John Bagley, Gentleman Deerkeeper

Biography

John Bagley (1572-1648), son of Thomas Bagley and Elinore Harisone. Husband of (Agnes?) Tomlinson. From 1603 on, lived in Old Park, Sedgely, where he kept deer for Lord Dudley, who granted him the "ancient lodge" as his residence in 1611.

https://bdespain.org/gencol/famhis/bio11132/index.htm

John Bagley, Gentleman Deerkeeper

BAGLEY, JOHN (chr. 25 Feb 1571/2, wpd. 8 Aug 1648), deerkeeper on the estate of Baron Edward Sutton, 5th Lord Dudley, of Dudley in Worcestershire, England. John was baptized in the parish church of St. Edmund in Dudley, the son of Thomas and Elinore (Harisone) Bagley. On 2 Oct 1599 the sheriff was issued an arrest warrant against John Bagly, Roland Bingham, Richard Bagly (a brother five years older than John) and John Baker, yeoman, who had been indicted for assaulting Lawrence White in Dudley, as well as some others on similar charges. Again, on 13 Jan 1601 a second warrant was issued. It is not clear from surviving records what the disposition of these arrests was. But what seems to be indicated is that John (and the others) as a consequence would have been in desperate straits. We are inclined to see this event as marking the beginning of a unique relationship between John and the Baron Dudley. As his life unfolds we witness his being given special treatment by the Baron, beginning here, possibly, with freedom from prosecution. The details of John’s service to the Baron will become clearer as his story unfolds. ….

Elizabeth’s Last Will. Elizabeth Tomlinson’s nuncupative will, dated 3 July 1629, includes legacies to 5 daughters:

[dau + Ann (b abt 1585; d bef 1629) wife of John Bagley.]

[amount to first two not in extract] 20 shillings apiece sons of John Bagley

1. Edward (chr 17 Oct 1602).
2. John (chr 28 Dec 1603).
3. Dudley (chr 1 Sep 1605).
4. Thomas (chr May 1610).
5. Robert (chr 21 Sep 1612).
6. Samuel (chr 6 Feb 1613/4; d aft 1648) ae 15 in 1629.
7. Richard (chr 28 Jul 1616; d bef 1648) ae 13 in 1629

   ---

Will

• The Last Will and Testament of John Bagley. John’s will was dated 3 May 1648 and proved 8 August 1648. In the margin: Johannis Bagley (of John Bagley)
• In the name of God, Amen, I John Bagley of Duddeley in the County of Worcester yeoman beinge weake in body but of perfect memorie and understandinge praysed be ye Lord Knowinge Howe uncertaine my tyme of continuation in this life to the end and I may peaceablie Carry the Testimony of mine owne good conscience in disposeinge of my temporall Estate and for the good of my children and payment of my debts doe make my last Will and Testament the third day of this instant May one Thousand six hundred Forty eight and in the fower and Twentith yeare of Ower soveraigne Lord Kinge Charles &c. Imprimis I commend my soule unto the hands of my Creator trustinge of Salvation through the meritte of my Saviour Jesus Christ and my Body to Christian Buriall in the Parish Church of St. Thomas in Duddeley Item I give all my Lands Tenements and hereditaments in Worcestersheire and Staffordsheire wch I onely bought vnto my twoe sonnes Duddely Bagley and Samuell Bagley to them and theire heires forever for and in consideration that by them my debts shalbepaid. And that thoise other Conditions bee by them or theire Assignes performed and fullfilled. Item I give alsoe all my good Cattells and Chattells whatsoever or wheresoever they bee vnto the said Duddeley Bagley & Sammuell Bagley to them and theire heires forever towards the payment of my debts, and that theise othere Conditions bee by them or theire Assignes performed and fullfilled. Item I give vnto my sonne John Bagley the Howse Garden and Smithyey nowe in the tenure and occupied of Sutans Lowe to him and his heires forever aftermy debts bee paid. Item I give to my sonne Robert Bagley the Howse which the Widow Dickenson dwelleth in To him and his heires forever after my debts bee paid Item I give to my Grandchild Sutton Bagley those fower Howses which William Buttler John White John Mason and John Juckes they all liveinge in them with all their appertenances thereunto belonging to him and his heires forever after my debts beinge paid Item I give vnto Elizabeth Jevon thirty poundes beinge my Grandchild to bee paid vnto her when shee shall come of age after my debts beinge paid. Item I give vnto my Grandchild Margarett Jevon tenn poundes to be paid her in like manner. Item my Will and pleasure is that none of these legacies be paid without my lands Tenements and hereditaments with all my goods Cattells and Chattells doe rise and amount vnto the full somme my debts beinge paid. Item I doe make constitute and ordaine Duddeley Bagley and Samuell Bagley my twoe sonnes to bee my sole Executors of this my last will and Testament. Item I give vnto my sonne Duddeley Bageley twenty shillinges Item I give vnto my sonne Samuell Bagley Twenty shillinges From whatsoever itt amounteth more vnto I give vnto my fower sonnes my debts and legacies beinge paid to bee equally devided amonge them In wittnes whereof I have herevnto putt my hand and seale the day and year first avoue written. The marke and seale of John Bagley In the presence of The marke of John Willmer, Jeffery Atwood, jeffory Finch
• From: http://bdespain.org/gencol/famhis/bio11132/index.htm

  ---

Supporting data

• Collections for a history of Staffordshire
• https://archive.org/details/collectionsforpt205stafuoft
• https://archive.org/stream/collectionsforpt205stafuoft#page/114/mod...
• Pg.114
  • Dudley of Tipton.
• Edward, Lord Dudley, died ao 1643. = Elizabeth, (+) da. to William Tomlinson of Dudley, concubine to Edward, Lord Dudley.; ch: (Pg.115 1. Dud Dudley (m. Eleanor Heaton), Pg.115 2. Edward, John, Robert, 1. Elizabeth (m. Geffrey Dudley), 2. Jane (m. Richard Parkhouse), Pg.117 3. Catherine (m. Thomas Dudley), 4. Alice (m. George Guest), 5. Dorothy (m. Thomas Brooke), Susan, Martha (m. Thomas Wilmer) Dudley).
  • (+) Her nuncupative will, dated 3 July 1629, is set out in the "joint and severall answeres of Thomas Duddeley and Henry Jevon," two of the defendants to a bill filed in Chancery 23 May 1631 by Dud Dudley of Tipton, gent. It is as follows : "The said Elizabeth, being visited with sickness whereof she afterwards dyed, did by word of mouth only, without writing, will and declare how and in what manner her said personal estate should be disposed of after her decease, which was to this purpose and effect following, that is to say : She did will and bequeath to her five daughters all her wearing apparel. And also she did will and bequeath to Edward Bagley, son of John Bagley, L30, and to Dudde Bagley his brother L30, to be paid so soon as her executors could pay the same. Also to Thomas Bagley and to Robert Bagley, sons of the said John Bagley, 20s. apiece; and to the poor people of Dudley all the money to her belonging which was then in the hands of her son Dudd Dudley. And further she willed that Gilbert Gyllyan and Ann Rodes should be paid all that which was then by her due to them. And further she willed that her son, the now complainant, should not see her writings, because, as she then said, he might do somebody wrong. And all the rest, etc., she gave and bequeathed
  • https://archive.org/stream/collectionsforpt205stafuoft#page/115/mod...
  • Pg.115
  • to her eight children to be equally divided amongst them. And of the same her will and testament the said Elizabeth did then ordain and make these now defendants Thomas Duddeley, her son-in-law, and Henry Jevon, her servant, executors, and shortly afterwards died." The defendants add that they have not yet proved the will, but are willing to do so "when they shall be thereto by the Ordinary lawfully called." They had called together the children of the testatrix "at her house in Tipton" and arranged for a division, and they had paid certain debts of the deceased to Richard Smalman, John Smalman, Selman Wilkes,, Elizabeth Huntbach, Edward Jevon, and others. Besides these sums of money paid, there were other sums demanded from the defendants as executors as due to them by the testatrix, viz., "Mr. Geffrey Duddeley L14, Mr. Rob'te Duddeley L40, and the complainant himself." Dud Dudley, in his bill, alleged that he is or ought to be possessed of lands, ironworks, and works of stone and coal in Tipton, Sedgley, Kingswinford, Rowley-Regis, and Oldbury. Also of Tipton Park and Parkfield, "which were purchased by Elizabeth Tomlinson, late mother of your orator," and conveyed to him and his heirs. Also of a farm called Priory lands in Sedgley, heretofore demised by Edward, Lord Dudley, to Richard Perkshouse, Esq. Also of Green's farm in the parish of "Womborne, demised by the said Lord Dudley to Robert Dudley, "brother of your orator," in trust for your orator. Also certain waste ground called Pensnet Chase, containing 2000 acres, heretofore demised by the said Lord Dudley to one John Smallman. Had erected at great costs and charges, furnaces, etc. He then goes on to say that his late mother Elizabeth Tomlinson was possessed of a great personal estate in money, plate, etc., amounting to L600 or more, and that, having other children who were all provided for, she by deed about seven years past gave her said goods, etc., to "your orator." That the said Elizabeth died about two years ago, and since her death one Thomas Dudley and Henry Jevon, by the procurement and instigation of the said Edward, Lord Dudley, have given out that the said Elizabeth had made a will and thereby given her personal estate unto her other children, contrary to the said deed ; and that she had made Dudley and Jevon her executors. That, notwithstanding that Dudley and Jevon had not proved the will, they had under colour thereof possessed themselves of the said estate, intending to defraud and defeat your said orator. And the said Edward, Lord Dudley, Thomas Dudley, and Henry Jevon had "in a violent and outragious manner" entered upon the land and premises and expelled your orator out and from the same, and have also, about a year ago, wrongfully entered into the dwelling-house of your orator at Tipton and possessed themselves of all his deeds and evidences. And also forcibly carried away all your orator's stock of ironstone and coals, and his tools and implements, and at sundry times have dangerously assaulted and beaten your orator.
  • It appears from the report of the Charity Commissioners (sub Dudley) that the money in the hands of Dud Dudley which Elizabeth Tomlinson gave to the poor was by a decree, made in pursuance of an Inquisition taken on 24 Sept. 1638, ordered to be paid to Richard Foley the elder, and by him invested for the benefit of the poor ; and it was agreed that a certain horse of the testatrix should be sold in order to make up the amount to L50.
• ______________________________________
• Links
• http://genforum.genealogy.com/bagley/messages/284.html
• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~harrisonrep/HarrL...
• http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/QUAKER-ROOTS/1998-02/...
• http://fabpedigree.com/s069/f029174.htm
• http://www.blackcountrysociety.co.uk/articles/bagley.htm
• Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Aug 23 2016, 22:18:10 UTC
• Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Aug 23 2016, 22:18:10 UTC
• http://nielsenhayden.com/genealogy-tng/getperson.php?personID=I6707...
• Charles M. Hansen, "The Ancestry of William and Ann (Bagley) Brinton: Quaker Immigrants to Pennsylvania." The American Genealogist 71:36, January 1996.