1 8 7 2 ) ▁was ▁an ▁English ▁mission ary ▁and ▁author . ▁He ▁travel led ▁through ▁the ▁Society ▁Islands , ▁Hawai ian ▁Islands , ▁and ▁Mad agas car , ▁and ▁wrote ▁several ▁books ▁describing ▁his ▁experiences . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁London ▁of ▁working - class ▁parents ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁August ▁ 1 7 9 4 . ▁His ▁father ▁( from ▁Nor wich ) ▁and ▁a ▁short - l ived ▁older ▁brother ▁( 2 5 ▁May ▁ 1 7 9 3 ▁– ▁ 3 ▁December ▁ 1 7 9 3 ) ▁were ▁also ▁named ▁William . ▁( If ▁a ▁child ▁died ▁young , ▁parents ▁often ▁named ▁another ▁child ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁name , ▁especially ▁if ▁they ▁wanted ▁to ▁pass ▁on ▁a ▁parent ' s ▁or ▁grand parent ' s ▁name .) ▁ ▁Not ▁much ▁is ▁known ▁of ▁his ▁mother ; ▁her ▁ma iden ▁name ▁was ▁Sarah ▁Bed borough ▁( d ied ▁in ▁Wis be ch ▁on ▁ 1 5 th ▁February , ▁ 1 8 3 7 ▁aged ▁ 7 5 ), ▁she ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Reading , ▁England , ▁and ▁married ▁William ▁Ell is ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁August ▁ 1 7 9 2 . ▁Their ▁other ▁children ▁were : ▁Sarah ▁Ell is ( c 1 7 9 7 ), ▁Mary ▁Ell is ( born ▁c 1 8 0 3 ), ▁Ann ▁Bar n ard ▁( born ▁Ell is ▁c 1 8 0 5 ) ▁and ▁Thomas ▁Ell is ( born ▁c 1 8 0 0 ).