Burial record for William Potter in Claverley:
"Wyll Potter Senior was buryed xixth of January Ano dom 1594"
FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
WILLIAM AND ALESE POTTER
William Potter was born in about 1540 of Claverley, Shropshire.
He married Alese.
William and his neighbors in Claverley were listed in estate
records in 1583, when they took wood from Queen Elizabeth's Forest
of Morfe:
"A list of the Quenes tennants within the manor and the Forest
of Morfe. 21st January in the 15th year of the reign of Queen
Elizabeth 1583
Burcott: Harrey ? Harvey Marrall - 3s Richard Felton - 3s
William Felton - 3s John Walker - 3s
The names of all those who felled or cropped oaks within
the Forest of Morfe from the Feast of St Michael in the 8th year
of the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1565 to the Feast of Christ’s
Nativity in the 14th year of her reign 1571 Francis Gatacre gent
for falling of one timber tree within Mr Hadnolls office the
which he taketh as a fee tree for keeping the swalymente.
Present Hugh Grenowes underkeeper for delivering one load of
wood to Thomas Adams Present 2 hollow stube oaks sold to John
Haynes of Bridgnorth by William Brooke or Hugh Grenowes his
underkeeper. Present Hugh Grenowes for selling one green stub
oak to John Walton of Swancote. Present one hollow oak fallen
beside the Lodge and sold by William Broke or Hugh Grenowes.
Present William Gatacre his servant for cropping of custom wood
against the feast of the Nativity of our Lord. Present the
servant of Mistress Dorothy Barker widow for the like default.
Present that a number of the parishioners of Claverley to have
fallen and carried away wood against Christmas the which they
claim as custom wood, viz Francis Perrye, William Clyotts,
Francis Hawes, William Potter, Richard
Hatton, Thomas Garbett, Robert Gravenor, Henry Gravenor, John
Wyllote, Roger Hubbowld, Humphrey Pyke, Thomas Whitmore, William
Frekelton, John Rudge, Christopher Potter, John Potter, William
Pyke."
William died and was buried 19 January 1594 in Claverley.
Alese was buried 18 January 1609 in Claverley.
William and Alese had the following children:
1. William, born in
about 1565 of Claverley; married Margaret; buried 20 August 1612
in Claverley.
*2. Joan, born about 1569
in Claverley; married Thomas Hawes 6 May 1588 in Claverley; buried
2 April 1628 in Claverley.
3. Agnes, christened 6
December 1570 in Claverley; buried 2 May 1571 in Claverley.
4. John, christened 5
December 1574 in Claverley; married Margery. .
5. Anne, christened 1
February 1576 in Claverley; buried 21 August 1645 in Claverley.
6. Margaret, christened
10 February 1578 in Claverley; married Richard Sylee 2 December
1600 in Claverley..
7. Elnor, christened 27
April 1581 in Claverley; married John Bower 31 August 1607 in
Claverley..
8. Richard; buried 13
January 1581 in Claverley.
9. Elizabeth, christened
1 September 1587 in Claverley; married Edward Farmor 14 December
1602 in Claverley. .
FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
THOMAS POTTER
Another earlier Potter is found in the Lichfield Will Index:
Thomas Potter of Claverley left a will dated 19 October 1558.
This entry in Latin mentions "William Potter filius" (son)
as the executor of the will.
Thomas was born about 1510 of Claverley.
Thomas had the following children:
1. William, born in about 1540 of Claverley; married
Alese; buried 19 January 1594 in Claverley.
Other Potters having children in Claverley at the same time as
William may be also be Thomas' children, or older children for
William:
In A List of Families in the Archdeaconry of Stafford, 1532-3,
all of the Potters are found in the parish of Alveley, about eight
miles from Claverley. This is a census taken in 1532-3, which
lists each head of household, his current and past wives (uxor
eius - his wife), his children, and sometimes his parents (parentes).
The words "cum pueris" means with children, and is often
used when all of the children are not listed. Our Thomas Potter
must have been about 22 years old. Four different families have
sons named Thomas and could be his parents.
Land records in Alveley show that Humphrey, John (married to
Margaret), Henry, and James Potter (married to Margaret) were
brothers.
“John Arden and John Holloway of the parish of Alveley Yeoman,
by their deed dated 2 April Elizabeth 1576 demised granted let
and to farm let, by the assent of six honest men of the lordship
of Alveley unto Thomas Arden of the said parish of Alveley,
Tailor, and Margaret his wife and Nicholas Arden their son, all
that messuage or tenement with the appurtenances in the lordship
of Alveley, aforesaid, commonly called or known by the name of
Juker’s tenement, now or late in the tenure of Humphry Grove and
Humphry Potter which lie at a place commonly called
Tyrley Green with all commons to the same belonging to have and
to hold unto the said Thomas Arden Margaret and Nicholas from 26
March 1540 for three score years if the said Thomas, Margaret
and Nicholas or any of them shall so long live, paying yearly 20
shillings at the feasts of St. Michael the Archangel and the
annunciation of the blessed Mary, by equal portions, with
permission for the tenants to take housebote, heybote and
firebote. They also paying upon the decease of any of them dying
tenants twelve pence in the name of an heriot and two shillings
yearly to the lord of the fee, and also one years rent of the
said land if need require and to keep the premised in repair.”
“Humphry Lowe of Alveley Gent, and John Longley of
the same parish yeoman, by deed dated 18 March 1 Elizabeth 1558
demised granted and his assigns, one messuage and one nook of
land called Jocekeis, land and other nook of land called Okes’s
with the appurts. Situate in Tyrley Green within the lordship of
Alveley, then in the tenure of Humphry Potter and his
assigns from the date thereof for the term of 21 years, paying
yearly ten shillings at the feasts of the Annunciation of Our
Ldy and St. Michael the Archangel and twelve pence at the death
of each tenant dying in possession as an heriot.”
“Humphry Elcock of the parish of Alveley, by his deed dated the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel in 28 Henry VIII (1537) demised granted set and to farm let, to Humphrey Potter and his assigns all those messes, lands and tenements in Alveley for years.”
“Humphry Potter of the parish of Alveley by his deed dated 1 January 33 Henry VIII (1542) assigned demised and released to John Potter his brother, half of the said meases lands, tenements, meadows with the appurtenances, to have, hold and occupy, half of the said meases, lands and tenements, with other appurtenances to the said John Potter and Margaret his wife, his father and mother to the end of the year as shall fortune to be behind and not come up paying yearly half of the rent and other out charges.”
“John Potter late of Alveley, by his deed dated 10
March 37 Henry VIII 1545 for three pecuniary pounds paid, gave
granted and assigned to Henry Potter his brother, the
whole of the residue of a term of years in certain tenements,
lying at Tyrley Green in the parish of Alveley, which he
purchased from Humphry Potter his brother, to have and
to hold to the said Henry Potter his brother, to have
and to hold to the said Henry Potter and his assigns,
immediately after the death of quitting of James Potter and
Margaret his wife, paying a moiety of the rent and other
extra burthens to the said tenement belonging.” (The King's Ley,
Gladys Howard Thompson)
If
you have additional information about this family, please
contact me at alice@boydhouse.com.