Notes |
- issue 6 sons, 3 daughters
From Captain Robert Southey's History of the Southey Family:
"Upon very little evidence we attempt to picture Thomas' early life. A damaged copy of his will exists. Contemporary wills introduce some acquaintances and from them we learn he was of yeoman stock with parents of sufficient standing to give him what then would have been considered a good education. Probably Thomas was apprenticed to a clothier in Wellington, possibly he was apprenticed to William Budd whose daughter he married. At that time the Budds of Wellington were well-to-do serge manufacturers. In 1613 a prosperous clothier of Wellington named William Budd made his will which was proved ten years later; this man may have been Thomas' brother-in-law and with him Thomas may have been introduced to the cloth trade, Or Thomas may have been a son and grandson of clothiers and learnt his trade at home. We do not know if Thomas inherited the farmship called Woodford"
In the Tything of Woodford in the parish of Wellington which he entailed on heirs appointed in the Will he made in 1600. He then gave to his other children (I) lands above his house under the will (2) a house with a close, garden, and orchard, then in the occupation of Richard Parsons,(3) nine acres on the north side of the house with a close in Wellington of two and a half acres , (4) land called Tilly's Bargain (Matilda's Bargain is not disclosed), and (5) eighty pounds in cash. The poet had heard Thomas was the father of eleven Sons who peopled that part of Somerset with Sowtheys. This story cannot be verified as Wellington Church records covering the period were destroyed in the civil war. In the light of what evidence we have it's accuracy seems doubtful unless five Sons predeceased their father. But it seems far more likely Thomas had eleven children of whom we know six sons and three daughters survived their father . These six Sons did people much of the district with Sowtheys. On February 5, 1600, Thomas made his will. In it he appointed his wife Joan his residuary legatee and executrix and bequeathed to her for life the farmship of his half yard of land called Woodford. He named his eldest son, Robert Sowthey (an ancestor of the poet) and his heirs, as the next in reversion after her ; after them, his fifth son Richard Sowthey and his heirs ; and after them, his sixth son. Laurence Sowthey (an ancestor of the writer) and his heirs. Robert inherited Woodford when his mother died in 1627 and his descendants retained the property till it was finally disposed of nearly two hundred years later by his great great great grandson, John Sowthey Somerville, Lord Somerville. Thomas did not entail his Woodford estate in favour of his heirs in point of age as Richard and Laurence were his two youngest sons. The order of birth of those sons who survived him seems to have been
1. Robert (of Woodford, Wellington; died 1674; will 1675)
2. William (of Wellington; died probably in 1662 ).
3. John (of Wellington; died 1673 will 1674/5).
4. Thomas (of Wellington; died in 1623).
5. Richard (of Wellington; ceased paying rates in 1667 when he probably died) .
6. Laurence (of Mapledurham, Culmstock; died 1646; Will 1646)."
For details of the gifts to the sons, see under each "To his three daughters Thomas the clothier gave twenty pounds each and to his brother John (then a weaver) he gave his wearing apparel and half a hundred of faggots, and to his two servants a heifer and a sheep. Children of the testator's brothers and sisters were to receive ten groats each. Overseers appointed to administer the Will (proved at Wellson April 28, 1601), were the testator's father- in-law , William Budd; the testator's brother Robert Sowthey, and William Cape and John Perrie. "
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