The Sheafe family of Wye

[MattD30]

Hi Matthew,

My apologies for not having responded to your last post to me regarding Valentine Austin and his several wives.

The first 'wife' was revealed only through a baptism at Wye of a Mathew Austin, 1 November 1615 which reads, "Mathew Austen the son of Valentine Austen and Katherine the daughter of Thomas Terrall, baptised" .  I have searched many parishes in an attempt to find the marriage of Mathew and Katherine but with no success.  Likewise, I have also searched for a burial for Katherine, also without success.  Unfortunately, the baptism entry is somewhat ambiguous as it could be construed that Mathew was an illegitimate child of Valentine and Katherine.  However, as Mathew was baptised with the Austen surname and having regard to the strict protocol concerning the identification of illegitimate children, it would appear, on the face of it that Valentine and Katherine were married.  Of course, only finding the missing events will settle the possibility of whether or not Valentine and Katherine were actually married to each other or not.

The second wife then becomes Jane Terrall who is described on the marriage licence as being a "virgin":

Valentine Austen, of Brook, yeom[an], ba[chelor], about 30, and Jane Terrell, s.p. [of the same], v. [virgin], about 22, d[aughter] of Mary Terrell, alias Dence s.p. [of the same place], w. [widow], who consents.  At the same.  Sept. 24, 1625.

Source for the above entry:  Marriage Licences of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury, vol. 2, 1619-1660, col. 37.

The marriage entry at Brook on 27 September 1625 reads in part, "she "eius matertera ----?" [his mother's sister i.e. his maternal aunt, or a kind of "goddess" ----?] 

Source of the above entry is the Archdeacon's Transcripts of Brooke.

I think in this context the relationship is stated and not some fanciful description of his fondness for Jane.  I have to question, however, if the vicar used the correct Latin term and perhaps meant that Jane was the sister of Katherine Terrall.  Sadly, we may never know the truth of this matter unless the former marriage to Katherine Terrall can be found.

Hence the third marriage consists of the marriage to Elizabeth Sheafe.

I also have the marriages and licences of Sarah Sheafe and Mary Sheafe.

I also have the three Wills - Mathew, Thomasine and Valentine Austin.

Despite having searched numerous parishes around Wye and Adisham, I have not yet found the marriage of Mathew Austen to Thomasine.  Have you found that marriage?  I wonder as you have Thomasine recorded with the surname of Austen.

In total, Mathew and Thomasine Austen had 6 sons:

1,  Richard baptised 5 May 1588 at Adisham.  This Richard is referred to as an uncle in the Will of Thomas Austen of Harbledown proved 1 Nov 1661, the son of Mathew and Thomasine Austen of Wye.  Richard is described as being of Wye at the time of death of Thomas in 1661.

2.  Mathew baptised 19 Jul 1590 at Adisham.

3.  Henry  baptised 8 Oct 1592 at Adisham.  He married Agnes Marsh 4 May 1626 at St. Peter, Canterbury.

4.  Valentine  baptised 31 Aug 1595 at Chilham - my 10th great-grandfather.

5.  William baptised 2 Apr 1598 at Chilham. I have no further information for this fellow.

6.  Thomas baptised 28 Mar 1602 at Chilham;  died 15 Aug 1661 at Harbledown.  The Will of this fellow refers to father Matthew Austen of Wye and a legacy to Elizabeth daughter of Henry Austen, deceased.  Testator's uncle Richard Austen of Wye and testator's uncle Thomas Austen of Chillenden.  Robert Beake of Hackington one of the overseers.

Now, to touch on Elizabeth Austin, daughter of Valentine Austin and Eliabeth nee Sheafe:  I have this Elizabeth having married Stephen Wood, she of Wye, he of Hastingleigh on 29 Oct 1661 at Wye. 

There are also the following two Elizabeth Austin's, both granddaughters of Mathew and Thomasine Austin, for which I have no burials or marriages:

1.  Elizabeth Austin baptised 13 Aug. 1636 at Chilham, the daughter of Henry Austin and Ann Marsh;  and,

2.  Elizabeth Austin baptised 1 Mar 1631 at Brooke, the daughter of Richard Austin and Elizabeth nee Raynes.

I look forward to receiving your response, particularly so in regard to your Elizabeth Austin's marriage to John Kennett.

Sincerely,
Susan

Hi Susan

Apologies for the delay in getting back to you on the Austens and Sheafes. I thought I'd let you know that I believe that I have now made some progress on the Sheafe line and can identify Elizabeth Sheafe's ancestors.

I haven't made much more progress on the Austen line although I hope to visit the Canterbury Cathedral Archives in the next two weeks and do some more research on them there.

What I can say is that it looks like we have to look outside of Wye for the Austens and Sheafes.

Anyhow I will try and update update you in the next week with a basic tree or details.

Hope you are well

Matt

[Zacktyr]

Hi Matt,

My apologies for being out-of-contact with you for the past little while.  The tech issues became too big to surmount and rushing to get client work under control before our FHC shut-down for August and a steep learning curve getting a new computer up and running have left me a little exhausted.  However, over the next week I will re-acquaint myself with the information we left off at and send an email to you.

In the meantime, the AUSTIN line for our mutual Matthew AUSTIN runs like this:

Matthew's father was: 
Richard AUSTIN born circa 1512-1515, at Wickhambreaux, Kent
buried Dec 1592 at Adisham
His Will Consistory Court of Canterbury PRC32/37-89 written 21 May 1592, proved 13 February 1592/3
I have this Will.
Married Agnes a'DENNE
born circa 1520 at Barham
buried 23 Mar 1588 at Adisham.

Richard AUSTEN'S father was:
Robert AUSTEN
born circa 1479, likely at Wickhambreaux, Kent, England
buried 26 Nov 1544 at Adisham
His wife was named Elizabeth [surname unknown at this time].
She was buried 31 Oct 1538 at Adisham.


A possible lead on Robert's father comes in the manner of an Archdeaconry Court Will for:
AUSTEN Robert, Wickhambreaux, 1487, Court: AD 17 RW, v. 4, fol. 133, FHL #0188920   

However, there are other Wills that should also be examined in order to develop the AUSTEN family at Wickhambreaux and Adisham more succinctly:

SURNAME  NAME    RESIDENCE   YEAR   WILL TYPE   VOL.   FOLIO FHL FILM #
AUSTYN   Joane   Adisham   1483   CC 32 RW   2   553   0188833
AUSTYN   Robert   Adisham   1528   CC 32 RW   15   47   0188840
AUSTYN   Robert   Adisham   1554   CC 32 RW   19   38   0188842
AUSTEN   Thomas   Adisham   1578-1580     CC 32 RW   34   66   0188848
AUSTEN   Edmund   Adisham   1582-1582     CC 32 RW   34   247   0188848
AUSTEN, AWSTEN   Valentine   Adisham   1616-1616     CC 32 RW   43   211   0188856
AUSTEN   Thomas   Adisham   1617-1617     CC 32 RW   44   130   0188857
AWSTEN   Richard   Wickhambreaux   1618-1618    AD 17 RW   55   405   0188953
AUSTEN   Richard   Adisham   1618-1619     CC 32 RW   44   310   0188857
AUSTEN   Elizabeth   Adisham   1629-1629     CC 32 RW   49   44   0188861

Any work on Archdeaconry or Consistory Court Wills will have to wait until September when the FHC reopens and I can access them on their computer system.  They have many more now online than they did even one month ago.

Sincerely,
Susan

[Zacktyr]

Hello, again, Matt

On the SHEAFE line, I would caution that many have tried to hook our Sarah SHEAFE up with the family of Harman SHEAFE and Sarah GYLLEBRAND at Cranbrook.  There is absolutely  no proof tying our lady to that family.  There is another possibility in the Thomas SHEAFEs in Rolvenden and High Halden. But, again, I have found absolutely no proof in tying that family up with our family.

The thing that is worrying to me is the appearance of a burial of a Thomas SHEAFE in Wye on 28 Oct 1633 who was described as a prisoner.  I have been trying to run that lead to ground but unfortunately, I am having no success whatsoever.  I have many questions but have found no answers.  The fact that our Sarah is buried in Wye in 1640 as a widow leads me to hypothesize that she and Thomas were husband and wife or at least mother and son. 

I have also been trying to track down the baptism of the elusive Edmund Sheafe, Sarah's son, which occurred circa 1616 or earlier.  I believe finding that baptism will put us on solid ground for continuing this line back through time. 

I have recently come upon a marriage of an Edmund Sheafe pre-1600 in the vicinity of Chilham.  I'll have to dig that reference up again, I seem to have misplaced it at the moment.  It was the only Sheafe event in that parish right up to the 1640s.  As soon as I lay my hands on it, I'll send it on to you for your reference.

Sincerely,
Susan

[MattD30]

Hi Matt,

My apologies for being out-of-contact with you for the past little while.  The tech issues became too big to surmount and rushing to get client work under control before our FHC shut-down for August and a steep learning curve getting a new computer up and running have left me a little exhausted.  However, over the next week I will re-acquaint myself with the information we left off at and send an email to you.

In the meantime, the AUSTIN line for our mutual Matthew AUSTIN runs like this:

Matthew's father was: 
Richard AUSTIN born circa 1512-1515, at Wickhambreaux, Kent
buried Dec 1592 at Adisham
His Will Consistory Court of Canterbury PRC32/37-89 written 21 May 1592, proved 13 February 1592/3
I have this Will.
Married Agnes a'DENNE
born circa 1520 at Barham
buried 23 Mar 1588 at Adisham.

Richard AUSTEN'S father was:
Robert AUSTEN
born circa 1479, likely at Wickhambreaux, Kent, England
buried 26 Nov 1544 at Adisham
His wife was named Elizabeth [surname unknown at this time].
She was buried 31 Oct 1538 at Adisham.


A possible lead on Robert's father comes in the manner of an Archdeaconry Court Will for:
AUSTEN Robert, Wickhambreaux, 1487, Court: AD 17 RW, v. 4, fol. 133, FHL #0188920   

However, there are other Wills that should also be examined in order to develop the AUSTEN family at Wickhambreaux and Adisham more succinctly:

SURNAME  NAME    RESIDENCE   YEAR   WILL TYPE   VOL.   FOLIO FHL FILM #
AUSTYN   Joane   Adisham   1483   CC 32 RW   2   553   0188833
AUSTYN   Robert   Adisham   1528   CC 32 RW   15   47   0188840
AUSTYN   Robert   Adisham   1554   CC 32 RW   19   38   0188842
AUSTEN   Thomas   Adisham   1578-1580     CC 32 RW   34   66   0188848
AUSTEN   Edmund   Adisham   1582-1582     CC 32 RW   34   247   0188848
AUSTEN, AWSTEN   Valentine   Adisham   1616-1616     CC 32 RW   43   211   0188856
AUSTEN   Thomas   Adisham   1617-1617     CC 32 RW   44   130   0188857
AWSTEN   Richard   Wickhambreaux   1618-1618    AD 17 RW   55   405   0188953
AUSTEN   Richard   Adisham   1618-1619     CC 32 RW   44   310   0188857
AUSTEN   Elizabeth   Adisham   1629-1629     CC 32 RW   49   44   0188861

Any work on Archdeaconry or Consistory Court Wills will have to wait until September when the FHC reopens and I can access them on their computer system.  They have many more now online than they did even one month ago.

Sincerely,
Susan

Hi Susan

Wow you've been busy! That's a lot of info on the Austen line! I don't have my Austen tree to hand but will cross reference this with what I have.

The connection with the Denne family is interesting as they feature on another branch of my family tree.

With regards to the wills you mentioned I do have transcripts of quite a few wills of the Austen family associated with Adisham. I will check to see if any of those you listed are amongst the ones I have.

I will try to get back to you on this lot sometime in the week.

Until then, best wishes

Matt

[MattD30]

Hello, again, Matt

On the SHEAFE line, I would caution that many have tried to hook our Sarah SHEAFE up with the family of Harman SHEAFE and Sarah GYLLEBRAND at Cranbrook.  There is absolutely  no proof tying our lady to that family.  There is another possibility in the Thomas SHEAFEs in Rolvenden and High Halden. But, again, I have found absolutely no proof in tying that family up with our family.

The thing that is worrying to me is the appearance of a burial of a Thomas SHEAFE in Wye on 28 Oct 1633 who was described as a prisoner.  I have been trying to run that lead to ground but unfortunately, I am having no success whatsoever.  I have many questions but have found no answers.  The fact that our Sarah is buried in Wye in 1640 as a widow leads me to hypothesize that she and Thomas were husband and wife or at least mother and son. 

I have also been trying to track down the baptism of the elusive Edmund Sheafe, Sarah's son, which occurred circa 1616 or earlier.  I believe finding that baptism will put us on solid ground for continuing this line back through time. 

I have recently come upon a marriage of an Edmund Sheafe pre-1600 in the vicinity of Chilham.  I'll have to dig that reference up again, I seem to have misplaced it at the moment.  It was the only Sheafe event in that parish right up to the 1640s.  As soon as I lay my hands on it, I'll send it on to you for your reference.

Sincerely,
Susan

Hi again Susan

I agree that caution is needed in researching the Sheafes, however I do suspect that there is a link. Sheafe is a fairly unusual name and I've only found it in a few parishes, namely those around Cranbrook and in the case of Harmon Shefe's marriage and the marriage of Elizabeth Sheafe and Valentine Austen of Wye. Although these parishes are a fair distance apart I believe I may have found some possible evidence to suggest that the Sheafes in Cranbrook had links to Wye and the parishes around there.

Interestingly I think I have found the Will of Harmon Sheafe. The puzzle is that he appears to have died in Welford, Berkshire (there is a link there as his brother lived there). The problem is that although he mentions his lands in Cranbrook and Kent, and also his wife Sara, he makes no mention of any children. It is odd that no children at all are named, unless they had already been provided. If he had named some of his children, and particularly Elizabeth, then we would have a way to link him to Elizabeth who married Valentine Austen, but like I said sadly he names no children. Of course the will could relate to a different Harmon but the name is so unusual I'm sure it is the same man.

There are a lot of Sheafe family Wills but sadly none of them mention members of the Austen family which is annoying.

As I said the name 'Harmon' is an unusual name. The only examples of that name I've found connected with Wye, are Harmon Sheafe who married Sara Jyllybrand (Gyllybrand, Gillibrand) and Harmon Sheafe who was born in Cranbrook and [possibly] died in Welford. I can't definitely say that the Harmon who was born in Cranbrook is the same one as the Harmon who married Sara but so far it's the only possible candidate I've found (with the exception of his nephew who would be too young to be Elizabeth's father).

Like you I've tried to look into this Thomas Sheafe who was a prisoner but without much luck, perhaps I need to add that to my list of things to research when I visit Canterbury next.

What is interesting is the fact that there are a lot of repeated names in the family, Edmund being one example.

At the moment I have a feeling that we definitely need to look outside Wye for Elizabeth's ancestry. The puzzle whether her parents came from outside that parish or not.

Anyhow I will update you with my thoughts on the Sheafe line soon.

Matt

[Zacktyr]

Hi Matt,

Thank you for each of your above two replies.

I found the reference of the Edmund Sheafe marriage and just wanted to pass this quickly along to you.

From the Parish Register of Challock:
SHEOFE [sic], Edmund, Jane DOWNE, married 21 Sep 1599

But, from the First Series, 1568-1618, Canterbury Marriage Licences by Joseph Meadows Cowper,
Col. 373:
SHEAFE, Edmund, of Woodchurch, yeoman, and Jane DOWNE of Challock, widow.  Aug 15, 1599.

Woodchurch is not a parish that I have paid much attention to in the past despite having a line entrenched at Bethersden and Pluckley to pre-1538.

Sincerely,
Susan

[MattD30]

Hi Matt,

Thank you for each of your above two replies.

I found the reference of the Edmund Sheafe marriage and just wanted to pass this quickly along to you.

From the Parish Register of Challock:
SHEOFE [sic], Edmund, Jane DOWNE, married 21 Sep 1599

But, from the First Series, 1568-1618, Canterbury Marriage Licences by Joseph Meadows Cowper,
Col. 373:
SHEAFE, Edmund, of Woodchurch, yeoman, and Jane DOWNE of Challock, widow.  Aug 15, 1599.

Woodchurch is not a parish that I have paid much attention to in the past despite having a line entrenched at Bethersden and Pluckley to pre-1538.

Sincerely,
Susan

Hi Susan

Edmond is a very interesting character. He was married twice from memory but I will need to check my notes to give you the exact details. What I can say is that he was 1 of 15 children and the second eldest son. Edmund was a clergyman and died in 1626 leaving an extensive Will. I have a copy of his Will and can send you a copy if you want.

Edmund's brother Dr Thomas Sheffe, D.D was rector of Welford and is buried at St George's Chapel, Windsor. Like Edmund, Thomas also left a Will which mentions many family members.

Names like Edmund, Thomas, Timothy, Katherine, John, William, Joane and Sarah seem very popular in this family.

I'll send you a separate message about Harmon Sheafe as I think it will be easier to explain things that way. Alternatively if you want to pm me with your email details I can send it to you directly (along with a family tree).

All the best for now

Matt

[MattD30]

Hi Matt,

My apologies for being out-of-contact with you for the past little while.  The tech issues became too big to surmount and rushing to get client work under control before our FHC shut-down for August and a steep learning curve getting a new computer up and running have left me a little exhausted.  However, over the next week I will re-acquaint myself with the information we left off at and send an email to you.

In the meantime, the AUSTIN line for our mutual Matthew AUSTIN runs like this:

Matthew's father was: 
Richard AUSTIN born circa 1512-1515, at Wickhambreaux, Kent
buried Dec 1592 at Adisham
His Will Consistory Court of Canterbury PRC32/37-89 written 21 May 1592, proved 13 February 1592/3
I have this Will.
Married Agnes a'DENNE
born circa 1520 at Barham
buried 23 Mar 1588 at Adisham.

Richard AUSTEN'S father was:
Robert AUSTEN
born circa 1479, likely at Wickhambreaux, Kent, England
buried 26 Nov 1544 at Adisham
His wife was named Elizabeth [surname unknown at this time].
She was buried 31 Oct 1538 at Adisham.


A possible lead on Robert's father comes in the manner of an Archdeaconry Court Will for:
AUSTEN Robert, Wickhambreaux, 1487, Court: AD 17 RW, v. 4, fol. 133, FHL #0188920   

However, there are other Wills that should also be examined in order to develop the AUSTEN family at Wickhambreaux and Adisham more succinctly:

SURNAME  NAME    RESIDENCE   YEAR   WILL TYPE   VOL.   FOLIO FHL FILM #
AUSTYN   Joane   Adisham   1483   CC 32 RW   2   553   0188833
AUSTYN   Robert   Adisham   1528   CC 32 RW   15   47   0188840
AUSTYN   Robert   Adisham   1554   CC 32 RW   19   38   0188842
AUSTEN   Thomas   Adisham   1578-1580     CC 32 RW   34   66   0188848
AUSTEN   Edmund   Adisham   1582-1582     CC 32 RW   34   247   0188848
AUSTEN, AWSTEN   Valentine   Adisham   1616-1616     CC 32 RW   43   211   0188856
AUSTEN   Thomas   Adisham   1617-1617     CC 32 RW   44   130   0188857
AWSTEN   Richard   Wickhambreaux   1618-1618    AD 17 RW   55   405   0188953
AUSTEN   Richard   Adisham   1618-1619     CC 32 RW   44   310   0188857
AUSTEN   Elizabeth   Adisham   1629-1629     CC 32 RW   49   44   0188861

Any work on Archdeaconry or Consistory Court Wills will have to wait until September when the FHC reopens and I can access them on their computer system.  They have many more now online than they did even one month ago.

Sincerely,
Susan

Hi Susan

Can you send me a copy of Richard Austen's Will if you have time? I am hoping to follow up on the other Wills if I get to visit the archives in Canterbury next week [which I am currently planning to do].

Do you know who his siblings were, or if Agnes left a Will at all?

Ok now the really interesting bit. Agnes A'Denne [or Agnes Denne] could well be connected to the Denne family I am researching in the Kingston, Barham, and Womenswold area. This family is very large and extensive [thankfully they left lots of Wills] and if I'm right then I have Denne links on two different lines of my ancestry. I will do some more digging and let you know my thoughts.

Best Wishes

Matt

[Nhoj0471]

Hi Matt.

It seems we share a common ancestor.  I descend from Richard Kennett baptised in Wye 3 Oct 1673, son of John Kennet & Elizabeth Austine married 3 Nov 1664.  As John is shown as John jnr., his father must have been named John also.  I have found a John bpt. in Wye in 1628 and 1632 with fathers name of John plus a marriage of a John Kennet (of Boughton Aluph) to Margery Scrase in 1633. I wonder whether you have been able to take the Kennett line further back.

As for the Sheaffe family:  From 'The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Volume 4'

"Sheafe, Thomas, Cranbrook m Sarah Sheppard, a descendant of Richard Sheppard of Pesmarsh, Sussex.  This seems to have been not far from beginning of the 17th century".

I wonder if this could be the Sarah Sheafe mother of Elizabeth who married Valentine Austin.

Regards

John
Australia