William Legatt1,2

M, b. circa 1265, d. circa 1377
FatherOsborne Lagatus b. b 1250, d. c 1307
     William was born circa 1265 in Havering, County Essex, England. William was of Havering, County Essex, England. He took his surname from the office of Osborne. His name appears in public records during the reigns of Edward I [1272-1307], Edward II [1307-1327] & Edward III [1327-1377].. Havering was an area east of London that was directly responsible to the Crown. William departed this life circa 1377 in Havering, County Essex, England.

Family
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Citations

  1. [S364] Dorothy Wertz, Notes Compiled in County Essex, England on the Leggett Family, William Legat - Lived at Havering, Essex, under Edward II (c. 1272-1307). The "Liberty of Havering" was an area east of London that was directly responsible to the Crown. The only County record of a Legat during this period is of Roger Legat of Messing, Essex (far to the east of Havering), who appears in the Feet of Fines. The Feet of Fines were mock lawsuits by which land was transferred. Laws of inheritance at this time forbade the direct sale of property outside the family, so buyers and sellers invented fictitious lawsuits in which the buyer (listed as Pl. or plaintiff) accused the seller (listed as def. or deforciant, the one who was forced off the land) of having injured him in some way, in compensation for which injury the deforciant had to give the plaintiff some property. Another reason for going to court about land sales was that this was the only means of insuring that there would be an official permanent record of the transaction. Hence the name Fines, from "final", these being the final settlements of disputes over property. The indenture was torn into three parts: each party in the case received one of the upper portions and the "foot" or bottom portion remained in the county record book as a permanent record. The Essex County Record Office has the following information about Legats in the Feet of Fines for this period:
    Bavnard's estate in Messing: on the road from Messing to East Thorp mention of Hamon, son of Roger de Legats of the Manor of Baynard. Adam Legat married Olyva, daughter of William Olyva, in 1339. Place is called Leggattes in 1370, and lands and tenement are called Leggattes from 1450 onwards. (Not extant in 1971.)
    Roger Legat is mentioned in the will of Symon de Fynchfield, (modern Finchingfield) in 1361.
    In 1368 John Moreys of Havering granted 2 ½ acres to John, son of Richard Legat of Raynham.
    We do not know whether or not any of these Legats are related to those mentioned in the pedigree of 1635.
  2. [S763] Harleian Society, Harliean MS, 1398, pages 591-592 - Will'us Legatt floruit apud Havering sub regibus Ed. 2 and Ed. 3 sicut constat. p. ch'ras. Lists one son Walter. [note: Edward II 1307-1327 & Edward III 1327-1377 - klm]