The WILLS Family of Lustleigh

In 1742 Thomas was born to John of Higher Hisley and in 1760 he married in Tavistock and had a son Richard who was baptized in 1762 at Tavistock. He joined the army of the East India Co. The attached transcript shows his arrival in St Helena from Madras in 1792, this was his second visit there.
Here he was discharged from the artillery, took up farming, married and raised a family.

This is a copy of Richard's will dated 1833. The first lines read:-
In the name of God Amen. I Richard WILLS of the Island of St. Helena Farmer being weak in body.............,
His son left St. Helena for Nantucket Island in the USA.

Whiteway Barton Farm is situated in Kingsteignton. Thomas WILLS died in 1846, when his son John Thomas Brock WILLS was aged 16. His will stipulated that the farm was not to be sold until John was 21 so it was farmed by his wife Mary nee VOOGHT. It was sold in 1851 and the proceeds divided between John, his mother and his sister Mary.
John emigrated to Melbourne on board the ship "Great Britain" in 1853.

John Thomas Brock had a son in Australia whom he named Lewis Whiteway WILLS as shown on the death registration of 1949. This name was after an old friend and mariner called Lewis WHITEWAY who lived on the adjacent property to Whiteway Barton.
This family continue farming in Australia today

Charles WILLS sold Lenda in 1836 and with his wife Mary nee KNIGHT and their two sons Charles James WILLS and John Knight WILLS they emigrated to Australia.
The Australian story is that Mary was a cousin of Charles but this has not yet been proven, also that they emigrated as the result of a fire at Lenda. Remains of burnt timbers in the roof of the old part of the house have been found.
In Australia they had a third son Alfred and 4 daughters.
Alfred brought news of the discovery of Copper to Adelaide for which he received 100 golden guineas. The sons appear to have had no children and the line continues through daughter Rosa.