John Wood (1520 - bef. 1577)

Born 31 Jul 1520 in Dedham, Essex, England

Descendants

Died before 2 Apr 1577 before age 56 in Dedham, Essex, England

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Biography

John Wood is Notable.

John Wood was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

Occupation

John Wood of Dedham, Essex, England, was a wealthy clothier,^[1] someone who created clothes worn by nobles in Elizabethan England. As part of his profession, he would have been knowledgable about expensive materials. It is also noteworthy that, during his lifetime, clothiers were almost exclusively men.^[2]

Proponent of Education

In addition to his career as a clothier, John was a founding father of Queen Elizabeth's Dedham Free Grammar School^[3][4] and served as its Governor for a time.^[3][5] His will references "the Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Dedham."^[1]

Real Estate Holdings

John Wood had extensive real estate holdings, including ones in these towns:^[1]

• Dedham (Essex Co.)
• Lawford (Essex Co.)
• Harwich (Essex Co.)
• Carsey (Suffolk Co.)
• Lynseye (Suffolk Co.)
• Stratford (Suffolk Co.)
• Strathford (Hertford Co.)

Excerpt from page 36 of The Stour Valley Heritage Compendia: The Built Heritage Compendium by Anne Mason:

"The large size and courtyard form of Southfields seem related to its occupation by clothiers. The earliest part, probably late 14th century, is at the east end of the south range. The rest of the south range and the east and west ranges were built mainly in the late 15th or early 16th century, and as at the Marlborough Head, appear to be industrial ranges attached to very high-status accommodation. By 1583, when the property was divided between the sons of the clothier John Wood (d. 1577), it also had a north range with a gallery and a chamber over the gatehouse. The west range then included a hall, two butteries with cellars beneath, and a great parlour, as well as a weighing house and a burling shop (to remove knots from cloth). The plain industrial parts, perhaps with chambers over, lay at the north end, the other rooms at the south end of the range, which projects in a deep jetty to the south. The south range had a little parlour with cellar beneath and chamber over and other houses and rooms. In the 1580s, South-fields was used as an inn..."^[6]

Last Will and Testament and Related Information

Transcription of John Wood's Will:

"John Wood of Dedham, Essex, clothier, 8 March 19th Elizabeth, proved 2 April 1577. To eldest son Richard my tenement and grounds called Stevens in Dedham and twenty acres called Dawes and Bromeleye in Lawford, Essex. My houses and lands in Carsey and Lynseye, Suffolk, both free and copy, to be sold within four years and the money divided between my two sons Henry and George Woodd (sic), part and part alike, to be paid at their several ages of twenty and five years. To wife Mary my tenement called Pidgewells, with all the grounds, being about ten acres, in Dedham, and all my lands called Foexes Pigtells in Lawford, an acre of free hold meadows in Stratford, holden of Sir John Syllyard, and one free meadow in Stratford, holden of the Earl of Oxenford and three Roodes of free meadow holden of Stratford Hall and one acre of copyhold meadows in Stratford holden of the said Sir John Sylliard, to have and to hold the above-said premisses during the time of her natural life; and after that to my son Robert, provided that if my said son Robert at the death of his mother be not then of the full age of twenty and five years, the above premises to be let and the rent &c. to be equally divided betwixt all the rest of my children then living until the said Robert do accomplish his said age. And, if Robert die before that then these lands &c. shall be and remain unto my son John. To my son John my farm house &c. with lands &c. in Starthford in the Co. of Hertford, he to enter at twenty-five. If Richard died before my son Henry shall have all the said lands &c. next my son George. To wife Mary my little meadow called Crab tree meadow in Stratford, Suffolk, for life, paying to the churchwardens of Dedham for the poor there twenty shillings at two several terms in the year. After her decease the Governors of the Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Dedham shall have the meadow for ever, paying yearly the said twenty shillings &c. To daughter Mary my warehouse or salt house in Harwich (at twenty one), remainder to daughter Frances. To the latter ten pounds at twenty one. If my said son Richard shall go about to trouble or otherwise deal with Mary my wife and Henry Sherman, my only executors, to the intent that this is my last will and testament cannot nor may not take effect then I will that the said Richard shall take no benefit of any of my lands &c. unto him bequeathed. And the said Richard shall suffer my wife to carry away all such goods &c. as I have given unto her. To my brother Thomas Wood ten shillings. My wife Mary and my cousin Henry Sherman the younger of Dedham, over and besides his ordinary charges about this my last will &c. I give three pounds. I make John Lucas of Manyngtree my supervisor, bequeathing him twenty shillings. Among the witnesses was Henry Sherman the elder (by mark)."^[1][7]

Known Family

Wife:

• Mary

Children:

• Richard
• Henry
• George
• Robert
• John
• Mary
• Frances

Sibling:

• Thomas

Cousin:

• Henry Sherman

Father of aforementioned Henry Sherman:

• Henry Sherman

Death

Since his will was dated 08 Mar 1577 and proved on 02 1577, he died between those two dates.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Waters, Henry Fitz-Gilbert. "Genealogical Gleanings in England." Google Books. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 30 Apr. 2009. Web. 29 June 2017. pp. 1162-3.
2. ↑ "Elizabethan England Occupations." Elizabethan England Life. Elizabethanenglandlife.com, n.d. Web. 26 June 2017.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Collinson, Patrick, John Craig, Brett Usher, and Church of England Record Society. "Conferences and Combination Lectures in the Elizabethan Church." Google Books. Boydell Press, 2003. Web. 26 June 2017. p. 275.
4. ↑ "Dedham: Education." British History Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2017. <http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol10/pp183-185>.
5. ↑ Boyer, Carl. Slade-Babcock Genealogy: Ancestors and Descendants of Benjamin and Angeline (Babcock) Slade of Rensselaer and Saratoga Counties, New York. Newhall, CA: Boyer, 1970. Print. p. 74.
6. ↑ Mason, Anne. "The Stour Valley Heritage Compendia: The Built Heritage Compendium." (n.d.): 36. Dedhamvalestourvalley.org. Dedham Vale and Stour Valley Project. Web. 26 June 2017.
7. ↑ Stratton, Bertha Mary Ludwig. New Light on Henry Sherman of Dedham, Essex, England, and Some Notes on His Descendants, Also Wm. Freeborn's English Home and Wife. Staten Island, NY: n.p., 1954. Print. p. 6.

• Wood, Michael Johnson. The Earliest Shermans of Dedham, Essex, and Their Wives, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 2012) Vol. 166, WN 664, Page 252.