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As I understand it, back in 1920 a Mr. Collins of England, made some enquiries into the ancestry of a Thomas Wenham, born c. 1726 in England, married, c. 1756, and who owned  the "Wenham" sugar plantation in Antigua.

It was reported that the above Thomas Wenham was Collins'  gg-grandfather.  Collins' mother allegedly owned some silver engraved with the Wenham family crest.

Can anyone throw some light on any of this please?

Many thanks.

I believe Thomas Wenham may have been buried in Trinity Church New York in 1709.   How can I research this please?

Also, I believe his children, John, Sarah and Edward, born between the years 1695-1704, may have been born in New York.   What US records are available for me to research this please?

Any help would be welcome.

Thank you.

N.B.  It may be of interest to others to know that I believe Thomas Wenham may be related to the Rev. John Wenham of Hailsham (c. 1659) whose father was John Wenham of More Hall, Ninfield, Sussex, UK.   If this is the case, then Thomas is related to the Wenhams of Wenham Hall, Little Wenham, Suffolk, UK.

Could you help please?    I am trying to find the details that  may shed some light into the conjecture that he perhaps married twice.

He is known to have married Mary Alford of Broadwater Sussex UK in 1693 and  had at least 3 children, John, Sarah and Edward but I am not sure if they were born in England or New York. 

Reference has also been made to a wife called Mary Burroughs.

The New York Census for 1703 show that he was living in Dock Ward with a wife, 2 children, boy and girl, under 16 and 3 slaves!   

Thomas' Will was allegedly proved on 9 October 1709 by the then Deputy Governor of New York, Richard Ingoldesby.

Thomas had an interesting career, captain, merchant, warden of Trinity Church NY, commissioner of customs for the Receiver General and appointed Third Justice of the Supreme Court of New York in 1704. 

He is also connected with land purchases in America named the Little Nine Partners Patent, the Oriskany Patent and the Oneida Patent. 

I understood that his estate was left to his natural son, John Wenham of Beckenham, Kent whose son the Rev. John Wenham of Hamsey sold his interests in the Oriskany Patent to Governor (?) Clinton.    Another report, however suggests that he died childless and his Estate went to his two sisters, one of whom married a Mr Smith and their son was Rev. George Wenham Smith, details of whom have eluded me!

Any further info would be gratefully received.

Many thanks.