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18. Sir Richard Lygon, eldest son of Richard Lygon and Anne his wife, was 21 years old when his father died, and was probably born in 1490. On September 15, 1512 he granted his mother for her dower in Gloucestershire the Manor of Bradwell together with rents out of the Manor of Mattysdon. He had married, not later than 1511, Margaret, daughter of Sir William Greville, a justice of the Court of oommon Pleas in 1510, who had been one of the feoffees of Richard Beauchamp With her he acquired Arle Court near Cheltenham, where he appears to have lived during his mother’s life. After his mother’s death there was some difference between his and his younger brothers, which was settled by a friendly arbitration.
In 1523, Sir Richard was on a commission to collect the subsidy in Worcester … He was Knighted at the Coronation of Queen Anne Boleyn on May 30, 1535. In 1534, he was on the commission to make inquisition … on the lands and heir of John Lytilton of Frankley Weston. He was sheriff of Gloucestershire
1534-35 and of Worchestershire 1548-49. In 1535 he was a Justice at a session held at Great Malvern and bouund over James Asche parson of Staunton to the council for calling the king antichrist. In 1536, Sir Richard Lygon was called upon to furnish 100 men to be sent against Northern Rebels and to attend the king in person. He served in the French War, 1544. In 1545, the expenses of the Hundred Courts of the town of Slaughter were held by Sir RIchard Lygon, Chief Steward, and also he was Chief Steward of the King Court at Cheltenham. Margaret Lygon died in 1542, and RIchard married as his 2nd wife Joan, daughter of ——— who survived him. Sir Richard died March 20, 1556. Issue by his 1st wife:
Children of Ursula and Elizabeth
Thomas Lygon m. Joan de Braci, who inherited the lands and titles of De Braci Family, including Madresfield Court, Malvern Hills,” 100 miles west of London, home Sir. William Lygon, 8th Earl Beauchamp.
Thomas Lygon m. Anne Gifford, on death of his brother William he inherited “Madresfield Court,”
Richard Lygon, m. Anne Beauchamp, co-heir of 2nd Lord Beauchamp, and thru her the lands and titles of Beauchamp came into the Lygon Line. Anne Beauchamp Lygon’s Line goes back to Hugh de Beauchamp, who was a companion in arms of William the Conqueror, and the vaious Earls of Warwick
Sir Richard Lygon b. abt 1490 d. March 20, 1556, m #1 Margaret, dau. Sir WIlliam Greville. M. #2 Joan. He was Knighted at Coronation Queen Ann Boleyn, May 31, 1535.
Sir William Lygon b. 1512, d. 1567 m. Alenora, dau. Sir WIlliam Dennis (Denys)
Thomas Lygon d. 1615 m. Francis Dennis, dau. Hugh Dennis, being the COusin of Thomas Lygon’s Mother (Aleanor Dennis Lygon), the Dennis and Berkeleys were, therefore, cousins.
Thomas Lygon b. 1586 of Warwick, m. Dennis Pratt of Warwickshire, England.
Thomas Lygon, b. 1625, Madresfield, England, accepted his portions of his Father’s estate, and came to Virginia in 1641, with his Cousin, Sir William, Lord Berkeley, Royal Governor of Virginia.
Thomas Lygon of “Madresfield Court, England”, became Thomas Ligon of VIrginia. His Cousin, Lord Berkeley, appointed him Surveyor of Henrico, a very lucrative office in that day and time. He married Mary Harris, dau. of Captain Thomas Harris, who came to Virginia 1609 as a Financial Subscriber to “Second Va. Company.”
26. William Lygon, eldest son of Sir RIchard was 44 years of age at this father’s death. While still under age he married in the autumn of 1529 Aleanor or Eleanor, daughter of Sir William Dennis (Denys) of Durham in Cloucestershire and Anne his wife, daughter of Maurice, Lord Berkeley. The contract of marriage contains interesting particulars as to the provision for the young people. Richard Lygon and William Dennis were to find their children in apparel according to their degree, and William Dennis was to find his daughter lodging so, long as Margery and Anne Lygon were alive. Like his father, William Lygon before his succession to Madresfield lived at Arle, and seems to have been in possession of the family estates at Mattisdon, Uckington, Dormiston, and Cromhall in Gloucestershire; he was also one of the justices of the Hundred of Cheltenham. In 1538, he was among the gentlemen listed by Lord Cromwell as meet to be preferred in the King’s service (Patent Rolls, p. 49). On July 9, 1540, he had a grant
of the Manor of Redgrove, late of Llanthony Abbey. In 1544, William Lygon was in the army against France and is shown in the Vanguard with 10 foot (pp. 154 and 158). This was the time when Henry VIII invaded France and captured Boulogne but soon afterwards made peace with Francis and returned home (Hume, Vol. III. p. 60) His father Sir Richard Lygon furnished 60 foot (L & P, F & M. Vol. XIX) He was sheriff of Worcestershire in 1550-51 and in 1560-61; his agreement on the second occasion with Walter Hooke, keeper of the gaol at Worcester, is preserved. He is described as William Lygon the elder when acquiring land of Gilbert Staple at Madresfield in 1557, and William Lygon the younger, who received seisin, was presumably his eldest son. William Lygon died on September 29, 1567; his wife survived him and in June, 1568 was living in Arle; she was still alive in 1579. Issue:
William Lygon‘s will reads as follows:
“I bequeath 40s. to Austin Friars in London where the bodies of my father and other ancestors be buried. I have bought of the King the ward and marriage of the body and lands of John Berkeley, son and heir of Richard Berkeley, late of Stoke, Gifford. The said John when 21, to marry my niece Isabel Denys, and if she refuses then her sister, Elynor, then sister Margaret. Or Maurice, brother of John, to marry one of the nieces. Dame Katharine, my wife: Thomas, son of Heir of Sir THomas Berkeley, my brother to be my heir, Maurice, his brother to be next heir in succession. My brother, William Denys and John FItzJames to be Executors.”
The Hancock Family of Virginia
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page 100-101
46. Thomas Lygon, second son of William Lygon and his wife, Eleanor Dennis, is said by Smith in his “Lives of the Berkeleys” (Vol. )
II, p184) to live in Elliston in Gloucester”, but freom the will of his wife, his residence seems to have been Elstone farm in Wiltshire. Elstone is a hamlet in the Parish of Orcheston, St. Goerge, Wiltshire, six and one-helf miles northwest of Amesbury. The parish registers begin in 1647. He had a grant of an annuity of 8£ out of Cromhale and Bradwell from his father Thomas Lygon, married his cousin, Frances, daughter of Hugh Dennis of Pucklechurch in Glouchester.
William Dutton, Esq and John Smyth levied a fine to Thomas Spencer and Thomas Lygon for the use of Lord Henry Berkeley and his heirs of the Manor of Wotton, als Wotton Underedge Gloster (Smith’s Lives of the Berkeleys, Vol. II, p. 376). Lord Henry Berkeley died 1614 (Teh Peerage by G.E.C., Vol. II, p. 144-145)
Frances Lygon made her will October 17, 1622, and same was probated by her son, Thomas, June 1, 1625, as follows: (P.C.C.70).
“Frances Lygon, now being at Merson Co. Wilts. WIdow. Lame is my feet. Almost all I have to dispose of is an annual reant payable by Mr. Don Colton to whom by consent of my friends and children I have assigned my right in Elstone farm, during my years, for a yearly rent of £75, all of which rent that shall be unpaid at my death, viz. of every year’s rent during time then to come to my two sons, Thomas and Richard Ligon, the whole £60 equally, excepting one-half year’s rent and the other £15 amongst my son Garratts children at their father’s pleasure except one-half year’s rent To my servant Elizabeth Coxe 40/-, etc. for her great pains in the time of my lameness. To poor of this town or where I die 40/_. To poor prsh. of Elston what my son thinks necessary. To my son
I do not know, nor do the eulogies of prefaratory letters give any explanation. But the book is even now curious to read, and it is interesting to me to know that his name is still known and honoured in the Barbados. There is a reference to the book in Evelyn’s Diary for August 16, 1668.”
Richard Ligon, English traveler of the XVII century. His business having been ruined in the political troubles of 1647, he decided to go to the Antilles to begin life over again. Disembarking at Barbadoes, with five companions all determined as he was to risk their lives and being kept in that island for three years, he was reduced to accepting the management of an estate, and three times just escaped succumbing to the attacks of yellow fever. As soon as he became convalescent he embarked for England and had hardly set foot on land when he was put in gaol at the demand of his creditors. Being released, thanks to the generosity of some of his friends, he published an account of his voyage under the title: Exact and Veritable HIstory of Barbadoes (London, 1950, fol), with map and illustrations. This book, curious and truthful, filled with excellent observtaions, has often been placed under contribution by other explorers subsequent to Ligon. ..
This Richard Lygon, whom Smith shows as unmarried in 1630, died a bachelor in 1662. He made his will July 10, 1659. Same was probated August 22, 1662. He made his will July 10, 1659. Same was probated August 22, 1662 (P.C.C. 105 Laud) as follows:
(more on Richard Lygon)
16. GEORGE LYGON, a descendant of the deBracy family, owners of the Manor of Madresfield, in Worchestershire, which manor still remains in the possession of the Lygon family, and is now the seat of Sir William Lygon, 8th Earl Beauchamp, of Powyck. This worthy family came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066 and, having fought under the standard of Normandy, received two lions passant for their Arms.
15. William Lygon, born at Madresfield Court, Malvern, Worcestershire, living in 1342 married Margaret
14. Richard Lygon, born at Madresfield Court, the first Lygon mentioned in the Madresfield Muniments, married and had
13. Thomas Lygon, born at Madresfield Court, married 1419 (13) Joan Braci (deBracy) who was descended from William de Bracy, lord of Madresfield
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