Thomas Smith

Thomas had a first marriage to Blanche Colshill in 1544, by whom he had three children.

The monument of Thomas Smith (1594) and his wife Margaret is in the south aisle of the east end of the Parish Church of St. Laurence at Blackmore. It is an altar tomb of modern brick and cement with two enriched alabaster pilasters, and upon it repose recumbent effigies of a man in amour and a woman in ruff and close dress, all of the alabaster repaired with plaster. In the bell chamber are numerous fragments of the tomb including parts of the kneeling figures of four sons and two daughters.

MARGARET TURNER (d.1621) Margaret Turner was the daughter of John Turner of Colne, Essex (1500-1574) and Christian Fisher (1505-January 9, 1603/4). Her mother was heir to Creping (Crepping/Cressing) Hall in Colne, which passed to Margaret on her death. Margaret married first Thomas Smyth of Surrey and Smyth's Hall, Blackmore, Essex (d. May 10, 1592) by whom she had six sons and four daughters, probably John (c.1572-May 31, 1621), Charles, Arthur (c.1580-March 7, 1622), Clement, Stephen, William (d. February 12,1629), Margaret, Abigail, Jane, and Elizabeth, although one genealogy lists a Thomas. In 1593, she became the second wife of Stephen Powle or Powell (c.1553-May 26, 1630). He adopted her children. They had none of their own. She was buried with her first husband in the Priory Church of St. Lawrence, Blackmore.

Possibly Dorothy Stone is the mother of Thomas because her third husband Dennis Topps of Lechlade, Gloucestershire, mentions him in his PCC will of 1578

Essex Visitations shows:

• 1 son only with his Colshill wife, this was Francis.
• Children with his Turner wife were John, Charles, Arthur, Martha, Margaret, Abigail, and Athalancia.

(The visitation editor added Charles, who did not apparently appear in the manuscript.)

http://www.oxford-shakespeare.com/Probate/PROB_11-61_ff_274-7.pdf

John Turner's 1578 will lists the following grandsons, from oldest to youngest:

• Charles, Thomas, John, and Arthur Smith.

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Photo of the tomb of Thomas Smyth and his wife, Margaret (later Powle) by Andrew Smith of Blackmore, Essex, UK. From his excellent blog on Blackmore local history: http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2010/01/blackmore-thomas-smyth... Thanks to Andrew for sharing this photo.

Excerpt from the blog (please note, Thomas Smith appears to have died in 1592, not 1594):

"The earliest document we have of the Smyth tomb is from the pen of William Holman, an Essex historian and dissenting minister from Halstead. This may be seen at the Essex Record Office {ERO T/P 195/9]. He wrote extensive notes on Essex parishes and we know that Revd. Phillip Morant drew on these manuscripts when compiling the first definitive survey of the county in 1768 entitled ‘The History and Antiquities of the County of Essex.’

Holman records:

'At the east end of this Chancell is a burial place for the family of Smith which is separated by a wall into which you enter by a dore within the rails of the comunion table. Against the east wall of this is a monument of stone on wch is a man and woman of Alabaster in full proportion, and at their feet a black marble Table with the following Inscription in Gold letters

Heere under lyeth the bodye of Thomas Smith Esquier extracted owt of the lys of right worth and worthie Ancestors together ye meoriall of his wifes and chilren whoe was first married to Blanch daughter of Nicholas Colsill I ye Coutie of Midd. Esquier by whom he had 2 sones and 2 daughters & secindlie married to Margarete daughter & heire to John Turner in ye Countie of Essex Esquier by whome he had 6 sonnes & 4 daughters which Margaret being after married to Stephen Powle Knight in performance to him and his above due sacred rites & in testimonie to the Worlde and her love & sorrow did dedicate to present and succeeding ages this sad & lasting monument. He lived in the feare of God 70 yeares and Dyed in his favour ye 10th of May 1594'

Clearly the inscription has disappeared between 1719 and 1769.

Unfortunately Blackmore’s Burial registers do not survive prior to 1602 but the date of death appears to be incorrectly recorded, either on the original memorial or be the pen of Holman.

There are two documents which help conclude that Thomas Smyth died, in fact, in 1592.

The first is an entry in Thomas Powle’s records dated late 1592, courtesy of Virginia Stern’s biography. In late 1592 he wrote: “I learn of Mistress Smith, widow, whom I hope to marry”. By November 1593 he had married Margaret Turner Smyth, Thomas’ widow.

Secondly, there is an entry in the Essex Archdeaconry Records. On 30 October 1592 we find recorded at High Ongar (Ongar Alto) Church: “Thomas Smith gent dec. intestate. Margaret Smith widow adnix: present by Rich. Stane” [ERO D/AZ/2/5]. It is said that Thomas Smyth wrote a will, borne out by Stern’s work in which he dates the will as 15 February 1590/1591, but the Court records that he died intestate. This may explain the battle over the inheritance which Stern refers to between Margaret and the brother and son of Thomas’ first wife, Blanche.

A review of the Smyth papers is necessary but the evidence here seems persuasive that Thomas Smyth died in 1592 not 1594."

http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2010/01/blackmore-thomas-smyth...

References

• The Visitations of Essex by Hawley, 1552; Hervey, 1558; Cooke, 1570 ..., Part 1. edited by Walter Charles Metcalfe. Smyth (No. 1). Page 477-488. <GoogleBooks>