William was born in East Dean (now Drybrook), Gloucestershire, the son of John & Sophia (Heaven) Ansley. He started working in the iron mines with his father. He married Blanche Maria Hail on 3 August 1878; they had one son, Thomas. After Blanche's death in 1880, William immigrated to the United States with his brother Thomas, eventually settling in Lucas County, IA. He started there working in the coal mines until he had enough money to buy his own farm. At the time of his death, he owned most of the farmland in Whitebreast Township. His second wife was Mary Jane Heaven, whom he married on 1 June 1882. They had 11 children, 8 of whom survived to adulthood (Frank, Alice Blankenburg, Ralph, Oliver, Clarence, Esther, Anna Graves, & Ernest). William died of stomach cancer; according to family accounts, his last words were, "Easy come, easy go."
William was born in East Dean (now Drybrook), Gloucestershire, the son of John & Sophia (Heaven) Ansley. He started working in the iron mines with his father. He married Blanche Maria Hail on 3 August 1878; they had one son, Thomas. After Blanche's death in 1880, William immigrated to the United States with his brother Thomas, eventually settling in Lucas County, IA. He started there working in the coal mines until he had enough money to buy his own farm. At the time of his death, he owned most of the farmland in Whitebreast Township. His second wife was Mary Jane Heaven, whom he married on 1 June 1882. They had 11 children, 8 of whom survived to adulthood (Frank, Alice Blankenburg, Ralph, Oliver, Clarence, Esther, Anna Graves, & Ernest). William died of stomach cancer; according to family accounts, his last words were, "Easy come, easy go."
