John Spencer & Ann Merrill

Children of John Spencer and Ann Merrill

John Spencer

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John was called "senior" at burial. The recorder in entering the burial
of Ann Spencer, widow, paid her respect by the following tribute: "the
good hospitallity keeper; and she did give to the township of Edworth ii
of her best beasts, to be let to the pore folks in the town for iii s. a
cow and the parson and church warden to have the letting of them and the
distributing of the money to the poor and to see the stock maintained
each of them to have iiii d. of the vi s. for their pains to see this
truly done according to her last will." Her will dated 13 June 1560,
proved 21 April 1561, calls her Widow, in Edworth, Bedfordshire and names
her Gerard (age 17); son Michael, to have the chest that was his brothers
John's; John Spencer, so Michaels child, to have 20 Marks, Elizabeth
Lymer, to have 4 Marks at marriage; Alice Aystin, to have a callf;
servants; for the mending of "London Brygge Waye" 10s.; brother Edward's
children, to have the 1 Mark that he borrowed of her; Nicholas Merrll and
John Meryll his brother, to have the barley their father gave her sons;
and the poor of Edworth, to have the gift already mentined. Michael
Spencer was a witness. From this will we gain the impression that our
Spencer family at the period was of the yeoman class, and somewhat better
off than the average village family of the time and place. Whether they
wer in origin a younger branch of an older gentry family, or a more
humble clan which by industry and good fortune had improved its lot, we
are not in a position to affirm. It would be necessary to prove the
parentage and more remote ancestry of John Spencer, Sr, by documentary
evidence, before claiming any specific connection with any other Spencer
family in England. From the terms of the will, it would seem that Anne's
brother was Edward Merryll or Merrill and that this was her maiden name.
A search of Merrill wills might confirm this conjecture. The above was
taken from: The American Genealogist, Whole Nr. 105, Vol 27, Nr. 1, Jan.
1951 ***Additional notes**** According to Mr. Holding, John was a son of
John Spencer of South Mylls. From an extensive search of records in
Bedfordshire Mr Holding ascertained to his satisfaction that John
Spencer, the 18th in descent from Robert the steward of King William, was
the John Spencer who resided at St.Albans, England in the 1553, and who
later moved to Kempton and Edworth, Bedfordshire, and is the ancestor of
the Massachusetts and Connecticutt Spencers. In the year 1553 a Royal
charter was given to the town of St. Albans by Edward VI. One of the
chief burgesses or alderman was John Spencer. Shortly afterwards he moved
to Edworth, where he died a few years later, in 1558, and where his
family resided. He was buried at Edworth. In the parish register is this
entry: John Spencer, Senior Buried June 9, 1558 Anne Spencer died June
16, 1560. She left a will bequeathing her property to her children, and
to certain public charities. The Will is set forth at length in the
brochure of the Rev. John Holding. He says: "There is every indication
that previous to his advent at Edworth. John resided at St.Albans, where
he was held in such high esteem as to be chosen one of the first chief
burgesses of that town, and as such is named in the Royal charter granted
to that town by King Edward VI in 1533." From research made by Mr.
Holding it appears that John Spencer occupied a farm of about 600 acres
at Edworth, as lessee of Robert Parry of Ellington, who was then lord of
the Manor. Writing of the Will of Anne Spencer, Mr Holding says: "It is
interesting as showing the position in life she occupied, and her kindly,
thought nature. The ennumeration of stock and chattels, and her bequests
certainly show that the family was at least that of a prosperous
gentleman." "She nowhere makes mention of land or tenements belonging to
her. There is only the lease of the farm which evidently refers to the
ones of which she was then the tenent, and which is handed on to her
oldest son Michael." Regarding the Edworth farm Mr Holding says: "Edworth
is a parish on the borders of Hertfordshire, and is situatied half way
between Baldock and Biggleswade. There have always been two large farms
in Edworth, comprising really the whole land in the parish, with the
exception of about 8 acres glebeland attached to the rectory, giving a
totla of about 1122 acres." "So that the Spencer farm would cover about
600 acres in extent, a large farm even at that present time, and gave
employment to half the laboring poor of the place. The Hall, where the
Spencers resided, is still standing, although much modernized. It is now
occupied a gentleman named 'Smyth'." In 1923, H.R. Spencer, author of the
Spencers of East Haddam, visited Edworth. The old church is still
standing, in the same shape as when John and Anne Spencer worshipped
there. The old Baptismal font is still in use-the same font at which the
Spencer children were christened. The church register is still in a good
state of preservation, and dates back several hundred years prior to the
time when John and Anne Spencer resided there. Origianl entries show the
dates of christening the Spencer children, and the date of the death of
both John and Anne Spencer. There is nothing in the churchyard to
indicated at what precise spot John and his wife are buried. On the
interior wall of the church H.R. Spencer placed a brass tablet containing
the words: In Memoriam John and Anne Spencer 1558-1560

Ann Merrill