Ancient Family: Royal Grace to frontier colonist

Thomas of Woodstock
Genealogy:

♥  Edward II  +  Isabel	Count of Hainault  +   ______
♥ Edward III   +	Philippa of Hainault
♥ Thomas Plantagenet of Woodstock  [1]

Thomas, the seventh and youngest son of Edward III and Philippa of Hainault, was born 7 January 1355 AD at the Royal Manor House, Woodstock. Thomas took his surname, Woodstock, from his place of birth.

In 1376, at age twenty one, he married Alianore de Bohun. Alainore was born in 1363 and was thirteen or fourteen years old at the time of the marriage. She  was daughter and Coheir of Humphrey IX de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, Essex and Northampton. Alainore was seventh in line of descent from Henry de Bohun, a Surety to the 1215 Magna Charta of King John. [Image left: Thomas of Woodstock. Image right:  Alianore de Bohun, brass grave rubbing.]
Their marriage produced one son and four daughters. One branch of our family descended from their eldest daughter, Anne Plantagenet. Of the other three daughters, two died young and the last became a nun.

Thomas was Constable of England before being advanced to the position of Earl of Buckingham. He was a commander in foreign wars for several years and advanced to Duke of Gloucester.
He was also Earl of Essex and Northampton, as well as a Knight of the Garter.

Thomas was one of the five Lords Appellant, who brought about the disgrace and banishment of King Richard II favorites, particularly de Vers and ordered the execution of Chief Justice Tresitian. As can be seen in the accompanying pedigree, Thomas was uncle of King Richard II.

Some years later, King Richard had Thomas ambushed and arrested. Thomas was taken out of England to Calais, France where at the request of the thirty year old Richard, he was either strangled or smothered under a feather mattress. Thomas was murdered on 3  September 1397 at age 42 years.

Thomas’s wife, Alainore became a nun and died two years later on 3 October 1399 at age 36 years.

Also in 1399, two years after Thomas’ murder, King Richard was deposed by his cousin Henry Duke of Lancaster, who became King Henry IV.

Anne Plantagenet
Genealogy:

♥  Edward III   +   Philippa of Hainault	Humphrey de Bohun  +   Joan
♥  Thomas of Woodstock   +	Alainore de Bohun
♥  Anne Plantagenet [2]

Anne, the eldest daughter of Thomas of Woodstock and Alainore de Bohun was born in 1383. At age 9 years Anne was betrothed to Thomas Stafford; however, Stafford died in 1392, before the marriage was consummated. Her second husband, Edmund Stafford was killed in the Battle of Shrewsberry when she was 20 years old.
Thirdly, in 1404, Anne married, Sir William Bourchier. Their union produced four sons and one daughter. This branch of my family line descends from their fourth son, John Bourchier.

During her life, Anne held the position of Countess of Stafford and Eu. Her husband, William, distinguished himself in the French Wars and was granted the entire county of Eu in Normandy, France—during the reign of the English King, Henry V.

Sir William Bourchier died in Troys on 28 may 1420.
Anne died on 16 October 1438 at age 55 years of age.

John Bourchier
Genealogy:

♥  Thomas of Woodstock  +   Alainore de Buhun
♥  Anne  Plantagenet   +	William  Bourchier
♥  John  Bourchier [3]

John Bourchier was born to Anne Plantagenet and Sir William Bourchier in 1420. John was Knighted on 19 May 1426 at age six years. He married Margery Berners, daughter of Sir Richard Berners and Philippa.

My branch of this family line descended from their fourth son, Humphrey Bourchier.

John was a member of English Parliament from 1455 to 1472, a period of seventeen years.

John became the first Baron Berners and was titled Lord Berners; he was also Second Earl of Bath. On or about 23 April 1459, he joined the Knights of the Garter.

From 1461 until 1474 he was Constable of Windsor Castle.

John fought for Queen Margaret, but afterwards changed sides and like his brothers was in high favor of King Edward IV.

Sir John Bourchier died on 16 May 1474, at fifty four years of age. His wife Margery died, 18 December 1475.

Humphrey Bourchier
Genealogy:

♥  Anne Plantagenet   +   William Bourchier	Richard  Berners   +   Philippa
♥  John Bourchier   +	Margery Berners
♥  Humphrey Bourchier [4]

Humphrey was born the fourth son of  Sir John Bourchier and Margery Berners. He married Elizabeth Tylney, daughter of Sir Frederick Tylney of Ashwellthorpe County, Northfolk. Their son was John Bourchier.

Sir Humphrey Bourchier became the Earl of Buckingham and was later slain in the Battle of Barnet on 14 April 1471. Because Humphrey died before his father, he did not succeed to the title of ‘Barron Byrners’, which went to his young son, John.

Humphrey’s wife, Elizabeth, died years later, in 1497.

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John Bourchier (II)
Genealogy:

♥  John Bourchier   +   Margery Berners	Frederick Tylney
♥  Humphrey Bourchier   +	Elizabeth Tylney
♥  John Bourchier [5]

John Bourchier (II) was born to Humphrey Bourchier and Elizabeth Tylney. John grew and married Catherine Howard, daughter of Sir John Howard and Margaret Wyfold. This branch of the family descends from their daughter Jane (Joan) Bourchier.

John became on of the Knights of Bath in 1477-78, was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1516-1527 and inherited the title Second Baron Berners from his grandfather. He was a learned translator of Froissrt. Sir John was Lieutenant of Calais, France (the coastal city captured by Edward III during the ‘Hundred Year War’) where he died on 3 March 1532. His wife Catherine died a few years later, on 12 March 1536-37.

Jane Bourchier
Genealogy:

♥  Humphrey Bourchier   +   Elizabeth Tylney	John Howard + Margaret Wyfold
♥  John Bourchier   +	Catherine Howard
♥  Jane Bourchier [6]

Jane Bourchier was born to John  Bourchier and Catherine Howard.

Jane married Sir Edmund Knyvet (also spelled Knevit). Sir Edmund Knyvet, born in 1490, was Sergeant Porter to King Henry VIII and Lord (Esquire) of Ashwellthorpe County, Northfolk. Their marriage produced three sons and three daughters. My family line descends from their daughter Anne Knyvet.

Sir Edmund Knyvet’s ‘Will’ was dated 24 June 1537 and probated 1546. Edmund died 31 May, at about 50 years of age.

Jane’s ‘Will’ dated 8 April 1560, was probated in 1561. Jane died 18 February 1561 and was interred in the church of Ashwellthorpe under the following inscription,
“Jane [Bourchier] Knyvet resteth here, the only Heir by Right of Lord Berbers, that Sir John Bourchier height. Thwenty years and three a Wydoo’s life she ledd, Always keeping Howse, where Richard and Pore were fedd; Gentill most quyet, voyd of Debate and Stryf; Ever doying Good. Lo! Thus she ledd her life; Even to the Grave, where Erth on Erth doth ly, On whos Soul, God grant of his abundant Mercy” The xviii of February MDLXI

Anne Knyvet
Genealogy:

♥  John Bourchier   +   Catherine Howard
♥  Jane Bourchier   +	Edmund Knyvet
♥  Anne Knyvet [7]

Anne Knyvet was born to Jane Bourchier and Sir Edmund Knyvet. She married Richard Sayer, son of the Mayor of Colchester. They refused to recognize Henry II as spiritual head of the church and were banished to Holland.
In Amsterdam, their son, John Sayre, was born.

John Sayre
Genealogy:

♥  Jane Bourchier   +   Edmund Knyvet	Mayor ofColchester
♥  Anne Knyvet   +	Richard Sayer
♥  John Sayre [8]

John Sayre, son of Anne Knyvet and Richard Sayer was born in Amsterdam, Holland in 1528. He married Elizabeth Hawkins, who was born in 1532 and died about age 63 in 1595. Their son was John Bourchier Sayers.

John Bourchier Sayres
Genealogy:

♥  Anne Knyvet   +   Richard Sayer
♥  John Sayre +	Elizabeth Hawkins
♥  John Bourchier Sayers [9]

Both John Bourchier Sayres and wife, Marie Lamoral Egmonte, were born in England, but had moved to Holland during the Protestant Reformation and were married in Holland in 1585. They returned to England on or before 1590 when Richard Sears was born. John died in 1629. Their son was Richard Sears.

Richard Sears
Genealogy:

♥  John Sayre   +   Elizabeth Hawkins
♥  John Bourchier Sayres   +	Marie Lamoral Egmonte
♥  Richard Sears [10]

Richard Sears, son of John Bourchier Sears (Sayres), was born in 1590. He is recorded as having been a member of Robinson’s Leyden Congregation before coming to Plymouth (MA) in the New World during 1630; he was  a Puritan by religion. Richard married Dorothy Thatcher. Their children were, Paul, Silas and ♥ Deborah. It is through daughter, Deborah Sears that this colonial line is descended.

Richard Sears first appeared in Plymouth records in the tax list of March 25, 1633. His name did not occur in the 1634 tax list, and he may have moved to Marblehead by then, although the first record for Marblehead places him there in January 1637/8. Richard was living in Marblehead, MA in 1637 and was one of the founders of Yarmouth, MA. He moved again, to Yarmouth, by 1639. He was appointed assessor for Yarmouth on March 1, 1658/9, and constable on June 6, 1660.
Richard died September 26, 1676(1676-09-26) Yarmouth, Plymouth Colony, at about 86 years of age. His wife Dorothy, died in the year 1680.

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Deborah Sears
Genealogy:

♥  John Bourchier Sears   +   Marie Lamoral Van Egmonte	George Jones   +   Agnes
♥  Richard Sears   +	Dorothy Jones
♥  Deborah Sears [11]

Deborah Sears, daughter of Richard Sears and Dorothy Jones, was born in Sept. 1639, died 17 Aug. 1732 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, MA.; married Zachariah Paddock. Their son ♥ Nathanial Paddock was born in 1677.
10(3)1667, Richard Sares made his will, to which he added Feb 3, 1676(sic), a codicil, which with the inventory are recorded in Plymouth Record Book 3, Part 2, pp 53-55. Therein he names, “wife Dorothy, elder” and “eldest son paule Sares, youngest son Sylas Sares,” and “daughter Deborah, son-in-law Zachery Padduck,” and “Ichabod Padduck,” and requests “brother Thacher with his sons as friends in
trust,” etc. (This Will proves the line of Zachariah Paddock)

Son-in-law, Zachary, served on a coroner’s jury to investigate the death of a child of Nicholas Nickerson 24 Oct 1667. He was assessed for King Phillip’s War, Yarmouth 1676. He was granted 50 acres at Seaconnet, part of Tatamanuck’s land, 7 Jul 1680, and later that year he was again on the grand jury.

Zachariah Paddock was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, 20 Mar 1636, died in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, 1 May 1727, aged 91. However his obituary stated, “He was born in the beginning of the year 1640″ and died “in the 88th year of his age” having “retained his Reason to an uncommon degree, until his last Sickness, which lasted but a few Days. He was married in 1659 to Mrs Deborah Sears, born in this town, and now survives him, having lived together about 68 years, and by her, God blest him with a numerous offspring, especially in the third and fourth generations, having left behind him of his own posterity, 48 grand-children and 38 great grand-children, and of this latter sort no less than 30 descendants from his second son. The old gentleman, his wife, one of his sons and his wife lived for a considerable time in a house by themselves, without any other person, when their ages computed  together, amounted to over 300 years. Mr Paddock had obtained the character of a righteous man, and his widow, now near fourscore and eight years old, is well reputed for good works.”[“N.E. Weekly News Letter.”]

Nathanial Paddock
Genealogy:

♥  Richard Sears   +   Dorothy Jones	Robert Paddock   +   Mary Holmes
♥  Deborah Sears   +	Zachariah Paddock
♥  Nathanial Paddock [12]

See “Late Coastal Families” (Paddock family branch): Deborah Sears married Zachariah Paddock, their granddaughter, Priscilla Paddock, married William Coffin [of Nantucket Isl. moved to North Carolina, 1600s-1700s]. Their genealogical descent continued through the Anderson family branch in the 1800s and along the Pierce branch in the 1900s.

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting,
The soul that rises with us, our life star,
Hath elsewhere had its setting,
And cometh from afar
…..by William Wordsworth

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