Hi Matt
Thanks for your quick reply. Just to say that my interest is in the Luckhurst lineage and having halted at William Lucas (Luckhurst bp May 1636 Charing Kent) I am now proceeding down each of the half bloodlines; the Austens emerge at John Luckhurst's (bp Nov 1716) wife Sarah Austen (bp Nov 1722 Little Chart). So progressing back from Sarah I have reached Matthew Austen (1562-1640) and have nearly all the provenance which you and Susan have been discussing...very interesting and impressive. I got stuck with Elizabeth Austen (nee Sheaffe) at Valentine's July 1651 will and probate and have not established her final outcome, ie remarriage or death as a widow. But essentially for what I am doing Elizabeth's fate does not affect my patrilineal Austen line, although its nice to close out someone. My project also covers the background of the places that all ancestors relate to by their three personal events. In doing so it has become almost a book with quite a lot of QI accounts. Best Regards Terry
Hi Terry
As you've probably found yourself, there are a lot of Austens around in that area and a lot with the same name (there are several Richards, Roberts, Valentines and Matthews).
I descend from Elizabeth Austen, daughter of Valentine Austen and Elizabeth [nee Sheafe]. As far as I know, the Matthew who was christened in 1615 was Valentine's son by his first wife. Elizabeth was his third wife.
I have nearly all the Wills for the Austen family in Wye and the surrounding areas and these are very useful in putting the tree together. Have you seen the Will of Matthew Austen [1562-1640]? If not I can send you a copy.
I've printed out a basic tree for the family so I can go through it tonight and tomorrow and get back to you with more info. I think I have a copy of Valentine Austen's Will and a transcript which I can send you if you've not got it.
How far have you managed to get back with the Austens yourself? I've been very lucky as the Austens were also related to my Nethersole and Denne ancestors in the Littlebourne and Adisham areas of Kent. Through the connections with these families, and through Wills and other sources (mainly records in the Court of Chancery, Quarter Sessions and other records).
As you says yourself there is a lot of interesting material regarding the Austens and along with the Denne and Nethersole families in Kent, and the Gravett family in Surrey/Sussex, they are propably one of the most interesting set of ancestors I've found.
Anyhow I will stop there and get back to you in the next few days if I can.
Matt