Fowler Ancestors

FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
RICHARD FOWLER

Johanne Fowler was born in about 1555 of Severn Stoke. No christening is recorded in the Severn Stoke parish register for her. The parish records began in 1538, but the early christenings list only the name of the child being christened, with no parents listed.

These Fowler children were recorded in the early Severn Stoke parish records:

Izabella, christened 15 May 1544.
Agneta, christened 10 March 1548; buried 24 March 1549 in Severn Stoke.
William, christened 19 October 1550.
Robert, christened 29 September 1560.
Elizabeth, christened 17 August 1561.
Riccus, christened 2 October 1561.
Nicholaus, christened 30 January 1561.
Nicholaus, christened 2 February 1563.

Abstracts of wills give information about the possible parents for Johanne:

John Fowler, husbandman, left a will in 1565, naming wife Elizabeth, sons William, Richard, and John, daughters Anne and Helen. His overseers were Richard Fowler and Nicholas Fowler.
Nicholas Fowler left a will in 1566, naming wife Margery and son Richard (under age 21). He mentions godson Richard Fowler. Richard Fowler was an overseer. Nicholaus married Margery Sympson 3 November 1560 in Severn Stoke.
Richard Fowler of Clifton in Severn Stoke left a will dated 1574, mentioning brothers John and William, sisters Ann and Helene, and cousin Nicholas Fowler. His uncle Richard Fowler was an overseer. Richard Fowler and William Fowler were witnesses.
William Fowler, husbandman of Severn Stoke, left a will in 1583, mentioning wife Johan, son John (under age 21), brother John Fowler, and sister Anne Fowler. Uncle Richard Fowler was an overseer. This is likely the William Fowler who was christened in 1550. John Fowler, the son of William Fowler was christened 10 January 1579 in Severn Stoke.

Richard, John and William were the sons of John Fowler, who died in about 1565. Johanne was not mentioned in John's will, so was most likely not his daughter. Richard died unmarried, and with no children, so was not Johanne's father. William died married, with a young son, and so was not Johanne's father. He was also too young to be the father of someone born in about 1555. That leaves John junior as a possible father from that family. He did not leave a will, and was still living in 1583. No children are recorded for him in the parish register, and he would also be too young to be Johanne's father.

Their cousin Nicholas Fowler left a will, and did not list Johanne as his child, so is not her father.

That leaves "Uncle" Richard Fowler as the best possibility for Johanne's father. He was the brother of John Fowler, and so was of an age to have a child born in the right time period. He may also be cousin Nicholas' father. (This is not the Nicholas Fowler who died in 1566, as Nicholas was living in 1574 when he was mentioned in Richard Fowler's will. Nicholas Fowler had a daughter Alice christened in 1598 and a son William in 1600 in Severn Stoke.) Richard Fowler died and was buried in 1587.

Johanne married William Wilshire in 1579 in Severn Stoke. A payment was recorded in 1608 in the parish register for "Willm Wilchar for house and land" in Severn Stoke. The next entry, also in 1608, is for "Nicho. Fowler and Will Thomas for Burdens house". If Nicholas was her brother, perhaps Johanne and her brother lived next to each other.

Severn Stoke

Richard Fowler was born in about 1530 of Severn Stoke. His parents are not known, but he had a brother John. Richard was mentioned in the wills of his nephews Richard and William. He acted as an overseer for the wills of his brother John, and his nephews Richard and William. He was also the overseer for the will of Nicholas Fowler in 1566. Nicholas may be another brother.

Richard died and was buried in April 1587 in Severn Stoke.

Richard and his wife had the following children:

*1. Johanne, born in about 1555; married William Wilshire in January 1579 in Severn Stoke.

2. Nicholas, born in about 1560; married Alice.

SOURCES: Severn Stoke parish register extracts; will of John Fowler of Severn Stoke, 1565; will of Nicholas Fowler of Severn Stoke, 1566; will of Richard Fowler of Severn Stoke, 1574; will of William Fowler of Severn Stoke, 1583; extracted on http://www.prattens.co.uk/families/FOWLER/notes.html.