Ursula (Hussy) Gonson (abt. 1520 - 1586)

Born about 1520 in England

Ancestors

Wife of Benjamin Gonson — married 8 Jun 1546 in England

Descendants

Died 1586 at about age 66 in Great Baddow, Essex, England

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Biography

Ursula Hussey was the only daughter of Tudor bureaucrat and Merchant Adventurer Anthony Hussey MP and his wife Katherine (Webbe) Hussey. Based on the date of her first marriage, from which she was named Executrix in 1544, she was probably born some time about 1520.

Ursula married twice: first, by 1543, to Michael Roberts of Neasden, Willesden, Middlesex. This marriage was cut short without issue at her husband's death in 1544. ^[1] His Will left her as his primary beneficiary, ^[2] although despite a lawsuit, the second brother Edmond acquired the inheritance. ^[3]

Before 1547, Ursula had married secondly to Benjamin Gonson, a second-generation naval administrator under the Tudors. This marriage produced a numerous family said to number fourteen children, all but one of them baptised at their parish church of St Dunstan in the East, near Tower Hill, where the naval administration became based. Unfortunately, there has been error and confusion among sources concerning these children, and a purported list compiled by Benjamin Gonson is apparently not accessible.

Children

Benjamin Gonson and his wife Ursula baptised fourteen children in over two decades, all but one in his home parish of St Dunstan in the East. The exception was Thomasine, "born in the Queen[']s house at Deptford (wherein I dwelled)" in 1564, and baptized in the local church. ^[4] The parish register was not available until 1558, thus some of the baptisms listed here are estimates, Gonson's own records not being acessible. ^[5]

Vincent - 1547

Katherine - 1549

William

Benjamin - 1501

Ursula

Margarett

Anne

Mary - 12 November 1559

Bennet - 30 September 1562

Thomasine - 1564 (Deptford)

Avice - 18 March 1564/5

Elizabeth - 13 October 1565

Lucretia - 15 April 1568

Anthony - 16 June 1569

Will

In April 1586, Ursula Gonson wrote her Will, ^[6] to which memorials and codicils were later added, at her home at Sebright, Great Baddow, Essex, where her husband Benjamin had died in 1577. In it, she expressed the wish "that my body may be buried within my parish church of St Dunstan's in London next to my husband." This was done, as it had been done with Benjamin Gonson, and her body was removed to St Dunstan's, where it was interred on 11 May. ^[7]

She made numerous bequests, leaving in addition to a monetary amount, the lease of her dwelling house in London to her youngest surviving son Anthony Gonson, with several legal safeguards to ensure it to him. Her other bequests, largely of jewellery and gold, went to daughters and grandchildren, whereby it is known which were alive at this date.

Son Benjamin Gonson, his father's heir

Daughter (Katherine) Hawkins and son-in-law Mr John Hawkins

Daughter Ursula Peterson and her husband Mr Robert Peterson

Granddaughter and goddaughter Ursula Peterson

Daughter Anne Flemming and son-in-law Mr (Giles) Flemming

Nephew (grandson?) Giles Flemming

Daughter Bennett Wallinger and son-in-law Mr Thomas Wallinger

Daughter Thomazine Gonson

Daughter Avice Gonson

Granddaughter Ursula Gonson, daughter of son Vincent Gonson (d. 1569)

Goddaughter Ursula Bollington

Also named:

Brother Lawrence Huse and wife Margaret Huse

Mary Huse

Sister Marlen? and Aunt Godman

Oddly, this Will was not proved until 7 May 1602, by Robert Peterson, presumably the husband of daughter Ursula.

Research Notes

• Author: Ancestry.com Title: Plymouth Armada heroes : the Hawkins family : with original portraits, coats of arms, and other illustrations Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. Original data - Hawkins, Mary W. S.. Plymouth Armada heroes : the Hawkins family : with original portraits, coats of arms, and other illustrations. Plymouth England: W. Brendon and Son, 18; NOTEAncestry.com, Plymouth Armada heroes : the Hawkins family : with original portraits, coats of arms, and other illustrations (Online publication - Provo, UT: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005.Original data - Hawkins, Mary W. S.. Plymouth Armada heroes : the Hawkins family : with original portraits, coats of arms, and other illustrations. Plymouth England: W. Brendon and Son, 18), Includes bibliographical references.

Sources

1. ↑ Bolton, Diane K, Patricia E C Croot, and M A Hicks. "Willesden: Other estates." A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7, Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden. Eds. T F T Baker, and C R Elrington. London: Victoria County History, 1982. 216-220. British History Online. Web. 7 June 2022. BHO
2. ↑ "Will of Michael Roberts, Gentleman of Willesden, Middlesex", proved 24 September 1544 PROB 11/30/205 TNA
3. ↑ Gonson v Robertes. Plaintiffs: Benjamin GONSON, esquire, and Ursula his wife, daughter of Anthony Hussey, esquire, and formerly wife of Michael Robertes of Neasden. Defendants: Edmund ROBERTES. Subject: Lands (described) in Northolt (Northall), Roxeth, Kilburn, Willesden and St Albans. Middlesex, Hertfordshire TNA
4. ↑ BL, Add. MS 15857, fol. 153v
5. ↑ "Miscellanea Genealogica Et Heraldica and the British Archivist" 1886, p. 124. Miscellanea
6. ↑ "Will of Ursula Gonson, Widow" PROB 11/99/337 [1]
7. ↑ Parish Register of St Dunstan in the East, City of London, 1558-1653. Ancestry

https://archive.org/details/middlesexpedigre651914/page/164/mode/2up

"Will of Ursula Gonson, Widow" PROB 11/99/337 [2]

Bolton, Diane K, Patricia E C Croot, and M A Hicks. "Willesden: Other estates." A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7, Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden. Eds. T F T Baker, and C R Elrington. London: Victoria County History, 1982. 216-220. British History Online. Web. 7 June 2022. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol7/pp216-220.