Family Card - Person Sheet
Family Card - Person Sheet
NameDorothy JAMES, 11G Grandmother
Burial25 Oct 1656, Yardley, Worcestershire, England
FatherHenry JAMES (-bur. 1585)
MotherBridget LYTTLETON (bp. 1551->1621)
Spouses
1Henry GRESWOLD, 11G Grandfather
Birthabt 1563
Baptism14 Jun 1563, Fillongley, Warwickshire, England
Burial23 Mar 1601/2, Yardley, Worcestershire, England
FatherRichard GRESWOLD (-1563)
MotherMargaret HALL
Marriage30 Oct 1592, Belbroughton, Worcestershire, England
ChildrenHumphrey (~1594-bur. 1660)
Notes for Henry (Spouse 1)
of Greet, Yardley
Will avail GRO
From John Baker
Henry Greswold and Dorothy James – Looking at various sites on the Internet it seems that there is some doubt as to whether Dorothy married Henry or a George Greswold. Fortunately, I have found Henry’s will which, I believe, resolves matters and supports your research. It is written in old English so it is extremely difficult to decipher. However, I had a go. His wife is not mentioned by name in the will, merely as his ‘beloved wife’, but the name Dorothy appears at the time probate was granted. I was somewhat taken aback by a reference in the will to his ‘beloved father in law’, one Richard Smalbroke. However, on investigation, I discovered that the archaic form of father in law is as a stepfather. This makes sense as Henry’s mother was widowed at a young age (his father died within a year of his birth) and it is entirely reasonable that she remarried. I have also inspected the Yardley Parish records and these reveal that Humphrey, Henry’s son and our great x 10 grandfather, named his first daughter Dorothy, presumably after his mother. All in all I think you are correct in your assertion that Henry’s wife was, indeed, Dorothy James.
From Publication: A History of the County of Worcester: volume 3 published:1913
GREET
GREET (Gritt, xvi cent.). About 1254 William de Edricheston granted land which he had newly acquired in Yardley and Greet to the Prior and convent of Studley. (fn. 53) He evidently held this land of Yardley Manor, for Robert son of Nicholas and Felicia his wife confirmed the grant in 1254. (fn. 54) Greet still belonged to Studley Priory at the time of the Dissolution, (fn. 55) and was sold in 1545 to Clement Throckmorton and Sir Alexander Avenon, ironmonger, afterwards Lord Mayor of London. (fn. 56) The latter in 1570 settled it on his son Alexander and Marjorie his wife. (fn. 57) Sir Alexander died in 1580, (fn. 58) and in 1586 his son pledged his so-called manor to cover a debt which he owed to a certain Thomas Starkey, (fn. 59) and in the same year sold the reversion to James Banks, (fn. 60) who sold it in 1601 to Henry Greswolde. (fn. 61) The latter died about a year later, (fn. 62) and by his will proved in May 1602 left Greet to his eldest son George, then thirteen years old. (fn. 63) Dorothy, widow of Henry, continued to live at Greet, having purchased from Joan, widow of Thomas Starkey, her interest in the manor. (fn. 64) George Greswolde died in 1612, and was succeeded by his brother Humphrey. (fn. 65) He died in 1660, and was succeeded in turn by his two sons Humphrey, who died without issue in 1671, and Henry, who died in 1700, leaving four sons, Humphrey who died unmarried in 1712, Henry who left a daughter Anne, Marshal and John. (fn. 66)
After this date the descent is not clear; in 1776 Henry Greswolde Lewis, grandson of the above Marshal, held a third. (fn. 67) The other two thirds were held in 1784 (fn. 68) by William Richard Wilson and Jane Anne Eleanor his wife, who appear to have given up their share to Henry Greswolde Lewis. He was succeeded in 1829 by his kinsman Edmund Meysey Wigley, (fn. 69) who assumed the name Greswolde and died unmarried in 1833. On his death Henry Wigley, who also assumed the name Greswolde, became tenant for life under the will of Henry Greswolde Lewis, and he and his son Edmund Greswolde, who was tenant in tail, barred the estate in tail and conveyed the estates to the use of Henry Greswolde for life, with remainder to Edmund Greswolde in fee simple. Edmund died in 1836, and on his decease his father succeeded to the estates in fee simple under the will of Edmund. In 1838 Henry settled a third of the estates on the marriage of his daughter Ann with Francis Edward Williams. Henry Greswolde died in 1849, and by his will he devised the remaining two thirds of the estates to his two daughters Mary and Elizabeth Greswolde in fee simple, and they succeeded thereto on his death. On the death of Elizabeth Greswolde in 1850 Francis Edward Williams succeeded to her third of the estate, and on his death in 1885 his son John Francis Greswolde Williams succeeded to two thirds. On the death of Mary Greswolde in 1859 Wigley Greswolde-Williams, eldest son of Francis Edward Williams, succeeded to her third, and on his death in 1875 his brother John Francis succeeded. He died in 1892 without issue, and by his will devised the estate to his nephew Francis Wigley Greswolde Greswolde-Williams, now of Bredenbury Court (Herefs.). (fn. 70)
Will avail GRO
From John Baker
Henry Greswold and Dorothy James – Looking at various sites on the Internet it seems that there is some doubt as to whether Dorothy married Henry or a George Greswold. Fortunately, I have found Henry’s will which, I believe, resolves matters and supports your research. It is written in old English so it is extremely difficult to decipher. However, I had a go. His wife is not mentioned by name in the will, merely as his ‘beloved wife’, but the name Dorothy appears at the time probate was granted. I was somewhat taken aback by a reference in the will to his ‘beloved father in law’, one Richard Smalbroke. However, on investigation, I discovered that the archaic form of father in law is as a stepfather. This makes sense as Henry’s mother was widowed at a young age (his father died within a year of his birth) and it is entirely reasonable that she remarried. I have also inspected the Yardley Parish records and these reveal that Humphrey, Henry’s son and our great x 10 grandfather, named his first daughter Dorothy, presumably after his mother. All in all I think you are correct in your assertion that Henry’s wife was, indeed, Dorothy James.
From Publication: A History of the County of Worcester: volume 3 published:1913
GREET
GREET (Gritt, xvi cent.). About 1254 William de Edricheston granted land which he had newly acquired in Yardley and Greet to the Prior and convent of Studley. (fn. 53) He evidently held this land of Yardley Manor, for Robert son of Nicholas and Felicia his wife confirmed the grant in 1254. (fn. 54) Greet still belonged to Studley Priory at the time of the Dissolution, (fn. 55) and was sold in 1545 to Clement Throckmorton and Sir Alexander Avenon, ironmonger, afterwards Lord Mayor of London. (fn. 56) The latter in 1570 settled it on his son Alexander and Marjorie his wife. (fn. 57) Sir Alexander died in 1580, (fn. 58) and in 1586 his son pledged his so-called manor to cover a debt which he owed to a certain Thomas Starkey, (fn. 59) and in the same year sold the reversion to James Banks, (fn. 60) who sold it in 1601 to Henry Greswolde. (fn. 61) The latter died about a year later, (fn. 62) and by his will proved in May 1602 left Greet to his eldest son George, then thirteen years old. (fn. 63) Dorothy, widow of Henry, continued to live at Greet, having purchased from Joan, widow of Thomas Starkey, her interest in the manor. (fn. 64) George Greswolde died in 1612, and was succeeded by his brother Humphrey. (fn. 65) He died in 1660, and was succeeded in turn by his two sons Humphrey, who died without issue in 1671, and Henry, who died in 1700, leaving four sons, Humphrey who died unmarried in 1712, Henry who left a daughter Anne, Marshal and John. (fn. 66)
After this date the descent is not clear; in 1776 Henry Greswolde Lewis, grandson of the above Marshal, held a third. (fn. 67) The other two thirds were held in 1784 (fn. 68) by William Richard Wilson and Jane Anne Eleanor his wife, who appear to have given up their share to Henry Greswolde Lewis. He was succeeded in 1829 by his kinsman Edmund Meysey Wigley, (fn. 69) who assumed the name Greswolde and died unmarried in 1833. On his death Henry Wigley, who also assumed the name Greswolde, became tenant for life under the will of Henry Greswolde Lewis, and he and his son Edmund Greswolde, who was tenant in tail, barred the estate in tail and conveyed the estates to the use of Henry Greswolde for life, with remainder to Edmund Greswolde in fee simple. Edmund died in 1836, and on his decease his father succeeded to the estates in fee simple under the will of Edmund. In 1838 Henry settled a third of the estates on the marriage of his daughter Ann with Francis Edward Williams. Henry Greswolde died in 1849, and by his will he devised the remaining two thirds of the estates to his two daughters Mary and Elizabeth Greswolde in fee simple, and they succeeded thereto on his death. On the death of Elizabeth Greswolde in 1850 Francis Edward Williams succeeded to her third of the estate, and on his death in 1885 his son John Francis Greswolde Williams succeeded to two thirds. On the death of Mary Greswolde in 1859 Wigley Greswolde-Williams, eldest son of Francis Edward Williams, succeeded to her third, and on his death in 1875 his brother John Francis succeeded. He died in 1892 without issue, and by his will devised the estate to his nephew Francis Wigley Greswolde Greswolde-Williams, now of Bredenbury Court (Herefs.). (fn. 70)