William, son of Richard and Elizabeth (née Bates) Wisley, was born on 17 January 1840 at Killygordon in County Donegal Ireland. He married Mary Jane, daughter of Samuel and Catherine (née Temple) Bates on 16 December 1864 at the Strandar Presbyterian Church in Donegal. The couple emigrated on the Duke of Newcastle, arriving at Hobsons Bay in October 1865. They brought very little with them. They came to Geelong by hitching rides on any horse drawn wagon that came their way. Three weeks later their first child was born. Their children were:
John — born on 8 November 1865 at Barrabool, married Catherine Evangeline Thompson on 23 September 1896 at Shepparton, died on 8 May 1925 aged 59 years at Malvern, buried in the Methodist section of the Shepparton Cemetery
Richard — born on 8 January 1867 at Batesford, married Martha Ann Dick on 16 July 1902, died on 13 August 1942 aged 75 years at Geelong, buried in the Presbyterian section of the Geelong Western Public Cemetery
Joseph — born on 1 September 1868 at Batesford, died on 8 October 1868 aged 37 days at Geelong
William James — born in 1868, died of asphixiation on 25 October 1868 at his parents house in O'Connell Street in Ashby (Geelong West) aged 1 month
Mary Jane — born on 11 January 1870 at Geelong West, married Thomas Alexander Proudfoot on 8 November 1894 at Tallygaroopna, died on 5 July 1958 aged 88 years at Alphington
Thomas — born in 1871 at Geelong, died the same year, buried on 18 Jun 1871 in the Old Presbyterian section of the Geelong Western Public Cemetery
Samuel — born in 1872 at Barrabool, married Mary Ann Crozier on 18 August 1902 at Shepparton, died on 2 February 1948 at Barellan in New South Wales
Elizabeth — born in 1874 at Mount Moriac, married Thomas Pinchbeck in 1896, died in 1949 aged 75 years at Geelong West, buried at Wunghnu Cemetery
Letitia — born in 1875 at Mount Moriac, married David Ashton in 1904, died in 1964 aged 88 years at Numukah
Catherine — born on 8 July 1878 at Tallygaroopna, married Thomas Henry Graham in 1910, died on 28 June 1967 aged 88 years at Geelong, buried in the Presbyterian section of the Geelong Western Public Cemetery
Robert James — born on 7 May 1880 at Tallygaroopna, married Margaret Victoria Brown in 1912, died on 13 August 1923 aged 44 years at Mooroopna
Martha — born on 22 January 1882 at Tallygaroopna, married Thomas Hunt on 25 March 1908 at the Presbyterian Church at Auburn, died on 9 July 1919 aged 37 years at Wunghnu
William Charles — born on 17 May 1883 at Tallygaroopna, died on 21 May 1953 aged 69 years at Mooroopna, buried in the Presbyterian section of the Shepparton Cemetery
Susan — born in 1885 at Tallygaroopna, married Robert James Vallance in 1907, died on 19 June 1976 at Cobram
Ellen — born on 14 September 1887 at Tallygaroopna, died on 18 February 1913 at Tallygaroopna
The Wisely family lived in the Geelong district shifting around where work for William could be found until 1876 or 77 when they moved to Tallygaroopna when the land was opened up for selection. From 1868 until 1872 the family lived at Ashby (Geelong West). In 1872 William leased 40 acres with a stone cottage from Thomas Melican at Clifford near Mount Moriac (Allotment B Section 2). The map below shows the names of many others that William would have known who also made the move to Tallygaroopna at the same time. The family probably attended the Bible Christian Chapel at Mount Moriac and got to know the Argus and Trewin families.
Mary Jane died on 8 January 1888 at Tallygaroopna and was buried in the Presbyterian section of the Sheparton Cemetery. William married Rebecca Pinkerton on 18 July 1894 at the manse in Shepparton. Their four children were:
Alexander — born in 1896 at Shepparton, married Joan Winifred Armstrong in 1952, died in 1980 at Tallygaroopna West aged 84 years, buried on 10 October 1980 in the Presbyterian section of the Shepparton Cemetery
Elsie — born in 1897 at Shepparton, died the same year aged 7 months
Albert — born in 1898 at Shepparton, married Olive Mary Young in 1938, died in 1981 aged 82 years, buried on 8 July 1981 in the Church of England section of the Shepparton Cemetery
Doris — born on 29 December 1901 at Shepparton, married Albert Frederick Larsen in 1926, died in 1999, buried on 12 October 1999 in the Presbyterian section of the Shepparton Cemetery
William died on 23 March 1904 at Tallygaroopna aged 63 years and was buried in the Presbyterian section of the Shepparton Cemetery. Rebecca died in 1951 aged 83 years and was buried with William on 24 October 1951.
The map below shows other settlers at Tallygaroopna who came from Mount Moriac:
John Argus
James Coldwell
Matilda Trewin