Thomas Southam, believed to be the father of James Southam, was buried in Cropredy 5 January 1703/4. He married Mary Paxton 16 January 1665 in Mixbury, Oxfordshire. Mary was buried in Cropredy 19 May 1711. Thomas Southam is linked to our ancestor, James Southam, by his burial soon after James appears in Cropredy parish, and by the will of his cousin James Southam. The will of James Southam names James Southam, "sonn of my cozen Thomas Southam" as one of his principle heirs.
 

This mention in the will of James Southam (born 1618) of Neithrop may provide additional clues to Thomas' ancestry. James Southam was a wealthy yeoman farmer of Neithrop. He and his wife Sarah died without any children. In James' lengthy will many bequests are made to family members. James was the son of Richard Southam and Doraty Richards. Richard and Doraty had six children - James, John, John, William, Hanna, and Robert. At the time of Richard's death, James is named as his only son. Only William has children born in Banbury parish. William and his wife, Mary Torshell have five children - Sarah, Hannah, Dorothy, Mary, and James. This James is born in February 1670, and dies one month later. In the will of James Southam of Neithrop, he leaves money to his brother's three surviving daughters - Hannah, Dorothy, and Mary. Within James' immediate family, there are no male heirs. James also leaves property to the children of his uncles, Thomas (born 1606) and Rowland (born 1611). These are mainly females. The bulk of James' property is left to two male Southam relatives: William, "sonn of my Uncle Rowland", and James "sonn of my cozen Thomas". Listed below are the people mentioned in the will, with the relationship stated in the will, and their birthdate if known:
 

Sarah Southam "my beloved wife" receives lands and property until her death.

Anne (born 1653) "the daughter of my Uncle Rowland Southam" ten pounds.
Katherine (born 1635) "the daughter of my said Uncle Rowland" one shilling.
Rebecca "the daughter of my said Uncle Rowland" five pounds.
Rebecca Rogers "her daughter" five pounds if her mother Rebecca dies.
Hannah (born 1660) "daughter of my brother William Southam" forty pounds.
Dorothy (born 1663) and Mary (born 1666) "the daughters of my brother William Southam" fifty pounds each.
William Taylor of Borton "my kinsman" ten pounds.
Hannah "the daughter of my Uncle Thomas Southam" ten pounds.
John Charles and Richard Charles, tenants of the property bought from Charles Wolseley, Bart.
William Rogers "my kinsman" property where John Charles dwells until James Southam becomes 21 years old.
Katherine, "the daughter of my Cozen Rebecca Rice" ten pounds.
Thomas Southam "my Cozen" one shilling.
Elizabeth, the daughter of Thomas Lambert "the elder, late of Grimsbury deceased" five pounds.
Sarah Drake "my servant" five pounds.
Alice Pinfold of Banbury five shillings.
Richard Pettipher "of Nethrop, and his wife and his sonn and two daughters" one shilling each.
Thomas Yowick, the elder "my Cozen" one shilling.
Samuell Claridge, tanner, tenant on "grounds in Bewdsert alias Befsert in the County of Warwick".
Phillip Coleman's wife of Banbury "my kinswoman" five shillings.
The will is signed by Timothy Gibbard, John Webstar, and Richard Charles.
 

Within this will, Thomas is called "my Cozen". This is often a generic term for a relative in this time period, however, in this will James Southam is very specific about relationships. If Thomas were really his cousin, then who is his father? James' father had these siblings:
 

Joyce (born 1598), married Nicholas Youick
Hanna (born 1600)
George (born 1603)
Thomas (born 1606), must have died.
Thomas (born 1609), died 1664.
Willam (born 1609), died 1610.
Rowland (born 1611), will 1667
Elizabeth (born 1614).
 

Since Thomas is a Southam, he must be the son of one of James' uncles, not aunts. This leaves George, Thomas and Rowland. Thomas and Rowland are known to have descendents, and some are mentioned in the will. Thomas had seven children: George (1632), Elizabeth (1637), Joane (1642), Richard (1644), Ann (1649), William (1651, and Hannah. Rowland had six children: Catherine (1635), Temperance (1645), Rowland (1649), William (1649), Ann (1653), and Rebecca. Thomas may be the son of one of these uncles. It is possible that Thomas was a more distant cousin, but no Thomases are born within the right time period. It is less likely that James Southam would leave such a large bequest to the son of a distant cousin.
 

If it is possible to connect our Thomas Southam to one of James Southam's uncles, then the pedigree will be easy to follow. James of Neithrop was the son of Richard Southam (born 1595), yeoman farmer of Banbury, and Dorothy Richards. Richard was the son of James Southam (born 1564) of Banbury. James was the son of Roberte and Annys Southam of Banbury. Roberte left a will in 1594. Roberte was the son of Thomas and Jone Southam of Neithrop. They were admitted to the Guild of Knowles in Banbury in 1514, and are listed on a subsidy in 1523. Thomas must have been born in the late 1400s.
 

Additional research is necessary to determine the parents of the Thomas Southam who died in Cropredy in 1703. Gravestones are found in Cropredy churchyard for both Thomas and Mary:
 

In Memory of

Here lieth the

Thomas and Mary had a son:
 

1. James, born in about 1680; married 1) Elizabeth, 2) Mary Holloway 8 October 1750 in Cropredy; buried 23 January 1763 in Cropredy.
 
 

SOURCE: Bishop's Transcripts, Cropredy Parish, FHS# 95235; Cropredy parish register on CD; IGI.
 
 

If you have any additional information about this family, please contact me at alice@boydhouse.com.