Other Events and Attributes:

• Nickname: The Rich Clothier
• FSID: L55Q-4KK
• Occupation: Cloth Merchant
• Will: 3 Jul 1523, Lavenham, Suffolk, England
• Will: 23 Feb 1545, Canterbury, Kent, England

Notes:

Thomas Spring 1457 – 1523), also referred to as The Rich Clothier, was an English cloth merchant during the early 1500s. From Lavenham in Suffolk he consolidated his father's business to become one of the most successful in the booming wool trade, and was one of the richest men in England in his lifetime.

Family
Thomas Spring was the eldest son and heir of Thomas Spring of Lavenham, Suffolk (d 1486), and Margaret Appleton. His father's will mentions Thomas and two other sons, William and James (slain 1493), as well as a daughter, Marian. He had another brother, John Spring, whose daughter, Margaret, married Aubrey de Vere, second son of John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford; Aubrey de Vere and Margaret Spring were the grandparents of Robert de Vere, 19th Earl of Oxford.

The will of Thomas Spring's grandfather, also named Thomas (d.1440), mentions his wife, Agnes, his eldest son and heir, Thomas (d. 7 September 1486), another son, William, and two daughters, Katherine and Dionyse.

Career
Thomas inherited the Spring family wool and cloth business from his father, and during his lifetime the cloth trade was at its most profitable. By the time of his death, Spring was believed to be the richest man in England outside the peerage, having invested much of his money in land.

In 1512, 1513 and 1517 his name appears as one of the commissioners for collecting taxation in Suffolk. Spring played a large part in defeating supporters of William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, who claimed the throne from Henry VII. However, in 1517, in the reign of Henry VIII, Spring was given exemption from his public duties. At this point, he was probably at the height of his wealth.

Spring is mentioned in John Skelton's satirical poem Why come ye not to Court, which makes reference to the rich clothier with whom Skelton is said to have been friends.[8] He writes:

"Now nothing, but pay pay with laughe and lay downe Borough, Citie and towne good Springe of Lanam must count what became of his clothe makyng. My Lordes grace will bryng down thys hye Springe and brynge it so lowe it shal not ever flow."

Like his father, Thomas Spring was closely involved in the rebuilding of St Peter and St Paul's Church in Lavenham. This was partly done in order to propitiate the 13th Earl of Oxford, who had ordered the reconstruction work and was the church's other principal donor. The rebuilding also gave Spring an opportunity to display his wealth and generosity, thus solidifying his position in Suffolk; a common motivation behind the construction of many wool churches.

Spring made his last will on 13 June 1523 as 'Thomas Spring of Lavenham, clothmaker', leaving his wife, Alice, all her apparel and jewels, 1000 marks in money, and half his plate and implements of household, with the other half to go to his eldest son and heir, John. Spring also left bequests to his son, Robert, his unmarried daughter, Bridget, the children of his married daughter, Rose Guybon, and the children of his son-in-law, Thomas Jermyn. To 'my wife's daughter, Alice May', he bequeathed £26 13s 4d, 'which I recovered for her of May's executors', to be paid to her at the age of sixteen. A further sum of 5000 marks was to left in trust for future generations of Spring family members with last know survivor being Patricia Anne Shalts (nee Spring) Whereabouts unknown.

Thomas Spring was buried in the Spring family parclose in Lavenham church before the altar of St Katherine. His widow commissioned Flemish wood carvers to create a ten-foot high parclose screen around his tomb, which is one of the most intricate of its type still in existence.

Marriage and issue
Thomas Spring is said to have married firstly, in 1493, Anne King, whose family was of Boxford, Suffolk, by whom he had two sons and two daughters:

Sir John Spring (d. 12 August 1547), who married Dorothy Waldegrave, the daughter of Sir William Waldegrave
Robert Spring (1502–1550), who left a will dated 10 October 1547 in which he mentions his wife Agnes, his eldest son and heir, Thomas Spring of Castlemaine, six other sons (Jerome, Robert, John, Nicholas, Stephen, and Henry, parson of Icklingham), and two daughters Dorothy and Frances. As overseer, he appointed Sir William Cordell.
Anne Spring[ (1494–1528), who married Sir Thomas Jermyn (d.1552) of Rushbrooke, Suffolk. After her death, Sir Thomas Jermyn married Anne Drury.
Rose Spring (b.1496), who married Thomas Guybon.

Spring married secondly a wife named Alice (d.1538), the widow of a husband surnamed May, by whom he had a daughter:

Bridget Spring (1498–c.1557), who married firstly William Erneley (21 December 1501 – 20 January 1546), son of Sir John Erneley (c.1464–1520), Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, by whom she had two sons and two daughters, and secondly Sir Henry Hussey (d. 28 August 1557) of Slinfold, Sussex.
Spring's widow, Alice, survived him by fifteen years. In her will, dated 13 April 1538, she mentions her daughter by Thomas Spring, Bridget, now the wife of William Erneley; her daughter Alice, now the wife of Richard Fulmerston, gentleman; and her daughter Margaret (died c. 1552), the wife of William Risby (died c. 1551). She appoints as executors her daughter Margaret and sons-in-law, William Risby and Richard Fulmerston, and requests "my Lord of Oxenford to aid and defend my said executors." In a codicil added 31 August 1538, she discharges Richard Fulmerston as executor, and appoints him supervisor. Both will and codicil were proved 5 September 1538.
......................................................................................
Now nothing, but pay pay with laughe and lay downe Borough, Citie and towne good Springe of Lanam must count what became of his clothe makyng. My Lordes grace will bryng down thys hye Springe and brynge it so lowe it shal not ever flow.

-- "Why come ye not to Court" makes reference to the rich clothier with whom poet John Skelton is said to have been friends.

Family/Spouse: King, Anne. Anne was born in 1469 in Boxford, Suffolk, England; died in Sep 1508 in Lavenham, Suffolk, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: LRL5-34Y

Notes:

ANNE SPRING was born about 1484 of Lavenham, Suffolk, England. She married Thomas Jermyn about 1497 of Rushbrooke, Suffolkshire, England.

Family/Spouse: Jermyn, Sir Thomas IV. Thomas (son of Jermyn, Thomas and Bernard, Katharine) was born in 1482 in Rushbrooke, Suffolk, England; died on 8 Oct 1552 in Rushbrooke, Suffolk, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: LHZN-XCX
• Alternate Birth: 1520, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England

Martha married Higham, Thomas in 1548 in Higham, Suffolk, England. Thomas (son of Heigham, John Thomas and Waldegrave, Lady Phyllis) was born in 1520 in Higham, Suffolk, England; died before 9 Aug 1557 in Wickhambrook, Suffolk, England; was buried on 9 Aug 1557 in St Mary's Churchyard, Denham, Suffolk, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: 2HXX-J48
• Occupation: Knight

John married Riddlesdale, Elizabeth on 17 Jul 1575 in Boxford, Suffolk, England. Elizabeth (daughter of Riddlesdale, Henry C and Ibbotson, Joan) was born in 1555 in Boxford, Suffolk, England; was christened in 1555 in Boxford, Suffolk, England; died before 29 Sep 1625 in Suffolk, England; was buried on 29 Sep 1625 in Semer, Suffolk, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: L7J2-K3Y

Notes:

Surname is also spelled Heighham

Family/Spouse: Kemp, Robert John. Robert was born in 1568 in Norfolk, England; died in 1593 in Finchingfield, Essex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: L5YZ-FXF

Family/Spouse: Birch Birches, Henry. Henry was born in 1580 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England; was christened on 2 Dec 1582 in Lambourn, Berkshire, England; died on 17 Nov 1651 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: KZRJ-WJN
• Residence: 7 Jul 1629, Goostrey, Cheshire, England

Ann married Kinsey, John Edmund on 7 Jul 1629 in Goostrey, Cheshire, England. John was born on 14 Jun 1611 in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, England; was christened on 14 Jun 1611 in Goostrey, Cheshire, England; died on 14 Aug 1677 in Goostrey, Cheshire, England; was buried on 23 May 1674 in Goostrey, Cheshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: G78P-XVR

Margaret married Scott, Benjamin on 26 Oct 1663 in Essex, England. Benjamin was born in 1647 in Widdington, Essex, England; died on 9 May 1683 in Burlington, New Jersey, USA; was buried on 12 May 1683 in Burlington, New Jersey, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: LZJN-L4Q

Notes:

Title: Governor Robert Lucas: His Ancestors and Descendants.
Author: Hall, Betty Porter.
Publication: 1989, University of LaVerne Press, LaVerne California.
Page: p. 6
Note: Bridgett Scott and Edward Lucas married 3 Sep 1700 at Chesterfield, NJ.

Title: NJ Burlington: Early Church Records of Burlington County, New Jersey.
Author: Meldrum, Charlotte D.
Publication: 1995 Maryland.
Page: Vol. 2, p. 6
Note: Edward Lucas of Bucks Co, Pennsylvania and Brigit Scott of Providence, West Jersey married 3rd day 7th month 1700.

Title: NJ Archives.
Page: Series 1, Vol 22, p. 663, 677
Note: Bridget Scott and Edward Lucas married 3rd day, 7th month 1700. Married at the house of Thomas Lambert. Witnesses John and Martin Scott. Chesterfield.

Title: PA Philadelphia: Colonial Families of Philadelphia.
Author: John W. Jordan.
Publication: 1911, Lewis Publishing, New York.
Page: Vol 2, p 1055
Note: Edward Lucas, son of Robert and Elizabeth, was Supervisor of Highways for Falls township in 1730. He married, 7mo. 3, 1700, Bridget Scott, at the house of Thomas Lambert, in New Jersey, under the care of Chesterfield Friends' Meeting

Birth:
Weedington

Bridget married Lucas, Edward Cowgill on 3 Jul 1700 in Burlington, New Jersey, USA. Edward was born on 14 May 1659 in Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire, England; died on 4 May 1743 in Falls Township, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA; was buried after 4 May 1743 in Falls Friends Meeting Cemetery, Fallsington, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: L2P1-XCC

Mary married Bayley, Thomas Jr on 8 Sep 1732 in Fallsington, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA. Thomas was born on 30 Nov 1706 in Somerset, Pennsylvania, USA; died in 1750 in Falls Township, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: L66D-RYQ

Edward married Satterthwaite, Ann on 24 May 1759 in Middletown Meeting, Delaware, Pennsylvania, USA. Ann (daughter of Satterthwaite, William and Mead, Pleasant) was born on 2 Dec 1742 in Lower Makefield Township, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA; died on 23 Mar 1787 in Falls Township, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: KL64-GZF

Notes:

At least four Quaker list 05 May 1790 as the marriage date of Mary Baylay. She married Abram Fowler a non-Quaker, and has a result was dismissed from the Friends of Fall, Bucks County, Pa. She was dismissed on 09 Jun 1790. The language of her 05 May 1790 entry is as follows: “hath gone out in her Marriage with a man not in Membership. All which have been spoke with and they have concluded to precede with Testimonies against the listed Marriage.

Well, It appears that Mary was born 24 May 1760 in Lower Makefield.  She married William Johnson (1755 - ) on 20 Sep 1775 in Falls Meeting House.  He died sometime 1775-1790 as Mary married Abram Fowzer on 05 May 1790.  She was dismissed from Falls Friends on 09 Jun 1790.  And one researcher has her death as 09 Jan 1791; and I tend to believe that researcher.

I know of no children between William Johnson and Mary Bayley.  Sources agree that Abram Fowzer and Mary Bayley had one child, Edward Fowzer, born 1790.  But that could just have easily been 09 Jan 1791; and assume it true.  Then Edward Fowzer would have been a gleam in Abram and Mary’s eyes in March of 1790.  So she discovers she is pregnant, tells Abram, he says let’s get married, the neighborhood and the Friends find out.  End of story.  If all this is a legitimate story then Mary could have died in childbirth.

Mary married Fowzer, Abraham on 5 May 1790 in Falls, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA. Abraham was born in 1757 in USA; died in DECEASED in Pennsylvania, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Mary married Johnson, William on 20 Sep 1775 in Falls, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA. William was born in 1755 in Middletown, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA; died before 5 May 1790 in Middletown, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]