William was a yeoman farmer who lived in the area around Rearsby, Thrussington and Ratcliffe on the Wreake.

There is no obvious baptism record for William, but a John SKILLINGTON of Thrussington left an estate valued at £550-12-8 in 1648.

William married Isabell WHITBY in Ratcliffe on the Wreak in November 1676, and they had at least six further children, but probably nine. Two daughters and a son, Mary, Abigail and Joseph, that appear in William's will don't have baptisms, but there are gaps in the baptism record (for example, 1682-8 and 1692-4) when these children were probably born.

William died in July 1725 and was buried in Thrussington.

In his last will and testament he makes a number of bequests to his sons and daughters:

- one shilling each to sons John, William, Thomas, Nicholas and Jonathan

- one shilling to daughter Mary HAZELWOOD

- one shilling to daughter Abigail ADCOCK

- £5 to daughter Anne SKILLINGTON

- £5 to son Joseph SKILLINGTON

- the rest and residue to hie dear and loving wife, and his son Timothy SKILLINGTON, who are his executors.

Presumably Anne and Joseph received £5 because had not yet married. George died single the following year and left his estate to his "dear mother Isabell".

A widowed Abigail ADCOCK was buried in 1767 in Redmile but no marriage for an Abigail and an ADCOCK can be found.

Other information

William might have had a first marriage was to a Mary in about 1670/1. (No marriage record has been found.) This William and Mary baptized two boys in Rearsby: George in 1672 and Joseph in 1673. Mary died in December 1675, probably in childbirth, meaning that William could marry Isabell in 1676. Is this Joseph the one mentioned in William's will? If he is then why is his brother George not mentioned especially as a George SKILLINGTON, labourer, was living locally in 1725.

A John SKILLINGTON, wheelwright, who had seven daughters with Sarah SPENCER, then died in Rearsby in 1715. He was attended by William, Elizabeth and Isabell SKILLINGTON while on his deathbed, and his last will and testament prepared, possibly written by William SKILLINGTON (given the eccentric spelling used). The will which make small bequested to his three surviving daughters (Mary, Sarah and Rebecca) was witnessed by William, Elizabeth and Isabell. What was the relationship between these SKILLINGTONs? Who was Elizabeth SKILLINGTON?