1. William1 Fowler,(1) son of John Fowler was born in Aylesbury, County Bucks, England about 1572.(2) "died ae 88" William died 25 January 1660/1 in Milford, New Haven Co., Connecticut, at age 87.(3) His body was interred in Milford, New Haven Co., Connecticut.
He married Sarah Neeld in England.(4) Sarah was born in England. Sarah died after 1638 in Milford, New Haven Co., Connecticut, at age unknown. William Fowler came to New England in the company of the Rev. John Davenport, Gov. Eaton and others, and arrived at Boston on 26 June 1637. William Fowler is mentioned as a prisoner in Bridewell with other Puritans in the year 1592. The list of prisoners is immediately preceeded by a petition addressed to the Lord Treasurer by many of the "poor Christians imprisoned by the Bishops in sundry prisons in and about London." About this time a congregation of Puritans were discovered at Islington, which was then and now a part of London. He was an old man when he settled in Milford, and is supposed to have died sixty-eight years after his imprisonment. If he was, say, twenty when imprisoned, that would have made him eighty-eight when he died. There is therefore nothing improbable in the supposition that the prisoner was the William Fowler that came to New Haven. William sailed with the Davenport company from Boston, and arrived at New Haven in April, 1638. He subscribed to the agreement that established the New Haven Colony on 4 June 1639. In the spring of 1639, the settlement of Milford had been arranged, and William Fowler is the first named of the trustees, and the only one bearing the honorable prefix of "Mr." At the first meeting of the Milford Company he was chosen one of the "Judges." The church was organized in 1639, and he was elected one of the "seven pillars of the church," Mr. Peter Prudden, Pastor. William was elected magistrate, and reappointed yearly to 1654. In 1640, by agreement with the town, he built a mill, the first erected in the New Haven Colony. It is probable that William had received a classical education in his native country. His name is in the roll of planters at New Haven, 1642, as having an £800 estate, and a family of three persons. His will was presented by his son William to the General Court of the Colony, 1661, but was not recorded, and being unfortunately lost, we are without it as a guide to his family. His children were born before his removal to America, he at the time of his settlement being an old man, and "his family of three" were doubtless himself, wife and one child. There is nothing inconsistent in the supposition and tradition that Ambrose of Windsor, and John, who settled in Guilford, were brothers of William Fowler, Jr., who settled at Milford, and sons of Mr. William Fowler the magistrate.
William Fowler and Sarah Neeld had the following children:
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