Francis Amyas (abt. 1580 - abt. 1625)

Born about 1580 in Deopham, Norfolk

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1625 at about age 45 in Deopham, Norfolk

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Biography

The Amyas or Amias family of Norfolk appear in the 1664 visitation, and were clearly based in Deopham, but the visitation does not mention Meriall Amyas who married into the Howman family. They also appear in Blomefield, and they clearly include a number of Cambridge graduates. A Thomas Amyas was rector of Carleton Forehoe in 1627 and some of his children are interred there. In Hingham, a Francis Amyas was interred in 1710, a gentleman from Deopham originally. Most of the Amyas wills from the period are from Deopham.

Francis Amyas of Deopham appears in the pedigree with his brothers John and Arthur apparently having no children. The pedigree agrees with the will of his father Thomas (named in the pedigree) in saying that he had three sons, George, Francis and Thomas.

No will is referred to in the pedigree for Francis but an obvious one fits: Amyas, Francis, gentleman, of Deopham 1625 NCC will register Belward 197. He mentions brother John, eldest son Francis, not yet 21, 2nd son George, son William, daughter Mary, a deceased son Thomas, and a daughter named Miriall. He left money to the poor in Deopham, but also in Hingham. He seems to have younger children, perhaps born after his father died (because they are not named as pending recipients of money from their grandfather's will), Thomas and Henry.

His well-beloved wife is Mary, who is also executor. None of the visitation pedigrees seem to name her.

Two of his sons are shown in the pedigree as having had children, and their wills are named there:

• Amyas, George, gentleman, of Deopham 1634 NCC will register Playford 39. One of the witnesses is William Howman.
• Amyas, Francis, of Deopham 1664 ANF will register 1664 fo. 10 no. 102 and Amyas, Francis, of Deopham 1664 ANF will register 1664 fo. 10 no. 174. This one mentions a late brother named George and a living brother Thomas.

In the Deopham register, if we go back to the period where Meriall must have been born, we find baptisms for children of Francis and Mary Amyas or Amias or Amies:

• Thomas 7 Sept 1606, Thomas seems to have been buried 29 Oct 1616.
• George 2 August 1607,
• Henry 1 April 1619,
• Katherine 2 December 1622.

There is a burial recorded for Francis Amyas, gent, 4 August 1625.

Sources

• Records are described in the text above.
• Webpage of Andrew Lancaster