John SPENCER

Notes:

Name:
John Spencer is first noticed as a gentleman of Wormleighton in 1470, when he and Thomas Hayton were sued for trespass by widow Alice Griffith. As a defendant in other trespass suits in 1472 and 1475, John was called a yeoman of Hodnell. Between 1477 and 1495 he was a plaintiff in at least ten cases of unpaid debt. In all of these cases, he was a resident of Hodnell, and was sometimes termed a gentleman. It is obvious from his will, written a year after the last suit, that John had acquired great wealth, holding lands in no less than fifteen lordships in Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. John Spencer of Hodnell and his second wife, Johan (Joan) were admitted to the Guild of the Holy Cross in 1483-84. From is will, it is also clear that he was also a brother of Trinity Guild in Coventry, Corpus Christi Guild, also in Coventry, and the Guild of Warwick. On 16 February 1 Richard III (1484) John witnessed a grant of land in Caldecote, Warwickshire, from Thomas Stafford, Robert Throgmerton, and John Hugeford, Esqs., to Edmund Newenham and John Newenham, which the grantors held by grant of Jumphrey Catesby, gent.

John Spencer of Hodnell died on 4 January 1496-7, according to his inquisition 'post mortem', dated "Tuesday before All Hallows 14 Henry VII (Oct 1498)," John's son Thomas, age 6 "and more," was declared his rightful heir. John's will, long and complex, was executed on 15 September 1496 and proved 25 January 1496/7. Among those mentioned were his wife Jane (also called Joan); a minor son Thomas, under age 21; a minor daughter Elizabeth, under age 14; a married daughter Joan, wife of William Cope; unnamed sisters and their children; the three children of his brothers William, namely, John Spencer of Snitterfield, Thomas Spencer, and an unnamed daughters; and the male heirs of his late bother Thomas Spencer.

Family/Spouse: Anne EMPSON. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Joan/Jane SPENCER was born in 1462; died on 12 Feb 1525/6 in Hanwell.

John married Jane or Joan GRAUNT before 1483/4. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Elizabeth SPENCER was born in 1490; died before 1 Sep 1527.
2. Thomas SPENCER was born about 1492; died on 6 Oct 1532 in Hodnell.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Poss. the son of Thomas and Matilda Spencer

Notes:

Name:
Henry Spencer married ISABEL ? before 1444, when together they joined the Guild of the Holy Cross. Lee claimed she was the "daughter and coheir of Lincolne," but no proof of a Lincoln connection has yet been found. The 1619 herald's visitation of Warwickshire states she died in 18 Edward IV (1478/9).

Henry first of record on 12 November 1430, when he and five others bought a messuage and shop in Daventry from John Waundell of Killesby. The document proves Henry was born before 1410. The estimated ages of his children suggest he was probably a young man in 1430. The Lee pedigree has claims that Henry mad a will in 1476, but as previously mentioned, neither the will nor evidence of an estate have been found for him.

On 26 November 1439, Henry witnessed a quitclaim of lands and rents in Newnham from Robert Willenhale to Robert Catesby, Esq. Henry was a collector of taxes in Badby in 1442. Henry Spencer of Badby and his wife Isabel were admitted to Guild of the Holy Cross on the Monday after Ascension Day 22 henry VI (1444), paying fees of 22s 4d, which included 10s for the souls of Thomas Spencer and his wife Matilda, probably Henry;'s deceased parents. An additional 20d was paid for the placement of four candles before the altar of the guild chapel. Based in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Guild of the Holy Cross was a religious, social, and charitable association, popular among the social elite. In 1468, Henry Spencer of Badby and his wife Isabella joined the Guild of Knowle, another religious and charitable association, based in Knowle, Warwickshire. The last known record of Henry Spencer of Badby was dated 1 June 1469 when he and others sold land in Newnham to Letitia Catesby, John Newenham, and the latter's wife Matilda. Henry had been granted the land by John Newenham a few days earlier, 27 May 1469. Newnham borders Badby on the east.

While there is no proof that Henry and Isabel had any children, it is known that a generation later there were three Spencer brothers and two of more sisters living in and near Badby, with no other Spencer family of record in the parish than Henry and Isabel.

Henry married Isabel ? before 1444. Isabel died in 1478-79. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]