John Smythe (abt. 1591 - 1632)

Born about 1591 in London, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Franklyn) Crofts — married 3 Mar 1617 in Willesden, Middlesex, England

Died 20 May 1632 at about age 41 in Leeds, Kent, England

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Biography

Sir John Smythe, Knight, of Leeds Castle, Kent

John Smythe was the son of Richard Smythe and Elizabeth Scott. His year of birth is unknown but was probably c 1591.^[1][2][3]

John Smythe, son of Richard Smythe, was a beneficiary of the will of his paternal grandmother Alice (Judde) Smythe, the will made on 10 Jul 1592.^[4] He was also a beneficiary of the will of his maternal grandfather Thomas Scott, the will made on 17 Dec 1594 and proved on 07 Jan 1594/1595.^[5]

Sir John Smythe was mentioned in the will of his uncle Sir Thomas Smythe (will made Jan 1621/1622 and proved 1625) as the son of Richard Smythe.^[6]

The inscription on the monument to the memory of his father, Sir Richard Smythe, in the transept of St Mary the Virgin, Ashford, Kent included the following:^[5]

"H'ere lyeth the bodye of Sir Richard Smythe, of Leeds Castle, Kent, fourth son of Thomas Smythe, of Ostenhanger, in the County of Kent, Esquire. He married three wives who were widows, by the first of them, being a daughter of Sir Thomas Scott, of Scot's Hall, he had his only son, Sir John Smythe, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Alice ....".

Marriage

Sir John Smythe married Mary, daughter of Richard Franklyn of Willesden, Middlesex.^[2][7][8]

The marriage of Sir John Smyth knight and Mary Francklin took place on 03 Mar 1616/1617 at Willesden, Middlesex.^[9][10]

Death and Burial

"Sir John Smith of Leeds Castle, knight" was buried on 23 May 1632 at Leeds St Nicholas, Kent.^[11][12]

"Sir John Smith ............succeeded his father, and resided at Leeds castle, and dying s. p. in 1632, was buried in this church; upon which his two sisters, Alice, wife of Sir Timothy Thornhill, and Mary, of Maurice Barrow, esq. became his coheirs, and entitled their respective husbands to the property of this manor and castle, which they afterwards joined in the sale of to Sir T. Culpeper, of Hollingborne".^[13]

Monumental Inscription

Monumental inscription for Sir John Smythe at Leeds, Kent:^[14]

Floor Slab – Chancel – Behind Altar

Here lyes ye body of Sir John Smith late of Leedes Castle/Kt. In assured hope of a joy/full resurrection who was/ ye son and heir of Sir Richard Smith of Leedes Castle Kt./ and married Mary Franklin/ daughter of Richard Franklin of Willesdon in ye County of Middlesex Esq. & dyes with/out issue ye 20 th May 1632/ Aged 40.

Summary of the Will of Sir John Smith 1632

In his rather brief will made on 30 Dec 1631 and proved on 09 Jul 1632 he was recorded as Sir John Smith of Leedes Castle in the County of Kent, knight.^[15]

He made several bequests including to:

• The poor of the parishes of Leeds and Bromfield in Kent;
• his wife, Dame Mary;
• his brother Barrowe;
• his sister Poynes; and
• his other brothers in law (not named).

He nominated his cousin Thomas Smith esq of Corsham, Wiltshire, his Executor and his friends Sir John Frankelyn knight and Thomas Layton esq. his Overseers.

Sources

1. ↑ Smythe, Sir John II (c.1592-1632), of Leeds Castle, Kent. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629, ed. Andrew Thrush and John P. Ferris, 2010 HOP.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Stocker, J J. Pedigrees of Smythes of Ostenhangar; Kent; of Smythes of Bidborough and Sutton-at-Hone; and of the Smythes of Viscount Strangford, of Dromore, Ireland. Archæologia Cantiana, being Transactions of the Kent Archæological Society. Vol. XX, 1893, pp 76-81 pdf.
3. ↑ Buckler, Benjamin. Stemmata Chicheleana. Oxford Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1765. See No. 1 Internet Archive.
4. ↑ Will of Alice Smythe, Widow of London. 11 May 1598. PROB 11/91/377. The National Archives, Kew.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Scott, J R. Memorials of the family of Scott, of Scot's Hall in the County of Kent. 1876, p 225 and others Internet Archive.
6. ↑ Will of Sir Thomas Smithe of London. 1625. PROB 11/147/84. The National Archives, Kew.
7. ↑ Middlesex Pedigrees as collected by Richard Mundy in Harleian ms. No. 1551. Armytage Sir G J (Ed.). 1914. London. Francklin of Willesden Pedigree, p 3 Internet Archive.
8. ↑ Hervey, S H A. West Stow parish registers, 1558 to 1850. Wordwell parish registers, 1580 to 1850. With sundry notes. 1903, pp 186-189 Internet Archive.
9. ↑ Willesden, Middlesex. Parish Register. Accessed via Ancestry.
10. ↑ Lysons D. The Environs of London: Volume 3, County of Middlesex. Published London, 1795, p 622.
11. ↑ Leeds, Kent. Parish Register. Accessed via Find my past.
12. ↑ Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica. Third Series, Vol. I., 1896, p 94 Internet Archive.
13. ↑ Hasted, E. Leeds, Kent. The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Vol. 5, 1798, pp 478-502 BHO.
14. ↑ St Nicholas Leeds Monumental Inscriptions. Kent Family History Society. Nov 2004.
15. ↑ Will of Sir John Smith of Leeds Castle, Kent. 09 July 1632. PROB 11/162/165. The National Archives, Kew.