FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF JOHN
WITHINGTON AND
ELIZABETH HIGGINSON
John Withington of Tildsley was christened 27 June 1604 in
Leigh parish, Lancashire, the son of George Withington and
Margaret Pennington. The parish registers at the time had no
parents listed, but John was listed in his father's will of 1614.
Baptism
record for John Withington in Leigh: "John Wythington de eodem
(the same place as above) - 27"
John married Elizabeth Higginson 16 October 1633 in Leigh.
Marriage
record for John Withington and Elizabeth Higginson in Leigh: "John Withington Elizabeth Higginson - 18"
John was described in a history of Atherton: "John Withington,
nailor died in 1665. His wife was Elizabeth and a daughter of
the same name, who had married Edward Green. He had given by
agreement to his daughter an ample dowry, but £27 of it was
still unpaid at the time of his death. Other daughters were Ann,
wife of Richard Lythgoe, and Margaret, unmarried. A son Henry
took a pair of looms and all its accessories to be found in the
shop. Withington left in all £51 6s. 6d. In this grate and iron
chimney he burned coal and cannel." (History of Atherton)
John was a nailor in Leigh: "Nailmaking was a guild mystery,
with the special rules governing the admission to the craft, the
quality of wares and the service conditions of the young
apprentices...the apprentice on shedding his indentures received
6s. 8d. from his master and a piece of iron. They were the
guild's rules to regulate the setting up of a new member of the
ancient craft." (History of Atherton, John Lunn)
These Withingtons are found in the 1642 Protestations:
The men of Atherton who took the Oath of Protestation in Leigh
Parish Church before John Atherton, February 1641. Nicholas Withington John Withington Peeter Withington Joseph Withington
George Withington
Henry Withington
"Withington Common, 1612: This thatched homestead lies on the
very boundary of the two townships of Astley and Tyldesley. It
was for many generations the home of the Withington family.
George Withington was buried at Leigh in 1612. Richard
Withington and John took the oath in 1641; Thomas and George in
1696. The farm stood originally in Chaddock Lane and the waste,
from which its name derives, is still common land, though
situate in Astley. In early times the Withingtons were dependent
on Chaddock Hall." (www.tyldesley.co.uk)
John died and was buried 15 November 1665 in Leigh.
John and Elizabeth had the following children:
*1. Elizabeth, christened 20 February 1639 in Leigh;
married Edward Green in April 1663 in Leigh.
Baptism record for Elizabeth Withington in Leigh: "Elizabeth
Withington of Tildsley da of John"
2. Ann, married Richard Lythgoe.
3. Margaret
4. Henry, christened 3 November 1639 in Leigh.
SOURCES: Leigh parish registers, www.ancestry.co.uk; History of
Atherton, by John Lunn.
FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF GEORGE WITHINGTON
AND MARGARET
PENNINGTON
George Withington was born in about 1560 of Leigh, Lancashire. He
married Margaret Pinington (Pennington) 3 July 1583 in Leigh.
George had a brother, Oliver, who he mentioned in his will.
George Withington of Tyldesley died and was buried 2 April 1612 in
Leigh.
Burial record for George Withington in Leigh: "George Wythington de Tildesley - 2"
This is the George mentioned in the history of Tyldesley as
being of Withington Common like John: ""Withington Common,
1612: This thatched homestead lies on the very boundary of
the two townships of Astley and Tyldesley. It was for many
generations the home of the Withington family. George
Withington was buried at Leigh in 1612. Richard Withington
and John took the oath in 1641."
George left
a will written in 1610 and proven in 1614.
Will of George
Withington of Atherton, 1614
George left a will written in 1610, leaving instructions for
his body to be buried in the parish church in Leigh: "In
the name of God Amen, the fourth daie of Januarie Anno
Domini 1610 I Georg Withington of Atherton and of
the parishe of Leighe am in reasonable good health &
perfecte memorie I prayse God for it yet by reason of age
& other infirmities which I feele in my bodie I doe
ordayne constitute and make this my last will and testament
in manner & forme following, viz, I bequeath my soule
into the hands of Almightie God my maker & redeemer
hopinge by the merites of Christes death & passion to
receive remission of my sinnes & everlasting lyffe and
my bodie to be buried at my parishe church of Leighe."
George left bequests to his family members, including his
wife Margrett, children Nicholas, Henrie, John and Margrett,
and his son-in-law John Hartley: "And for the distribution
of my goodes it is my will & mynd to geve unto my
sonne Nicholas Withington the dishbord standing in the
howse. And I geve unto John Hartley my sonne in law
twentie shillings. And unto my daughter Margrett
neene poundes which my sonne Nicholas is bound to give my
executor at my disceasse. And also I doe geve unto everie
child which I am grandfather unto three shillings fowre
pence. And I doe lykewyse geve unto everie one which I am
godfather unto twelve pence. And further it is my will &
mynd that after my burial & funeral expences being
discharged the residue of my goodes to be devyded into three
partes whearof one parte I geve unto Margrett my wyffe,
and another parte I geve unto my fowre children viz,
Nicholas, Henrie, John, & Margrett, to be devyded
equallie amongst theyme. And the other & last parte I
take to my selfe, whearof the one half I geve unto Margrett
my daughter, and the other halfe to be devyded into
twoe partes, whearof the one parte I geve to my sonne
John, and the other parte I geve unto Margret my
wyffe and my sonne Henrie to be devyded
equallie betwixt theyme. Lykewysse I doe appoynte Margrett
my wyffe, and Nicholas Withingtonmy sonne
to be my executor to execute & performe this my last
will & testament as my trust is in theyme."
George mentioned his brother Oliver, who was also a
witness to the will: "Lastie I doe bequest my brother
Oliver to see all things performed according to this
my will. Witnesses hearof Nicholas Hurst Oliver
Withington & Robte Morris."
An inventory
was created for George after his death.
Inventory for
George Withington
The
inventory was taken in April of 1614. It listed items from
his estate, including farm animals "kyne, heffers,
steeres & one calfe" one "swyne", crops
of "oates", "wheate", "malte & barlie"
and "tythe corne". Household goods included "one
silver spoone", "brasse & pewter" and
some "quishans" (cushions). The appraisers also
listed "dung & mucke" with a value of six
shillings and eight pence. The inventory also included "one
closse of ground in Shakerley" and "one closse of
ground in Westhaughton".
Margaret died and was buried 20 February 1631 in Leigh.
George and Margaret had the following children:
1. Nicholas, christened 25 February 1586 in Leigh;
married Alice Astley 1608 in Leigh;
2. Henrie, christened 22 February 1590 in Leigh: "Henry
Withington, of Leigh, co. Lancaster, England, and
Dorchester, Mass., the ancestor of most of those of the
name the United States, was baptized in the parish of
Leigh, co. Lancaster, England, 22 Feb. 1580/90, the son
of George and Margaret Withington, and died at
Dorchester, Mass., 2 Feb. 1666/7. He married first, at
Leigh, in Sept. 1615, Anne Leech, who was buried at
Leigh 26 Sept. 1621, daughter of Richard and Anne
(Yale); secondly, at Leigh, 30 Sept. 1622, Elizabeth
Smith, who died at Dorchester, Mass., 16 Feb. 1660,
sister of Thomas Smith, a well-known merchant of London;
and thirdly, at Dorchester, in June 1662, Margery
(Turner) Paul, who died at Dorchester 20 May 1676, widow
of Richard Paul of Taunton. A deed of settlement from
Henry Withington to her is dated 25 June 1662. With his
second wife, Elizabeth (Smith), and his four children,
he came to Dorchester, probably in the same ship (the
James) with Rev. Richard Mather and his company,
arriving 10 Aug. 1635...He was one of the signers of the
covenant by which the Dorchester church was founded, and
was the first ruling elder of the church, continuing in
that office for twenty-nine years until his death. He
was one of the selectmen of Dorchester in 1636, and was
otherwise prominent in the affairs of the town and
church, though there appears to be no record of his
having been made a freeman. He shared in the division of
lands in Dorchester, was a blacksmith by trade, and was
one of the founders and original shareholders in the
first ironworks in the American Colonies, on Mill River
in Taunton." (Frederick Scherer. Henry Withington of
Dorchester, Mass., and Some of His Descendants. New
England Historical and Genealogical Register. (New
England Historic Genealogical Society, Apr, Jul, Oct
1921; Jan 1922), 75:142-44.)
*3. John, christened 27 June 1604 in
Leigh; married Elizabeth Higginson 16
October 1633 in Leigh; occupation: nailor; buried 15 November 1665 in Leigh.
4. Margrett
SOURCES: Will of George Withington of Atherton, 1614; Leigh
parish register.
Withington Common still exists. John Lunn the author
of the histories of Tyldesley and Atherton later fought
to save Withington Common from developers. It is now a
triangular greenspace in Astley.
Withington
Common near Chaddock Lane (Google Maps)
Withington Common (Google Maps)
Trees
in Withington Common (Google Maps)
Withington
Common (Google Maps), the ancient home of the Withingtons
