Anne ‘Agness’ Spencer

Anne (Agnes)

• Birth: 1509 Edworth, Bedfordshire, England
• Death: June 16, 1560 (51) Edworth, Bedfordshire, England
• Place of Burial: St. George's Church, Edworth, Bedfordshire
• Daughter of John Merrill ? and Katherine Gerard ?
• some have her as the daughter of Michael Gerrard
• Wife of John Spencer, Sr., of Edworth died 1558
• not the same as Anne Spencer

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See: Link to Donald Lines Jacobus article in The American Genealogist (1951). “The Four Spencer Brothers: Their Ancestors and Descendants.”

Family

From https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=george&i...

Anne MERRILL was born ABT 1509 in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England, and died BEF 16 JUN 1560 in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. She was buried in Edworth Cem., Edworth, Bedfordshire, England.

She married JOHN SPENCER in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England, son of JOHN SPENCER and Christian. He was born 1505 in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England, and died 9 JUN 1560 in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. He was buried 9 JUN 1560 in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England.

	  Children of Anne MERRILL and JOHN SPENCER are:

• 2 i. MICHAEL SPENCER was born BET 1530 AND 1535 in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England, and died ABT 18 NOV 1599 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England.
• 3 ii. John SPENCER was born 1555, and died 21 APR 1560 in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England.
• 4 iii. Gerard SPENCER was born ABT 1543 in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England, and died ABT 1577 in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England.

Notes

John was called "senior" at burial. The recorder in entering the burial of Ann Spencer, widow, paid her respect by the following tribute: "the good hospitallity keeper; and she did give to the township of Edworth ii of her best beasts, to be let to the pore folks in the town for iii s. a cow and the parson and church warden to have the letting of them and the distributing of the money to the poor and to see the stock maintained each of them to have iiii d. of the vi s. for their pains to see this truly done according to her last will." Her will dated 13 June 1560, proved 21 April 1561, calls her Widow, in Edworth, Bedfordshire and names her Gerard (age 17); son Michael, to have the chest that was his brothers John's; John Spencer, so Michaels child, to have 20 Marks, Elizabeth Lymer, to have 4 Marks at marriage; Alice Aystin, to have a callf; servants; for the mending of "London Brygge Waye" 10s.; brother Edward's children, to have the 1 Mark that he borrowed of her; Nicholas Merrll and John Meryll his brother, to have the barley their father gave her sons; and the poor of Edworth, to have the gift already mentined. Michael Spencer was a witness. From this will we gain the impression that our Spencer family at the period was of the yeoman class, and somewhat better off than the average village family of the time and place. Whether they wer in origin a younger branch of an older gentry family, or a more humble clan which by industry and good fortune had improved its lot, we are not in a position to affirm. It would be necessary to prove the parentage and more remote ancestry of John Spencer, Sr, by documentary evidence, before claiming any specific connection with any other Spencer family in England. From the terms of the will, it would seem that Anne's brother was Edward Merryll or Merrill and that this was her maiden name. A search of Merrill wills might confirm this conjecture.

The above was taken from: The American Genealogist,

Origins

From https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Spencer-753

Feb 12, 2018 Update by Robert Spencer UEL, hope this clarifies things on the issue of the wife of John Spencer of Edworth, as new information eliminates Anne Clarke as a wife, she is named in a will of another John Spencer, who resided in London, with many children and was well documented in church records there. I have that will in my possession. In regards to Anne Cobbe, she never married to this John Spencer or any other John Spencer, I was the original source for this error, and it is now corrected. In Anne Spencer's she calls Edward Merrill her brother.[1] Therefore, her maiden name was probably Merrill.

Supporting data

• Our New England ancestors and their descendants, 1620-1900: historical ... By Henry Whittemore
• http://archive.org/details/ournewenglandanc00whit
  • Spencer and Allied Families
• Pg. 49-84
• http://archive.org/stream/ournewenglandanc00whit#page/104/mode/1up
• Pg. 53
• Prof. Ray T. Spencer while making researches in his own line, discovered among the church records of St. George's Parish, Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. much interesting data, concerning the line of Gerrard Spencer, the father of William, Thomas, Michael and Gerrard the emigrants, from which it appears that the above named Gerrard was the son of Michael who also had a brother Gerrard, and they were the sons of John. Thus three generations preceding the emigrants are definitely established. The church records of St. George's Parish, above referred to, show that "June 9, 1558, John Spencer, Sen., was buried."
• There is evidence to show that this John was the father of Michael and of the first Gerrard mentioned.
  • FROM NOTES OF GEO. T. SPENCER.
• The ancestry of Gerard Spencer and his brothers William, Thomas and Michael Spencer, appears from the parish registers of Edworth and Stotfield in Bedfordshire, Eng., and other contemporaneous documents.
• Jan. 25, 1555, Michael Spencer and Annis Liuur were married (the last name of Annis is so poorly written in the record that is cannot be definitely determined.)
• April 20, 1557, John, son of Michael Spencer baptized.
• May 27, 1558, was baptized Michael, son of Michael Spencer.
• April 15, 1560, buried Michael, son of Michael Spencer.
• 23 Feb. 1561, Annis, the wife of Michael Spencer, was buried.
• 20 Aug., 1564, Joan, the daughter of Michael Spencer, was baptized.
• 30 Aug., 1566, Alice, daughter of Michael Spencer, was baptized. }Twins.
• 30 Aug., 1566, Michael Spencer, was baptized,} Twins
• 24 July, 156?, Ann, daughter of Michael Spencer baptized.
• 30 July, 1568, Jarratt Spencer and Ellen Whitson were married, whose will was proved at London, 20 May, 1577; he was brother of Michael the elder.
• http://archive.org/stream/ournewenglandanc00whit#page/106/mode/1up
• Pg. 54
• 12 March, 1571, Thomas, son of Michael Spencer was baptized.
• 20 May, 1576, Gerat Spencer, son of Michael Spencer, and Elizabeth his wife, baptized.
• 9 July, 1580, Richard, son of Michael and Elizabeth Spencer, baptized.
• 18 Nov., 1599, Elizabeth, wife of Michael Spencer, was buried.
• It is quite probable that Michael Spencer of Edworth, and Gerrard Spencer of Biggleswade, were sons of John Spencer, Senior, and Ann Spencer who burials are recorded in Edworth register, the former June 9, 1558, and the later June 16, 1569: Nothing more is known of them than what is disclosed by these records .... etc.
• ________________________

Date and place of marriage have also been (erroneously?) reported to be June 9, 1558 at either Ofadrian or Edworth, Bedfordshire, England.

links

• FamilySearch AFNs: 92JC-2X, 1VX9-NDV?
• Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut By Lucius Barnes Barbour Pg.555 link

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Anne Agnes Merrill (Cobb) MP Place of Burial: 	St. George's Church, Edworth, Bedfordshire, England Birth: 	1509 Edworth, Bedfordshire, England Death: 	June 16, 1560 (51) Edworth, Bedfordshire, England Immediate Family: 	

Daughter of John Merrill and Katherine Gerard Wife of John Spencer, II; John Spencer and John Spencer, Jr. Mother of Michael Spencer, Sr. Sister of William Merrill, of Wherstead & Shotley; Michael Merrill; Mary Margaret Merrill; Alice Merrill; Katherine Merrill; Agnes Merrill; Thomas Merrill and John Merrill

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• http://tangledwood.com/getperson.php?personID=I2553&tree=tree1

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GEDCOM Note

Disputed Spouse

There is a current dispute as to who the correct spouse of Spencer-753|John Spencer. Please do not detach Anne Merrill as his spouse until definitive proof one way or another has been confirmed.

Disputed Parentage ==While parents are included here, we need more definitive proof of these parents as the biography has a different set of parents stated.

Anne Clark was born about 1509 in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England.

Biography

She married John Spencer about 1530 in Edworth, Bedfordshire, England.John and Anne were the parents of three sons, Michael, John and Gerard. The recorder in entering the burial of Ann Spencer, widow, paid her respect by the following tribute: ::"the good hospitality keeper; and she did give to the towneship of Edworth ii of her best bease [beasts] to be lett to ii pore folks in the towns for iii s. a cow & the parson & churchwarden to have the letting of them & the distributing of the money to the poor & to se the stock maintained etch of them to have iii d. of the vi s. for the panes to se this truly done acording to her last will."<ref name=TAG27>"The Four Spencer Brothers - Their Ancestors and Descendants," Donald Lines Jacobus, M.A. The American Genealogist 27:79. (1951) Ann on pp 80,81</ref> "Her will, dated 13 June 1560, proved 21 Apr 1561, calls her Widow, inEdworth, Beds., and names her son Gerard (aged 17); son Michael, to have the chest that was his brother John's; John Spencer, son Michael's child, to have œ20; Elisabeth Lymer, to have œ4 at marriage; Alice Aystin, to have a calf; servants; for the mending of "London Brygge waye," 10 s.; brother Edward's children, to have the œ1 that he borrowedof her, and the barley he gave her sons to his children; Nicholas Merryll and John Merryll his brother, to have the barley their father gave her sons; and the poor of Edworth, to have the gift already mentioned. Michael Spencer was a witness."<ref name=TAG27 /> "From this will we gain the impression that our Spencer family at thatperiod was of the yeoman class, and somewhat better off than the average village family of the time and place. Whether they were in origin a young branch of an older gentry family, or a more humble clan which by industry and good fortune had improved its lot, we are not in a position to affirm. It would be necessary to prove the parentage and moreremote ancestry of John Spencer, Sr., by documentary evidence, beforeclaiming any specific connection with any other Spencer family in England. From the terms of the will, it would seem that Anne's brother was Edward Merryll or Merrill, and that this was her maiden name. A search of Merrill wills might confirm this conjecture."<ref name=TAG27 /> Ann buried at Edworth, June 15, 1560.<ref name=TAG27 /> <ref> Spencer Line, by Mrs Emily Wilder Leavitt.</ref>

Family

Compiled from Church Records of Edworth and Stotfold, Wills, Chancery Calendar, Conveyances, Hartford Church Records, etc.<ref>Mrs Emily Wilder Leavitt, John Melvin of Charlestown and Concord, Mass., and His Descendants, Boston: Press of David Clapp & Son, 1901-1905.</ref> <ref>Spencer Line, by Mrs Emily Wilder Leavitt.</ref> Children:<ref>Genealogy Of The Spencer Family.</ref><ref name=TAG27 />

1. Spencer-2942|Michael Spencer, b. probably 1530-1535.# John Spencer, bur. at Edworth, 21 Apr 1560, as son of Ann Spencer, widow. # Gerard Spencer, b. ca. 1543; d. at Biggleswade, Beds, ca. 1577; m. at Edworth, 30 Jul 1568, Ellen Whyston. His will, dated 8 July 1576, proved 20 May 1577, calls him of Biggleswade, yeoman, and names son Richard, under 21 (to have œ60); daus. Agnes and Johan Spencer (under age) and child unborn, to have 40 marks apiece at 18 years; wife Elen; god-daughter Johan Spencer, my brother's dau. (to have œ1); brother Michael Spencer (to have 5 marks); wife Helen and brother Michael, executors. (P.C.C. Doughtrey, 19.) Children: Richard, Agnes, Joan, and A child, b. 1576-7.<ref>"The Four Spencer Brothers - Their Ancestors and Descendants," Donald Lines Jacobus, M.A.</ref>

Spencer Line :: :John of Southampton. = Christian Baker.::John, Buried at Ebworth, Jan. 9, 1558 = Ann Clark, of London. Buriedat Ebworth, June 15, 1560. :::Michael m. Jan. 25, 1555; d. April, 1616. = ______

Sources

<references />

: See also:

• The Four Spencer Brothers - Their Ancestors and Descendants, Donald Lines Jacobus, M.A., The American Genealogist, 27 (April 1951) [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/1200/genealogy/text/spen...]
• Spencer Line, Compiled from Church Records of Ebworth and Stotfold, Wills, Chancery Calendar, Conveyances, Hartford Church Records, etc. By Mrs Emily Wilder Leavitt, John Melvin of Charlestown and Concord, Mass., and His Descendants, Press of David Clapp & Son, Boston, 1901-1905. Attached.
• WikiTree profile Merrill-570 created through the import of Edwards Family Tree.ged on May 29, 2011 by Edwards-1190 | Kennon Edwards.