Thomas Trowbridge of Tauton, England, was the first of the Trowbridge family to come to America, he was the son of a wealthy merchant, arriving as early as 1663, in the Dorchester, MA, area.

William Trowbridge(5th generation) b. 20 March, 1751, Worcester, MA; d. 30 September 1833 Worcester, MA. His first marriage was to Sarah Rice, b. 22 Aug 1756, Worcester, m. 12 December, 1776, in Worcester, and  d. 15 July 1787, Worcester, MA. His second marriage was to Achsah Hersey, b.14 Mar 1759,  m. 08 October, 1789, in Leicester, and  d.13 Nov 1847, Worcester, MA. 

William Trowbridge parents; James Trowbridge b. 28 Apr 1717 Newton, Middlesex, MA, d. 21 Jul 1806 Worcester, Worcester, MA and Jerusha Park, b. 22 Nov, 1722, Newton and d. 26 Apr 1756, Worcester. Park was the daughter of Ensign Richard and Sarah Fuller Park or Worcester. Wife#2, Mary Killey, m. 11 Jan 1757, Worcester.  Wife#3, Lydia Mower Ward, m. 22 Jun 1779, Worcester. Ward was the widow of Henry Ward of Worcester. It was in this timeframe in Worcester area where the Trowbridges resided would be named Trowbridgeville.

William Trowbridge children; Trowbridge/Rice, Judith b. 18 November 1777, Sarah b. 15 October, 1780, Polly b. 31 May 1783, and Beulah b. 12 July 1787. Trowbridge/Hersey, William b. 16 October 1790, James b. 10 February 1792, Achsah b. 03 June, 1796, and Huldah b. 16 October 1798.

Perhaps one of the best sources of William Trowbridge's background is found in the book titled, Trowbridge Genealogy, History of the Trowbridge Family in America, Francis Bacon Trowbridge, New Haven, Connecticut. Printed for the Compiler 1908, pgs 520-522.

William Trowbridge's military career, details of which can be found in the book authored by FB Trowbridge and other various sources which have been previously noted. His service includes the following;

19 Apr  1775 - 06 Jun  1775 Private

06 Jun  1775 - 06 Aug 1775 Corporal

06 Aug 1775 - 01 Jan  1776 Sergeant

• 19 Apr 1774, Private on Lexington Alarm Roll, of Capt. Timothy Bigelow's Company of Minutemen and Militia, Col. Artemus Wards Brigade, which marched on the Alarms from Worcester to Cambridge.

• 24 Apr 1775, Enlisted in Capt. Hubbard's Command for training and served 1 month 16 days.

• 07 Jun 1775 enlisted Capt. Hubbard's Company, Col. Ward's Regiment, for training and stated he was from the Town of Worcester. He was also on Muster Roll of Capt Ezra Badlam's Company, Col. Richard Gridley's Regiment. Was enlisted for 27 days.

• 21 Jun 1775, Roxbury, appears on a petition addressed to the Provincial Congress signed by Trowbridge and others who had enlisted to form an artillery company, stating their unwillingness to serve under John Wiley as Captain owing to their belief of his incompetence.

• 23 June 1775, Capt. Ezra Badlam Company artillery training dated Roxbury

• 07 Oct 1775, Dorchester, was a Private on the return of Capt. Jonas Hubbard's Company, Col. Wards Regiment reported enlisted for training, and he resided in Worcester.

• 08 Oct 1775, Corporal in the Company's return of Capt. Ezra Badlam's, Col. Gridley's Regiment.

• 26 Dec 1775, Sewal's Point, also appears among signatures to an order of money in lieu of Bounty Cost due for the 8 months service in 1775 in Capt Ezra Badlam's Company, Col. Gridley of artillery dated payable to Capt. Badlam.​  

​Trowbridge was a Minute Man. The Minute Men were organized in Worcester, MA, in approximately 1774, the same location of his residence. The Patriots plan in creating the Minute Men, was to remove all Loyalists(British) in the current militia. The militia was then reformed with seven regiments having all new officers. One third of each regiment was to be prepared to march within a "minute's warning".  Trowbridge, a member of Captain Bigelow's Company marched towards Lexington and Concord, stopping in Watertown, MA, after and when they determined the British had retreated. What is remarkable about this march, is that according to Trowbridge(author), Bigelow's Company and Private William Trowbridge marched approximately 40 miles over a 24 hour period or less.

An interesting note to his service appears in late June 1775 where he was a signer of a petition questioning the capabilities of Captain John Wiley, a commander of an artillery company. Trowbridge would also write, he assisted General Knox in laying out the fortification of Roxbury, an area of Boston, MA, for the battle of Bunker Hill.  In regards to Wiley, it is impossible to know how much of this type of internal conflict occurred during the Revolutionary War, but is interesting to see it was noted here.  It should be stated, Captain John Wiley would be promoted to Major on 15 December 1779 and would retire from the Army in January 1781, completing what appears to be a successful military career.

After the war, William Trowbridge would return to the family farm, in southwest Worcester. This area of Worcester would be named Trowbridgeville, clearly the family was fairly prestigious.  He would later become involved in the processing of cotton and active in the community and Town of Worcester.  Some of the positions William Trowbridge held were; Tax Collector and Constable, Qualified Juror, Surveyor of Boards and Shingles, Warden, Surveyor of Highways and Highway Tax Collectors, Fire Engine House Committee, Building of Public School Houses Committee, Fence Viewer, and finally the Committee to Survey New Burying Ground.

He was a member of the Second Congregational Church where he was chosen as a Deacon. There are various references to William Trowbridge as being identified as Deacon William Trowbridge.

William Trowbridge in his later years would move to the home of his daughter, Achsah Trowbridge Chapin, Worcester, MA, where he later died. His farm would be given to his sons.

According to the book, Reminiscences of Worcester, by Wall, William Trowbridge would be buried in Mechanic Street Cemetery, which now no longer exists, many of the interments were moved to Hope Cemetery. The text states buried in Mechanic Street, were James Trowbridge, d. 21 Jul 1806 father of William Trowbridge. Deacon William Trowbridge d. 30 Sep 1833, his 2nd wife Achsah d. 13 Nov 1847, and Beulah Clements d. 30 Sep 1826, daughter of William Trowbridge. An unconfirmed reference states Trowbridge was buried on his farm, "a part of Hope Cemetery". It is believed both entries are correct. As some of those buried in Mechanic Street were moved to Hope Cemetery and their stones in Hope Cemetery are similar and show less age.