Judith Shatswell

Evidence needed to support as daughter of William Dillingham, Sr. & Katrina Dillingham

In an article by David A. Macdonald titled "A New Look at the Corwin and Shatswell Families" in the Register (NEHGR) 150:180 (Apr 1996), he discusses a Chancery court proceeding in 1627 against the administrator of the estate of widow Judith Shatswell of Sibbertoft, Northhamptonshire, England, who had died more than a decade earlier - about 1612/3.

The document indicates that widow Judith Shatswell was the mother of these children:

• John, b. c1597 m 1) unknown 2) Joanna
• Margaret, b. c1598, m. Matthew Curwen
• Theophilus, m Susannah Bosworth
• Sibyl, b. c1601, and
• Mary, b. c1605, m 1) John Webster 2) John Emery

Macdonald thinks that Theophilus was born between Margaret and Sibyl because of the order of their mention in the suit, and thinks the age given in the suit is wrong. The age would make him born c1608. There is no mention of a William Shatswell, although there is reference to "two of ye uncles and neere kinsemen". So it looks like we can say that Mary (Shatswell) (Webster) Emery was from Sibbertoft, and her mother was named Judith.

Disputed Information

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-82081

• She was not the daughter of Rev. Henry Dillingham. Henry did not have a daughter Judith.
• Ipswich, England birth place is probably left over from this alleged parent.
• There is no indication that her husband was named John.
• A death of 17 April 1748 in Sibbertoft or Massachusetts, is obviously wrong. ? Where did this date originate?

GEDCOM Note 

[3026504.ged] ! (1) Ancestral File, FHL, 1995. (2) "NEHGS Register," Vol. 150, Apr 1996, "A New Look at the Coprwin and Shatswell Families," by David A. Macdonald, p.180-189. Cites: (a) Curwen vs. Smith, Chancery Proceedings, Chas. I, cc. 15, n. 56. ! Birth: (1) About 1578, Ipswich, Suffolk, England. Marriage to John Shatswell: (1) About 1604, Suffolk, England. Death: (1) 17 Apr 1648, Ipswich, Essex Co., MA. (NOTE: This is date of death for Joanna, wife of John Tuttle, brother of Mary (Shatswell) Webster.) (2a) About 11 years before 22 Nov 1627 (d. c.1616), of Sibbertoft, co. of Northampton, England. (NOTE: The chancery suit of 1627 says that John, her eldest child, was age 15 at her death about 11 years before the suit, and that at the distribution of the estate when he turned 21 5 years later and about 9 years before the suit, his sister Margaret was about age 21. If she was actually younger than John, either her age was closer to 20, or his closer to 22, and/or the number of years given as having passed since her death and/or distribution are off. It is likely the distribution was triggered by John turning age 21. If 5 or 6 years actually elapsed between Judith's death and the distribution of the estate, instead of 2, she probably died 3 or 4 years earlier, or 1612/3.) (2a) 1627, 22 Nov: Matthew CURWIN of Sibbertoft of the county of Northampton, husbandman, and Margaret his wife, one of the daughters of Judith SHATSWELL late of Sibbertoft, widow, Theophilus SHATSWELL one of the sons of said Judith, and Marie SHATSWELL and Sybill SHATSWELL, two other daughters of the said Judith, filed suit in Chancery, saying that Judith SHATSWELL was in her lifetime, that is, about 11 years "hitherre," possessed of a personal estate valued at about 100 pounds, and of a lease or farm for certain years to come of and in divers lands and tenements of her late husband in Sibbertoft, worth fourscore pounds or thereabouts, to be sold. She died so possessed intestate, leaving orators Margaret, Theophilus, Sybell and Marie SHATSWELL infants within age utterly unprovided for. Administration of her estate was granted to William SMITH, (late?) of Pailton, co. Warwick, yeoman, by Sir John LAMBE, Chancellor of the court of the Diocese of Peterborough, where the said Judith died. But before the Letters of Administration could be granted, William SMITH entered into a bond unto the said Sir John LAMBE of the penal sum of fourscore pounds, conditioned for the exhibiting of an inventory of the estate unto the said Chancellors Court held at Yarwell in co. of Northampton, and for the payment of all such sums of money as should upon an equal distribution of the estate be assigned by the chancellor unto the said orators severally and respectively. But William SMITH, intending to make a private profit out of the estate, exhibited an undervalued inventory, SMITH having sold them at far greater prices than at which they were valued, and having omitted other goods and monies which came into his hands, in particular part of a crop of corn growing upon a halfeyard land in Sibbertoft, and for the tillage of the same. Yet he had not made any mention of the land in the inventory, or in the account by which he charged himself the expenses. He also demanded an extraordinary allowance upon his said accounts for the orators' diets and apparell and for the intestate's funeral expenses and other allowances, the said SMITH having drawn down the whole personal estate. 50 pounds 13s 5d was distributed to the orators in manner following by the appointment of the said judge: Margaret SHATSWELL now wife of Matthew CURWEN being then at the time of the distribution, which was about nine years hitherre, of the age of 21 years or thereabouts, 14 pounds; same unto Theophilus SHATSWELL being then age 10; and same unto Sybill SHATSWELL, being then of the age of 17, to be paid in 1619, and in the meantime sufficient drink and apparell; and same to Marie SHATSWELL being then age 13 years, to be paid in 1625. SMITH defaulted in the payment and kept the portions of Theophilus, Marie and Syvill about 5 years after they became due, and never allowed the orators any interest or other satisfaction. And oratrix Margaret has not received her portion, nor any redress for all the wrongs the orators made complaint unto the said Chancellor Sir John LAMBE, and intreated him that he would (illegible) order to Ambrose (VANLINS?) his register, who took the said bond of the said SMITH. (VANLINS?) suppresses and conceals the bond and says it is lost or mislaid. The orators request a subpena directed to William SMITH, Ambrose (VANLINS?) and Sir John LAMBE, commanding them to appear... Signed Richard (TOWNSEND?). In his answer dtd 29 Nov 1627, William SMITH, defendant, acknowledged that Judith SHATSWELL, widow, was at the time of her death possessed of sheep, cattle, and household stuff, and had 5 small children all under the age of 21 years, John the eldest, Margaret, Theophilus, Mary and Sibill, and after Judith died intestate the administration of her goods, debts and credits was committed to him by Sir John LAMBE, during the minority of the orphans. After Judith's death he caused an inventory to be taken, and afterwards procured two of the uncles and near kinsmen of the orphans & other neighbors who were their friends to appraise the goods, which were valued at 47 lbs. 7s., and some odd money & no more. After the making of the inventory the tylthe or dressing of half acre yardland and one land of rye or mashlam which was growing upon the grounds at the time of the intestate's death was discovered to belong to her estate, which SMITH sold for 5 lbs. 6s 8d. And with the profit he did provide unto the said Sibill, one of the children, four years meat, drink and apparell, and 2 1/2 years afterward while she was in service without any allowance forthcoming or demand made... William protested that he had sold the cattle and household goods at as reasonable price as he could get, but many things had been overvalued in the inventory. He had lumber and household stuff remaining unsold that was of little or no price at all. He had paid the deceased's sickness and funeral charges, and the cost of educating the children, and court costs of the administration. Judith did in her lifetime dwell and continue in the messuage or farm house in Sibertoffe, and likewise retain and take the profits of two yardlands with appurtenances in Sibertoffe which were the lands and inheritance of the said John her eldest son, John being then an infant of 15 years or thereabouts, and when his mother died, the farm his estate being left without a Funde or Govnor... SMITH, resolving with himself a work of charity & mercy towards the children & their estate, did educate them all to their degrees & did find and provide for them meat, drink, apparell, lodging & other necessaries, & did receive yearly rents and profits of the said messuage & two yardlands, for 5 years or thereabouts, about which time the said John did attain his full age. And SMITH, having arrearages of the said socage in his hands, did persuade, out of his love and pity unto the younger children, the said John the eldest son at his full age and the said Sir John LAMBE, which the said John did freely consent to give the 4 younger children 14 pounds apiece out of brotherly affection...