Robert Whitfield, Gent., of Rowfant

"Nothing is known about the families of either of these wives, nor which children were by which wife, altho the Visitation pedigrees attribute the children to Agnes, the second wife. . . Robert Whitfield lived first in Wadhurst, the town in which he grew up, but later moved to Worth which is 22 miles to the west and near Crawley. There he owned an iron forge and built an impressive manor house on the site of an older one. He called his estate Rowfant as it is still named He was one of the wealthiest men in the county, called himself gentleman in his will. The iron works were probably started by his father."

"In the case of the descendants of Robert Whitfield, junior, however, they seem to have dropped or ignored the Giles arms even tho apparently entitled to them, or so it seems, unless son Robert was by the first wife Katherine, which seems very doubtful from the chronology."

"These two licenses [to be entered] to purchase lands were recorded. They seem to name Robert and his eldest son Thomas, a law student at the time of the first deed [12 April 1567], a full fledged lawyer at the time of the second deed [26 March 1575]."

They were said to have seven children. "Living 1577 at Wadhurst, Sussex; also of Worth & Cliffe".

"Robert Whitfield died 9 December 1597, having made his will six years before. He was buried in the chancel of the church at Emmington, near Thame, Oxfordshire, where his son William was rector at the time. The parish register reads:

'Robert Whitfield, gent., deceased the nynth day of Decemter and was buryed the tenth day of the same month 1597.' "

"Robert Whytfeld of Worth in Sussex gent., 6 December 1591, proved 16 February 1597. My executor of his assigns to pay unto such one of tahe sons of Richard Wakelyn als. Harris late of Beedinge in Sussex deceased ten pounds, to such son when he shall accomplish the age of four and twenty years. I give unto Myldred and Mary, my son's wives, unto my daughter Johan Baker and unto my four othere daughters, vizt., Margaret, Sara, Jane and Frauncis, and unto every of them ten shillings. To Nicholas Holmes my old servant twenty shillings and his dwelling free, in the little house in Wadhurst where he now dwelleth, during his life. Towards the reparations of the church of Wadhurst twenty six shillings eight pence. The poor of Wadhurst and of Worth. To John, eldest son of my son Thomas, a salt of silver parcel gilt and to every other child of my said son's, now born, ten shillings. The residue of my goods &c. I give and bequeath unto Thomas Syhtfeld my son whom I make and ordain sole executor. To him all my coppyhold lands &c. in Wadhurst. Lewyn, 18"

"Robert of Worth, Sussex, Paid £100 for defense against Spanish Armada, Apr., 1588."

Robert Whitfelde was a gentleman of Wadherst, co. Sussex; an abstract of his will is given in N.E. Hist Gen. Reg [LI, 410]. He left wife Agnes and sons Robert, John and Thomas. The latter had a son John who died in 1636, and in his will mentioned his brother Rev. 'Henry Whitfield, bachelor of divinity, parson of Ockley in Surrey.' "

Reported to be wealthy

References

1. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~barbpretz/ps04/ps04_357.html
2. Mahler, Leslie. “The Roberts Family of Brenchley, Kent. Ancestral to Margaret (Sheafe) Kitchell of Guilford, Connecticut, and Newark, New Jersey; Elizabeth Sheafe, Wife of Moses 1 Payne of Braintree, Massachusetts; and Samuel Greenhill of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Har … “ American Genealogist (D.L. Jacobus). (2009) 83:268. < AmericanAncestors.Org >