Thomas Duke of Ewhurst
(Abt 1612-1680)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
Alice Pankhurst

Thomas Duke of Ewhurst

  • Born: Abt 1612
  • Married: 14 Sep 1641, Ewhurst, Sussex, England 1
  • Buried: 29 Jun 1680, Ewhurst, Sussex, England 2

  General Notes:

Compiler's 9 x great-grandfather

  Research Notes:

There is a distinct possibility that Thomas Duke belonged to the family of Daniel Duke and Mary, who appear briefly in the Ewhurst parish register between 1616 and 1628. This could explain why Thomas named his eldest son Daniel. However, the register shows only one baptismal record, that of John Duke son of Daniel, christened in Ewhurst on 5 May 1616. Daniel died seven months later, buried on 7 Dec 1616. Another Daniel Duke, ostensibly the son of the former Daniel, was buried in Ewhurst on 14 Nov 1624. The record reads "Daniell sonne of widdow Duke", indicating his mother was still living. Indeed, another entry in the Ewhurst parish register dated 9 Apr 1627 records the marriage of John Watts and Mary Duke, vid: (short for vidua, Latin for widow.) John Watts was buried in the following year on 1 Oct 1628. It would appear that the younger Daniel Duke, who died in 1624, was not born in Ewhurst, and was an older brother of John born 1616. A search for his parish of birth has so far been unsuccessful. If Thomas were also a son of Daniel and Mary, it is likely that he, also, was born in a nearby parish, sometime between 1610 and 1615.

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Buried June the 29 Thomas Duke

July the 2 An Affidavit was brought that the said Tho: Duke was buried according to a late Act of Parliament made for the burying in woolen (burial record).

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Will of Thomas Duke of Ewhurst in the County of Sussex, Husbandman, written 28 Feb 1677/8, proved 7 Jul 1680. 3

(Names of family members are in bold.)

In the name of God Amen the Eigth and Twentieth day of February in the Thirtieth Year of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the grace of God King of England &c In the year of our Lord God One Thousand Six hundred seventie & seven, I Tomas Duke of the Parish of Ewhurst in the Countie of Sussex husbandman being Sicke and weake in body but perfect of mind and memory God be praysed, doe and ordayne this my last will and Testament in manner and forme following That is to Say In primis I commend my Soule into the hands of God hoping in his mercy through the merits of Jesus Christ for eternall Salvation, And my body I yeeld to the earth to be buried in decent manner. And as touching that temporall estate God hath given me I will and dispose the same as herein after followeth, Item I give and bequeath unto An my eldest daughter twelve pence to be paid unto her within twelve moneths next after my decease. Item I give and bequeath unto Mary my daughter twelve pence to be paid unto her within twelve moneths next after my decease, And also Ten pounds of good English money to be paid unto her Immediately after the decease of Alice my wife if it will then vise. Item I give and bequeath unto Jane my daughter twelve pence to be paid unto her within twelve moneths next after my decease. Item I give and bequeath unto Alice my youngest daughter my Cottage and the lease of the wast where on the said Cottage Standeth with Thappurtenances thereunto belonging being in Ewhurst aforesaid and after her decease I will and bequeath the Said Cottage & lease with Thappurtenances there unto belonging unto Thomas Watson the eldest son of the said Alice. And further my will and mind is that Alice my wife shall have her dwelling in that part of the said Cottage wherein widow Spray now dwelleth being the East end thereof dureing the terme of her natureall life without paying any thing therefore. Item I give and bequeath unto Jane Christmas my grand child Ten pounds of good English money to be paid into the hands of my Cousen John Duke of the parish of Playden in the County of Sussex aforesaid yeoman 4 within Twelve moneths next after my decease. And my will is that the said John Duke shall paye the said Ten pounds and the profits that shall arise thereof unto her the said Jane Christmas when she shall attaine to her age of seventeene years. But if the said Jane shall departe this life before she attaine to the aforesaid age of seventeene years That then my will is that the said Ten pounds be forth with paid unto Jane my daughter before named. All the residue of my goods moveables and chattels I give and bequeath unto Alice my wife before named whom I make ordaine and appoint to be the Sol Executorex of this my last will and Testament and She to performe full fill and see all my debts legacies and funerall expences paid and discharged. Item I do make and appoynt the before named John Duke overseer to this my last will. And I do hereby revoke & make void all former wills by me made or declared whatsoever. In witnesse whereof I the said Thomas Duke have hereunto set my hand & seale dated the day & year first above written.

(his mark)

Witnesses: Wm. Henly, Henry Henly, Mary Henly

  Marriage Information:

Thomas married Alice Pankhurst, daughter of Edward Pankhurst and Elizabeth Holliman, on 14 Sep 1641 in Ewhurst, Sussex, England. (Alice Pankhurst was christened on 3 Mar 1616 in Sedlescombe, Sussex, England and died after 7 Jul 1680.)

Sources

1 Ewhurst Parish Registers, Marriages.

2 Ibid., Burials.

3 Sussex Wills and Administrations in the District Probate Registry at Lewes, ESRO reference PBT 1/1/35/234A.

4 Note that the term 'cousin' as used here should not necessarily be interpreted according to the contemporary, standardised meaning. During this period it was used in a manner similar to the term 'kinsman' and can often be seen as referencing a nephew or niece. At first this seems to present two possibilities, as there were two John Dukes of Playden, belonging to separate generations. The first could have been of the same generation as Thomas. In fact, he died in the same year as Thomas, buried on 24 Jun 1680 in Iden (about 2 miles due north of Playden). Probate was granted to his widow Elizabeth. If this John was of the same generation, then his relationship to Thomas could very well have been that of cousin as we understand the word. However, he may still have been a nephew if he was roughly the same age as or a little older than Thomas's eldest child who was born in 1642. The second John Duke of Playden had an inventory of his goods and chattels taken on 21 Dec 1726, having been buried on 24 Nov 1726, also in Iden. The relationship between the two John Dukes of Playden was probably that of father and son. The elder John and his wife Elizabeth had two sons named John, the first christened on 18 Mar 1669 in Iden and dying young; the second on 26 Oct 1673 in the same place. If, as suggested, the elder John Duke and the younger John Duke were father and son, then the John Duke of Playden, yeoman, appointed overseer by Thomas, could not have been the same individual as the younger John Duke (1673-1726), who would have been about 5 years old in 1677/8 when Thomas wrote his Will. Finally, the Iden parish register shows that the elder John Duke and his wife Elizabeth Osburn had four children, after having married there on 14 Apr 1664. In contrast, Thomas married in 1641. This does suggest that the elder John Duke of Playden was Thomas's nephew.

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