ROWLAND STORY was born in Heydour, Lincolnshire, England, about 1645. He died in Boston, Suffolk, MA, July, 1709. He was married twice. His first wife was named Bethiah, with whom ROWLAND had two children. Then about 1682, he married ANNE BELCHER. They had 14 children.

ROWLAND was a shipwright (ship builder) in Boston in 1673, when he bought land there. In 1696, he signed a petition and was a resident of Boston. He died there in 1709. An inventory of his estate was dated July 9, 1709, and was filed by his widow, ANNE, on Sep. 14, 1709.

ANNE was from Massachusetts, born in Boston. ANNE and ROWLAND lived in Boston and all there children were born there.

ANNE must have died about 1718, as it was about that time that her oldest son, Rowland Jr., was awarded guardianship of his two young brothers, ZACHARIAH and Benjamin. Rowland Jr. was already living in South Carolina.

An article in the New England Genealogical and Historical Register describes the involvement of ROWLAND STORY in the Belcher Brouhaha, 1689-91. It involved an argument over a payment of money between Joseph Belcher (brother of ANNE) and William James.