William Spencer (abt. 1640 - 1686)

Ancestors

Died 10 Apr 1686 at about age 46 in Cople, Bedfordshire, England

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Raymond Nichols [send private message]

Biography

William Spencer (d. 1686) was the 1st son of Nicholas Spencer and Mary Gostwick. He m. (1) 25 Jul 1661 Lady Catherine Wentworth (b. c. 1639; bur. sp. 21 May 1670) and (2) Elizabeth Luke (d. aft 1686). No issue.

William, who remained childless after two marriages, and in due course adopted his eldest nephew, William, as his ultimate heir, upon which the boy was sent back to England to be educated. On the elder William’s death in 1686 he remained under the guardianship of his aunt, the widow, on an annuity of £100, and was to all intents and purposes regarded as his uncle’s successor, even though legally the estate had passed to his father. Three years later the situation was clarified when his father died in Virginia.^[1]

Research Notes

I assume his wife's surname was Luke, since he cites brothers in law Oliver and John Luke and niece Judith Luke in his will.

Sources

1. ↑ SPENCER, William (aft.1663-1705), of Cople, Beds. The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690-1715, ed. D. Hayton, E. Cruickshanks, S. Handley, 2002

• The New England Historical and Genealogical Register,: Volume 45 1891 p. 67
• Three Branches of the Family of Wentworth p. 141