in Brooklyn, New York on the 1880 US census returns working as a machinist. His wife Amelia Moores joined him about 1882 with the family. Although both James and Amelia made several return journeys in the 1890’s. James became an American citizen in 1890. He died in 1915. He was the son of William and Mary Woolliscroft born in 1847 at Macclesfield, Cheshire, England.

Isaac Benson Williscroft and his wife Margaret arrived in Sagus, Massachusetts from Ontario in Canada with their family. More

George Williscroft arrived aboard the Schiedam which had sailed from Holland. He was later joined by his wife and family. They settled in New Jersey. George was the son of Daniel & Sarah Williscroft of Birmingham, Warwickshire, England.

Edward Challinor Woolliscroft and his wife Hannah arrived in New York in December with their daughter Bessie. The family settle in East Liverpool, Columbiana, Ohio, USA. They returned for a visit to England in 1895. The following year Edward became an American Citizen. Edward was the son of George and Ann Lownds Woolliscroft born in 1853 at Tunstall, Staffordshire, England. Edward worked in the pottery industry and his father had be an earthen ware manufacturer. Edward died in 1938.

Mary Ann Wooliscroft (nee Edwards) arrived in New York aboard the ‘Lord Clive’ with her children. Her husband Edward James Wooliscroft had emigrated earlier in the year. The family settled in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania before moving to Ohio. Edward was the son of Edward Woolliscroft and Hannah Clay born in Bilston, Staffordshire in 1849. He passed away in 1938.

Jesse Williscroft alias Herbert Ralph Williscroft (1872-?) Jesse was the son of William Williscroft and Sarah Belefied born in 1872 at Kettlebrook, Warwickshire, England. He married Florence Edden in 1894 at St Editha’s Church, Tamworth, Staffordshire. Jesse and Florence emigrated to the USA in 1903 with their young family. They arrived at New York aboard the Kronprinz Wilhelm which they joined in Bremen, Germany after leaving Southampton on the 6 May. Jesse name was ‘W Williscroft’ on the ships manifest and he used the name Herbert Ralph Williscroft when he was in the USA. The family settled in Jersey City where Jesse was still living on the 1940 US Census returns. He was described as a widower. I have not been able to locate a death record for Jesse. Fanny died in 1925

William Williscroft 1872-1958. William arrived in New York with his wife Sarah Elizabeth Wilkes on the 28 March aboard the Mauretania which had sailed from Liverpool. William had married Sarah in 1905 and prior to emigrating they lived in East Bridgeford, Nottinghamshire, England. William was a chauffeur at the time of his emigration but later worked in the Movie industry. The settled in Los Angeles, California where William became a naturalised US citizen in 1922. He died in 1858 whilst living in Perris, Riverside, California. Sarah passed away in 1952. William and Sarah do not appear to have had any children. William was the son Jacob Williscroft and Mary Ann Pritchard christened at Colwich, Staffordshire, England on the 25 January 1873.

Charles Woolliscroft 1871-1959. Charles was born in Kirkdale, Lancashire, England in 1871, the son of Sarah Ellen Woolliscroft. He married widow Emily Taylor in 1897. In 1921 Charles emigrated to the USA followed by his son Robert Bernard the same year. His wife joined him in 1923 with their sons Lewis and John Charles. The family settled in New Jersey where Charles died in 1959 and Emily in 1955.