Jerome Lanier (1574 - 1657)

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Williford — married 10 Jan 1627 in St Margaret, Westminster, Middlesex, England

Died 1657 at about age 83 in Greenwich, Kent, England

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Biography

Jerome Lanier ^[1] was an English court musician on the sackbut, a trombone-like instrument. Jerome was also an artist of great ability in sketching and painting as well as carving many beautiful objects of sardonyx. Evelyn, in his "Memoirs", writes of seeing Jerome Lanier in the household of Queen Elizabeth, a man skilled in painting and carving. One of his sardonyx carvings was a fine and delicate likeness of the queen. ^[2]

Jerome was married twice. His first wife was Phrisdewith Grafton, daughter of William Grafton of Lee, County Kent. They were married on 20 December 1610 at St. Margaret, Lee. ^[3] "Friswith Laneire" was buried 30 November 1626 at St. Alfege in East Greenwich, Kent. ^[4] They had four children, all baptized at St. Alfege: ^[4]

• Ellyn Laneire, baptized 25 December 1615; buried 26 December 1615.
• William Laneire, baptized 21 September 1618, a musician.
• Nicholas Laneire, baptized 13 March 1620/1; died young.
• Bridget Laneire, baptized 25 July 1622.

Jerome's second wife was Elizabeth Williford. The were married on 10 January 1627/8 at St. Margarets, Westminster. ^[5] They had at least five children, all baptized at St. Alfege: ^[4]

• Endymion Laneire, baptized 27 January 1628/9.
• Elizabeth Laneire, baptized 8 August 1630.
• Jerome Laneire, baptized 10 January 1631/2; buried 9 August 1632, age about 7 months
• Arundel Laneire, baptized 10 December 1633; buried 8 February 1633/4, age about 2 months.
• Phrisdiswith ("Freseth") Laneire, baptized 8 January 1634/5.

Louise Ingersoll, in her book on the Lanier Family, includes four other children of Jerome and Elizabeth, but they don't seem to appear in the St. Alfege Parish Register: ^[6]

• Katherine Laneire, married Bernard Barrancleve.
• Amphilis Laneire, married Mr. Seagler.
• Frances Laneires, married Mr. Meacham.
• Ann Laneire, died young.

Jerome was buried in East Greenwich on 1 December 1657. His wife, Elizabeth, followed on 22 November 1661 (listed in the parish register as "Mr. Jeremy Laneire's wife"). ^[4]

The will of "Jerom Laneire of Greenwich in the County of Kent, gentleman," was dated 11 August 1657, and proved 15 December 1657. In it, Jerome complained of "that poore little estate which I have." He left 20 shillings to each of his children (unnamed), with the residue of his estate going to his widow, Elizabeth Laneire. He made Elizabeth the executrix of his will. ^[7]

Footnotes

1. ↑ Jerome Lanier, Wikipedia
2. ↑ Lanier, by Louise Ingersoll, page 7.
3. ↑ The Register for St. Margaret, Lee, Kent, 1579-1754. Lewisham Antiquarian Society, 1888, page 3.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} The Parish Register of St. Alfege, East Greenwich, Kent, England, (listing baptisms, marriages and burials), can be found at "London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812." Ancestry.com
5. ↑ Memorials of St. Margaret's Church, Westminister, by A.M. Burke, 1914, page 336.
6. ↑ Lanier, by Louise Ingersoll, page 7.
7. ↑ England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858. Ancestry.com

Sources

• Ingersoll: Ingersoll, Louise. Lanier, Goetz Printing Company, Washington, 1965. Free on DCMS