John Wetherhyll1
M, d. before 5 June 1578
| Father | Father Wetherhyll |
Important Notes: There is no direct proof that Mary is a daughter of John. There is though an accumulation of facts and circumstances that point to this conclusion. From the wills of the two brothers John and Thomas, since neither mentions any other sibling then each other, it appears that there is only these two brothers, at the very least, the only two siblings in the parish of St. Mary Woolnoth. Since there is no question that our Mary is of the parish then the two choices we have for her father are the two brothers John and Thomas. As for Thomas he does not mention the names of any children in his will, but there is also no known record of his having a daughter christened in St Mary Woolnoth or elsewhere by the name of Mary. Sadly, it appears that none of Thomas’ children survived into adulthood and it appears that only two children survived his death. Both of them die within days of each other in 1563.
As to John, he has a daughter Mary mentioned in his will, but there is no mention of her marriage. However, there are no marriages mentioned in the will except for his daughter, Lea’s, who he uses her recent marriage as a means of effectively disinheriting her by giving her marriage portion to her husband Humfrey Streete, a small sum of 40 marks or less than 27 pounds. Lea and her husband are not mentioned again in the will. John has 16 known children at least 5, and more likely, 7 are born before 17 December 1559, the date of the first recorded christening at St. Mary Woolnoth. From the order which is specifically given as the order of birth, Mary would have to be, at the youngest, 25 at the time of the writing of his will, and more likely considerably older. Thus, Mary is certainly of an age to have been married to William Feake. It could also be noted here that Mary, the daughter of John, is alive in 1578. If she is not the Mary married to William Feake, then we have no record of her marriage.
Another point of reference is to look at the christenings. Again, the first known christening at St Mary Woolnoth was of Margaret on 17 December 1559. The next few christenings are less than 15 months apart, the last three about a year and a half apart, it is unlikely that after already having 5 to 7 children, that the births would still be this close together. If it were true than the mother would have given birth to 16 children, possibly more, in less than 22 years. Another clue, the first born child is Sara, the first male child is John, the child named Elizabeth is born towards the end. Another point of this nature, Mary names her first daughter Mary, her first son, William, and the next known daughter was named Sara. This later giving credence to a first wife named Sara and also credence to Mary being a daughter of John. Another point, most of Mary’s children’s names can be traced to John Wetherell’s family. The exception being Thomas, which throws in questions, but then, John only had two known sons.
A last look at the will of John and his wife Elizabeth, it is unfortunate that the only marriage partner mentioned in either will is that of John’s daughter, Lea. This can not mean that there were no children that were not married. At the writing of John’s will there were between 6 and 8 children over the age of 18, it seems very unlikely that none of them were married. At the time of Elizabeth’s will, there were several with known recorded marriages at St. Mary Woolnoth. Therefore, again, there is every reason to believe that Mary is a daughter of John.
Again, there is no definitive proof of the parentage of Mary Wetherell. She is the daughter of either John or Thomas, that we can be verily certain, but which one is a question that has no definitive answer at this time, and in all likelihood, never will.
John was born in England. John married Elizabeth Hanford. He was blessed with 16 children. It is not known if Elizabeth is the mother of all his children or just which children.. Around 1559, John and his faimily moved into the parish of St. Mary Woolnoth. John made his will on 17 May 1578 at London, County Middlesex, England.
In the name of God Amen the seventeenth Day of the month of May in the year of our Lord God 1578. And in the twentieth year of the reign of our sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the faith. I John Wetherhill citizen and goldsmith of London being sick in body but yet ____ of good and perfect mind and rememberance laud and praise be therefore given to Almighty God . I do make and declare this my present testament conveying therein my last will in manner and form following: That is to say first and principally I give bequeath and commend my soul unto Almighty God trusting by the only ____ death and _____ ___________ of the second person in the Trinity Jesus Christ to have pardon and Salvation and forgiveness of all my sins and I will my body shall be buried in the cloister of the parish of St Mary Woolnoth in Lumbardstreet of London within the place there where my brother and one of my children lie buried as my executrix shall think convenient which I will shall be done without mourning, ringing of bells, or any like ___ saving that I will there shall be in full according to the custom now used of one ___ space. And afterwards the bell shall toll to a sermon which I will shall be made by some learned preacher by the direction of my executrix to declare my faith and to edify such people who shall report to hear the same. And after my body buried I will that my all my goods chattels plate jewels ready money and debts to me owing shallbe praised and valued by indifferent persons to be appointed for that purpose. Out of the which I will that is sold all such debts as I do owe to any person or persons as also forty marked by me given to my son in law Humfrey Streete in marriage with Lea my daughter as her sufficient part of my said goods and chattels shallbe first paid and then I will that my said goods and chattels shallbe parted and devided into three equall and indifferent parts whereof one third part I give and bequeath to Elizabeth my wife to her due according to the laudable use and custom of the city of London And one other third part thereof I do give and bequeath to and amongst Sara, Anne the Elder John Mary Philipp Martha Christian Margaret Elizabeth Susan Rebecca Rachell and Anne the younger my children equally to be divided amongst them portion and portion like according to the laudable use and custom of the said city of London. To be paid and delivered to every of my said children at their several ages of twenty and one years or marriage which first happened.
And my mind and will is that if any of my said children being under the said age of twenty and one years and not married shall die or decease out of this present world before such time as they shall accomplish the said age of twenty one years or be married that then the part and portion of her or their ____ shall remain and be to and amongst her him or them _____ equal to be divided amongst them And the other part I reserve to my self an my executrix to discharge my funeral and probate of this my testament and other charges incident thereto and to perform the legacies which I shall give and the residue and remainder thereof I will and bequeath to and amongst the said Sara , Anne the elder, John, Marie Philippe, Martha, Christian, Margaret, Elizabeth, Susaun, Rebecca, Rachell, and Ann the younger my children equally to be divided amongst them part an part like and to be paid and delivered unto them at such time and in such manner and form as I have devised and willed them said portion to them out of my said goods to be given and paid unto them and that if any of them shall happen to decease out of this present world with in the same time that then the part and portion of her or them which shall so decease shall be equally divided amongst the survivors in form aforesaid. And as touching and concerning all and singular my lands tenements rents _____ and heridiments which I have or are leased of in possession or _____ within the ___________ house or place of the last dissolved monastery or house called the minores without Newgate of London in the county of Middlesex and in the town's parishes and fields of Lewisham and Lee or either of them in the County of Kent and elsewhere within the realm of England I do give devise and bequeath all and singular my lands tenements jewelry _______ and heridiments with their appurtenances to the said Elizabeth my wife to have andto hold the same and every part and parcel thereof to the said Elizabeth my wife during her natural life and my will and mind is and by this my present testament I do will and devise that the said Elizabeth my wife shall yearly pay out of my said lands tenements and heridiments to and amongst the said Sara, Anne the elder, John, Marye, Philippe, Martha, Christian, Elizabeth, Susan, Rebecca, Rachell, and Anne the younger my said children the rent and yearly sum of twenty and eight pounds of lawful money of England according to the true meaning intent and devise of this the said John Wetherell expressed in this my last will and testament until every of my said children shall have received and had of the rents and profits of my said lands the sum of twenty pounds covenient money of England And that out of the said yearly payment or rent of twenty eight pounds the eldest of the same my children shall such revenue and have twenty pounds and so the rest and residue of the same my children within this my bequeth conveyed next in order as they shallbe eldest and greatest age shall successively receive and have twenty pounds until every of them shall have received and had twenty pounds of the issues and profits of my said lands to be paid as a ___________ payment of the said twenty pounds shallbe paid to the next in age as parcel of her or his twenty pounds and so until every of them shall have received twenty pounds in form aforesaid and after the decease of the said Elizabeth my wife I give and bequeath all my said lands tenements and heridiments rents and revenues to the said John , Philipp, Sara, Anne the elder, Mary, Martha, Christian, Margaret, Elizabeth, Susan, Rebecca, Rachell, and Ann the younger my said children provided _____ and my mind intent will and meaning is and by this my present will and testament I do devise that if my said wife shall decease out this present world before such time as every of my said children shall have received and had severally the said sum of twenty pounds to them as aforesaid by me willed and devised that then there shallbe paid out of my said lands tenements and heridiments to every of them my said children which shall not have received the said twenty pounds to them by me as aforesaid devised the said sum of twenty pounds before such time as any of my said other children shall receive or have any rents or profits of my said lands by force of this my testament and I do will and devise by this my present testament and last will that if any of my said children shall not be of the age of twenty one years or married at such as this my gift and legacy to them made shallbe to her or them do or happen to fall that then the part and portion of this my legacy of her or them which shallbe under the said age or not married shallbe ordered and disposed to all intents to the rest of her or them to whom it shallbe due by this my last will as her or their parts of my goods or chattels ought to be ordered or preserved by the laudable custom of the city of London And of this my last will and testament I ordain and make the said Elizabeth my wife my sole executrix in witness whereof to this my present testament and last will I have set my seal and published my
_____ the day and year above written in the presence of the witnesses hereunder named. By me John Wetherhill Sealed published and delivered by the said John Wetherhill to be his last will and testament the day and year aforesaid in the presence of me John FForber Senior and the ___ with ___ in the _____ with _____________ and crossed in the forty one and forty and two and forty lines form the beginng in of this will were put out and so amended by this will and commandment that is to say the words which were between twenty pounds in form aforesaid in the xl line whereas the two and forty line . signed.2
John departed this life before 5 June 1578 in London, County Middlesex, England. He was laid to rest in the cloister of St. Mary Woolnoth Church, London, County Middlesex, England, near the graves of his child & that of his brother.3 His will was probated on 18 June 1578.
Important Notes: There is no direct proof that Mary is a daughter of John. There is though an accumulation of facts and circumstances that point to this conclusion. From the wills of the two brothers John and Thomas, since neither mentions any other sibling then each other, it appears that there is only these two brothers, at the very least, the only two siblings in the parish of St. Mary Woolnoth. Since there is no question that our Mary is of the parish then the two choices we have for her father are the two brothers John and Thomas. As for Thomas he does not mention the names of any children in his will, but there is also no known record of his having a daughter christened in St Mary Woolnoth or elsewhere by the name of Mary. Sadly, it appears that none of Thomas’ children survived into adulthood and it appears that only two children survived his death. Both of them die within days of each other in 1563.
As to John, he has a daughter Mary mentioned in his will, but there is no mention of her marriage. However, there are no marriages mentioned in the will except for his daughter, Lea’s, who he uses her recent marriage as a means of effectively disinheriting her by giving her marriage portion to her husband Humfrey Streete, a small sum of 40 marks or less than 27 pounds. Lea and her husband are not mentioned again in the will. John has 16 known children at least 5, and more likely, 7 are born before 17 December 1559, the date of the first recorded christening at St. Mary Woolnoth. From the order which is specifically given as the order of birth, Mary would have to be, at the youngest, 25 at the time of the writing of his will, and more likely considerably older. Thus, Mary is certainly of an age to have been married to William Feake.
Another point of reference is to look at the christenings. Again, the first known christening at St Mary Woolnoth was of Margaret on 17 December 1559. The next few christenings are less than 15 months apart, the last three about a hear and a half apart, it is unlikely that after already having 5 to 7 children, that the births would still be this close together. If it were true than the mother would have given birth to 16 children, possibly more, in less than 22 years. Another clue, the first born child is Sara, the first male child is John, the child named Elizabeth is born towards the end. Another point of this nature, Mary names her first daughter Mary , her first son, William, and the next known daughter was named Sara. This later giving credence to a first wife named Sara and also credence to Mary being a daughter of John.
A last look at the will of John and his wife Elizabeth, it is unfortunate that the only marriage partner mentioned in either will is that of John’s daughter, Lea. This can not mean that there were no children that were not married. At the writing of John’s will there were between 6 and 8 children over the age of 18, it seems very unlikely that none of them were married. At the time of Elizabeth’s will, there were several with known recorded marriages at St. Mary Woolnoth. Therefore, again, there is every reason to believe that Mary is a daughter of John.
As to John, he has a daughter Mary mentioned in his will, but there is no mention of her marriage. However, there are no marriages mentioned in the will except for his daughter, Lea’s, who he uses her recent marriage as a means of effectively disinheriting her by giving her marriage portion to her husband Humfrey Streete, a small sum of 40 marks or less than 27 pounds. Lea and her husband are not mentioned again in the will. John has 16 known children at least 5, and more likely, 7 are born before 17 December 1559, the date of the first recorded christening at St. Mary Woolnoth. From the order which is specifically given as the order of birth, Mary would have to be, at the youngest, 25 at the time of the writing of his will, and more likely considerably older. Thus, Mary is certainly of an age to have been married to William Feake. It could also be noted here that Mary, the daughter of John, is alive in 1578. If she is not the Mary married to William Feake, then we have no record of her marriage.
Another point of reference is to look at the christenings. Again, the first known christening at St Mary Woolnoth was of Margaret on 17 December 1559. The next few christenings are less than 15 months apart, the last three about a year and a half apart, it is unlikely that after already having 5 to 7 children, that the births would still be this close together. If it were true than the mother would have given birth to 16 children, possibly more, in less than 22 years. Another clue, the first born child is Sara, the first male child is John, the child named Elizabeth is born towards the end. Another point of this nature, Mary names her first daughter Mary, her first son, William, and the next known daughter was named Sara. This later giving credence to a first wife named Sara and also credence to Mary being a daughter of John. Another point, most of Mary’s children’s names can be traced to John Wetherell’s family. The exception being Thomas, which throws in questions, but then, John only had two known sons.
A last look at the will of John and his wife Elizabeth, it is unfortunate that the only marriage partner mentioned in either will is that of John’s daughter, Lea. This can not mean that there were no children that were not married. At the writing of John’s will there were between 6 and 8 children over the age of 18, it seems very unlikely that none of them were married. At the time of Elizabeth’s will, there were several with known recorded marriages at St. Mary Woolnoth. Therefore, again, there is every reason to believe that Mary is a daughter of John.
Again, there is no definitive proof of the parentage of Mary Wetherell. She is the daughter of either John or Thomas, that we can be verily certain, but which one is a question that has no definitive answer at this time, and in all likelihood, never will.
John was born in England. John married Elizabeth Hanford. He was blessed with 16 children. It is not known if Elizabeth is the mother of all his children or just which children.. Around 1559, John and his faimily moved into the parish of St. Mary Woolnoth. John made his will on 17 May 1578 at London, County Middlesex, England.
In the name of God Amen the seventeenth Day of the month of May in the year of our Lord God 1578. And in the twentieth year of the reign of our sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the faith. I John Wetherhill citizen and goldsmith of London being sick in body but yet ____ of good and perfect mind and rememberance laud and praise be therefore given to Almighty God . I do make and declare this my present testament conveying therein my last will in manner and form following: That is to say first and principally I give bequeath and commend my soul unto Almighty God trusting by the only ____ death and _____ ___________ of the second person in the Trinity Jesus Christ to have pardon and Salvation and forgiveness of all my sins and I will my body shall be buried in the cloister of the parish of St Mary Woolnoth in Lumbardstreet of London within the place there where my brother and one of my children lie buried as my executrix shall think convenient which I will shall be done without mourning, ringing of bells, or any like ___ saving that I will there shall be in full according to the custom now used of one ___ space. And afterwards the bell shall toll to a sermon which I will shall be made by some learned preacher by the direction of my executrix to declare my faith and to edify such people who shall report to hear the same. And after my body buried I will that my all my goods chattels plate jewels ready money and debts to me owing shallbe praised and valued by indifferent persons to be appointed for that purpose. Out of the which I will that is sold all such debts as I do owe to any person or persons as also forty marked by me given to my son in law Humfrey Streete in marriage with Lea my daughter as her sufficient part of my said goods and chattels shallbe first paid and then I will that my said goods and chattels shallbe parted and devided into three equall and indifferent parts whereof one third part I give and bequeath to Elizabeth my wife to her due according to the laudable use and custom of the city of London And one other third part thereof I do give and bequeath to and amongst Sara, Anne the Elder John Mary Philipp Martha Christian Margaret Elizabeth Susan Rebecca Rachell and Anne the younger my children equally to be divided amongst them portion and portion like according to the laudable use and custom of the said city of London. To be paid and delivered to every of my said children at their several ages of twenty and one years or marriage which first happened.
And my mind and will is that if any of my said children being under the said age of twenty and one years and not married shall die or decease out of this present world before such time as they shall accomplish the said age of twenty one years or be married that then the part and portion of her or their ____ shall remain and be to and amongst her him or them _____ equal to be divided amongst them And the other part I reserve to my self an my executrix to discharge my funeral and probate of this my testament and other charges incident thereto and to perform the legacies which I shall give and the residue and remainder thereof I will and bequeath to and amongst the said Sara , Anne the elder, John, Marie Philippe, Martha, Christian, Margaret, Elizabeth, Susaun, Rebecca, Rachell, and Ann the younger my children equally to be divided amongst them part an part like and to be paid and delivered unto them at such time and in such manner and form as I have devised and willed them said portion to them out of my said goods to be given and paid unto them and that if any of them shall happen to decease out of this present world with in the same time that then the part and portion of her or them which shall so decease shall be equally divided amongst the survivors in form aforesaid. And as touching and concerning all and singular my lands tenements rents _____ and heridiments which I have or are leased of in possession or _____ within the ___________ house or place of the last dissolved monastery or house called the minores without Newgate of London in the county of Middlesex and in the town's parishes and fields of Lewisham and Lee or either of them in the County of Kent and elsewhere within the realm of England I do give devise and bequeath all and singular my lands tenements jewelry _______ and heridiments with their appurtenances to the said Elizabeth my wife to have andto hold the same and every part and parcel thereof to the said Elizabeth my wife during her natural life and my will and mind is and by this my present testament I do will and devise that the said Elizabeth my wife shall yearly pay out of my said lands tenements and heridiments to and amongst the said Sara, Anne the elder, John, Marye, Philippe, Martha, Christian, Elizabeth, Susan, Rebecca, Rachell, and Anne the younger my said children the rent and yearly sum of twenty and eight pounds of lawful money of England according to the true meaning intent and devise of this the said John Wetherell expressed in this my last will and testament until every of my said children shall have received and had of the rents and profits of my said lands the sum of twenty pounds covenient money of England And that out of the said yearly payment or rent of twenty eight pounds the eldest of the same my children shall such revenue and have twenty pounds and so the rest and residue of the same my children within this my bequeth conveyed next in order as they shallbe eldest and greatest age shall successively receive and have twenty pounds until every of them shall have received and had twenty pounds of the issues and profits of my said lands to be paid as a ___________ payment of the said twenty pounds shallbe paid to the next in age as parcel of her or his twenty pounds and so until every of them shall have received twenty pounds in form aforesaid and after the decease of the said Elizabeth my wife I give and bequeath all my said lands tenements and heridiments rents and revenues to the said John , Philipp, Sara, Anne the elder, Mary, Martha, Christian, Margaret, Elizabeth, Susan, Rebecca, Rachell, and Ann the younger my said children provided _____ and my mind intent will and meaning is and by this my present will and testament I do devise that if my said wife shall decease out this present world before such time as every of my said children shall have received and had severally the said sum of twenty pounds to them as aforesaid by me willed and devised that then there shallbe paid out of my said lands tenements and heridiments to every of them my said children which shall not have received the said twenty pounds to them by me as aforesaid devised the said sum of twenty pounds before such time as any of my said other children shall receive or have any rents or profits of my said lands by force of this my testament and I do will and devise by this my present testament and last will that if any of my said children shall not be of the age of twenty one years or married at such as this my gift and legacy to them made shallbe to her or them do or happen to fall that then the part and portion of this my legacy of her or them which shallbe under the said age or not married shallbe ordered and disposed to all intents to the rest of her or them to whom it shallbe due by this my last will as her or their parts of my goods or chattels ought to be ordered or preserved by the laudable custom of the city of London And of this my last will and testament I ordain and make the said Elizabeth my wife my sole executrix in witness whereof to this my present testament and last will I have set my seal and published my
_____ the day and year above written in the presence of the witnesses hereunder named. By me John Wetherhill Sealed published and delivered by the said John Wetherhill to be his last will and testament the day and year aforesaid in the presence of me John FForber Senior and the ___ with ___ in the _____ with _____________ and crossed in the forty one and forty and two and forty lines form the beginng in of this will were put out and so amended by this will and commandment that is to say the words which were between twenty pounds in form aforesaid in the xl line whereas the two and forty line . signed.2
John departed this life before 5 June 1578 in London, County Middlesex, England. He was laid to rest in the cloister of St. Mary Woolnoth Church, London, County Middlesex, England, near the graves of his child & that of his brother.3 His will was probated on 18 June 1578.
Important Notes: There is no direct proof that Mary is a daughter of John. There is though an accumulation of facts and circumstances that point to this conclusion. From the wills of the two brothers John and Thomas, since neither mentions any other sibling then each other, it appears that there is only these two brothers, at the very least, the only two siblings in the parish of St. Mary Woolnoth. Since there is no question that our Mary is of the parish then the two choices we have for her father are the two brothers John and Thomas. As for Thomas he does not mention the names of any children in his will, but there is also no known record of his having a daughter christened in St Mary Woolnoth or elsewhere by the name of Mary. Sadly, it appears that none of Thomas’ children survived into adulthood and it appears that only two children survived his death. Both of them die within days of each other in 1563.
As to John, he has a daughter Mary mentioned in his will, but there is no mention of her marriage. However, there are no marriages mentioned in the will except for his daughter, Lea’s, who he uses her recent marriage as a means of effectively disinheriting her by giving her marriage portion to her husband Humfrey Streete, a small sum of 40 marks or less than 27 pounds. Lea and her husband are not mentioned again in the will. John has 16 known children at least 5, and more likely, 7 are born before 17 December 1559, the date of the first recorded christening at St. Mary Woolnoth. From the order which is specifically given as the order of birth, Mary would have to be, at the youngest, 25 at the time of the writing of his will, and more likely considerably older. Thus, Mary is certainly of an age to have been married to William Feake.
Another point of reference is to look at the christenings. Again, the first known christening at St Mary Woolnoth was of Margaret on 17 December 1559. The next few christenings are less than 15 months apart, the last three about a hear and a half apart, it is unlikely that after already having 5 to 7 children, that the births would still be this close together. If it were true than the mother would have given birth to 16 children, possibly more, in less than 22 years. Another clue, the first born child is Sara, the first male child is John, the child named Elizabeth is born towards the end. Another point of this nature, Mary names her first daughter Mary , her first son, William, and the next known daughter was named Sara. This later giving credence to a first wife named Sara and also credence to Mary being a daughter of John.
A last look at the will of John and his wife Elizabeth, it is unfortunate that the only marriage partner mentioned in either will is that of John’s daughter, Lea. This can not mean that there were no children that were not married. At the writing of John’s will there were between 6 and 8 children over the age of 18, it seems very unlikely that none of them were married. At the time of Elizabeth’s will, there were several with known recorded marriages at St. Mary Woolnoth. Therefore, again, there is every reason to believe that Mary is a daughter of John.
Family 1 | |
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Family 2 | Elizabeth Hanford d. b 20 May 1585 |
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Citations
- [S1087] J. M. S. Brooke, The Transript of the Registers of the United Parishes of St. Mary Woolnoth and St. Mary Wool Church haw in the City of London from their commencement 1538 to 1760, page zzziv - the viii day of May 1562 for cii pounds of old organ pipes of lead which were viewed by John Wetherhill and Thoma Atkynson by the commandment of Sir Martin Bowes. ...
- [S989] National Archives of the United Kingdom: Will of John Wetherhill dated: 17 May 1578.
- [S1087] J. M. S. Brooke, The Transript of the Registers of the United Parishes of St. Mary Woolnoth and St. Mary Wool Church haw in the City of London from their commencement 1538 to 1760, page 192 - Burial: 5 June 1578 John Wetherhill, goldsmith.