Ancestors of Captain Arthur Fenner

Thomas Fenner

Thomas Fenner was born in Horley, Surrey, England ca. 1534–1540, son of Thomas Fenner [ca. 1500–1548] of Rowfant. He married 1st — —, m 2nd Elizabeth — [bur 4 May 1614]. Thomas had extensive land holdings in Horley, Horne, and Burstow, county Surrey, and in Worth, county Sussex. He wrote his will on 14 December 1601, leaving his son Samuel messuage and lands called “Tye Meadow” and “Tye Grove” in Burstow, “Little Harrowby” in Horne, “Tanners” in Horley, and “Cox Crofts” in Worth, Sussex Co. To his eldest son, Arthur, he left land called “Lakeland” and additional lands and tenements in Horne and Horley. To his youngest daughter, Sarah, he left £100 11d. He named his wife Elizabeth as executrix and residuary legatee, and asked that she would continue to raise the children on the farm named “Harrowby.” Thomas died (or was buried) in Horley on 18 December 1601. The will was probated on 4 March 1602 and was confirmed on 30 June 1603 after an apparent legal dispute with the children; all the children were probably born from his first wife.

1. Lucy [b ca. 1568] m — Edshaw.

2. Susanna [b ca. 1570] m John Falkner on 25 Nov. 1588 at Horley.

3. Arthur [b 1575; d 1646] m Sarah Browne.

4. Thomas [b 1578; d 16 Sept. 1638; bur at Horley] was a resident of Burstow, Surrey Co.

5. Sarah [b 1581] m — Heathfield.

6. Samuel [b 1583].

Lineage:
John | Roger | John | Roger | Thomas | Thomas | Arthur || Capt. Arthur

Sources:
1. Thomas’s will information from Rick Buckingham, The Book of Begats (rev. 2021).
2. Birthdates of Thomas, Sarah, and Samuel from Richard Lee Fenner, unpublished Fenner history, p. 5.
3. Mary Lovering Holman, “The Fenner, Browne, and Tully Ancestry,” The American Genealogist, vol. 15 (October 1938), pp. 80–82: Archive.org
4. “Thomas Fenner the Elder, of Horne,” Surrey Archaeological Collections, vol. 11 (London: Surrey Archaeological Society, 1893), p. 112: Archive.org

Will of Thomas Fenner, London Metropolitan Archives, via Ancestry.

Will of Thomas Fenner 1601

In the Name of God Amen, the xiiijth Daie of December 1601 & in the xliiijth year of the range of our Sovereigne Ladie Elizabeth by the grace of God of England Frannce & Ireland Queen defender of the Fayth / I Thomas Fenner th’elder of Horne in the county of Surrey yeoman beinge whole of bodye & of good & pfytt memorie, thanks be geven to God. Yet Nevertheless callinge to mynde the uncertentye of mans tyme, that he hath here to lyve in this wretched world doe make ordayne publishe & declare this my testament conteyninge in yt all my last will in manner & from followinge (that is to saie) first I bequeath & comende my soule into the hands of Allmightie God my maker & creator havinge thoroughe the merrytte death & passion of of my onlye saviour and redeamer Jesus Christ to be saved, thoroughe whome and by noe other meanes I hope to be p[ar]taker of that ev[er]lastinge kyngedome of heaven, with he by his precious death and bloode Redeminge hath purchased for all those wich unfaynedlie beleve in him And I committ my bodie to the earth, trustinge att the last daie to have a joyful resurrection amongest the elect people of God. And first I revocke all former wills & testamentes heretofore made by me, And nowe as concerninge the disposition of all & single[] my landes and t[enam]ente rentes [] [services?] and hereditaments whatsoever. First I give will & devyse unto Samuell Fenner my youngest sonne, and to the sonnes of his bodye lawfullie begotten all that my t[enam]ents or messuage, and all landes t[enam]entes meadowes pastures feadinge and hereditaments called of knowen by the name or names of Tye Meadowe and Tye Grove or any of them, and all landes t[enam]entes & hereditaments with their 

appertennces herunto belonginge h[]ye and beinge in the p[ar]ishe of Burstowe in the s[] countye of Surrey and nowe in the tenure and occupation of our [] or of his assignes. Also I geve will & devyse unto the saide Samuell Fenner my saide youngest sonne, and to the heires of his bodye lawfullie begotten one other t[enam]ents or messuage and all landes t[enam]ents meadowes pastures feadinge & hereditaments withall and singler[?] their appertennce therunto belonginge Lyinge and beinge in the p[ar]ishe of Horne in the countie aforsaide called or knowen by the name or names of Litell Harrowley nowe in the tenure and occupation of the saide Thomas Fenner thelder or his assignes. And also I geve will and devyse unto Samuell Fenner my said youngest sonne, and to the heires of his bodye lawfullie begotten all that my t[enam]ents or messuage with all landes t[enam]entes meadowes pastures feadinge & appertennce therunto belonginge called or knowen by the name of Tanners scituate & beinge in the p[ar]ishe of Horley in the countye of Surrey togeather with one other p[ar]cell of lande called Coxe Croftes in the p[ar]ishe of Worthe in the countye of Sussex nowe or sometyme belonginge & occupied with the same t[enam]ente or messuage called Tanners aforsaide nowe in the tenure & occupation of one Richard Winchester or of his assignes. And also further I geve will and devyse unto Arthur Fenner my oldest sonne and heire apparant and to the heires of his bodye lawfullie begotten all that my p[ar]cell of lande called Lakeland with all the landes meadowes pastures feadinge and appertennce whatsoever 

therunto belonginge scituate lyinge and beinge in the p[ar]ishe of Horley in the countye of Surrey now in the tenure ma[] or occupation of me the saide Thomas Fenner th’elder. And also I gyve will & devyse one other p[ar]cell of lande called Cyslands with all the lande meadowes pastures feadinge and appertennce therunto belonginge scituate also in the saide p[ar]ishe of Horley in the county aforsaide unto the saide Arthur Fenner my eldest sonne and to the heires of his bodye lawfully begotten nowe in the tenure ma[] & occupation of me the saide Thomas Fenner th’elder. And also I geve will and devyse unto the saide Arthur Fenner and the heires of his bodye lawfullie begotten, []e t[enam]ente or messuage with all landes t[enam]entes meadowes pastures feadinge and hereditaments with all & singler[?] th[] appertennce therunto belonginge called or knowen by the name or names of Wodd[]sale Arn[]es scytuate also in the p[ar]ishe of Horley in the [] countye of Surrey nowe in the tenure & occupation of one William Hedgeroe & his assignes, togeather also with one other p[ar]cell of land or crofte of lande demysed[?] occupide with the forsaide t[enam]ente or messuage called Wodd[]s ale Arn[] scytuate & beinge in the p[ar]ishe of Horne in the county aforsaide called Horner Crofte in the forsaide occupation of William Hedyer or his assignes. Also furthermore I geve will and devyse unto the saide Arthur Fenner my eldest sonne and to the heires of his bodye lawfullie begotten, one other t[enam]ente or messuage with all landes t[enam]entes meadowes feadinge pastures & hereditaments with all & singler[?] there appertennce therunto belonginge called or knowen by the se[]ll names of Yardes and boultwoodes als Boulters scytuate & beinge also in the saide p[ar]ishe of Horley in the saide county of Surrey and nowe in the tenure or occupation of one William Eaton or his assignes. And I devyse to the saide Arthur Fenner my eldest sonne and heire apparant all other 

my landes & t[enam]ents whatsoever not by the[] otherwyse devysed to any other to have and to hold to him and to his heires of his bodye lawfullie begotten. And also I geve will & bequeath unto Sara Fenner my youngest daughter one hundred marks of lawfull mony of England to be unto her in forme followinge: payd att two sen[]all payments, the first payment ther[] one half yere from & ymedyatlie followinge my death or decease And the other p[ar]te of the saide some of one hundred marks within half a yere followinge after the saide first paiement in full paiement of the saide some of one hundred marks aforsaide and as l[] the disposition of all and singular my leases farmes goods & chattells. I will and my [] mynde purpose and intente ys that Elizabeth my wiefe whome I make executrix of this my saide testament & last will shall have occupie and em[]e all my ferme within I nowe dwell called Harrowsley als Harrosley with all the housinge barnes stables landes t[enam]ents meadowes pastures feadinge and hereditamentes therunto belonginge with all & singuler ther appertenance for and under such yerelie rent covenents grants articles cond[] nowe holde occupye and [] the same duringe such tyme as the saide Elizabeth shall contynewe sole and unmarryed to th[] and w[ith]out that my saide wief shall [] yf yt shall happen the saide Elizabeth my saide wief to marrye or to dye and the [interest?] and terme of my saide lease of Harrowsley to contynewe & not expired[?] then I will that the saide Arthur devyse to my saide wief from & after her decease shall cease & be voyde against her, her executees & assignes and that then my saide ferme of Harrosley with all the saide appertenence and such interest & terme as shall then remayne shall wholl[] be remayne & contynewe unto the saide Arthur Fenner & Samuell my sonnes or to the survyvor or survyvors of them equally to be devyded betwene them and to be lett out to ferme to ther most advantage

[comoditye?] that maye be all the residue of my goodes and chattells. I geve and bequeath to Elizabeth my wief (Be the trust & confidence [] in her whome I make executrix of this my last will and testament) to see my debte paide my legacies performed[?] and my bodye decentlie buryed []lie to execute the same accordinge to the true meaninge and intent of this testament. And yf my saide wiefe shall refuse to be myne executrix or to performe this my saide last will accordinge to the true intent & meaninge therof (which I hope she will will not do) then I will that the saide legacies giftes & bequeths by this my will h[] to the saide Elizabeth shalbe utterlie voyde And that she shall content her self with her [] due to her of the saide p[ar]te of my lands & t[enam]ents And I will that my saide wiefe shall with these mondthes next after my decease enter into one obligation to Arthur Fenner my eldest sonne in the some of two hundred pounds to be conditioned for the true[?] performance of this my saide will nowe made or otherwyse that this my will to her h[] shalbe utterlie void. Provyded alwaies[?] that this my said last will & testament shall stande good And I do herby ratefie and confirme this will to be my onlye last will and testament and noe other. And I do revoke and disanull all former wills by me heretofore whatsoever they be formerlie made. And my onlye true meaninge ys that all and every [] will and devyse mad[] of my saide lands and t[enam]ents herein unto my saide two sonnes Samuell & Arthur Fenner and to the heires of their bodyes lawfullie begotten shall stande and abyde firme unto them without any mann[er] of alteration by me. And yf any one of my saide two sonnes dye before other then the other lyvinge & survivinge to be heire. And to e[] the p[ar]te & portions of his landes soe dyinge by survivor sh[all?] unto his & his heires as aforsaide accordinge to the meaninge of my will herein to be eache others heire therof dyinge without yssue Anythinge herein conteyned or hertofore in and to the contrarie in any wyse notwithstandinge. And my further will mea[ning?] ys that yf att any tyme herafter any of my saide two sonnes in this my last will nam[ed] be my[nded?] to sell[?] or dep[ar]te with any of the saide landes or t[ena]ments to them or any of of them by this my testament & last will geven and devysed to any p[er]son or p[er]sons that then the 

other brother yf he be mynded to buy of have the same of the other soe purposed to sell the same shall have the first preferment offer & partakinge therof before any other strannger or other p[er]son or p[er]sons gevinge yeldinge or payinge for the same as much as any other [] or reasonable man shall or will geve yelde or paie anything abovesaide also to the contrarie notwithstandinge. And morover I geve to the poor people of the p[ar]ishe of Horne xs And to the poore of Horlie xs And to the poore of Burstowe xs of lawfull mony of England to be payd by my Executrix above named. And thus the Lorde have mercye upon me. And desiringe the Lorde to blesse us all. Signed & sealed the daie and yeare abovesaide.

And[?] that the xiiijth daie of december xliiij Eliz[abeth] [] [] The saide Thomas Fenner beinge of pfytt mynd dyd declare to John Faulkner a wytness [] named att the tyme beinge read, that this saide will beinge written in fewer sheets of paper with one hand and viid blotts in the three first leves and noe more and without any Anderlineation[?] was and ys his last will and testament and wich he affirmed and subscribed and sealed by him for his last will, to the wich he requested the saide John Faulkner to subscribe as a wytness to the same the said daie & yere togeather also in the p[re]sence of other wytnesses herunder named that same also herunto sett their marks as wytnesses herof by me Thomas Fenner

John Faulkner
Henry Symons | 
John Lee          | his s[er]vants &
John Fenner his kynsman