Thomas Belcher (abt. 1578 - bef. 1655)

Born about 1578 in Hatton, Warwickshire, England [uncertain]

Husband of Elizabeth (Mason) Belcher — married Jul 1603 in Mancetter, Warwickshire, England

Descendants

Died before 9 Aug 1655 before about age 77 in Little Bromwich, Warwickshire, England

Biography

Some family trees of Thomas Belcher provide a spouse of Deborah Hunt and a 1620 death date, both of which are supported only by non-primary aggregate sources such as Millenium File and un-sourced ancestry family trees. No primary-source marriage record between these two has been found nor a death or burial record for a Deborah Belcher in Warwickshire.

There is an alternative spouse, Elizabeth Masone (or Mason) with much better sourcing and additional baptismal records for children and a much better matching 1655 death date for Thomas.

Thomas' birthdate is estimated at about 1578 as his father Gregory was married in 1574, Thomas was listed first in the will and the next known child of Gregory was John, baptized 1581 followed by Isabel in 1583, both in Hatton.

The will of Thomas' father, Gregory Belcher, was written on 20 Mar 1620 in Berkswell, Warwickshire about 9 miles from Aston where Thomas' 3 known children were baptized^[1]. There is no proof that the Thomas in the will is the Thomas who had children in Aston but there is no apparent conflict in the data.

A Thomas Belcher married Elizabeth Masone in July 1603 in Mancetter, Warwickshire about 15 miles from Berkswell where Gregory wrote his will and 20 miles from Aston where Thomas' children were baptized.^[2] Again there is no proof that this is the same Thomas, but ages and locations match well enough and Thomas' son Gregory married Katherine Alcock from Mancetter so clearly there was some family connection to that area.^[3]

There are 2 reasonable baptism choices for Elizabeth Mason(e), one is 24 Feb 1573/74 in Fillongley, Warwickshire, daughter of William^[4] (Fillongley is located between Mancetter and Aston, about 10 miles from each). Another possibility is 21 Feb 1579/80 in Solihull, Warwickshire with no parent names given.^[5] Solihull is about 10 miles south of Aston and about 20 miles from Mancetter and 9 miles from Berkswell.

A second Belcher/Mason marriage is found at St. Peter and St. Paul's, Maurice/Morris Belcher and Margaret Mason of Coleshill, Birmingham on 28 Sep 1610^[6] followed by what was likely the baptism of their daughter Mary in 161i about 3 miles away at King's Norton.^[7]

Thomas had 3 known children baptized at St. Peter and St. Paul's in Aston appearing at familysearch.org on FHL film 1426010 Item 1:^[8]

1. John Belcher 1604–?? m.1629 Elizabeth Phillips at St. Peter & St. Paul
2. Gregory Belcher 1606–1674 the immigrant to New England, m.1627 at Mancetter Katherine Alcock
3. Margery Belcher 1615–?? m.1637 John Phillips at St. Peter & St. Paul, possible brother of Elizabeth Phillips, had daughter Margery b.1643 St. Peter & St. Paul, Aston

A burial record for Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Belcher is found in Allesley, Warwickshire about 15 miles from Aston on 1 Jan 1622/23.^[9] This is most likely the Elizabeth Masone who married Thomas Belcher in 1603 but as before, there is not certainty that it is the Thomas of this profile.

A burial record for Thomas Belcher "of Little Bromwich" is found in Aston on 9 Aug 1655 at St. Peter and St. Paul's, the same church where the 3 children above were baptized^[10] seems more likely to be the correct burial record, this would make Thomas about 77 when he died and matches an earlier death of Elizabeth where she was described as "wife of", not "widow of" Thomas Belcher.

There was apparently a Thomas Belcher living at Little Bromwich after the 1655 death noted above. Records at the UK National Archives show property transfers between Thomas and William Belcher and Isaac & Joseph "Baggely" as follows:

• Feoffments of messuage in Little Bromwich in the occupation of Thomas Belcher from Wm. Belcher to Isaac Baggeley and from Joseph Baggaley to Thomas Belcher with bonds^[11] indicating that if this is the correct family, there may have been an additional son Thomas Jr and possibly William. If so, they may have fit into the 9-year gap between Gregory in 1606 and Margery in 1615.

Sources

1. ↑ Staffordshire, Dioceses Of Lichfield And Coventry Wills And Probate 1521-1860 Berkswell, Warwickshire, England https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBPRS%2FSTAFF%2FWILLS%2F066241
2. ↑ England Marriages, 1538–1973 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NVB7-G2S FHL microfilm 501,436, 555,355
3. ↑ England Marriages, 1538–1973 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NVWJ-9YZ FHL microfilm 501,436, 555,355
4. ↑ England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NR9C-DQD FHL microfilm 97,318
5. ↑ Warwickshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1535-1812 for Elizabeth Mason Solihull 1575 - 1599 https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2416/4291979_00068/3363101
6. ↑ Coleshill : SS Peter and Paul : Parish Register : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5b3618f2f493fdf4cdda0286 : viewed 13 Aug 2019) marriage Maurice Belcher to Margaret Mason 28 Sep 1610
7. ↑ England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NG91-HLM : 11 February 2018, Morris Belcher in entry for Anna Belcher, 1618); FHL microfilm 246,665
8. ↑ England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JWSM-JRM FHL microfilm 1426010 IT 1
9. ↑ Allesley : All Saints : Parish Register : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/58985140f493fd04d7cd9827 : viewed 12 Aug 2019) burial Elizabeth Bellcher 01 Jan 1622/23
10. ↑ Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 Aston, St Peter and St Paul 1640-1744 https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/4961/40458_316965-00129/55035653
11. ↑ 187 - Warwickshire County Record Office CR 299 - GRESWOLD OF MALVERN HALL CR 1291 - Greswold of Malvern Hall Deeds Aston Reference: CR 1291/18/1-4 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/46bc3cd3-abdf-4ab5-94b0-8471ff77a166

Footnotes