William Henden (abt. 1539 - abt. 1582)

Born about 1539 in Benenden, Kent, England

Ancestors

Husband of Marie (Stace) Henden — married 18 Sep 1561 in Tenterden, Kent, England

Descendants

Died about 1582 at about age 43 in Tenterden, Kent, England

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Biography

William Henden was born in Kent, England.

William Henden was born about 1539 in Benenden, Kent, England to parents John Henden and Joan Brown.

He married Marie Stace on 18 Sep 1561 in Tenterden, Kent, England.

Children:

1. Joane ^[1]
2. Elizabeth
3. John^[2]
4. Symon^[3]
5. Alexander
6. John
7. William^[4]
8. Mylored
9. Sara

He died in 1582 in Tenterden, Kent, England, and his will was probated on 30 Jun 1582 in Tenterden, Kent, England.^[5] "The Benenden cloth maker John Henden married Joan Browne, who was born around 1508, the daughter of Thomas Browne of Herne. She was therefore just under forty when her husband died in 1544. John Henden is likely to have been of similar age, if not slightly older, and thus born between 1500-1508. Neither John`s nor Joan`s burial details have been found ,nor indeed may exist, but if Joan was a young widow with children to bring up in 1544, she may have remarried and gone elsewhere. Interestingly, amongst the last bequests made in his Will, John left £10 for the repairs of the church at Benenden, an amount which suggests he was not a poor man. It is quite likely that John came from a family of clothiers and that they had been more prosperous with each succeeding generation. John and Joan had at least four children, who were mentioned in John`s Will. Their youngest son Symon, the first Henden recorded in a parish register, was baptised in 1538 at Benenden. He was named after his mother`s elder brother, Symon Browne of Herne (died 1573). The other children may also have been baptised at Benenden before records were kept. They were: Julyan (born circa 1532), William (born circa 1534),and Mary (born circa 1536). There may have been other children who died in infancy, and it is unusual for a family not to have a son named after his father.

Research has revealed that William Henden of Tenterden, who married Marie Stace, was able to purchase lands and tenements from the executor of the estate of Elizabeth Nethersole, as well as lands at Ebony from John Dearing and lands at Ivychurch from one of his wife`s relatives, Thomas Stace. His greatest purchase was a dwelling house at Tenterden, formerly one of the properties of Edward Hales, Esquire, described in the land documents as a "mansion house". William died before he was fifty in 1582, having left a detailed Will inwhich he mentioned his properties. His principal estate at Tenterden was to be inherited by his eldest son, Simon (1567-1630), who became ancestor of the American Hendons. The secondary lands at Ebony and Ivychurch were to be divided between his two younger sons, John (1572-1610) and William (1575-1618). Both younger sons had already acquired land at Tenterden too and were yeomen there, and after acquiring their inheritance continued to farm in all three places." From St Mildred`s Parish Church, Tenterden^[6]

Sources

Primary documents.

• Kent county wills and probates
• Benneden parish marriage records, All Saints parish
• Tenterden Baptism records, St Mildreds

1. ↑ St Mildreds parish Tenterden
2. ↑ St Mildreds parish Tenterden
3. ↑ St Mildreds parish Tenterden
4. ↑ St Mildreds parish Tenterden
5. ↑ from original probate and adminstration records held at Kent History Library , probate record number PRC/16/79 H/6 , original held in Kent county records
6. ↑ from original probate and adminstration records held at Kent History Library , probate record number PRC/16/79 H/6 , original held in Kent county records

See also: secondary and tertiary records

• https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/24298886?h=6b5e5c Kent England Tyler Index to Wills, 1460-1882] Image. Testator William Henden, wife Mary, date 30 Jun 1582, daughter Sara. IHGS; The Tyler Collection; Notebook: Harrenden - Harvey; Notebook Number: 454; database online, Provo, Utah, Ancestry.com, 2010.

• Profile on Heathcock.org

• Will: "Kent, England, Tyler Index to Wills, 1460-1882"
  IHGS; The Tyler Collection; Notebook: Harrenden - Harvey; Notebook Number: 454
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1900 #17642 (accessed 13 March 2024)
  Will of William Henden, granted probate on 30 Jun 1582.