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Martha (Challoner) Colston (bef. 1601 - bef. 1658)

Martha Colston formerly Challoner
Born before in Bristol, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Daughter of and
[sibling(s) unknown]
Wife of — married before 19 Jun 1620 in Bristol, Englandmap [uncertain]
[children unknown]
Died before at about age 56 in Bristol, Englandmap
Problems/Questions
Profile last modified | Created 23 Jul 2019
This page has been accessed 292 times.

Contents

Biography

Cross of St George
Martha (Challoner) Colston was born in England.

Martha Challoner was the wife of Colonel Thomas Colston, a Royalist who commanded the trained bands in Bristol during the English Civil War.

Early life

Martha was the daughter of William Challoner and his wife Martha Knight. She was baptised on 26 March 1601 at St Nicholas, Bristol.[1]

She belonged to a family of prominent Bristol merchants. Her father was an alderman of the City of Bristol, and served as its sheriff in 1609-10.[2] Her maternal grandfather, Francis Knight, was also an alderman and a former mayor of Bristol, and one of wealthiest members of the Society of Merchant Adventurers.[3] Her grandfather died in 1616, leaving her £40 in his will.[4]

Marriage and children

She married Thomas Colston, sometime before her father died in 1620. Her father’s will, dated 19 June 1620, stated:

‘Whereas Thomas Colston of Bristoll Merchante hath marryed my daughter Martha Challoner, and has a promise from mee to have parte of the greate house, in Balland streete, in satisfaction and leine of the sayde promise, I doe give and devise to my said daughter Martha her heires and assignes for ever, my house in Banbery called the till: house and the Garden thereunto belonginge, nowe in the tenure of Robert Bentley.’[5]

She and Thomas had eight children baptised at St Werburgh, Bristol:

  1. Robert, baptised 23 December 1621[6]
  2. Martha, baptised 29 May 1627[7]
  3. Thomas, baptised 13 May 1628[8]
  4. Anne, baptised 14 May 1629[9]
  5. Humfrey, baptised 18 May 1630[10]
  6. Elizabeth, baptised 19 November 1631[11]
  7. Brigett Colstone, baptised 27 February 1632/3 (died in infancy)[12][13]
  8. Christian, baptised 28 September 1636 (she died at about age 6)[14][15]

Martha's husband was elected sheriff of Bristol for the year 1629-30.[16]

English Civil War

Bristol was a strategically important port during the English Civil War. The Royalist forces stormed the city in 1643, occupying it until the Parliament forces regained control in 1645.[17]

Martha’s husband sided with the Royalists, serving as a colonel of the trained bands of Bristolians that garrisoned the city. He ‘distinguished himself by his zeal for the Royal cause, and by his construction of a redoubt on Kingsdown called Colston Fort.’[18][19]

After the Parliamentary forces took control of Bristol in 1645, Parliament enacted laws to remove the mayor and aldermen of the city, including Thomas Colston, because of their ‘delinquency.’[19][20] From thereon he conformed to the rules and orders of Parliament. In 1646 he took the covenant and applied to the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents for a composition of his estate.[19]

Later years

Martha's husband died in 1655, leaving her an annuity of £50 a year for her maintenance.[21][22]

She survived her husband by two years. She was buried at All Saints, Bristol, on 25 January 1657/8.[23]

Sources

  1. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2019 (accessed 19 November 2019, Martha Challinor, 26 March 1601); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St.N/R/1/d. Ancestry Record 61666 #1223011. Free Ancestry Image.
  2. ↑ William Barrett, The history and antiquities of the city of Bristol, Bristol: Printed by W Pine, 1789, page 688 (accessed 19 November 2019).
  3. ↑ Mark C. Pilkington (ed), Bristol: Records of Early English Drama, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1997, page 293 (accessed 19 November 2019).
  4. ↑ Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858 (database and images). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013 (accessed 20 November 2019, Francis Knight, 12 October 1616); citing The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 128. Ancestry Record 5111 #926312. Free Ancestry Image.
  5. ↑ Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858 (database and images). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013 (accessed 20 November 2019, William Challoner, 27 November 1620); citing The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 136. Ancestry Record 5111 #977306. Free Ancestry Image.
  6. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Robert Colton, 23 December 1621); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St W/R/1. Ancestry Record 61666 #1641645. Free Ancestry Image.
  7. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Martha Colstone, 29 May 1627); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St W/R/1. Ancestry Record 61666 #1641688. Free Ancestry Image.
  8. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Thomas Colstone, 13 May 1628); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St W/R/1. Ancestry Record 61666 #1641697. Free Ancestry Image.
  9. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Anne Colstone, 14 May 1629); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St W/R/1. Ancestry Record 61666 #1641717. Free Ancestry Image.
  10. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Humfrey Colstone, 18 May 1630); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St W/R/1. Ancestry Record 61666 #1641730. Free Ancestry Image.
  11. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Elizabeth Colstone, 19 November 1631); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St W/R/1. Ancestry Record 61666 #1641749. Free Ancestry Image.
  12. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Brigett Colstone, 7 February 1632); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St W/R/1. Ancestry Record 61666 #1641760. Free Ancestry Image.
  13. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Briget Colstone, 1 March 1632); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St W/R/1. Ancestry Record 61666 #1644275. Free Ancestry Image.
  14. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Christian Collston, 28 September 1636); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St W/R/1. Ancestry Record 61666 #1641796. Free Ancestry Image.
  15. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Christian Collston, 29 August 1642); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/St W/R/1. Ancestry Record 61666 #1644387. Free Ancestry Image.
  16. ↑ William Barrett, The history and antiquities of the city of Bristol, Bristol: Printed by W Pine, 1789, page 689 (accessed 20 November 2019).
  17. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Bristol in the English Civil War," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, (accessed 20 November 2019).
  18. ↑ John Latimer, The history of the Society of Merchant Venturers of the City of Bristol, Bristol: J W Arrowsmith, 1903, pages 162-3 (accessed 20 November 2019).
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Patrick McGrath (ed), Merchants and Merchandise in Seventeenth-century Bristol, Bristol: Bristol Record Society, volume 19, pages 148-9. Google Books (accessed 20 November 2019).
  20. ↑ 'October 1645: An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons for the better Securing and Government of the City of Bristoll', in C H Firth and R S Rait (ed), Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, 1642-1660, London, 1911, pages 797-798. British History Online (accessed 20 November 2019).
  21. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Mr Thomas Colston, 11 December 1655); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/AS/R/1/a. Ancestry Record 61666 #108804. Free Ancestry Image.
  22. ↑ Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858 (database and images). Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013 (accessed 20 November 2019, Thomas Colston, 24 January 1655); citing The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 252. Ancestry Record 5111 #76962. Free Ancestry Image.
  23. ↑ Ancestry.com. Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 (database and images). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019 (accessed 20 November 2019, Martha Colston, 25 January 1657); citing Bristol Archives; Bristol, England; Bristol Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: P/AS/R/1/a. Ancestry Record 61666 #108821. Free Ancestry Image.

Acknowledgements

This profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail





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