George Evelyn (abt. 1526 - 1603)

Born about 1526 in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Joan (Stint) Evelyn — married 23 Apr 1578 in St. Mary's, Aldernay, Surrey, England

Descendants

Died 30 May 1603 at about age 77 in Wotton, Surrey, England

Biography

The only son of John Evelyn of Kingston-on-Thames and Unknown Vincent, George Evelyn was probably born in 1526. David Vincent, perhaps his maternal grandfather, was granted the manor of Long Ditton by Edward VI while in the position of Keeper of the Wardrobe at Richmond, and later received the manor of Cleygate from a John Child who himself was granted the manor by the King.^[1] Cleygate became George's following David Vincent's death.

A manufacturer of gunpowder, George was granted a monopoly^[2] on the business by Queen Elizabeth in 1565 which became very successful. He married his daughter Mary to Richard Hatton in 1566, the same year that George became bailiff of Kingston^[3] and a year prior to his purchase of the manor of Long Ditton from his maternal uncle, Thomas, on 1 April 1567.^[1] Not two years later in 1579, George also purchased Wotton from the Owen family,^[4] and on July 1 bought Hill Place from his son-in-law.^[1] George's wife Rose passed away in July 1577, and was buried at Long Ditton.^[1] Though we do not know the suit ended, George brought a lawsuit against Thomas Gunne of Ewell in 1587 over lands in Ewell which belonged to George which Thomas had unlawfully taken possession of.^[5] Meanwhile, George received of his Godstone estate on 24 April 1588, and bought Norbyton Hall and other Kingston-on-Thames lands from Richard Taverner, Esq. on October 11.^[1] The manor of Milton was conveyed to George by the Queen in 1599, and the mansion known as Milton Court was likely built by George himself.

At midnight, between the 29th and the 30th of May in 1603, George Evelyn passed away at the age of seventy-seven. He was buried on the 31st at Wotton, leaving behind his wife Joan (who herself was buried at Wotton after her death on 9 March 1613) and his children.^[6][1]

Marriage and Family

About 1550, George married his first wife Rose Williams who welcomed him ten sons and six daughters, most of whom died young. Rose passed away in July 1577, and was buried at Long Ditton. The following year, George married Joan Rogers (née Stint), a young widow, on 23 April 1578 at St Mary Aldermary.^[1] Over the course of their marriage Joan welcomed George a futher eight children, though of George's twenty-four total children eight have been named and only six appear to have survived to adulthood.

Children

Of George's twenty-four born children to his wives Rose and Joan, only six of these reached adulthood and many have remained unnamed.^[6] Of his named children, George had the following by his wife Rose, which we can ascertain based on the date of Rose's death and George's marriage to Joan.

1. Thomas, first married Francisca Moore on 1 December 1577, second married Frances Hervey.^[6]
2. Mary, married Richard Hatton.
3. John, first married Elisabeth Stevens, second married Susanna. ^[6]
4. Robert, first married Susan Younge.^[6]
5. Richard, life unknown.
6. Arthur, life unknown.
7. Catherine, married Thomas Stoughton.^[6]

Of George's children by his second wife, only one child is named and is likely the only of their children to survive to adulthood.

• Richard, married Elianor Stansfield.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} Evelyn, Helen. The History of The Evelyn Family: with a Special Memoir of William John Evelyn, M.P. London : Eveleigh Nash, 1915. pp 18–22; pp 22–25.
2. ↑ The National Archives of the UK: Discovery: 6729/3/35 Letter from Charles, Lord Howard, to Sir William More and George More in Regards to the Arbitration of a Dispute Between Howard's Servant and Mr George Evelyn Concerning the Monopoly of Gunpowder Supply to the Tower of London. (accessed 7 September 2019).
3. ↑ The National Archives of the UK: Discovery: WARD 2/59/225/3 Receipt of George Evelyn and Thomas Benson, late Bailiffs of Kingston, Surrey (accessed 7 September 2019).
4. ↑ The National Archives of the UK: Discovery: C 78/124/14 Evelyn v Owen (accessed 7 September 2019).
5. ↑ The National Archives of the UK: Discovery: C 2/Eliz/E4/25 Evelyn v Gunne (accessed 7 September 2019).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6} Bray, William. Diary and Correspondence of John Evelyn, F.R.S. to Which is Subjoined the Private Correspondence Between King Charles I and Sir Edward Nicholas, and Between Sir Edward Hyde, Afterwards Earl of Clarendon, and Sir Richard Browne. London : George Bell & Sons, 1881. p 399.

• Burke, Sir Bernard. A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland. London : Harrison, 1879. Vol I, pp 527–28.

National Archives

• The National Archives of the UK: Discovery: C 3/59/72 Evelyn v Snelling (accessed 7 September 2019).
• The National Archives of the UK: Discovery: E 133/7/1048 The Queen v John Powell, Regarding Gunpowder Made at the Time the Spaniards Were On the Coasts of England (accessed 7 September 2019).