Thomas Bennett (1563 - 1635)

Born 1563 in Tisbury, Wiltshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Grove) Bennett — married 5 Jul 1585 in Tisbury

Descendants

Died 20 Mar 1635 at about age 72 in Tisbury, Wiltshire, England

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Biography

Thomas Bennett was born circa 1563 in Tisbury, Wiltshire. He was the son of Thomas Bennett and Mary Ashlock. ^[1]

Thomas married Margaret Grove in 1584 in Tisbury.

In 1591 Thomas received a Northouse property of tenement and 16 acres in Semley. ^[2] It appears relations were not altogether amicable between Thomas Bennett Senior and his deceased wife's nephews John Grove, esq., William Grove, esq., and Robert Grove, gent; in 1612 a fine was levied at Westminster whereby Thomas would demise the following listed premises to the plaintiffs, and to the heirs of John Grove, forever: 10 messuages, 6 cottages, 16 gardens, 16 orchards, 200 acres of land, 100 acres of meadow, 200 acres of pasture, 10 acres of wood, and common of pasture for 13 beasts in East Hatch, West Hatch, Tisbury, Hindon, Knoiel Episcopi, Chicklade, Founthill, Gifford, and Semley. By indenture dated 29 Jan 1623, Thomas purchased of the Earl of Castlehaven a certain Copyhold Messuage and Lands (called Calehouse Place), in the parish of Semley, within the Manor of Fonthill Gifford, and in the County of Wilts. [College of Arms] On 18 Aug 1635 there was an "Inquisition" (probate) of his properties in Dorset, and Co Wilts., which found Thomas seised of Pithouse and divers lands, tenements, messuages, etc, in Westhatch, Tisbury, Semley, Hindon, Chicklade, Knoyle, and Shaftesbury. The Shaftesbury properties were 1 messuage in the Parish of Holy Trinity in the tenure of William Boring, and 1 messuage in the Parish of St. Peter in the tenure of John Greene, held of the borough of Shaston in free socage by fealty only and by the yearly rent of 3d., and are worth per annum, clear, 5s..[ For complete details see Appendix MI, A Memoir of the Bennett Family [JFB], p.62.] Thomas Bennett Jr. inherited the Pythouse estate in 1635. A later inquisition held at Hindon 4 Jan 1638 concerned properties of son Christopher (d. 1636) given him by Thomas Sr.; among which were premises in the parish of St. Peter in Shaston held of Philip Earl of Pembrook and Montgomery. ^[3]

So seised, the said Thomas Bennett, by indenture dated 05 Sep [1612] , 10 James 1st, made between himself of the one part, and John Grove, esq., William Grove, esq., and Robert Grove, gent., of the other part, agreed that he, before the end of Easter term then next following, by one or more fines would assure to the said John, William, and Robert all the said premises to the use of him the said Thomas, for his natural life; after his decease, to the use ofThomas Bennett, junior, son of the said Thomas, and of his heirs male; for default, to the use of Christopher Bennett, second son of the said Thomas, senior, and of his heirs male; for default, to the use of William Bennett, third son of the said Thomas, senior, and of his heirs male; for default, to the use of the heirs male of the body of the said Thomas Bennett, senior, by any wife he may afterwards marry; for default, to the use of John Bennett, brother of the said Thomas, senior, and of his heirs male; for default, to the use of John Bennett, late of Hornisham, gent., and of his heirs male; for default, to the use of Richard Bennett, of Rockbourne, co. Southampton, gent., andof his heirs male; for default, to the use of Edward Bennett, of Hindon, and his heirs male; and lastly for default, to the use of the right heirs of the said John Bennett, brother of the said Thomas Bennett, senior, for ever. Afterwards, to wit, from the day of St. Martin, in 15 --- [1612] , 10 James 1st, a fine was levied at Westminster between the said John, William, and Robert Grove, plaintiffs, and the said Thomas Bennett, deforciant, of all the saidpremises by the name of 10 messuages, 6 cottages, 16 gardens, 16 orchards, 200 acres of land, 100 acres of meadow, 200 acres of pasture, 10 acres of wood, and common of pasture for 13 beasts in Easthatch, Westhatch, Tisbury, Hindon, Knoiel Episcopi, Chicklade, Founthill, Gifford, and Semly alias Semleigh, whereby the said Thomas remised the said premises to the said John, William, and Robert, and to the heirs of the said John for ever.

He is likely the Thomas Bennett who contributed 25 pounds toward the resistance of the Spanish Armada as he is listed just before Thomasine (Mayhew) Grove, who was his mother-in-law.^[4]

Thomas died 20 March 1634/5 in Pythouse, Tisbury. His will is dated 25 July, 1634: [many donations to poor of various parishs] sons Thomas Bennett and Christopher Bennett; good friend Matthew Davys; grandchild Augustine Goldsborough; son William Bennett; daughters Anne Brothers and Joan Jesse; [mention of provisions of will of father Thomas Bennett]; son-in-law Robert Goldsborough; son-in-law William Jesse; grandchild Thomas, son of my son Christopher Bennett; Margaret the daughter of my son Thomas Bennett; Thomas Bennett eldest son of my son Thomas Bennett; John Bennett one other son of my said son Thomas Bennett; son Thomas Bennett to be sole executor, Matthew Davys and Augustine Goldsborough to be overseers. ^[5]

Inquisition post mortem may be viewed here [2]

Note

THOMAS6 BENNETT (THOMAS5, JOHN4, THOMAS3, WILLIAM2, BENNETT1) was born Abt. 1563 in Pythouse, Tisbury, Wiltshire, England, and died 20 Mar 1634/35 in Pythouse, Tisbury, Wiltshire, England. He married MARGARET GROVE 08 Jun 1584 in Tisbury, Wiltshire, England, daughter of WILLIAM GROVE and THOMASINE MAYHEW. She was born in Ferne, Berwick St John, Wiltshire, England, and died 1597.

These documents are held at Wiltshire and Swindon Archives: Contents: (1) Goldsborough, Robert, the elder, gent., of Meere, and Mary his wife. (2) Bennett, Thomas, the elder, Esq., of Pitthouse Hitchcock, John,gent., of Potterne Goldsborough, Augustine, gent., son of Robert. (3) Sclatter, Mary, daughter of Thos. gent., decsd. Marriage Settlement of same property as in Release (Quitclaim) of1619, June 3. [Thomas Bennett's daughter Mary married Robert Goldsborough of East Knowle.]

Sources

1. ↑ See pedigree of Bennett family in Visitation of Dorset 1623, p. 14.[1]
2. ↑ Victoria, A History of Wiltshire, Vol XIII, p.71
3. ↑ [See Appendix MI, A Memoir of the Bennett Family [JFB], p.64] [See Appendix MI of A Memoir of the Bennett Family [JFB], p.63; also College of Arms] [For a pedigree of Grove (seven descents) entered and allowed by the College of Arms, See Appendix K for 1623 Herald's Visitation of Dorsetshire; and Hoares Modern Wilts, Hundred of Dunworth.]
4. ↑ The Wiltshire Contributions for resisting the Spanish Armada, in 1588. The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine, Volumes 7-8, p. 11
5. ↑ scan of will obtainable from Ancestry.com in my possession