The Chenery Ancestry of John Moody and of Frances (Moody) Kilbourn of Hartford and Wethersfield, CT, by Frederick J. Nicholson (The American Genealogist, Volume 64, No. 1, January 1989)
While a number of articles have been published on the Moody family from which the New England families of Moody and Kilbourn descend, little has been said about the identity of the mother of John and Frances Moody. This article will demonstrate that she was, in fact, Margaret Chenery of the family of that name which was based in Kennett, Cambridgeshire, England. The identity of George Moody, the father of John and Frances Moody, has been well established. He was baptized at Moulton, Suffolk, 28 Sept 1560, the son of Richard and Ann Moody of Moulton. While the baptisms of all his children are found in the Moulton register, the only reference to his (first) wife, and thus the only indication we have of her name, is the record of her burial at Moulton, 25 Jan 1602/3, in which she is identified as Margaret, wife of George Moody (Lilian J. Redstone, "Moody NEHGR 80[1926]:313-327, reprinted in English Origins of New England Families, First Series, 2:144-158; Donald Lines Jacobus , Hale, House and Related Families [Hartford 1952] pp. 652-656).
Redstone, in her Register article, identified the wife of George Moody only as Margaret -----. A footnote to this article, however, suggests the possibility that the marriage of a George Moody to Margery Bacon which took place in Sudbury in 1601 could account for the Margaret Moody, wife of George, who was buried in 1603. If this were the case, of course, we would be left without even a first name for the mothers of those Moody children born before 1601. Nathan Grier Parke in his Ackley-Bosworth Genealogy identifies the first wife of George Moody as Margaret Newce, although he cites no authority for this. But this would appear to be based on the note in TAG by John Insley Coddington 29[1953]:209), which reports this same information as being found in Banks MSS at the Library of Congress; Banks, in turn, seems to be drawing on a pedigree at the College of Arms.
There is, however, no need to go so far afield as Sudbury in looking for the first wife of George Moody of Moulton. The marriage of George Moody and Margaret Chenery is recorded on 12 Oct 1581,in Kennett, Cambridgeshire, a parish immediately adjoining Moulton. Elizabeth, the first child recorded for George Moody in Moulton, was baptized there on 2 October 1582. The close fit of these dates makes it likely that the first wife of George Moody was, in fact, Margaret Chenery of Kennett, Cambridgeshire. Even if the man who married Margary Bacon was George Moody of Moulton, (and there is no particular reason to believe he was), the date of the marriage means she could only have been the mother of his last child. Margaret Chenery would still have been the mother of the first eight (including both John and Frances of New England).
Following up this discovery was not so easy as one might have hoped. The marriage records for the parish of Kennett, beginning in 1558, were copied before the last war and are on deposit at the Society of Genealogists in London. The baptisms and burials were not so copied. The Cambridge Record Office reports that, due to a fire in the 1940s, the only parish records surviving for Kennett are the marriages beginning in 1754, and the baptisms and burials beginning in 1813. Archdeacon,s and bishop,s transcripts do, however, exist for some early years, and it is from these that the Kennett baptisms and burials mentioned in the ensuing discussion were obtained.
Searching the wills of the Chenery family (often Chinery, sometimes indexed as Chivery) revealed what appears to have been a single branch of this family living in the Kennett area. Abstracts of wills and citations are provided below.) John Chenery of Kennett left a will proved in October of 1550, and his widow Emma Chenery of Moulton, Suffolk, also left a will, which was proved in June of 1560. Both died too early to be likely to mention the Margaret Chenery who married in 1581. There were, however, three Chenery sons mentioned in both wills - John, William, and Richard. Fortunately, all three also left wills. Unfortunately, all three died before 1581, so that there could be no mention of a connection with George Moody. As it happens, only one of the three mentioned a daughter Margaret - this was John Chenery 2nd (as I shall refer to him).
In his will of 25 Sept 1575, John 2nd named his wife Elizabeth, one son (John 3rd) and four daughters (Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Johanne). Margaret, Elizabeth, and Johanne were all under 20 at this time. John was under 21 (he was, in fact, baptized at Kennett in 1568). Mary,s age was not indicated, and it seems likely, therefore, that she was about 20. Since Margaret was consistently mentioned second to Mary and previous to the other daughters, an age of about 15 for her (which assumes she was about the same age as George Moody) is not unreasonable.
The only will recorded in this area for a widow Elizabeth Chenery (in 1628) makes it quite clear that she was the widow of another John Chenery whose will was proved in 1624. He was the son of Richard and Philippa Chenery, and the grandson of John 1st and Emma. Among the marriages of Kennett, however, was that of Elizabeth Chenery and William Hinson recorded in 1576, the year after the death of John 2nd. A search of wills revealed one for a widow Elizabeth Hinson of Fordham, Cambridgeshire, proved in 1626.
An examination of this will showed that Elizabeth Hinson had, indeed, been the wife of John Chenery 2nd. In it, she named her son John Chenery and he daughters Mary Chenery, Elizabeth Payne, Johanne Cheeseright, Grissell Fayercliffe, and Anne Hart. The latter two, whose names did not appear in John,s will, are shown by the record of their marriages to have been daughters by her second marriage. The others were precisely those mentioned in the will of John Chenery 2nd. (The marriage of Johanne Chenery and John Cheeseright was recorded in Fordham in 1584.) The only omission is Margaret. Of course, both Margaret and George Moody had died by the time this will was written. Fortunately for us, Elizabeth Hinson chose to remember her granddaughter (and namesake) Elizabeth "Prate, thus finally tying the two Margaret Chenerys together, since Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of George and Margaret (Chenery) Moody, married John Pratt of Wood Ditton in 1610. (For further discussion of this John Pratt, see Appendix to this article.)
With three generations of the Chenery family established, earlier records were examined in an attempt to trace the family still further. The existence of a Chenery family in and around Cockfield, Suffolk, was of particular interest, given that John Chenery 1st left land in that parish to his heirs. While none of the Cockfield wills made direct reference to the Chenery family of Kennett, an early Chancery record demonstrated that the two branches of the family were, in fact, related (although the exact relationship was not specified), and that the father of John Chenery 1st of Kennett was named Thomas Chenery.
The case is somewhat difficult to follow, given that it involves four different men named John Chenery. Fortunately for us, even their contemporaries evidently had trouble distinguishing among them, since at least two of the four were given sobriquets: John "Halting Chenery and John Chenery "the clerk. To summarize the cast of characters, the suit deals with three Chenery men of the Cockfield family - John Chenery "the clerk; his son, John "Halting Chenery (both of whom were dead at the time of the suit); his son John Chenery, son of Halting Chenery and his wife Elizabeth. His mother Elizabeth, and his stepfather John May of Pattiswick, Essex, were his co-plaintiffs. The defendants included John Chenery of Kennett (referred to elsewhere in this discussion as John Chenery 1st). In his statement, he mentioned his father, Thomas Chenery, and stated that he himself had been a kinsman of John Chenery the clerk (PRO, Chancery bundle #1143, folios 27-30). The statements reveal that the plaintiffs were John May of Pattiswick, Essex, his wife Elizabeth, who was late the wife of John Chenery (late of Cockfield, Suffolk, deceased, commonly called Halting Chenery) and John Chenery, son and heir of this same John Chenery. He defendants were John Chenery of Kennett, Cambridgeshire, together with executors of Halting Chenery (i.e., Alen Chenery, clerk, William Cakston and John Androwe). The case was evidently brought to Chancery between 1544 and 1547, the period established by the tenure of the official to whom the suit was addressed.
The suit concerned a piece of land in Cockfield which, according to the plaintiffs, had been left to John "Halting Chenery by his father John Chenery, "commonly called John Chenery the clerk. The death of John "the clerk Chenery took place "about 40 years now past, or about 1506. At this time John "Halting Chenery entered into the lands. In his will, made about "18 years long past, or about 1528, Halting Chenery willed the said lands to John Chenery, his son, he to enter upon the lands at age 21. The executors, who were to look after the lands until that time, in collusion with John Chenery of Kennett, deeded the lands to him (John of Kennett) about 2 years before the date of the present suit.
John Chenery of Kennett, in his answer, specified that "long time before John Chenery the clerk had said lands, Thomas Chenery, father of John Chenery of Kennett, was (with certain other persons) seized of said lands. The said Thomas Chenery died about 46 years last past (about 1500), at which time the lands should properly have descended to the present defendant, John Chenery of Kennett. He was, at the time, only one year old. For this reason, John Chenery the clerk, "kinsman and nigh ffreende unto the said John Chenery of Kennett now defendant, took upon himself the care of the lands until the heir reached maturity. However, he died before this could take place, at which time his son, John "Halting Chenery, entered upon the lands and claimed them as his own.
According to the testimony of John Chenery of Kennett, all this happened when he was so young, that for many years he didn,t know that the lands were supposed to have been his. When he learned this (about two years before the present suit), he brought suit and was awarded the lands. They were duly signed over to him by the executors of Halting Chenery, the co-defendants in the present suit.
This Chancery suit provides several valuable pieces of information, including the specification of some key dates. These dates, while inexact, can be specified to within two or three years, thanks to the short term of office of the official involved. For the purposes of this article, I have used 1546 as the approximate date of this Chancery suit, and have estimated the years of various events accordingly. I use this date for two reasons. One is that, as a middle year of the period in question, it ensures that no approximated date will be off by more than two years. Another reason is that in 1528 an epidemic on the sweating sickness broke out in England, causing widespread death and panic. John "Halting Chenery, said to have died 18 years before the Chancery suit in question, may have been a victim of this plague.
An unfortunate omission in the testimony is the exact relationship between John Chenery the clerk and Thomas Chenery. This might have enabled us to established the connection between the Chenery family of Cockfield and that of Kennett. It seems likely that with more research they will be found to be descendants, perhaps grandsons, of John and Elena Chenery of Cockfield, whose wills recorded in the Probate registry of the Archdeaconry of Sudbury, were dated 1460 and 1464 respectively. In them they named, among others, son John and Alan.
The relationship of Alan Chenery, clerk, one of the supervisors of John "Halting Chenery, to the other Chenerys is also unstated. He may be the Sir Alan Chenery who was named supervisor of the will of another John Chenery of Cockfield whose will was dared 20 Jan 1559 and proved 13 Feb 1559[/60] (Archdeaconry of Sudbury, 391 Sparrow). ("Sir was commonly used at this time for priests, so that he could well be the same as "Alan Chenery, clerk.) In this will the testator named sons Harry, John and Thomas; daughter Jone Frost; Elizabeth Chenery, daughter of son John; Roger Kelom, son of daughter (unnamed); wife Annes. Yet another John Chenery of Cockfield, called John thelder, had left a will dated 22 April 1549, and proved 21 Feb 1540[/50] (Archdeaconry of Sudbury, 496 Cole). In it, he named sons Nicholas, Wiliam and Robert; daughters Agnes, Elizabeth, and Maryon; wife Anne. He also stated that "for the further knowledge of this my last will to be trewe, I have surrendered my copy land in thands of John Chenery of Burton. Whether or not any of these John Cheneries might be identical to the youngest plaintiff in the Chancery suit is impossible to say with any certainty. Perhaps other records may enable (**)s further to clarify these relationships.
The following abstracts of Chenery family wills provide the framework on which the ensuing family summary is based.
John Chenery of Kennett, Cambridgeshire, 1550, PCC 23 Coode
In the name of god Amen The xxv daye of October in the yere of our Lorde god A
thousande fyve hundreth fourtie and nyin I John Chenerye of Kennett in ye Countie of
Cambridge unto Emme Chenery my wyfe All my house landes in the Townes of
Moulton Gaysley Kentford Nedham Dalham Silverly and Snayelwell within the Counties
of Suff and Cambridgeshire for the term of her lyfe naturall And after the deceas
of the said Em I give and bequeathe all the said landes unto John Chenery my sonne
unto Richard Chenerye my sonne all my howse londe within the Towne of Cokfeld
in the Countie of Suff unto William Chenerye my sonne all my Copylandes in
lakford in the Countie of Suff also my Tenement in Borow Maryon
Heyward my doughter Elizabet Parkynne my doughter Elizabeth [other wills show
that this should be Katharine) Gylbert my doughter Sym Heywarde at the daye of
her mariage Richard my godsonne Marion Parkyne my goddoughter at the age
of xiiii yeres Em Parkyne at xiiii yeres every child of John Heyward that ys
Philipp John Elsabeth and Em when they come to the age of xii yeres Bosse Ward
at the day of her mariage I do make my Executors and Attorneys Em my
wyfe Richard my sonne John and William my sonnes Witnesses Henry Tyllott,
Marmeduke Belaby and Thomas P(ar)kyne. Signed: John Chanery
Proven: 21 Oct 1550
Emma Chenery of Moulton, Suffolk, 1558, PCC 38 Mellershe
In the name of god amen the year of our Lord god a thousand five hundred fifty and eight
the xii day of November I Emma Chynerey of Moulton within the County of Suffolk
[bequeath to] Elizabeth Perkins my daughter; Willm Chynerey my son; Richard
Chynerey my son; fyne Hewards my daughter,s daughter; Audre Hewarde; Richard
Hewarde; Phillipp; fyen heywarde; Emma heiwarde; Katherin Gylbard my daughter; fyne
heywarde; Elazabethe Parkins; Emma Parkins; John Chynerey; the residue to be
devided equally amongest my iii sons Richard Cheverey John Cheverey and Willm
Cheverey, which my three sons I do ordain and make my executors. Witnesses: Thomas
Mode parson of Moulton, Willm oldefelde, George Oldefielde with divers others.
Proven: 28 June 1560
John Chenery of Kennett, Cambridgeshire, 1575, PCC 40 Pyckering
In the name of god amen the xxvth daye of September in the yeare of our Lord god 1575
I John Chenerie of Kennett in the Countie of Cambridge thelder yomann to bevuried
in the churcheyarde of Kennette nere unto my ffather poore inhabitauntes of
Kennette aforesaide v sthe poore of Kentford the poor of Moultoun Elizabeth my
Wife all my coppiehoulde and custommarie landes in Kennett called hundwell
dureinge her maturall life John Chenerie my Sonne all my Landes in Moulton
Gaysleve Dalham Kentforde or elles where Elizabeth my Wife one indenture of a
Lease of the mannour of Kennett which I nowe dwell in all my Corne at Moultoun
Kennette ende and Kentforde John Chenerie my Sonne when he shall accomplishe
thaige of xxi yeares Marye Chenerie my Dawghter upon condicoun that she shall
not concente in marriage with anye man excepte the good will and assente of Elizabeth
my wife Margarette my Dawghter at the daye of her mariadge or thaige of
twentie yeares Elizabeth my Dawghter Johanne my Dawghter Bringinge upp of
John my Sonne I commytt to my kynsman and nephewe John Chenerie untill
the saide John shall accomplishe his saide age of xxi yeares yf yt fortune the said
John Chenerie my Nepheue to Departe this worlde before John my Sonne shall
accomplisshe his saide aige Then I commyte and assigne the order of the saide John
unto my Brother in Lawe Richard Norwiche my Brother in lawe Thomas Gylberte
shall have profittes of all my Landes inSnaylewell Mr John Peter esquire
Mr Bell my sister Gilberte Phillip Chenerie George Chenerie Richarde
Chenerie homas Chenerie Roberte Leache Richard Peeke my Servaunte
John Ballard To Phillipp ffabyan Andrewe ffowler Elizabeth Sparrowe
everye one of my Servauntes as well maydes as men John Aves my executrix
whome I ordaigne and make Elizabeth my wife I desire the righte worshipfull My
Ryvette and Mr John Cottonne to be Supervisoures Witnesses: Stephen Noris,
Wiliam Dayncs, Richarde Drurie, Thomas Gilberte and John Chenerie
Proven: 2 Nov 1575 by Elizabeth the Relict
Elizabeth Hinson of Fordham, Cambridgeshire, 1616, Archdeaconry of Sudbury 443
Pearle
In the name of god Amen, the Eight Daye of Augast in the yeare of the Reigne of our
Sovereigne lord James the ffourteenth, and of Scottland the ffiftith, I Elizabeth
Hindson of ffordham in the Countie of Cambridge wydowe buried in the parishe
Churche of ffordham nighe unto the place where my late husband Hinson is buried
Marie Chenerie my dawghter all suche legacies gyven unto her by her father Chenerie
his will Elizabeth Payne my dawghter Joane Cheesewrite my Dawghter one
Coppie hould messuage beinge holden by Coppie of Corte Rowle of ye mannor of
ffeltons John Chenerie my sonne Grissell ffayrecliffe my Dawghter Anne Hart
my Dawghter Elizabeth Prate my granndchilde the said John Chenerie my sonne
my Executor William Hart my sonne in Lawe Supervisor I have delyvered
surrender of all my Coppieholde landes and tenementes holden in the mannor of
ffeltons into the handes of us Erasmus Warren and Mathew Shipp the marke of
Elizabeth Hinson. Witnesses: William Hart, Erasmus Warren, ye marke of Mathew
Shippe, the marke of Richard Carter and the marke of Goodfrey Booper
Proven: 27 March 1626, John Chenery renounced executorship; 3 April 1626 executed
by Joane Cheesewrite, daughter of the deceased
1. ThomasD Chenery was born perhaps between 1470 and 1475 and died ca. 1500. In the above-discussed Chancery Court suit, which took place between 1544 and 1547, JohnC Chenery said that his father had died about 46 years before. If we assume the date of the suit to have been about 1546, Thomas would have died about the years 1500. Since his son and heir was then about one year of age, he would probably have been at least 20 years of age himself, but still relatively young - a birth in the range of 1470 to 1475
would be reasonable. He owned land in Cockfield, Suffolk, but may have been a resident of Kennett, Cambridgeshire, as was his son. It is not clear when the son John acquired his father,s Kennett lands. The fact that John "the clerk Chenery was described as kinsman to JohnC, although evidently at least a generation older, suggests that he may have been a brother of ThomasD Known child (Chenery) of ThomasD:
2 i. JohnC b. ca. 1499; d. between 1549 and 1550.
2. JohnC Chenery (ThomasD) was born ca. 1499 and died at Kennett, Cambridgeshire, between 25 Oct 1549 and 21 Oct 1550, the dates when his will was written and proved, respectively. He married, say 1520, Emma (-----), who survived him and died in Moulton, Suffolk, between 21 Nov 1558 and 8 June 1560, the dates of the writing and proving her will. John and Emma (-----) Chenery resided in Kennett, Cambridgeshire. Relatively well-to-do landowners, both left wills. He was buried in the Kennett churchyard according to the will of his son John. Her will calls her "of Moulton, suggesting either that she may have come originally from Moulton and had gone back to live with relatives, or (perhaps more likely)that she was living with one of her children in that parish. One of the witnesses to her will was Thomas Moody, parson of Moulton and brother of Richard Moody of Moulton, from whom the New England family here treated derive. (That he was the brother of Richard Moody is proved by the record of the administration in 1576 of his intestate estate, recorded in PCC administrations. In it, he is referred to as Thomas Moody, "clericus, of Islington, Middlesex, and his principal heir is George Moody, presently a minor in the care of Edward Colt of Moulton, Suffolk. In addition, an early Chancery dispute is on record, File 1453, #39-42, between Thomas Modye parson of Moulton and Richard his brother. Subject: "exclusion from complainant,s parsonage which defendant has been permitted to inhabit at will.)
Another connection between the families which predates the marriage of George Moody and Margaret Chenery is the statement in the will of Richard Moody himself, who refers to sheep he owns which are "now going at Kennett with John Chenery.
Children (Chenery) of JohnC and Emma (-----):
3 i. JohnB b. between 1520 and 1535; d. at Kennett in 1575
4 ii. William d. at Kennett in 1568
5 iii. Richard d. at Kennett between 1563 and 1568
iv. Marion b. perhaps ca. 1520; m. prob. by 1537, since she had 5 children at the writing of her father,s will in 1549, John Heyward. Children as named in the will of John Chenery in 1549: Sym (female), Phillipp, John, Elizabeth, and Em (the latter four all under 12 years old). Children as named in the will of Emma Chenery in 1558:Fyne (female), Audrey, Richard, Phillipp and Emma Heyward.. Phillipp may be the unmarried female servant RichardB Chenery named in his will in 1563. Audrey was named in the will of WilliamB Chenery in 1567 as his goddaughter. "Fyne Heyward (named in Emma Chenery,s will) may refer to the same girl as "Sym Heyward (named in JohnC Chenery,s will) - the clerk may have mistranscribed one or the other.
v. Elizabeth m. (Thomas?) Perkins, probably in the 1540s. Two daughters of hers, Marion and Emma, both specified as being under 14 years of age, were named in the will of JohnC Chenery, the grandfather in 1549. Emma (but not Marion) was also named in the will of Emma Chenery in 1558.
vi. Katherine m. by 1549 to Thomas Gilbert. Both were still living in 1575 when they were named in the will of her brother JohnC Chenery of Kennett.
3. JohnB Chenery (JohnC, ThomasD) was born probably between 1520 and 1535. He married (probably ca. 1550-55) Elizabeth Norwich, daughter of Stephen and Agnes (-----) Norwich of Ashley, Cambridgeshire. He resided in Kennett, and left a will dated 25 Sept 1575, and proved 2 Nov 1575. His widow Elizabeth married (2) 30 July 1576, William Hinson of Fordham, Cambridgeshire, who had previously been married (in Fordham in 1570) to Margaret Dearslie, who was buried at Fordham, 13 Sept 1573. William was buried at Fordham, 3 June 1592. Elizabeth was buried at Fordham, 28 June 1619, leaving a will ("Elizabeth Hindson, widow, of Fordham) which was dated 8 Aug 1616, and proved 27 March 1626. The provisions of JohnB Chenery,s will suggests that his daughter Mary was older then her sisters, and that she was about the age of 20 (or older at the writing of his will in 1575. This would, in turn, suggest a marriage date for John in the early 1550s, and a birth date in the 1520s or 30s. Of course, these dates are conjectural, but in the absence of more specific one, they help to place the chronology of this family. It is interesting to note that Mary Chenery, who was left money by her father only under condition that she marry with the consent of her mother, seems to have found this requirement impossible to meet, as she was still unmarried some 40 years later in 1616. This condition, in that it was stated in such a way as to apply only to Mary, implies that she may have been seeing a man of whom her parents disapproved, or at least that her father did not have great confidence in her ability to choose an acceptable husband.
Children (Chenery) of JohnB and Elizabeth (Norwich):
i. MaryA b. perhaps ca. 1550-55. Unmarried in 1616 at the writing of her mother,s will. She may have been the Mary Chenery who was buried Fordham, 17 Sept 1625
ii. Margaret b. perhaps about 1560 (she was under 20 in 1575); m. in Kennett, 12 Oct. 1581, to GeorgeA Moody, who was baptized in Moulton, Suffolk, 28 Sept 1560, son of Richard and Ann (-----) Moody. She was buried in Moulton, 25 Jan 1602/3. George m. (2) Moulton, 19 Sept 1604, Christian Knapp. This date has erroneously appeared in print as 5 Sept 1604 (Ackley-Bosworth p. 17). In the original, however, it is clearly 19 Sept. And, although most writers give the bride,s name as Christian Cramp, it looks more like Knapp in the register. George was buried Moulton, 23 Aug 1607. They were parents of the immigrants John Moody and Frances (Moody) Kilbourn.
iii. Elizabeth b. perhaps about 1562; m. in 1585 by license, Bury St. Edmonds, William Payne; named in her mother,s will as Elizabeth Payne. Her husband was identified in a Chancery suit dated 4 May 1595. In this suit, Thomas Hinson, son and heir of William Hinson, gentleman, of Fordham, claimed that Elizabeth Hinson, late wife of William Hinson and mother-in-law of the said Thomas Hinson, together with her son- in-law William Payne, had taken possession of a piece of land that should have been his (Thomas,) (PRO, Chancery Files C3 241/45). She may have been the widow Elizabeth Payne of Worlington, Sufolk, whose will was proved in the Sudbury court on 29 May 1630. In it she mentioned her son Henry Payne, her daughter Dister, her daughter Anne Guest and her daughter Mary Biggs, wife of Thomas Biggs. One of the witnesses was Elizabeth Dister, perhaps the daughter named in the will.
iv. Joan b. perhaps about 1564; buried Fordham, 2 Jan 1640/1; m. John Cheeseright at Fordham, 12 Nov 1584, who was buried there, 24 Oct 1615. Joan was executrix (after the renunciation of her brother John) of her mother,s will in 1626. The will of John Cheeseright of Fordham, in which he is styled "gentleman, was dated 3 April 1613 and proved 30 Nov 1615 (Archdeaconry of Sudbury, 326 Stevens). His widow Joan was executrix, and in it he named sons Mark, John, Edward, Thomas, and Richard Cheeseright, grandson Thomas Cheeseright (a minor), daughters Bridgett Cheeseright, Elizabeth Cheeseright, Sarah Cheeseright, Margaret Cheeseright, Joane Cheeseright, Frances Cheeseright (the youngest daughter), Frances Norridge (not the same person), Amy Shillinge and Grissell Bentley. He also mentioned his son-in-law Martin Shillinge, gentleman, whom he named as his supervisor. One of the witnesses was a Robert Bentley, presumably the husband of his daughter Grissell. This appears to have been a family in which two daughters were given the same name. His youngest daughter Frances was baptized at Fordham, 22 Sept 1603. His elder daughter Frances was married at Fordham, 17 Dec 1600, to Mr. John Norredge, parson of Ashley. Since Norredge is a variant spelling of Norwich, this man was probably a close relative of Joan (Chenery) Cheeseright through her mother Elizabeth (Norwich) (Chenery) Hinson, whose family was also from Ashley.The widow Joan Cheeseright,s will was dated 31 May 1633, and proved at Sudbury 4 June 1641 (Archdeaconry of Sudbury, 264 Muriell). In it she named her daughter Elizabeth (wife of Robert Larkin), her daughter Sarah and her son Mark, whom she named as her executor. Her supervisor was her son-in-law Thomas Abbs. It is uncertain whether all the children of John Cheeseright were by Joan. John bapt. Kennett, 8 Feb 1567/8; he was living in 1626, when he renounced executorship of his mother,s will. He may have been the John Chenery of Fordham whose children (George, Ann, John, Bridget and Tomasin) were baptized there between 1600 and 1610. Eleanor, the first wife of this John Chenery, was buried Fordham, 19 May 1604.
Children (Hinson) of William and Elizabeth (Norwich) (Chenery):
vi. Grissell bapt. Kennett, 20 July 1577; m. Fordham, 28 May 1600, to William Fairecliffe. Still living at the writing of her mother,s will in 1616.
vii. Anne b. perhaps 1579; m. Fordham, 13 Nov 1605, to William Harte. Still living in 1616.
Children (Chenery) of William and Anne (Oldfylde?):
i. George (eldest son)
ii. Richard (second son); perhaps the Richard Chenery of Fordham, who was buried there 20 June 1607. His children Richard, William, John, Elizabeth and Robert were baptized at Fordham between 1592 and 1606. His widow Elizabeth was buried there 7 June 1627.
iii. Thomas (third son)
daughter), Anne (second daughter), Katherine (third daughter), Elizabeth (other daughter), Frauncis and Margaret (daughters); and the child that her daughter-in-law Annis Chenery was carrying at the time.
Children (Chenery) of Richard and Philippe (-----):
6 i. John b. between 1542 and 1554; died 1624.
6. John Chenery (Richard, JohnC, ThomasD) was born after 1542 (he was a minor in 1563), and before 1554 (he was given custody of his cousin in 1575). He died in 1624 in Barton, Suffolk. He married (1) at Exning, 9 July 1570, to Agnes Bridgeman, daughter of William Bridgeman of Exning, Suffolk. She was buried at Kennett, 4 Feb 1615/6. He married (2), at Bury St. Edmonds, St. James parish, 24 Oct 1616, widow Elizabeth Baxter, who survived him.
Agnes Chenery,s identity is established from the will of her father, dated 19 March 1577, and proved 2 May 1578 (PCC Langley). In it, her named his daughter Annys Chennery and he requested that land be appraised by John Chenery of Moulton (among others). John Chenery was also one of the witnesses to the will. John Chenery,s will was dated 7 Oct 1624, and proved 8 Nov 1624 (Archdeaconry of Sudbury, 81 Pearle). In it he called himself John Chenery of Barton, yeoman. He requested burial in Kennett near his late wife deceased wife Agnes. He named his current wife Elizabeth, and referred to "her former husband,s inventory. He mentioned his mourning cloak for the death of Sir John Cotton, knight. He named his sons Richard, John, William (3rd son) and Charles (4th son); his daughters hillippe Murdon a widow), Katharine Pope, Elizabeth Firmage, Frances Lankester and Margaret Rose; his grandchildren Olyver Murdon (eldest grandchild), Sarah Chenery (daughter of Richard), John Chenery (eldest son of John)and Robert Cramys. He left his son John his signet ring with the letters J and C engraved. Other legatees were kinswoman Joane Ballard of Isleham and servant George Goodchilde. His executor was his son John and his supervisors were his son-in-law Thomas Pope, John Fyrmange and Warren Ingrie. The will of Elizabeth Chenery, widow of John, was dated 10 Nov 1627, and proved 19 April 1628 (Archdeaconry of Sudbury, 135 Mason). In it, she was called "of Kennett and named her late husband,s children: Richard Chenery (eldest son), John Chenery (2nd son), Charles Chenery (4th son), Katherine Pope, wife of Thomas Pope, gentleman, Phillip Morden, Elizabeth Firmage, Frances Ingre and Margaret Rose. Frances had been widowed and remarried by this time.
Children (Chenery) of John and Agnes (Bridgeman):
i. Phillippe (female) bapt. Exning, Suffolk, 1 May 1571; m. by 1593 Oliver Murdon of Exning, Suffolk. Her husband,s will was written in 1621 and proved in 1624, in which he named his wife Phillipe, his sons Oliver, John, William, George and Martiane, his daughters Anne and Phillipe (both unmarried) and his daughters Bryant and Jhones (presumably their married surnames).
ii. Anne bapt. at Kennett, Cambridgeshire, 9 March 1572/3; she was living, 2nd daughter in her grandmother,s will in 1587; perhaps the Anne Chenery who married Edward Povell at Exning, 18 Nov 1600. She was not named in the wills of her father (1624) and stepmother (1627).
iii. Richard bapt. at Exning, Suffolk, in April 1575; married with a daughter named Sarah by 1624
iv. Katherine prob. bapt. about 1577/8; m. (1) Exning, Suffolk, 17 Jan 1596, John Chapman; m. (2) by 1624 to Thomas Pope, gentleman. Her stepmother, in her 1627 will, refers to her as Katherine, wife of Thomas Pope, gent., but names her son William Chapman as residual heir.
v. Elizabeth prob. bapt. about 1580/1; m. by 1624 to (John?) Firmage.
vi. Frances bapt. Exning, Suffolk,15 Nov 1584; m. (1) Kennett, Cambridgeshire, 15 Oct 1606 to Thomas Lancaster, gentleman, who was buried Kennett, 5 Jan 1621/2; m. (2) at Holy Trinity in Ely, Cambridgeshire, in 1624, Warren Ingrey of Shepreth, Cambridgeshire (Boyd,s Marriage Index); she died at Shepreth, a widow, leaving a will dated 1654 and proved in 1662. In it, she named he grandchild Francis (male) Radcote (else called Redcloake), her son Thomas Lancaster, her daughter-in-law Elizabeth Lancaster, her son Thomas Ingrey, her daughter-in-law Mary Ingrey, her grandchild Thomas Ingrey, her grandchild Thomas Lancaster, her daughter Margarett Banks and her daughter Elizabeth Shipson.
vii. Margaret bapt. Exning, Suffolk, 6 Sept 1586; m. ----- Rose. She was widowed by 1624, the date of her father,s will.
viii. John bapt. Exning, Suffolk, 7 Oct 1587; married with an eldest son named John by 1624
ix. William bapt. Exning, Suffolk, 11 Oct 1588; perhaps died by1627,when he is not named by Elizabeth Chenery, his stepmother.
x. Charles bapt. Exning, Suffolk, 22 April 1591; he was named in the will of his father in 1624 and his stepmother Elizabeth in 1627.
xi. Thomas bapt. Exning, Suffolk, 4 June 1592; buried there 20 June 1592.
Appendix - John Pratt of Wood Ditton
Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of George and Elizabeth (Chenery) Moody, married Jon Pratt of Wood Ditton, Cambridgeshire. While few people still believe this couple to be John and Elizabeth Pratt of Connecticut, the parish registers of Wood Ditton and probate records of Sudbury make it clear that they could not have been. Their children,s baptisms, recorded in Wood Ditton: Mary (1611), Alice (1613), John (1615), Thomas (1618), Elizabeth (1621) and Rebecca (1624). The burial of John Pratt at Wood Ditton was on 12 May 1642. The will of John Pratt of Wood Ditton, yeoman, was dated 11 April 1642 and proved 14 May 1642. In it he named eldest son John (executor, youngest son Thomas, youngest daughter Rebecca and wife Elizabeth. These records rule out the possibility that the Hartford man could have been John Jr., since John of New England was in Cambridge, Mass., by 1633,and John Jr. of Wood Ditton was his father,s executor in 1642. In addition, the will of a John Pratt of Wood Ditton, gentleman, was written 19 Aug 1661 and proved 9 Oct 1661, in which he named, among others, his "cousins Richard Day and William Fisson. Since Mary Pratt, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Moody) Pratt and sister of John Jr. married William Fisson in 1632, it would seem evident that this was the will of John Pratt Jr.
In a previous article, the Chenery ancestry of Margaret (Chenery) Moody was treated (see above, TAG 64:1-11). The present article traces the ancestry of Elizabeth (Norwich) Chenery, Margaret,s mother. In his 1575 will (abstracted in the above-mentioned article), John Chenery, the father of Margaret (Chenery) Moody, placed his son John in the care of his nephew John Chenery. In case this nephew should predecease his son, however, he name "Brother in Lawe Richard Norwiche as alternative guardian. Since the names of the husbands of the elder John Chenery,s sisters were known, it seems likely that this Richard Norwich was brother to John,s wife Elizabeth. A search of Norwich wills in the area confirmed this relationship.
In the will of Agnes Norwich of Ashley, Cambridgeshire, dated 28 June 1591, the testator named both her son Richard Norwich and her daughter Elizabeth Hinson. As Elizabeth, widow of John Chenery, had by this time married William Hinson, this will shows that John Chenery,s wife was, indeed, Elizabeth Norwich.
The identity of the husband of Agnes was easily established as Stephan Norwich, whose will named his wife Agnes, as well as all six children later appearing in the will of his widow. While Stephan did not mention the surnames of any of his daughters in his will, Elizabeth was certainly married by the time he wrote it, and the other two probably were, as well. In light of this identity, it seems likely that the Stephan Norris who witnessed the will of John Chenery in 1575 was, in fact, Stephan Norwich (often rendered as "Norridge), father-in-law of the testator. Stephan himself is named not only in the will of his father, but also in those of two of his brothers, by whom he was named supervisor. He appears to have been a man much relied-upon by his family.
In the will of Richard Norwich of Westley Waterless (who was Stephan,s father) the references to the property that his wife Agnes had brought with her indicate that she was probably a second wife and not the mother of his children. She may be the Agnes Norwich of West Wratting, whose will was dated 4 Aug 1545. In that will, Agnes named no Norwich legatees, although she mentioned her sister Alice Cowper and several other Cowpers.
It is interesting to note that the noble family of Norwich whose first representative was Walter de Norwich, Lord Norwich, had a grant in the 14th century of the manors of Dalham and Bradfield, with the advowson of the church of Dalham, county Suffolk, all of which are situated immediately adjacent to the Cambridgeshire parishes in which our Norwich family resided. This barony became extinct in 1374 at the death without issue of John de Norwich, at which time his estates went to his cousin Catherine de Brews, daughter and heir of Thomas de Norwich, his great-uncle. When Catherine took the veil, the estates were passes on to William de Ufford, Earl of Suffolk, whose wife was Thomas, sister Margery. A note in Burke,s Dormant and Extinct Peerages states that the Norwich family of Brampton, county Northampton, is said to have sprung from this Baronial family. No mention is made of the Norwich family discussed in this article, which is still to be found near the locale of the original Barons Norwich as late as the 17th century.
The following abstracts of Norwich family wills provide the framework on which the ensuing family summary is based.
Henry Norwich of Wilbraham Magna, 1509[/10?]. (Consistory Court of Ely, Vol. E, folio 63)
In dei no[min]e amen: vi dei mensis februarius Ao Dni m ccccc ix Ego Henricus Norwyche de ilbram Mag[n]a lego Angnet[i] uxori mee lego Ric[ard]o filio meo lego Ric[ard]o Norwyche Juniori lego Henrico Norwyche lego Will[iel]mo Norwyche lego Steph[an]o Norwyche esidue lego praefat[] Ric[ard]o Norwyche filio meo
Richard Norwich of Brinkley, 1521. (Consistory Court of Ely, Vol. J, folio 53)
In the name of god Amen the iiide day of the moneth of Aprile in the yere of our lorde
god m cccccxxi I Richard Norwiche of Brynkeley in the diocese of Ely my body to
be buried in the Cherche of Brynkeley aforesaid to the hygh Awter of the same
Cherche xx d a quarter service for a preest to sing for me in the Cherche of
Brinkelye .. to the Cherche of Brinkeley for the Grounde brekyng concerning my buriall
vi s vii d to my iii brethern eche of them xx s to Johan my Sister vi s vii d to
Thomas ffoxe ii s iiii d toJohan my doughter xx s The Residue toMary my wif I
make the saide Mary my wif Richard Norwiche my ffather and Robert Cleydon myn
Executors Witnesses: homas Roger, Nicholas Tayler, others.
Proved: 23April1521
Henry Norwich of Ashley, 1538 (Archdeaconry of Sudbury, 184 Brett)
In dei no[min]e Amen the yere of our ord m ccccc xxxvii the first daye of the moneth of
Julye I Herry Norwich of the towne of Asheley and in the parish of Sylverley and in the
countye of Cambryge and in the dioces of Norwich my body to be buried in the
churche yerd of Sylverley to the hyeghe aulter of Sylverley iii s iiii d to the
hyeghe aulter of Asheley iii s iiii d to Herry my sonne vi l xiii s iiii d and a brasse
pott to John my sonne vi l xiii s iiii d to be delyvered them at the age of xxi yeres if
they mary not before that age if they mary before the age of xxi yeres then I wyll it
shalbe delyveryd them at the daye of their maryage if Henry and John my sonnes
decesse bothe within age I wyll both theyr partes shalbe equally devyded betwex my iii
dowghters Jone my dowghter v markes sterlyng to Elizabeth my dowghter v
markes sterlyng Alice my dowghter v markes sterlyng to be delyvered them at a
laufull age All other my goodes onbequethyd I geve and bequethe Isbell my wyef
whom I make my executrix Robte Raye and Stephen Noridge Supervisors Witnesses:
Jamys Robartes, Stevyn Norwich, Edmund Clarke, others
Proved: 26 Sept 1538
Richard Norwich of Westley Waterless, 1540. (Consistory Court of Ely, vol. K, folio 25)
Inthename of god AmenThe iiii daye of September in the yere of our Lord god m v c and
xl I Richard Norwiche of Westle Waterley in the dioces of Elye my bodye to be
buryed in the Churche yerd of Westle aforesaide unto the Churche of Westley iii of
my best hyves unto Sir Robert Adam parsonne ther xx d unto the saide parsonne of
Westley a hyve of beeys at his Eleccon unto Willm Norwiche my sonne my
messuage and xvi Acres of ffree lond lying and beyng in Westley upon suche
condicon that the sayde Willm shall paye unto Stephyn Norwiche my sonne iii l vi s viii
d unto Stephyn Norwich my gowne my Masyer A dowblett of clothe and A payer of
newe hosen .. Wher as I have Surrendrid my Copye lond on Westley in to the handes of
Martyn ffawkes Ten[a]nte of the Lorde of Westlee to the use of Willm Norwiche and of
his heyrs upon condityon that the said Willm shall paye unto Richard Norwich xl s and
unto Jone Norwiche x s sterling to Agnes my wyfe syx mylche beastes at her choyse
three horses at hir Eleccon ii Slawghter hoggys and ii storys ii gallons of honye xl
Sheepe An olde Carte with the tyre Collars and harneys for them All hostillyment As
beddyng pewter brasse linen and all the perteyneth to howseholde whiche was her owne
and browght to me vi cobes Wheate iiii Combes Rye x Combes barlye & x Combes
bolymoung shee to paye for the thresshyng And to have all the stuffer perteynyng to the
sayde grayne beforenamyd I will that ther be payde xxvi s viii d ByWillm my sonne
unto a goddowghter of myn wyfes dwellyng in Fultone unto Agnes my wyfe a
ffeatherbewd and a bolster a Red Mantyll ii busshelles of wardens and a combe of apples
all whiche upon such condytion That the saide Agnes shall Release all her Tythe and
demawnde of dower unto the saide Willm to Agnes my wyfe half my haye in my
howse Iwill that Willm my sonne have ii hyeves and Agnes my wyfe oone hyve and
Stephyn my sonne oone hyve And s to be devyded emongiste them As farre as they will
extend Willm Norwiche my sonne I doo constitute and ordeyn myne executor To
whome I doo will and bequeathe all the Resydwe of my goodes Witnesses: John
Alyngton gentylman, Syr Robert Adams parson of Westlee, Martyn ffawkes yeman,
Stephyn Norwiche
Proved: 20 Nov 1540
Agnes Norwich of West Wratting, 1545. (Cnsistory Court of Ely, vol. K, folio 153)
In the Name of god Amen The iiiith daye of August in the yer of our lord god 1545 I
Agnes Norwyche of Westwrattyng within the dioces of Elye to the hyghe Alter of
Westwrattyng ii s iiii d to the Churche of Westwrattyng towardes the reparacons of the
same vi s viii d to the poore ffolkes of Weston Wher Charite is oste requisyte xx d
to Alice Cowper my Syster my best gowne to John Cowper A payer of Sheetys
and A yealow blanckett to Thomas Cowper A payer of Sheetys and iii s iiii d in
money beyng in his handes to Anne Cowper the wyffe of Thomas Cowper A Red
Kyrtyll to John Drapers wyffe my sangwyn kyrtyll to Robert Cowper A sheete and
A platter to Katheryn Baytam myn olde Petycotte to Margaret Reavell A Payer of
Sheetys to eyche of Thomas Cowpers Chidren xx d beyng in his handes to eiche of
John Drapers Childern xii d The Resydwe of my godes shalbe solde my Willm
Mordon and Willm Baytam of the same Towne whome I ordeyn and make myn
Executors And the goodes beyng solde to be distributed amongest poore ffolkes and
hyghe wayes of the same Towne I will that Willm Bowtell and Robert Knocke of the
same tone be ryvey and helpers to the same sale of my goodes And I will that eyche of
them fower shall have xx d for their payns takyng Witnesses: Thomas Johnson Vycar,
Willm Powtell, Robert Knocke, others
Proved: no date given
William Norwich of Westley Waterless, 1548 (Consistory Court of Ely, vol. K, folio
232)
In the name of god Amen The xvi daye of Marche in the second yere of the Reigne of
our Soveraigne lord Edward the vi [1547/8] by the grace of god king of England ffraunce
and Ireland etc I Willm Norwiche of Westle Waterlesse in the Counto of Cambridge
husbondmon unto Isabel Norwyche my wyeff all my ffree londes and Tenementes in
Westleyaforesaid for the terme of xii yers after the date hereof after that terme
endyd unto Willm Norwyche my eldest Sonne upon suche condicon that the said
Willm Norwiche do paye unto John Norwyche fyve poundes to Henry Norwyche
fyve poundes and to Anthonye Norwiche fyve poundes as every of them shall come to
their age of xxiiii yers And if any of them shall chaunce to dye before the said age or
ages Then I will that he or they so overlyving to have the portion or parte of his broother
deceassyd unto Isabellmy wyeef xii acres of Copye lond that I have in Westley untyl
my sonne Wilm shalbe of the age of xxiiii yers and then I will the saide xii Acres to
Remaigne to the said Willm unto Isabell my wyef my Ten[emen]t and vii Acres of
lond belongyng unto yt that I holde of the lord of Westley called Wynters Except a lytill
parcell of ground inclosed unto my ffree howsse in Westley for terme of her lyeff And
after her deceasse to Willm my sonne And as to that parcel of lond I do bequeath yt
unto Isabell my wyef for the terme of xii yers nex ensweyng the date hereof And after
that terme I will yt unto Willm my sonne unto Willm my sonne fyve poundes to be
paide by Isabell my wyef and her assignes at the daye of his mariage or at thend and
terme of xii yers next ensweyng the date hereof whiche of them shall first com to passe
Provyded that if the said Willm do wyllyngly Interupte Isabell my Wyef his
moother of the said premisses unto Mary my dowghter iii l vi s viii d at her
maryage to the said Marye ii payer of Sheetys of husewyves Clothe twoo disshes and
too platters of pewter A Kettyll and ii Condylstyckes to be Delyvered at her maryage
to Willm I Ewe and I lambe to John oon Ewe oon lambe to Henrye oon Ewe oon lambe
and to Anthonye I Ewe & I lambe The Resydwe of all my goodes unto Isabell my
wyeff upon such condicon that shee doo honestly and vertuously bring up all my
Childern accordyng unto my valewe for the term of xii yers for the better erformaunce
of the better bringyng up of my said Childern I dyd will the said landes and en[emen]tes
for terme of xii yers unto her I doo ordeyn the said Isabell my wyef to be my sole
Executrix Stephyn Norwich my brother to be the Supervisor of the same for whose
payne to be taken I doo will and bequeath unto hym vi s viii d Witnesses: Sylvester
Cumpyon, John Hasselwood, Willm Jeffrey
Proved: 28 April 1548
Stephen Norwich of Ashley, 1583[/4]. (Archdeaconry Court of Sudbury, 106 Frende)
In the name of god amen The xvii daie of Januarie in the yere of oure Lord god one
Thousand fyve hundred fowerskore and thre Stephan Norighe of Ashelie in the Countie
of Cambridge and dioces of Norwiche did make and ordaine this his Last will and
Testamente nuncupative by Speakinge these or the like words to Agnes my wiffe my
howse called S[]tyvils with all the howses barnes Stables or the yards gardens pastures
and seadings with all Comodities and profects thereunto belonginge Duringe her naturall
Liffe and after her deceae to John my sonne and to his heires for ever my Leasse of
the mannor of Ashelie and Sylverlie the one halffe to Agnes my wiffe and to herrye my
sonne and to their heires and thother halffe to John my sonne and to his heires and
assignes The mannor howse with the homestalles and fyrwood excepted whiche I will
that John my sonne his executors and assignes shall have to beare all the Charges of
Courte and Leesse from tyme to tyme Duringe the terme of all the yeres of the said
Leasse And also one pece of Lande conteyninge by estimation fower Acres adioyninge
to the pasonage Closse of Ashelie aforesaid excepted whiche I will that John Anthonye
Clerke or his assignes shall have and enioye Duringe the terme of all the yeres
specyfied in the said Leasse The said John Anthonye or his assignes yeldinge and
payinge therefore yerelie to my Executors tenne shillings of Lawfull monye And also
one Barne called the Churche barne excepted which I will that Agnes my wie and Henry
my sonne shall have Duringe the said Leasse to Richard my sonne one Tenemente
beinge Coppie and to his heires forever nowe in the tenure and occupation of Henry
Gatwaie the Surrender thereof is delivered into the hands of John Almer and John
Ashewell two of the Lords Tenants to the use aforesaid one other Tenemente beinge
Coppie nowe in the tenure and occupation of Willm Boshok to Joanne my daughter and
to her heires for ever the Surrender thereof or Delivered into the Handes of John Almer
and John Ashewell two of the Lords Tenants to the use aforesaid to Henrye my sonne
the Ten[emen]te beinge Coppie Wherin henowe Dwellethe and to his heires for ever.
TheSurrender thereof is delivered into the hands of John Almer and John Ashewell two
of the Lords Tenants to the use aforesaide to Richarde my sonne threskore pounds of
Lawfull monye to my thre daughters Elizabethe Joanne and Margarette to everie one
of them tenne pounds of Lawfull monye to Richard my sonne A fetherbed furnished
the Residewe of all my movable goodes and Cattalles not bequethed I gyve thone halffe
of them to Agnes my wiffe and to Henrye my sonne And thother halffe to John my
sonne whome I make my Executors to paie my Legacies and tosee this my Last will and
Testament fulfilles All which words or the Like in effecte wer spoken by the
abovenamed Stephan Norighe in the presence and hearinge of John Anthonye Clerke
John Norighe Henry Norighe and Agnes Norighe the Daie and yere abovewritten
Probatum fuit xiiii Die mensis ffebruarij Anno dno mill[ess]imo quingen[tess]imo
octogesimo tertio Executoribus Henr et Johis Noriche
Agnes Norwich of Ashley, 1591. (Archdeaconry Court of Sudbury, 95 Bacon)
In the name of god amen the xviith daie of June Ao Dni 1591 in the xxxiii yeare of the
Reigne ofoure sovereigne Ladye Elizabeth I Annes Noridge of Ashley in the Countie
of Cambridge Widdowe doe ordeyne & make this my last will & Testament to the
poore of the parishe of Ashley aforesaide xx s unto Elizabeth Hinson my daughter
three silver spoones unto Margarett Dearslye my daughter my best Coverlett unto
John Noridge Henrie Noridge and Jone ffitche my children the Residewe of my
householde stuffe & moveable goodes within my howses to be equally devided
amongest them unto Margarett ffitche v l in money to be peyde unto her within one
yeare nexte after my departure to Annes ffytche a mylche Bullocke to Annes
Noridge my goddaughter a milche Bullocke unto Jone my daughter nyne acres of
arrable Land which is in my owne occupyinge duringe the terme of the Lease of the
Manner of Ashley unto John Noridge & Henry Noridge my Sonnes, the residewe of
my parte in the said ferme that is devided latelie in the Tenure & occupyinge of
Richarde Noridge my Sonne duringe the Terme of the saide lease, The Residue unto
John Noridge & Henry Noridge my Sonnes whom I doe Make my Executors .. In
witnes whereof I have sette my hand & seale the daie & yeare above written. The marke
of Annes Noridge, wytnesses John Anthony, by me Chaplys Norton
Probatum fuit Archi[diaci]natus Sudburie Norwicen[sis] Dioc nono die mensis
Octobris Ao dni 1591 .. Johanni Noridge Executor altera vero Exec viz Henricus
Norridge aute ovus executoris huioi Testi in assumpsit mortem obyt.
1. HenryE Norwich of Great Wilbraham, Cambridgeshire, died probably shortly after the date of his will, 6 Feb. 1509[/10?]. His wife at the time of the making of his will was Agnes. In his will, he also mentioned his son Richard, who was his principal heir, and Richard Norwyche junior, Henry Norwyche, William Norwyche and Stephen Norwyche; the latter (although he does not explicitly say this in his will) were his grandchildren, the children of his said son Richard.
An earlier will, that of Thomas Norwich of Little Abington, dated 3 March 1496, isto befound in the volumes of the Consistory Court of Ely. In it he named his wife Johan, and his sons, William, John and Henry. Given the proximity of Little Abington and Great Wilbraham, it seems likely that this Thomas was either father or brother to Henry, but the will alone is not sufficient to prove the relationship. Further research along these lines may well be fruitful.
Children (Norwich) of Henry:
2 i. RichardD b. poss. 1470-80; m. (2?) Agnes (-----)
2. RichardD Norwich (HenryE) was born perhaps about 1470-80 and died at Westley Waterless between 4 Sept and 20 Nov 1540, the dates that his will was executed and proved. At the time of his death his wife was Agnes (-----). She was probably a second wife, since in his will Richard leaves her, among other things, "all that perteyneth to howseholde whiche was her owne and browght to me. She may have been the Agnes Norwich of West Wratting whose will was written 4 Aug 1545. In it she mentions no
Norwiches, but does name (among others) her sister Alice Cowper and several other Cowpers.
Children (Norwich) of Richard (order uncertain):
i. Richard b. poss. In the 1490s as he was married with one child at the time of his
death in April 1521. He was married to Mary (----- at the time of his death, at
which time he was of Brinkley, Cambridgeshire. He named his father, Richard
Norwich, as one of his executors, together with his wife Mary and Robert Cleydon.
He also mentioned his three brothers, his sister Johan and his daughter Johan. His
only other legatee was Thomas Foxe, no relationship specified, who was given a
lesser amount of money than his siblings. He was named first in hs grandfather,s
will, and was therefore perhaps the eldest of his family. Child (Norwich): Joan b. by
1521
ii. Henry b. poss. ca. 1500, as he was named second in the will of his grandfather
Henry in 1509. His wife was Isabel (-----). In his will, dated 1 July 1537 and
proved 26 Sept 1538, he called himself Henry Norwich of the town of Ashley in
the parish of Silverley, Cambridgeshire. Since, at that time, he had five minor
children living, he was probably married somewhere in the early 1520s, according
well with a birth year of about 1500. One of his supervisors was his brother
Stephen Norwich, although the relationship was not specified in the will. Children
(Norwich): Henry, John, Joan, Elizabeth, Alice.
iii. William as the third-named son in the will of his grandfather Henry in 1509, was
perhaps b. ca. 1500, d. Westley Waterless, Cambridgeshire, between 16 March and
28 April 1548, dates of the writing and proving of his will. At the time of his death,
he referrd tohimself as a husbandman. His wife was Isabel (-----). Children
(Norwich): William, John, Henry, Anthony, Mary.
iv. StephenC b. poss. between 1500 and 1509; m. Agnes (-----)
v. Joan named in the will of her brother Richard in 1521. Poss. m. Robert Ray of
Denston, Suffolk (see discussion under StephenC, below).
3. StephenC Norwich (RichardD, HenryE) was probaby born between 1500 and 1509. He was buried at Ashley, Cambridgeshire, 23 Jan. 1583/4. At that time he held the lease of the manor of Ashley and Silverley.His widow Agnes left a will dated 18 June 1591 and proved 9 Oct 1591. In it she named all six of the children named by Stephen. Unlike her husband, she used the married names of their daughters, thus enabling us to identify the parents of Elizabeth (Norwich) (Chenery) Hinson.In the will of Robert Ray, senior, yeoman of Denardeston (Denston), Suffolk, which was written in 1550 and proved in 1560, he mentioned, among others, Johan Norwich, goddaughter Elizabeth Norwiche, and godson Richard Norwiche. He also mentioned his land holdings in Ashley and Silverley,
Cambridgeshire. Note also that one of the supervisors of the will of Henry Norwich (No. 2ii) of Ashley was a Robert Ray. This suggests a possible connection between the two families. Henry had daughters named Johan and Elizabeth, but only Stephen had a son Richard. Since Robert Ray,s wife was named Johan, it is possible that he married Joan Norwich, daughter of RichardD and sister of both Henry and StephenC. Other connections are, of course, possible, but this explanation accounts quite economically for the apparent connection to both Henry and Stephen. One additional piece of evidence in favor of this possibility is that none of the other members of Robert Ray,s family who left wills in this period (his father and mother, wills dated 1539, his brother John of Cheverly, will dated 1558, and his brother
George of Long Melford, will dated 1544) mentioned any connection with the Norwich family. This makes a connection through Robert,s wife seem most reasonable. Robert is estimated to have been born around 1505, making him a reasonable age for the husband of Joan Norwich. It is also interesting that the only child of Robert and Joan Ray whose name is not accounted for by the immediate family of Robert himself is Richard, which was the name of Joan Norwich,s father and eldest brother. (Information on the Ray family is from NEHGR 63[1909]:356-58, 64:51-66.)
Children (Norwich) of Stephan and Agnes (-----), order uncertain:
i. Henry
ii. John
iii. Richard was a yeoman of Ashley, Cambridgeshire, at the time of the writing of his will on 18 May 1591.The will was proved 1 June 1591. In it he named his wife Elizabeth, his son Richard, under 24 years of age, and his two daughters (unnamed), under 21 years of age. This is the Richard Norwich, mentioned at the beginning of this article, who was named n the will of his brother-in-law, John Chenery, father of Margaret (Chenery) Moody, and grandfather of John Moody and Frances (Moody) Kilbourne of New England. Children (Norwich): Richard, Elizabeth, Agnes.
iv. ElizabethB buried Fordham 28 June 1619; m. (1) prob. ca. 1560 JohnB Chenery, son of John and Emma (-----) Chenery of Kennett, Cambridgeshire. She m. (2) as his second wife, Kennett 30 July 1576 William Hinson of Fordham, Cambridgeshire, buried Fordham 3 June 1592. Children (Chenery): Mary, Margaret who m. GeorgeA Moody, Elizabeth, Joan, John. Children (Hinson): Grissell, Anne (TAG 64:8-9)
v. Joan m. before 1591 ----- Fitch. Prob. had two daughters, Margaret and Annes Fitch, by that time.
vi. Margaret m. before 1591 ----- Dearsly.
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