Thomas Wills (minister)

Born at Truro, Cornwall, on 26 July 1740, he was the son of Thomas Wills of St. Issey and his wife Mary Spry; his mother and twin-sister died at his birth.

The two surviving sons were adopted by the eldest aunt, Lucy Spry of Truro, who died in 1755, leaving most of her fortune to Thomas.

[1] In the autumn of 1772 Wills met Selina, Countess of Huntingdon at Bath and frequently preached in her chapel.

Lady Huntingdon, his wife's aunt, visited them at St Agnes in the autumn of 1775, and established her chapels in Cornwall.

Its interior was then altered, and the liturgy of the English church, an organ, and the hymns of the Countess of Huntingdon were introduced.

[1] About 1797 Wills's congregation dwindled, with the popularity of a rival preacher in Grub Street, John Bradford;[2] and his own health began to decline.

He took leave of his congregation at Silver Street on 23 February 1800, and retired to Boskenna in the parish of St Buryan, Cornwall, the seat of James Paynter.

She was third daughter of Granville Wheler of Otterden Place, near Faversham, Kent, by his wife, Lady Catherine Maria Hastings.