John Walpole (bef. 1625)

Born before 10 May 1625 in Skillington, Lincolnshire, England

Ancestors

Descendants

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Biography

John was born before 1625. He is the son of Bartholomew Walpole and Jane Pell.

Fought in the English Civil War at the Battle of Worcester, 3 September 1651, according to an affidavit signed by eleven (11) of his neighbors in 1683^[1].

Spouse: Mary/Marie, last name unknown

Children:

• Anne - 1666
• Marie - 1669
• Henry - 1671
• Elizabeth - 1673
• John - 1675
• Sarah - 1676
•  ?Simeon - 1683
•  ?Mary - 1685
•  ?Margaret - 1686

On Jan 8th, 1682/3, John was awarded a monthly pension of 4 shillings^[2] because he was considered "a very poor, ancient man and has a wife and six small children," and he was unable to get sufficient income from what little work he could get. This pension order also confirms that John was the son of Bartholomew and Jane, along with his date of christening in 1625 in Skillington, Lincolnshire, thanks to an endorsement statement from Francis Kelham, Vicar of Skillington.

Shortly after the pension order, eleven (11) of his neighbors signed an affidavit^[3] addressed to "the Right Honourable, the Earl of Lindsey" claiming that John "did falsely inform" the court about "his age" and inability to work, "when in truth he refused" to work "through laziness" and that he had "said he could get more by the half by begging." The affidavit went on to state "[h]e now is, and then was, as able to do as sufficient service as most labourers in our parish." Next there is a mention of "a long and vexatious suit he had with his own nephew," who is unnamed by the eleven affiants, but they said that even afterwards "his said cousin was content to take and provide for one of the said John's children" but that "John utterly rejected and scornfully replied he was as able to maintain his children as his cousin."

Next the neighbors outlined that "the inhabitants always have and are willing to supply" John's family "with corn or money convenient to support himself and family when they really have been in want." They then go on to mention their efforts "after his obtaining this order of sessions," that they made offers "to relieve him so far as they was needful, or else they would stand to any Justice's award that the said John thought fit to nominate." The affiants then shared that he told them "that he sought money and he would have it to pay his debts" but they "hoped that none of this honourable court would enjoin us to pay his debts and maintain him also".

Finally, the affidavit tells us something of his history and that John "went a king-catching to Worcester," was "a searcher for arms under old Noll, an assistant to one Thorpe a sequestrator, a trooper in the time of rebellion," and generally "a contentious person." While it is not known who "old Noll" or "Thorpe a sequestrator" were, the reference to Worcester is confirmation of a specific battle during the English Civil War that this John Walpole fought in. Thereby making him a veteran on the wrong side and exposing him to these accusations of laziness by his neighbors who are obviously aggrieved that such a person would be provided for out of their taxes.

There is nothing further in the record showing that the pension order was rescinded or changed in any way, therefore we can only speculate about the rest of John's days and any further contentiousness and difficulty between him and the townsfolk of Skillington. However, it is unlikely that John lived much longer. In fact, there is a possibility that he died just three years later in 1686, as this is the date of death most online family trees provide for the other John Walpole with whose family this John's family has been thoroughly mixed-up, see below.

Online Family Trees

Most internet family trees place all of the younger children, starting with either Elizabeth or John, in the family of John Walpole, but this is incorrect for the children born before 1683 as this John had "six small children" according to the previously mention pension order. In the list of children above, there is a question mark next to the three born after 1682 as they would not have been included in the mention of the "six small children" and there is more doubt over which John Walpole is their father.

Both men's families are thoroughly connected with Skillington, Lincolnshire and due to the time frame it may be difficult to identify additional sources and fully separate the two men's children and general lives after 1683.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.civilwarpetitions.ac.uk/petition/the-petition-against-john-walpole-of-skillington-lincolnshire-1683/
2. ↑ https://www.civilwarpetitions.ac.uk/petition/the-order-concerning-john-walpole-of-skillington-lincolnshire-8-january-1683/
3. ↑ https://www.civilwarpetitions.ac.uk/petition/the-petition-against-john-walpole-of-skillington-lincolnshire-1683/

• "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JMXC-6Y7 : 19 March 2020), John Walpoll, 1625.
• Walpoole v Fowler. Plaintiffs: John Walpoole. Defendants: Roger Fowler. The National Archives, Kew. Reference: C 10/168/133. 1672. [1]