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The Neesham Family

 

Thomas Neesham's birth is unknown as yet. He was admitted to St John's College Cambridge at Michaelmas 1614. He attained a BA in 1618-9, and an MA in 1622. He was ordained as a deacon and a priest on 22nd September 1622 by Samuel, Bishop of Norwich. He married Catalina Johnson nee Cole in November 1628 at St Martin's Vintry, in London. Thomas and Catalina were my 8 x great grandparents. Cataina was a Widow, maiden name Cole. Her first husband John Johnson had died after only four years of marriage.

Thomas was instituted as Rector of Stoke D'Abernon in Surrey on 24th September 1629.

Thomas and Catalina had 8 children, though Elizabeth and Mary died unmarried in 1662 and 1664 in Kingston and were buried there.

Their daughter Dorothy Neesham married Edward Brewster, an apothecary and citizen of London, on 24th May 1654, at St Martin's Ludgate, :London. See the Brewster family here.

Their daughter Sarah  married George Jeffreys, the notorious hanging judge in 1667 at All Hallows by the tower. He was later Lord Chancellor and the first Baron Jeffreys of Wem. See Wikipedia article here. Sarah died in 1678, and George remarried a young widow Anne Jones, nee Bloodworth. He died in 1680, being now out of favour, imprisoned in the Tower,  and was buried at the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula at the tower, and his remains were later reburied at St Mary Aldermanbury in the City.

Thomas Neesham died in 1661, and was buried in Stoke d'Abernon. On burial  on 26th August 1661, he was described as Rector of this place. Yet on writing his will, also in 1661, he referred to himself as Thomas Neesham of Kingston. See will here

Catalina Neesham died on 11th May 1676, and was buried in Bromley, though in her will written the same year she refers to herself as of London. She was probably in Bromley as after her husbanddied she may have lived with her daughter Catalina Brewster, whse husband Edward had died befre her mother. Her  (Catalina Neesham's) monumental inscription reads

Here lyeth the body of Cattalina NEESHAM, the relict of Thomas Neesham, late rector of Stock Dabourne in the county of Surrey, who departed this life the 11th day of May, anno domini 1676.  (Interior of Church)

Her will may be seen here

 

 

George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys of Wem by William Wolfgang Claret.jpg

Stoke D'Abernon Church where Thomas Neesham was Rector

1629-before 1661

George Jeffreys as Lord Chancellor

 

 

 

Descendants of Thomas Neesham

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