| Notes |
- RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. CAUTION: The original Austen couple, John and Joane Berry, had a son Benjamin who had a son John Austin, which is my line.
Of the second generation, Benjamin who died in 1637 left a will. His brother John, who died in 1650, also left a will. Each of these two wills mention each other with John also mentioning all of their other siblings with their children. John's will aligns to the same listing of the children Joan (Berry) Austen left. More wills would be helpful, and perhaps they will come forth in the future if they exist.
Constructing the second generation Benjamin's family is challenging. The wills prove he died with a wife named Susan and with six living children. A marriage to Susan and five children can be found in church records; however, he was married before Susan and had a son named John from that marriage, who survived and is most likely the John I follow my line through. Benjamin's first wife is most likely Joan Stringer who he married 24 Oct 1614. No record of her burial has been found thus far, but she would have had to die before 26 Jun 1626 when he married Susan Brattle.
There is another marriage of a Benjamin Austen to Margerie Chepfield 5 May 1617 in Horsmonden with Margerie's chr. being one of three circa 1590 in nearby Brenchley. Her burial is most likely the one recorded 27 Aug 1638 in Horsmonden as "Margery Austen wid." She could not be married to our Benjamin since his will proves his wife at the time was Susan. Who the other Benjamin is for now uncertain.
The original John who married Joane Berry had a brother named Benjamin, who is most likely the one married to Elizabeth Bysshope (Bishop) on 11 Oct 1596 in Horsmonden. This would make him the one chr. 21 Mar 1572 to Roberte Austin in Horsmonden. From this marriage there are six to eight children chr. or buried in Horsmonden or mentioned in his nephew John Austen's 1650 will. This same will mentions his wife Elizabeth as a widow in 1650 with at least two children surviving, Benjamin and Peter. This suggests Elizabeth Bishop lived until after 1650.
One problem exists with a record of an Elizabeth Austen, wife of a Benjamin Austen, being buried in Horsmonden on 20 Apr 1614 with no age given. She cannot be Elizabeth Bishop. Could she then be a first wife to the same unknown lineage Benjamin who married Margerie Chepfield in 1617? Or could she be a short-lived first wife to our Benjamin (b. 1591) who married Joan Stringer later the same year on 24 Oct 1614? Or perhaps even an earlier generation Benjamin who the same parish records show as being buried 21 Jul 1614 in Horsmonden--could this unlinked possibly be an unknown uncle to our John Austen who married Joan Berry. For now, I tentatively place Elizabeth bur. 1614 as the wife to Benjamin bur. same year.
This leaves the other Benjamin who married Margery Chepfield also unconnected. Here is more on that Margery/Margaret, with the surname Chepfield most likely being a phonetic variation of Cheksill or Chexsell.
Online Brenchley Church records shows a Margaret per https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-23569-46167-26?cc=1952887&wc=M62M-F29:252597701,252665801,252672901
"Chr. 3 Dec 1592, Margaret d. of Steven Cheksill."
Another entry in the same church record is for Margaret Chexsell, dau. of Solomon Chexsell, chr. 6 Oct 1594.
Another entry in Brenchley is 5 Nov 1589 d. of Edward Cheksill.
One of these entries is probably the same Margaret Cheksill who marries Azarias Higham in Brenchley 22 Jun 1618. Another may Marjorie Chepfield who married Benjamin Austen 5 May 1617 in Horsmonden.
A fourth entry in Brenchley is a Margaret Cheksill, illegitimate with no father or mother named; however, her chr. record of 7 Nov 1597 is followed quickly with a burial record 18 Nov 1597 with the same baby noted as illegitimate.
Now to descend one generation to our John Austin, son of Benjamin. Benjamin married two wives, Joan Stringer in 1614 and Susan Brattle in 1626. Burials for either wife have not yet been found. From Benjamin's 1637 will, we know his eldest surviving son was named John. It is assumed this is the same John who married Jane James 11 May 1647 and Margaret Mann 16 Aug 1675 both in Horsmonden. The problem is that there are four births of children born after the 1614 marriage to Joan Stringer; however, their christenings only give names of the father Benjamin Austen. Having already established there was another Benjamin Austen, the one who married Margery Chepfield 5 May 1617, then it is problematic as to which of the christened children belong to whom. These four and my assumptions are:
John chr. 22 Oct 1615 -- belongs to Joan since born before Margery's marriage. He would have had to die before 1620 even though no burial record exists.
John chr. 19 Mar 1617/18 -- assumed to belong to Margery.
Benjamin bur. 20 May 1619 -- birth would be too close to Margery's son of 19 Mar 1618, so would be Joan's born say 1617 to 1618.
John chr. 26 Mar 1620 -- assumed to be our John since he would have been 27 when he married, which is not far off the average age of 25. The earlier John belonging to Margery would incrementally older, but he cannot be ruled out.
There are no John Austens shown in the burial record in this period except for one who is buried 5 Mar 1620/1 and named as "John Austen Sen." He is the original John who married Joan Berry.
So our John who married 1647 and 1675 could be either the son of Margery or Joan. For now, I assume him the son of Joan, but there is no certainty with this. Additional proof is needed.
3. Email from Carol Hutchinson July 27, 2023:
Will for John Austen who most likely is the one chr 1 Aug 1585 at Horsmonden and buried 30 Sep 1650 at Horsmonden. He has no surviving children and lists many of his brothers' and sister's
children. He also mentions his Uncle Benjamin Austen's widow, Elizabeth, so Elizabeth Bishop is probably the ONLY wife of Benjamin Austen, born 1572.
Will of John Austen, Clothier of Horsmonden, Kent 1650
Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers. Name of Register: Pembroke Quire Numbers: 110 - 156. Will of John Austen, Clothier of Horsmonden, Kent.
Held by: The National Archives, Kew - Prerogative Court of Canterbury
Date: 16 October 1650
Reference: PROB 11/213/706
Will written 15 May 1650, John Austen of Horsmonden, Kent clothier
-widow Pierson
-other poor people of Horsmonden
-Mary Austen daughter of Beniamin Austen my brother deceased 30 pounds
-her brother John Austen[eldest son of said Beniamin Austen]
-Beniamin Austen, Jeffery Austen, Jone Austen and William Austen the children of my said brother Beniamin to every one 100 pounds, me the said John Austen was executor of their father's will [Benjamin Austen]
-brother Richard Austen 150 pounds
-every one of my brother Richard Austen's children living at the time of my death 20 pounds at the age of 21
-every one of the children of my brother Peeter Austin 20 pounds
-John Perryn son of my sister Perryn 100 pounds
-by the last will and testament of John Austen my father
-Susanne Perryn daughter of my said sister Perryn
-Joane Perryn, Elizabeth Perryn, Mary Perryn and Alce Perryn the other children of my said sister Perryn 20 pounds apiece
-John Austen eldest son of my brother Robert Austen deceased 60 pounds
-Jeffery Austen another of my brother Robert Austen 400 pounds...200 at age 21 and the other 200 at age 23
-Ann Austen daughter of the said Robert Austen my brother 200 pounds 100 at age 21 and 100 at age of 21 or marriage
-Joane Austen under 21 sister of the said Anne
-Daniell Brattle of the Tower of London my kinsman in whose house I have
a trunck
-Wm[William] Manser of Yalding my servant
-brother Francis Austen as full and whole executor
-overseers friends John Horsmanden of Goudhurst, Kent gentleman and John Stringer of Horsmonden clothier
WILL
-brother Thomas Austen...annuity...lands in Yalding
-Elizabeth Austen widow late the wife of my uncle Beniamin 5 pounds
-Peeter and Beniamen sons of the said Elizabeth 20 pounds
-John Austen son of my brother Jeffery Austen
-residue to brother Francis Austen
-lease I hold from Thomas Whetonhall esquire...Groveherst house
-witnesses Thomas Luke Hugh Luke or Lake, William Barber
-probate 16 October 1650 by Francisci Austin fratris [brother] and executor
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/791923:5111?tid=&pid=&queryId=4916a5dba50039243de68d954974b716&_phsrc=WKA32&_phstart=successSource
John Austen in the England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858
Name: John Austen
Residence: Horsmanden, Kent, England
Probate Date: 26 Oct 1650
The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 213
DEATH:
1. Probate of "Beniamini Austen" at https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/876737:5111
Citation: The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 174
Dated 20 Apr 1637 at Goudhurst and probated 17 May 1637. Names brother John Austen as executor and bequeaths to wife Susann, eldest son John, eldest daughter Mary, and remaining children Joane, Beniamin, Gefery, and William Austen. Friend John Horsmonden and loving brother George Besbech[?] to assist the executor.
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
1591 - Bef 1638 (~ 47 years)
