John Tilley b 1685 Sopley

John Tilley, born 1665 died 1727, of the New Forest

Ten generations ago, John Tilley was born in or nearby the small hamlet of Sopley, Hampshire, England, and the year was 1665.

He was my 8th Great-Grandfather.

He may be the start of the story, but not of the migration as he was born and died in the same small hamlet of Sopley.

Ancestry Synopsis

When John Tilley was born in 1665 in Sopley, Hampshire, his father, Mr. Tilley, was 30. He married Martha Spearen on 9 October 1683 in his hometown. They had three children during their marriage. He died in 1727 in Sopley, Hampshire, at the age of 62, and was buried there.

Mr Tilley referred to is just a placeholder father at the moment with just a guess at his age

John Tilley who sailed on the Mayflower

For the avoidance of doubt, his was not the John Tilley who was baptised on 19 December 1571 at Henlow, Bedfordshire, England, the son of Robert and Elizabeth Tilley. Who latter married Joan Rogers nee Hurst, on 20 September 1596 at Henlow, Bedfordshire, England, the Daughter of William and Rose Hurst and Widow of Thomas Rogers. This John Tilley sailed on the Mayflower and died sometime during the first winter at Plymouth, likely between January and March 1621. Nor was it any of his offspring.

Tilley was a relatively common name with a wide dispersion across England as shown on this Ancestry page.