Alen Eppes

Additional Curator's Notes:

From "Encyclopedia Britannica , 11th edition, page 663," EPPS, the name of an English family, well known in commerce and medicine. In the second half of the 18th century they had been settled near Ashford, Kent for some generations, claiming descent from an equerry of Charles II." The Epes or Eppes family can be found in Kent County, England at least as far back as the 13th century, when a Roger Epes is found in land records. The name will be found spelled many ways - Epes, Eps, Epse, Epps, and Eppes are all acceptable in the Kentish generations. Epes or Eppes are acceptable in the Virginia generations.

Alen Epes was one of these Kentish Eppes. He was born c. 1500 and died in 1551 in Lydd, Kent, England. His estate was probated on September 22, 1551. His father was John Epes and his mother was Alice.

Alen Epes married Agnes. Her maiden name is unknown. Her first husband was named Harle and her third husband was William Buthow. Alen and Agnes had seven children.  In addition, he cared for his step-daughter Elizabeth and remembered her in his will.

Alen was landed gentry and, while not weathly, led a comfortable life. He served as a jurat and as a bailiff for Lydd in 1544-1545. His name still appears in the old records of the Cinque Ports.

All sources agree that Alen was born in Kent, but some say Thanet, some say Lydd and others say New Romney or Old Romney. All are coastal areas of Kent. Romney was once a marshland but became an important port. Thanet was once an island but over time, the channel silted up and it is no longer separated from the mainland. Lydd was a town on the Romney marshes and reached the height of its prosperity during the 13th century, when it was a corporate member of the Cinque Ports. Both Romney and Thanet appear on the attached map, but Lydd does not. Lydd is located about 2 1/2 miles south of Old Romney, in Denge Marsh, and was a detached member the Cinque Ports

His will was dated July 30, 1551 and proved Sept 22, 1551 devising lands in Lydd, Old Romney, St. Martin's, Puntney and Brenzett. He names three sons and three daughters in this will. He requested to be buried in the churchyard at Lydd. The parish church in Lydd at that time was All Saints, thought to be Saxon in origin, but recent studies have dated the oldest section to the latter half of the 5th century, making it Romano-British.

If any Geni member has additional sources for this family, please contact me. Maria Edmonds-Zediker, Volunteer Curator, 9/2/2011.

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Links to additional materials:

• http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p653.htm#i...
• http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/pete/butowsky.pdf Pg.8
• http://www.tc.umn.edu/~timsx001/Epes.html
• http://www.theromneymarsh.net/history/churches.htm#allsaints

Children of Agnes and Alen Eppes:

• Johane Epes, possibly ‘my sister Tookyes’ mentioned in the will of John Epes.
• Alyce Epes, born 1546, buried 24 Feb 1560
• William Epes described himself as of Canterbury, yeoman, when he made his will 2 March 1573/4, proved 12 November 1578. He was buried 13 January 1577/8 at New Romney. He was married 7 February 1563/4 at Maidstone, Kent, to Anne Greene.
• Alyn Epes, baptized 7 November 1542, buried 21 July 1544 at Lydd.
• Thomas Epes, baptized 10 April 1544, a jurat and mayor of New Romney, 1576-77, succeeding his uncle William Epes, 1581-82 and 1583-84. He married (1), 16 August 1572, Maria Stuppeny, who died circa 1580, daughter of Lawrence Stuppeny.Thomas married (2), circa 1582, Frances Bleckenden. His will, made as Thomas Epps of New Romney, co. Kent, jurat, dated 14 April 1585 and proved 12 June 1585. The inquisition post mortem taken at Maidstone on 13 September 27 Elizabeth (1587) states he died 21 April 1585:
• Margery (Margaret) Epes, baptized 9 [ ] 1546 at Lydd, died after 1585, married, 5 February 1567/8 at Lydd, Kent.
• John Epes, married Thomazine Fisher 15 June 1579 at Detling, Kent. He was admitted to the Middle Temple on 2 August 1572. John Epps died in Brook, a village three and a half miles from Ashford and, as John Epes, gent., householder, was buried at Ashford 19 November 1627. His will, made as John Epse of Ashford, co. Kent, the elder, dated 10 August 1625 and proved 16 December 1627

The Will of Alen Epse

To be buried in the churchyard at Lyd. To my maidservant Agnes Aton a heiffer. To my servant Nicholas Aton a heiffer. To my servant Simon Wynday heiffer and sheep. To my servant Thomas Smythe 2 sheep. To my servant John Rolffe 2 sheep. To my servants Richard Aukyn and Robert Adams sheep. To my maidservants Alice Hollye and Julian Raynolde sheep. To John Wynday sheers and debts he owes me. To Robert Dyne all debts he owes me. To my daughters Johane Epse, Alyce Epse and Margery Epse £20 a piece at 18 or marriage. To my wife’s daughter Elizabeth Harle £10. To my wife Agnes Epse oxen, £15, household stuff in tenement I now dwell in etc. Rest of my moveable goods to my sons William Epse, Thomas Epse & John Epse equally. Said son William Epse to be executor. Thomas Strogle, John Strogle & my brother Thomas Epse to be overseers. Witness Thomas Strogle, jurate, Robert Dyne, John Wynday.

Will (of lands) To my wife Agnes my principal tenement I now dwell in for life remainder to my three sons William, Thomas & John equally in fee. To said three sons rest of my lands in Lyd aforesaid, Old Romney, St. Martins Pounteney & Brenset or elsewhere in Kent in fee. To my wife my term of years in the Brokes called the Grate Brokes & my term of years in the 14 acres called Mr. Feteplace brokes, behind the watercourse on the backside of my house which I hold to farm of Mr. Feteplace. To my son William Epse half of my term of years in my manor called newe Land which I hold of Mr. Feteplace. To my sons Thomas Epse & John Epse the other half thereof. Said son William Epse to have occupying of all my lands above to said Thomas & John his brethren bequeathed till they are 17. Same Witnesses and Thomas Carpenter.