| Notes |
- RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. Richard does not identify a wife or children in his will that follows. He does however provide us a lot of valuable genealogy of his siblings and their families. His will from the book "The Thomas Spencer Family of Hartford, Connecticut in the Line of Samuel Spencer of Cromwell, Connecticut 1744-1818," comp. by Frank Farnsworth Starr for James J. Goodwin, Hartford, Conn., copy in Connecticut Historical Society Library, Hartford, CT, pp. 6-8:
"Richard Spencer of London, gent. 17 March, 1645, with a codicil bearing date 29 May, 1646, proved 8 Jun 1646. To Thomas Spencer, son of my brother Thomas Spencer, all my copyhold lands and tenements by me purchased of the creditor of Walter Marston, situate in Kingsbury Street near St. Albans, in the co. of Hertford, in the parish of St. Michael. To Daniel Spencer of London, grocer, son of my brother John Spencer deceased, all those eight messuages or tenements, &c. lately by me purchased of John Gearing, grocer, from and after the decease of Margaret Greene of London, widow, situate in the parish of St. Margaret, Lothbury, in London. To Sarah Bland and Hannah Bland, daughters of my sister Katherine Bland deceased, and to Elizabeth Tomlyns, widow, daughter of my brother, Jarrard Spencer deceased, my messuage or tenement siutate in Grace Church Steet, near the great Inn, called the Crosse Keys, late in the tenure of William Toone or by assignes, to be equally divided between them, by the rental issues, and profits thereof during their natural lives. And after the decease of the said Elizabeth Tomlyns and Hannah then I give and devise the said messuage and tenement unto the said Sarah Bland and her heirs forever. To the said Daniel Spence all my lands and tenements in the counties of Kent and Essex, he to pay unto Anthony Spencer and Jarrard Spencer, sons of my brother Thomas Spencer deceased, and unto the two children of Margaret Spencer deceased, now in or near London and at the disposing of Elizabeth Carter the aunt, the sum of 30 pounds yearly during their natural lives, i.e. ten pounds per annum to the said two children of their guardians in their minorities, or the survivor of them, and ten pounds apiece to the said Anthony Spencer and Jarrard Spencer, to be paid unto them and their guardians by half yearly payments as the rent of the said lands and tenements shall grow to after my decease.
Item I give and bequeath unto Jarrard Spencer, Spencer, Michaell Spencer, sons of my brother Jarrard Spencer deceased, the sum of fifty pounds apiece, and unto the children of William Spencer, son of my said brother Jarrard Spencer deceased, to be divided between them equally, the sum of fifty pounds, to be paid unto their guardians, and within two years next after my decease.
To Thomas Martyn and Mary his wife, now dwelling with me, the remaining term to come in my dwelling house and the hangings and pictures in the two rooms thereof, with all partitions in the upper rooms of it or elsewere. To Edward Terrey vintner, my kinsman, 130 pounds which he oweth me by bond. And I bequeath unto him and Elizabeth his wife, my sister's daughter, thirty pounds, within three years &c. The rest to Daniel Spencer whom I make and ordain sole executor. Wit. John Norburie, William Norbure. Book, Twisse 79."
Immediately following these abstracts in the Register is this note: 'In the June Term of Essex County Court (Salem), 1671, in a trial of the case of John Ruck, Administrator versus Joseph Armitage, the following document was put in:
'Boston: in New England ye 18 Jan'y, 1648. Att thirty dayes sight of this my seacond bill of exchange (my first & third of the same tenour & date not being payed) pay unto Mr Thomas Rock, haberdasher, att the Seauen Starres on London Bridge, or to his assignes, the some of thirty pounds sterly &is part of the Legacy gyuen mee by my Unckel Richard Spencer & the payement hereof shalbee your discharge for soe much at day, pray you make good payement & place it to acco.: I say pay ₤30:00:00. (Signed) Michaell Spenser.
The Dyrectin is - To my Louinge Cousen Mr. Danyell Spenser Grocer in Friday Streete in London.
This bill was protested by Joshua Mainett, Noteary and Tabellion publick of London, who reported that 'the said Danyell Spencer Answered that hee will pay noe monneyes nor haue to doe with the sayd bill of exchange.'
The above case was referred to the arbitration of Capt. Roger Spenser and Christopher Lawson."
2. Richard Spencer in his will of 1645 identifies two sons of his deceased brother John as Daniel and Francis. See Richard's notes for full text of will. In the same book "The Thomas Spencer Family of Hartford, Connecticut in the Line of Samuel Spencer of Cromwell, Connecticut 1744-1818," comp. by Frank Farnsworth Starr for James J. Goodwin, Hartford, Conn., copy in Connecticut Historical Society Library, Hartford, CT, pp. 5-6, we find the will of Francis Spencer in which he mentions his uncle Richard:
"Among the wills proved before the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, at London, were those of Francis Spencer and wife Margaret, of the parish of St. Giles, without Cripplegate, London, and Richard Spencer, of London. For an abstract of these wills, as printed in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 46, p. 435, and Vol. 45, p. 231, we are indebted to the famous antiquary, Mr. Henry F. Waters: -
'Francis Spencer of St. Giles without Cripplegate, London, citizen and brewer of London, 7 April 1636, proved 24 October 1636. My son Thomas Spencer shall, immediately after my decease, have, hold and enjoy, to him and his heirs forever all my houses, lands, tenements and hereditaments &c. in Hitchin, Herts, which for the most part I have already estated him in. To my three daughters, Susan, Elizabeth and Agnes, each, threescore six pounds, thirteen shillings and fourpence, at one and twenty or day of marriage. Other provision for son and daughters. The residue to wife Margaret whom I make and ordain full and sole executrix. And I appoint my uncle Richard Spencer, citizen and haberdasher of London and brother Daniel Spencer, citizen and grocer of London, to be overseers.'
One of the witnesses was Richard Milton, scrivener. Book, Pile 106.'
3. "The American Genealogist," Vol. 27 "The Four Spencer Brothers: Their Ancestors and Descendants," compiled by Donald Lines Jacobus, M. A.
"Michael Spencer, born probably 1530-1535, living in 1599; married first, at Edworth, Beds, 20 Jan. 1555/6, Agnes Limer, who was buried at Edworth, 23 Feb. 1561/2; married second, about 1563, Elizabeth ___, who was buried at Stotfold, Beds, 18 Nov. 1599, as wife of Michael Spencer, signifying that he was then alive.
The division of Michael's children between the two wives is somewhat different from what might be inferred from the Rev. Mr. Holding's book, because of the discovery of the burial of the first wife, Agnes, early in 1562. The name of the mother is not stated in the Edworth baptisms, but Elizabeth is stated as mother of the two children, Gerard and Richard, who were baptized at Stotfold. We therefore assume that Elizabeth was mother of the other children who were born after 1562 and before the birth of Gerard in 1576, though it remains possible that there was a second, unknown, wife between Agnes and Elizabeth.
The removal of the family from Edworth to Stotfold occurred between 1571 and 1576.
Children by first wife, born at Edworth
i. John, bapt. at Edworth, 20 Apr. 1557.
ii. Michael, bapt. at Edworth, 27 May 1558 bur. 15 Apr. 1560.
iii. Anne, bapt. 24 July 1560.
Children, the last two certainly, the others probably, by Elizabeth:
iv. Joan, bapt. at Edworth, 21 Aug. 1564.
v. Alice, bapt. 30 Aug. 1566.
vi. Catherine, m. ___ Bland, and had daus. Sarah and Anne. Either she or one of her sisters was mother of Elizabeth who m. Edward Terry.
vii. Thomas, bapt. 12 Mar. 1571.
viii. Gerard, bapt. 20 May 1576 the first of the children baptized at Stotfold, and recorded as "Gerat," but his name is spelled Gerard at the baptisms of his own children.
ix. Richard, bapt. 9 July 1580; d. at London at the end of May or beginning of June 1646. His will, dated 17 Mar. 1645, codicil 29 May 1646, proved 8 June 1646, calls him "gent." (Waters, "Genealogical Gleanings in England," 514-515). To Thomas Spencer, copyhold lands in St. Michael Parish near St. Albans, co. Hertford. To Daniel Spencer of London, grocer, son of brother John Spencer deceased, eight messuages in parish of St. Margaret Lothbury in London. To Sarah Bland and Hannah Bland, daus. of sister Katherine Bland deceased, and to Elizabeth Tomlyns, widow, dau. of brother Jarrard Spencer deceased, a messuage in Grace Church Street, with remainder to said Sarah Bland. To said Daniel Spencer, lands in Kent and Essex, he to make certain payments to Anthony Spencer and Jarrard Spencer, sons of brother Thomas Spencer deceased, and to the two children of Margaret Spencer deceased, now in or near London and at the disposing of Elizabeth Carter their aunt. To Jarrard Spencer, Thomas Spencer and Michaell Spencer, sons of brother Jarrard Spencer deceased, ₤50 apiece, and another ₤50 to the children of William Stencer, son of said brother Jarrard Spencer deceased, to be divided equally between them and to be paid to their guardians. To Thomas Martyn and Mary his wife, now dwelling with me. To Edward Terrey, vintner, my kinsman, ₤130 which he oweth me by bond, and ₤30 to him and Elizabeth his wife, my sister's daughter. Residue to Daniel Spencer, who is named executor. Witnesses: John Norburie, William Norburie."
4. The book "Spencer Family Record of the Springfield, VT. and Evansville, Wis. Spencers. (Descendants of Garrard Spencer of Haddam, Conn. Emigrant of 1630," by William Henry Spencer, New York, Tobias A. Wright, 1907, children of Michael Spencer:
"John Spencer, bap. April 20, 1557, at Edworth; d. before 1645; m. and left a son Daniel who was a grocer in London.
Michael Spencer, bap. May 27, 1558, in Edworth; buried April 15, 1560.
Johan Spencer, bap. Aug. 20, 1564, in Edworth.
Ann Spencer, bap. July 24, 1566, in Edworth.
Michael Spencer, bap. Aug 30, 1566, in Edworth.
Alice Spencer, bap. Aug. 30, 1566, in Edworth.
Thomas Spencer, bap. March 12, 1571.
Gerat Spencer, bap. May 20, 1576, in St. Mary's Parish, Stotfold, where his seven sons from one of whom we are descended, were born. He d. before his brother Richard's will in 1645.
Richard Spencer, bap. July 9, 1580, in Stotford; lived in London. It was through the discovery of the will of Richard's with its bequests to his nephews, the emigrants, by Ray T. Spencer, that we trace our lineage. The will was proven June 8, 1646.
Catherine Spencer, m. ____ Bland; d. before her brother's will; left two daughters."
5. "The American Genealogist," 27:161: "The Four Spencer Brothers: Their Ancestors and Descendants," by Donald Lines Jacobus:
"The New England Spencers made efforts to obtain payment of the £50 apiece bequeathed to them by their uncle, Richard Spencer of London, whose chief heir and executor was their cousin, Daniel Spencer of London. On 8 (11) 1648, i.e. 8 Jan. 1648/9, Garrard [Gerard] Spencer appointed Thomas Broughton of Watertown, Mass., and Samuel King of London, England, his attorneys to collect his legacy under the last will of Richard Spencer, late of London, linen draper, deceased and the same date, "Michaell Spencer of Linne" did likewise ["Aspinwall Notarial Records" (1903), 182, 190]. On 19 Jan. 1648, i.e. 1648/9, Michaell Spenser (as he signed his name) signed in Boston a bill of exchange to Mr. Thomas Ruck, "haberdasher att the Seauen starres on London bridge," for £30, "part of the Legacy gyuen mee by my Unckle Richard Spencer," and directed to "my Louinge Cousen, Mr Danyell Spenser Grocer in Friday Streete in London." This bill of exchange was protested, 5 Apr. 1650, by a London notary, who swore that upon presentation "the said Danyell Spencer answered, that hee will pay noe monneyes nor haue to doe with the sayd bill of exchange." [Quarterly Courts of Essex County," 4:385; quoted also in Waters, op. cit., 515.]
The cousin Daniel Spencer was at death of Cony Hatch, Co. Middlesex, citizen and grocer of London, and left a will dated 26 July 1665, proved 6 Nov. 1668 [Waters, op. cit., 913]. He evidently died a wealthy man, mentioning messuages or lands in Lothbury, near Greene's Court, London; in Hitchin, Hippoletts and Preston, co. Hertford, including the Red Lion Inn in Hitchin; in Gravesend and Rochester, Kent, and in Tilbery, Essex. He named wife Sarah; eldest son Samuel; son Daniel; daughters Rebecca and Hannah Spencer; daughters Mary wife of Thomas Thatch and Anne wife of William Tilsley; and kinsman William Carter. The son Samuel died by 1674, leaving a widow Rebecca and daughter Mary Spencer. No mention was made of the American cousins.
Whether the legacies were ever collected, we are not prepared to state. The amount at stake was sufficient to have made it worth the trouble and cost of suing through an attorney in England. Possibly a search of Chancery records would reveal something of interest. An action of this nature, naming the parties at interest, would be of immense value if brought after the death of Michael Spencer in 1653, for it should name his surviving Children. We have full records of the families of the other three brothers, but, as we shall presently see, the New England records are very defective with respect to the children of Michael Spencer.
Before concluding this chapter, it seems advisable to dispose of an error which occurs in many printed sources to the effect that the four Spencer brothers were accompanied to New England by a fifth brother, the John who was baptized at Stotfold, 22 Jan. 1603/4.
It has already been pointed out that neither John nor his heirs were named in the will of his uncle Richard and that he consequently had probably died without issue prior to 1645-6. Nevertheless, he has often been identified with a Mr. John Spencer, who came on the "Mary and John," 1634, settled at Newbury, Mass., which he represented in the General Court, 1635; was made Captain in 1637; was a follower of Wainwright and accused of heresy and returned to England in 1638. His will, made 1 Aug. 1637, "before Mr. Spencer's going to England," was proved 29 Mar. 1649. He made his chief heir his nephew John Spencer, with remainder to the testator's brother Thomas Spencer and his children, and children of his brother Nicholas Kidwel and sister Rachel Kidwel and mentioned also the children of his cousin Anne Knight of Newbury, and of his cousin Gardner.
Austin in his "Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island" (p. 186) suggests that John Spencer, head of the Rhode Island family, may have been son of Michael [of Stotfold and Lynn] and also may have been identical with the nephew John named in the will of John of Newbury. With the first of these suggestions we are in accord, since there is evidence for placing John of Rhode Island as son of Michael, but he was not the nephew of John of Newbury. The records have been so long available in print that we consider it unnecessary here to repeat the full details, which may be found by consulting "The Probate Records of Essex County, 1:107-8; Waters, "Genealogical Gleanings in England," 467-8, 553; and "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire," 650-1. The following pedigree of the family of John Spencer of Newbury is based on these sources. There were two brothers and one sister:
i. Thomas Spencer, gent., b. ca. 1593 by age stated in marriage license; bur. at Kingston-upon-Thames, Co. Surrey, 29 June 1648; m. at St. Peter's, Paul's Wharf, 25 Sept. 1623, Penelope (Jernegan) Fillioll, bapt. at Shalford, Essex, 24 Oct. 1591, widow of Western Fillioll, by whom she had a daughter Anne Fillioll who was living unmarried in 1656. The will of Thomas, dated 22 June 1648, was proved 23 Aug. 1648. Children, bapt. at Chertley, Surrey (dates not given in sources consulted):
1. John, eldest son; heir of his uncle John of Newbury, Mass.; apparently came to New England, but d. in Jamaica, W. I., unm., before Dec. 1656 when adm'n on his estate was granted to his half-sister Anne Filliol, his mother Penelope, brother Thomas and sister Rachel Spencer having renounced.
2. Thomas, a physician, of Plymouth, co. Devon.
3. Penelope, m. at Newbury, Mass., 15 Jan. 164-, John Treworgye and left descendants in New England. It is of interest that their son James named a daughter Penelope and had a grandson named Spencer Treworgye.
4. Rachel, living unm. in 1656.
ii. John, of Newbury, Mass.; dignified in the records by the prefix of respect (Mr.); returned to England, and bur. at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, 23 June 1648, six days before his brother Thomas. His will was proved in Essex County, Mass. (supra).
iii. Rachel, m. Nicholas Kydwell of Kingston-upon-Thames, whose will, dated 25 July 1676, was proved 16 Sept. 1679. Only surviving Child:
1. Rachel, m. John Gatton."
6. FHL book 929.273 Sp33 "The Spencers of the Great Migration," by Jack Taif Spencer and Edith Woolley Spencer (Gateway Press, Baltimore; 1997) vol. 1, partial excerpt of full transcript in the notes of the earliest Spencer, pp. 53-55, 57-60:
"Vital Records for the Early English Generations of the New England Spencers.
CHART I: The near relatives of the five Spencer siblings of Bedfordshire who came to New England about 1630:
-JohnC Spencer (1505-1550) = Anne Merrill (d. 1560)
-MichaelB (b. 1531) = Agnes Lymer (d. 1562); = Eliz. (d. 1599)
-John (b. 1577 Edworth) children b. Baldock, Beds.: Daniel = Sarah Audley; Francis = Margaret Roberts.
-Michael (1558-1560 Edworth)
-Anne (b. 1560 Edworth)
-Joan (b. 1564 Edworth)
-Alice (b. 1566 Edworth)
-Thomas (1571-1631 Edworth) = Margaret Spencer (?). Children b. Stotfold, beds.: Gerard (b. 1601) = Joan Hills; Anthony = Katherine Hills; Thomas; Richard; Margaret (d. 1635) = Simon Spencer.
-Catherine (b. 1573 Edworth) = ___ Bland
-Gerard (b. 1576 Stotfold) = Alice Whitbread. Children b. Stotfold: William (1601-1640) = Agnes Harris; Elizabeth (b. 1602) = Timothy Tomlins; John (b. 1604); Henry (1605-1607); Thomas (1607-1767) = Ann Derifield, = Sarah Bearding; Richard (1608-1614); a son; Michael (1611-1653) = Isabel ___; Gerard (1614-1685) = Hannah Hills, = Rebecca Porter Clark. [Note that the pedigree continues with another generation from the children William, Thomas, and Gerard.]
-Richard (1580 Stotfold-1645)
-John (1533-1560)
-Gerard (ca 1543-1577) = Ellen Whysson. Children b. Biggleswade, Beds.: Richard, Agnes, Joan, a child (b. 1567).
-William (b. ca 1545)...
II. The Vital Records of the Early Generations in England [KP note: I delete all generations prior to JohnC since it is unproven conjecture.]
-JohnC Spencer of Edworth; b. ca 1505; m. Ann Merrill (d. 1560); d. 1558.
The Family of JohnC Spencer of Edworth (JohnD, JohnE, RobertF, ThomasG, HenryH, ThomasI) and Ann Merrill.
-MichaelB Spencer of Edworth, Beds.; (The first of the Spencers at Stotfold, Beds); b. 1531 at Edworth; m. (1) Agnes Lorimer (Limer), 22 Jan 1555/56 at Edworth. Agnes bur. at Edworth, 23 Feb 1562; m. (2) Elizabeth ___ in 1563; Elizabeth bur. at Stotfold, 18 Nov 1599; d. after 1599. Probably bur. at Biggleswade, Beds.
-JohnB Spencer of Edworth; b. ca 1533 at Edworth; d. ca 1560.
-Gerard Spencer, b. ca 1543 at Biggleswade, Beds. (perhaps earlier); m. Ellen (Helen) Whyston (Whysson), 10 July 1568 at Edworth, Beds. Ellen was the dau. of Wm. and Elizabeth Whyston; d. ca 1576 at Biggleswade. Will dated 8 July 1576 and proved 20 May 1577.
-WilliamB Spencer of Edworth; b. ca 1545 at Edworth.
The Family of MichaelB Spencer (b. ca 1531) and Agnes Lorimer (d 1561/62 and Elizabeth ___; (The first three children were by Agnes Lorimer).
-JohnA Spencer (MichaelB, JohnC, JohnD, JohnE, RobertF, ThomasG, HenryH, ThomasI). (Holding states that JohnA may have settled at Baldock, Beds, where several of his children were baptized); bapt. 20 April 1557 at Edworth, Beds.
-MichaelA Spencer; bpt. 27 May 1558 at Edworth, Beds.; bur. 21 April l560 at Edworth.
-Anna Spencer; bapt.) 24 July 1560.
-Joan Spencer; bapt. 21 Aug 1564 at Edworth. AliceA Spencer; bapt.) 30 Aug 1566 at Edworth.
-Thomas Spencer; bapt. 12 Mar 1571 at Edworth; m. Margaret Spencer (?) who was bur. 19 Dec 1635 at Stotfold. (So identified by Jacobus. Holding identifies Margaret as the daughter of Thomas who married a Spencer); d. 1631.
-Katherine Spencer; b. 1573 at Stotfold, Beds. m. ___ Bland; d. Before 1645. (Katherine had daughters Sarah and Hannah Bland). It appears that Katherine was the first child baptized at Stotfold after the family had moved from Edworth. Some records indicate that GerardA was the first of the children born at Stotfold.
-Gerard Spencer (the father of the Five Spencer Siblings who came to New England about 1630); bapt. 20 May 1576 at Stotfold; m. Alice Whitbread of Upper Gravenhurst, Beds, on 10 Nov 1600. Alice was born at Meppershall, Beds, ca 1580 She died in May of 1646. She belonged to a family of considerable prominence. Gerard moved from Stotfold sometime before his children emigrated to New England. Possibly Gerard moved to London, but this is not confirmed; d. before 1646.
-RichardA Spencer; b. (bapt.) 9 July 1580 at Stotfold. m.?; Will dated 17 Mar 1645; codicil dated 29 May 1646; proved 6 June 1646.
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
1580 - 1646 (~ 65 years)