Sir William Spencer, of Wormleighton

William Spencer, son of Henry Spencer and Isabella Lincoln, married Elizabeth Empson in Towcester, Northamptonshire, England. She was the daughter of Sir Peter Empson and sister of Sir Richard Empson. This marrying into gentry is the mark of a family on the rise. His son, Sir John Spencer's tomb incorporates the Empson coat of arms[1].

William and Elizabeth have two recorded sons, John and Thomas, both recorded in the Visitation of Warwickshire[2]. (Both brothers petitioned for and received together a coat of arms in 1504).

He died in about 1485. There is a legacy recorded in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1485 from a William Spencer to Richard Stowe, Master of the Guild of the Holy Cross, the Blessed Mary the Virgin, and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist[3]. This may well be from William.

http://www.oxford-shakespeare.com/Probate/PROB_11-11-147.pdf

The testator had an elder brother, William Spencer, and a younger brother, Thomas Spencer, both of whom, according to the will below, predeceased the testator:

-William Spencer, said to have been of Radbourn, Warwickshire, married Elizabeth Empson, one of the sisters of Sir Richard Empson (d.1450-1510), by whom he was the father of Sir John Spencer (d. 14 April 1522) of Snitterfield, Warwickshire, the testator’s nephew, executor and residuary beneficiary in the will below, as well as a younger son, Thomas Spencer, and a daughter. According to the will of Sir John Spencer (d. 14 April 1522), his mother, Elizabeth Empson, was still living in 1522. For the will, dated 12 April 1522 and proved 16 June 1522, of Sir John Spencer (d. 14 April 1522), see TNA PROB 11/20/348.

William Spencer was born say 1440

William SPENCER was born about 1444 in Radbourne, Warwickshire, England. He died after 1485. Parents: John SPENCER and Elizabeth WARSTED. [NO]

Spouse: Elizabeth EMPSON. William SPENCER and Elizabeth EMPSON were married about 1456 in Of, Towcester, Northampton, England.2 Children were: John SPENCER, Thomas SPENCER.

married

1. Elizabeth Empson Say 1440

Children

1. Sir John Spencer Born Say 1460 married Isabel Graunt.

Notes

• line to FDR
• line to William Churchill
• line to Princess Di ___________________________
• William Spencer
• M, #322720
• Last Edited=31 Dec 2008
• William Spencer is the son of John Spencer.
• Child of William Spencer and Elizabeth Empson
  • 1.Sir John Spencer+ d. 14 Apr 1522
• From: http://www.thepeerage.com/p32272.htm#i322720 ___________________________
• William Spencer1
• M, #86776, b. circa 1445, d. after 1485
• Father John Spencer, Esq.1 b. c 1390
• Mother (Miss) Warsted1 b. c 1395
• William Spencer was born circa 1445 at of Radbourne, Warwickshire, England.1 He married Elizabeth Empson, daughter of Peter Empson and Elizabeth Joseph, circa 1469.1 William Spencer died after 1485.1
• Family Elizabeth Empson b. c 1448
• Child
  • Sir John Spencer+1 b. c 1474, d. 14 Apr 1552
• Citations
• 1.[S61] Unknown author, Family Group Sheets, Family History Archives, SLC.
• From: http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p2888.htm#... ________________________
• Elizabeth EMPSON
• Born: ABT 1448, Towcester, Northamptonshire, England
• Father: Peter EMPSON
• Mother: Elizabeth JOSEPH
• Married: William SPENCER ABT 1469, Towcester, Northamptonshire, England
• Children:
  • 1. John SPENCER (Sir)
  • 2. Thomas SPENCER (Esq.)
• From: http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/EMPSON.htm#Elizabeth EMPSON1 _________________________
• William Spencer
• Born Abt 1420
• Died Aft 1485 of, Radbourne, Warwickshire, England
• Father Sir John Spencer, b. Abt 1418, of, Hodnell, Warwickshire, England , d. 4 Jan 1496-1497
• Mother [Unknown] Warsted,
• Family Elizabeth Empson,
• Children
  • 1. Sir John Spencer, Knight, b. Abt 1457, of, Wormleighton, Northhamptonshire, England , d. 14 Apr 1552, of, Althorp, Northamptonshire, England
  • 2. Thomas Spencer, of, Badby, Northamptonshire, England
• Sources
• 1.[S25] #798 The Wallop Family and Their Ancestry, Watney, Vernon James, (4 volumes. Oxford: John Johnson, 1928), FHL book Q 929.242 W159w; FHL microfilm 1696491 it., vol. 2 p. 299, vol. 3 p. 713.
• 2.[S646] Ancestors of American presidents, Roberts, Gary Boyd,, (Boston, Massachusetts : New England Historic Genealogical Society, c2009), 973 D2r 2009., p. 430.
• 3.[S547] #1848 The Visitation of the County of Warwick in the Year 1619 (1877), Camden, William, (Publications of the Harleian Society: Visitations, volume 12. London: [Harleian Society], 1877), FHL book 942 B4h volume 12; FHL microfilm 162,048 ., p. 284.
• 4.[S25] #798 The Wallop Family and Their Ancestry, Watney, Vernon James, (4 volumes. Oxford: John Johnson, 1928), FHL book Q 929.242 W159w; FHL microfilm 1696491 it., vol. 2 p. 299.
• From: http://histfam.familysearch.org/getperson.php?personID=I50049&tree=... ___________________________

William of Rodburn le Spencer was born circa 1442, at birth place, to John of Hodnell le Spencer and Joan le Spencer (born de Warsted). John was born Before 1412, in Hodnell, Southam, Warwickshire, England. Joan was born in 1415. William had 2 brothers: Thomas of Badby and Everdon le Spencer and one other sibling. William married Elizabeth le Spencer (born le Empson). Elizabeth was born circa 1448, in Towcester, Northampton, England. They had 2 children: Jane de Saunders (born le Spencer) and one other child. William passed away in 1497, at age 55 at death place.

Photo: Family of William Spencer Category: Portrait Description: Collins's Peerage of England: Genealogical Biographical and Historical By Arthur Collins Sir Egerton... Attached To: William Spencer,** Esq. of Rodburn (to Diana Spencer) (1444-1485)

Sources

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Spencer-209 Cites
• ↑ Blore, Edward. The Monumental Remains of Noble and Eminent Persons (Harding, Lepard and Co., London, 1826) https://archive.org/details/cu31924105746592/page/n305
• ↑ https://archive.org/details/visitationcount01britgoog/page/n310
• ↑ Records of the Guild of the Holy Cross https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/f73870f3-842d-4...
• Wikipedia:Spencer_family
• http://nielsenhayden.com/genealogy-tng/getperson.php?personID=I3144...
• Stott, Clifford L., Ancestry of Agnes Spencer, Wife of Thomas Higginson of Berkeswell, Warwickshire, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 2020) Vol. 174, Page 207, 213.