Samuel Aldersley

SAMUEL ALDERSEY, of Allhallows, Lombard St., haberdasher. Son of John Aldersey of Aldersey, Cheshire, by Anne, sister of Sir Thomas Lowe, Alderman of London. He married first, Mary, dau. Philip Van Oyrle of Nornberg and Antwerp; second, Margaret, dau. Thomas Offspring and sister of Rev. Charles Offspring of St. Antholins, London, widow of William Kedward (she remarried Sir John Melton). Aldersey was a prominent Puritan who contributed to the Impropriations Fund in 1626 and was probably an active worker for St. Antholin's Feoffees as his brother-in-law, Charles Offspring, was rector of that Church. He was an early Adventurer and took active part in the Company's work.

By the marriages of his sisters and of his children he was closely connected with a number of persons interested in the settlement of New England. His sister Elizabeth married 1st, William Pitchford and 2nd Sir Thomas Coventry, the Lord Keeper. Allice married Thomas Moulson and her son Sir Thomas was the husband of Anne Ratcliffe, the patron saint of Radcliffe College. Her daughter Rebecca married Nicholas Raynton, famous as a London Puritan. Another sister of Samuel married Francis Webbe; Mary married Sir Thomas Knatchbull and Dorothy, as her second husband married Sir Henry Capel. Still another sister seems to have married Henry Parkhurst as his son, Sir Robert, mentions his aunt Aldersey and nearly all the married Aldersey sisters in his will in 1636. As William Spurstowe married Sir Robert's sister he was in a way connected with Alderey, as were also the Byfields.

Aldersey had one son, John and four daughters; Mary married Robert Crane of St. Giles, Cripplegate (see below), Anne married Robert Eyre of Salisbury, son of Robert Eyre one of the Feoffees for Impropriations; Elizabeth married Thomas Lee of Downhall; Margaret married Rev. Thomas Bletchingdon, Canon of Christ Church Canterbury.

Aldersey's will was proved 13 July 1633 (P.C.C. 61 Russel), by Robert Crane and his son John Aldersey. By it he left L20 to Mr. Davenport, the minister; he had witnessed this minister's signing of the Articles in 1628.

30 Mar 1628/9 - Subscribers to the Charter of the Massachusetts Bay Company

William Backhouse 25, Owen Rowe 25, John Bowles 25, Robert Crane 25, Daniel Winche 25, Joseph Caron 25, Richard Tuffnayle 50, John Davenport 25, Samuel Aldersey 75, Richard Peerye 25, Nathaniel Wright 25, Richard Davis 25, Increase Nowell 25, Edmond White 25, John Humfrey 25, Hugh Peter 25, Joas Glover 25, John Pococke 25, George Foxcroft 25, Daniel Hodson 25, Mrs. A.C. 25, William Crowther 25, John Venn 50, Richard Young 50, Thomas Hutchins 25, Nathaniel Manesty 25, Theophilus Eaton 25, Christopher Coulson 25, Charles Whitchcote 50, Edward Foorde 25, Samuell Vassall 50, Simon Whitcombe 85, Edward Ironside 25

SEE ALSO: http://www.oxforddnb.com/templates/article.jsp?articleid=56086&back=

TO UNDERSTAND "FEOFFEES" see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Sibbes