Ann Parker was born in Cholderton, Wiltshire, England in 1575. Her parents were Robert and Mary Parker. It is an accepted fact that Ann Parker, sister of Rev. Robert Parker, married William Noyes and was the mother of at least some of his younger children, mosy likely James and Nicholas. There is a theory that William married first, Ann Stephens, in 1595. They had some children and possibly Ann Stephens Noyes died around 1605. If that is so, then William could have married Ann Parker, who he would have known through his relationship with Robert Parker. William and Ann Parker Noyes could then have had children after 1606. It is certain that William did marry Ann Parker, sister of Robert Parker. She might have been his only wife, or she could have been his second wife. That Ann Parker was the mother of James and Nicholas is proved by a statement made by Rev. Nicholas Noyes, a grandson of William Noyes, who said that his mother was a sister of Rev. Robert Parker and that James and Nicholas had much of their education under Parker.

William’s widow Anne was buried in the churchyard at St. Nicholas’ Church at Cholderton on March 7, 1658, at the age of 82. Her will, dated March 18, 1656, mentions her sons James and Nicholas, now in New England. She did not mention the older children of William, who still lived near her in England. Williams oldest son Ephriam, living in England, named only his brother John and the children of deceased brother Nathan in his will.

To dismiss Ann Stephens as a possible early wife of William Noyes, in spite of some evidence to the contrary, would be foolish. Errata in the History of the Town of Stonington, Connecticut says, "Miss Harriet E. Noyes of New Hampshire says: 'From recent investigations in England the name of Rev. William Noyes's wife was proven to be Anne Stephens, daughter of Nicholas Stephens of Burdrop Manor, and sister of Dorothy Stephens, mother of Rev. Thomas Parker.' "