William Henry Oatley was born in January 1824 in South Kingston, Rhode Island, the son of Rev. Jonathan and Amy (Champlin) Oatley.[1-2] The Oatley family moved from South Kingston, Rhode Island to East Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut in 1834.
On 18 January 1849, William H. Oatley married Sarah Ann Randall in Killingly, Windham County, Connectcut.[2] She was born 23 June 1820 in East Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut. They had no children.
In the 1850 United States Census, William Oatly resided in the Edwin B. Olney family in North Provcidence, Providence County, Rhode Island.[3] William Oatly was male, age 26, a draper tender, born in Rhode Island.
Sarah Ann (Randall) Oatley died on 11 December 1859 in East Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut.
In the 1860 United States Census, William H. Oatley resided in the Joseph Oatley household in Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut.[4] William's entry indicates he is age 36, a male, no occupation, and born in Rhode Island.
William H. Oatley was a resident of Killingly, Conn., and a Musician in Company K, 7th Regiment Conn. Volunteer Infantry. He had enlisted on September 5, 1861, mustered on September 12, 1861, a reenlisted Veteran on December 22, 1863, and mustered out on July 20, 1865 in Goldsboro, North Carolina.[5]
William H. Oatley married, secondly, Jennie M. Butts on 4 February 1864 in Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut.[6] She was born in 1834 in Hampton, Windham, Connecticut, They had no children.
In the 1870 United States census, the Wm. H. Oatly family resided in Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut.[7] The household included Wm H. Oatly (age 46, male, white, works in Cotton Mill, real property $1500, personal property $400, born Rhode Island) and Mary J. Oatly (age 31, female, white, Keeping house, born Connecticut).
On 11 December 1874, William's second wife, Jennie W. (Butts) Oatley died in East Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut.
In the 1880 United States census, William H. Oatley resided in the household of Lurania Chase in Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut.[8] William H. Oatley was white, male, age 57, a Boarder, a widower, a watchman in a Cotton Mill, born R.I., father born R.I., mother born R.I..
William Henry Oatley died 20 April 1899 in East Killingly, Windham County, Connecticut at age 75.[9-10] He was buried in the Bartlett Cemetery #1 in East Killingly.[10]
An obituary was published on 28 April 1899 in the Willimantic[Conn.] Journal newspaper:
"Death of Ex-Representative William H. Oatley
"William H. Oatley died April 20 at his residence in East Killingly. He was born in Kingston, R.I. in 1824, the son of Rev. Jonathan Oatley. He came with his father to East Killingly in 1834 and had lived there ever since. Mr. Oatley was an enthusiastic republican, a very active worker for the party and always took a great interest in town affairs. He had been a justice of the peace for twenty five years and registrar of voters nearly as long. He was a member of the Legislature in 1872, representing the town of Killingly. He was a member of the East Killingly Baptist Church, Moriah Lodge, F. and A.M., of chapter and council, and of Marion Wait Post, G.A.R. He was in the war in Company K, Sevenrthy C.V., from September 1861 to August 1865. He was twice married but had no children. The funeral will be at the Baptist Church, East Killingly, to-morrow at 2 p.m. and will be largely attended by the Masonic fraternity and the G.A.R."
A life summary was published online in "Killingly Connecticut Biographies" - see (https://connecticutgenealogy.com/windham/killingly_connecticut_biographies.htm):
"William H. Oatley, born-in 1824 in South Kingstown, R. I., is a son of Reverend Jonathan Oatley. He has been working at cotton manufacturing since boyhood. Since November, 1877, he has been night watchman in Ross’ Mill. He has been justice of the peace twenty years in succession, and registrar of voters since 1872. He represented the town in the legislature of 1872 as a republican. He has been twice married, but has no children. He has been a member of the East Killingly Baptist church since 1838, is a member of Moriah Lodge, No. 15, F. & A. M., also a member of the Chapter and Council, and a member of Marvin Waite Post, No. 51, G. A. R. He was in the war of the rebellion in Company K, 7th Connecticut volunteers from September, 1861, to August 1865; was made . drum-major in February, 1862, which rank he filled until the close of the war."
SOURCES:
1. Harry J. Oatley, The Oatley Family in America and Their Descendants (Providence, R.I. : The Oatley Family Association, 1970), page 40, Jonathan Oatley family sketch.
2. Harry J. Oatley, The Oatley Family in America and Their Descendants, page 66, William H. Oatley family sketch.
3. 1850 United States Federal Census, Providence County, Rhode Island, population schedule, North Providence, page 316/627 (stamped/penned), dwelling #51, family #37, Edwin B. Olney household, William H. Oatly entry; imaged, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/records/12428473 : accessed 5 June 2025); citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
4. 1860 United States Federal Census, Windham County, Connecticut, population schedule, Killingly, page 84 (penned), dwelling #653, family #679, Joseph Oatley household, line 39, Wm H. Oatley entry; imaged, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/records/17601844 : accessed 19 June 2025); citing 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
5. "U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865," database, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com),, Company K, 7th Regiment of Connecticut Infantry, William H. Oatley, musician, a bugler.
6. "Connecticut, Marriages, 1630-1997," imaged, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7P9-1QS : 11 January 2020), Killingly, Windham County, William H. Oatley and Jennie M. Butts entry, 4 February 1864.
7. 1870 United States Federal Census, Windham County, Connecticut, population schedule, Killingly, page 121 (penned), dwelling #724, family #1031, Wm. H. Oatly household; imaged, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/records/1578655 : accessed 19 June 2025); citing 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
8. 1880 United States Federal Census, Windham County, Connecticut, population schedule, Killingly, ED 129, page 16 (penned), dwelling #152, family #184, Lurania Chase household, line 42, William H. Oatley entry; imaged, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/records/24889199 : accessed 19 June 2025); Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls. Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
9. "Connecticut, Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F769-CNB : 16 January 2020), Killingly, Windham County, William H. Oatley entry, 20 April 1899.
10. Find A Grave, imaged, (https://www.findagrave.com), Bartlett Cemetery #1, Killingly, Conn., William H. Oatley (1824-1899) memorial # 36289169.
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William Henry Oatley (1824-1899) is my 2nd great-granduncle and brother of my 2nd great-grandmother, Amy Frances Oatley (1826-1864).
I have posted over 500 genealogical sketches of my ancestors back through the 7th great-.grandparents and a number of close relatives. Information about her father, Jonathan Oatley (1790-1872) in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 39: #46 Jonathan Oatley (1790-1872).
The "52 Relatives" theme is a weekly series to document the lives of siblings of my ancestors with relatively short genealogical sketches, including important events, and with source citations. These relatives lived and died within a family structure, and deserve a genealogical sketch - they were integral parts and important persons in the lives of my ancestral families.
I add links to the 52 Ancestors and 52 Relatives sketches on the 52 Ancestors/Relatives Biographies page, in my Ancestry Member Tree, in WikiTree, and in the FamilySearch Family Tree. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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