Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

John Clench

Male Aft 1530 - 1593  (~ 61 years)


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  • Name John Clench 
    Born Aft 1530  , Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Buried 26 Jun 1593  Tonge, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I5082  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Father John Clench,   b. Bef 1505, , Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt 6 Jul 1582, Otterden, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age > 77 years) 
    Mother Johan,   b. Bef 1511, , Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1582, , Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age > 73 years) 
    Married Bef 1530  of Eastling, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F1771  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Isbell,   bur. 11 Nov 1582, Tonge, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married Bef 1555  , Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F2265  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Mercy Bonce,   b. Bef 1562, of Otterden, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   bur. 30 Sep 1585, Tonge, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 23 years) 
    Married 8 Apr 1583  Tonge, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F2266  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 3 Agnes,   b. From 1548 to 1561, , Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1593, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 46 years) 
    Married 19 Jul 1586  Tonge, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F2267  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. FHL film 1752239, item 1, Tonge, Kent, England Archdeacon's transcripts: Baptisms, marriages and burials 1563-1812 (missing: 1564/5, 1565/6, 1569/70, 1594/5, 1606/7, ...), my extraction was from the beginning thru 1625 for all Clinches, who all appear to be the family of John Clinch, vicar:
      - 1578/9, first year John Clinch vicar signs the church transcripts which he does continually until the year of death.
      - 14 Oct 1582, Agnes dau. of John Clinch vicar bapt.
      - 1 Nov 1582, Isbell Clinch the wyfe of John Clinch vicar bur.
      - 8 Apr 1583, John Clinch vicar of Tonge and Mercy Bonce marr.
      - 9 Jan 1583/4, Mary dau. of John Clinch bur.
      - 28 Mar 1585, Elizabeth dau. of John Clinch vicar bapt.
      - 10 Jul 1585, Annes dau. of John Clinch vicar bur.
      - 30 Sep 1585, Mercie Clinche the wife of John Clinch bur.
      - 19 Jul 1586, John Clinche vicar of Tonge and Agnes Fango widow married.
      - 19 Jul 1586, Cadwalleder Lewes and Sarah Clinch single folkes married. [Same day as her father and his third wife above.]
      - 8 May 1587, Josias Clinch and Sara Sharpe, married.
      - 4 Feb 1587/8, John son of John Clinch bap.
      - 28 Feb 1587/8, Ann dau. of Josias Clinch bapt.; 6 Mar 1587/8 Ann dau. of Josias Clinch bur.
      - 19 Feb 1590/1, Elizabeth dau. of John Clynche vicar bur.
      - 18 Jul 1592, John son of John Clinch vicar bur.
      - 27 Jun 1593, John Clinch vicar of this parish was buried.

      2. The construction of this family is from several wills and other records (see other notes for those sources):
      Parents: John Clench (-1582) of Otterden and his wife Johan are identified in two documents. They are found in Eastling selling real property in the Kent Feet of Fines for 1530/31. In John's will of 1582, land in Eastling (near to Otterden) is part of his legacy. Assuming a marriage no later than 1530, then John would have been born bef. 1505 (age 25 or older) and Johann before 1511 (age 19 or older). John's will in Otterden of 1582 identifies six children -- three sons (Edward, John, and Anthony) and three daughters (Rabech, Benet, and Ane). The will names the wife of Edward as Rose as well as three daughters of Edward -- Jane, Thomason, and Benet. The will indicates that his son John has children, but for Anthony he only says heirs rather than children.
      Children (order unknown):
      A. [Vicar] John Clench (-1593). The connection as a son is probable but not fully proven. We know the Vicar's son Josias was named as a "cosen" in John's probable brother Anthony's 1609/10 will, which term probably included nephews in that era. We can also place Josias later in life in Eastling where he is buried and where also John of Otterden had legacies in his will. Vicar John would have been born around 1530 since he married his first wife bef. 1555. From his probable father John's 1582 will, we know that he had children (unnamed) in 1582. Since no other John Clinch of that era shows up in the nearby localities except Vicar John, it would lead us to conclude Vicar John to be John of Otterden's son. This John was named as the Vicar of the Tonge parish and is so named with that title in at least one marriage record and in his 24 Jun 1593 will -- in this marriage record, Vicar John marries an Otterden woman. In his will, his current wife Agnes, his son Josias, and his son-in-law Cadwallader Lewes are mentioned. Of the three sons of John of Otterden, all three die in in the same generation with Vicar John in 1593, Edward bef. 1596, and Anthony in 1609/10. Vicar John was most likely married at least three times: the first wife is unknown and the probable mother of his children; he married secondly Mary Bonnce; and lastly Agnes ___ who shows as his wife in his will. Wives and children:
      a. Unknown wife who died before 1583. Marriage was probably before 1555 when their son Josias was born:
      i. Josias Clench (1555-1632). Parish records show he marries Sara Sharp 8 May 1587 in Tonge and is buried 23 Dec 1632 in Eastling. His age is given in the burial record which calculates a birth in 1555. His wife Sara was probably born sometime before 1568 assuming she was 19 or older at the time of her marriage. She is buried 3 Oct 1602 in Eastling. They have at least three children all christened in Eastling: Jacob c. 20 May 1593, Henry c. 28 Mar 1596, and William c. 5 Aug 1599 and bur. 7 May 1670. Josias also shows up in Quarter Sessions in 1601 and 1606 in Eastling (alternately shown as "Istling"). In one of these records he is named as the Vicar of Eastling.
      ii. Sara Clench. Parish records show she marries Cadwallader Lewes (or Lewis) 11 Jul 1586 in Tonge. They have at least three children christened in Luddesdown: William c. 28 Dec 1587, Ursula c. 27 Dec 1589, and Thomas c. 2 Jul 1592. She was probably born before 1567 when she would have been 19 or older at the time of her marriage. From the will of her father, it appears she died before 24 Jun 1593 but after 2 Jul 1592 when her last child was christened. Cadwallader had a will dated 1595 in the Archdeaconry of Rochester (1595p IR 18.417 17).
      b. Mercy Bonnce who died before 1596. "Canterbury Marriage Licenses," by Joseph Meadows Cooper, p. 95: "John Clinche, vicar of Tong, and Mercy Bonnce of Otterden. April 3, 1583. She would have died before John's marriage to Agnes who shows as his wife in his 1593 will.
      c. Agnes ___ who died after 1596 when she is named in Vicar John's will.
      B. Edward Clench (about 1551 - before 1596) married Rose around 1571. They raised a family in Otterden ... Edward died sometime prior to 1596, for on May 27 of that year Rose married John Style in Otterden. Edward, Rose, and their three oldest daughters are named in Edward's father's will of 1582. Edward's daughter Margaret and son might be the same as the "goddaughter Margaret Clinch" and "my cosen Edward Clinch" mentioned in Edward's brother Anthony's 1609/10 will. Children of Edward & Rose Clenche, from the Otterden register:
      -Jane Clench (c. 15 May 1572)
      -Tomasson Clench (c. 7 Feb 1574)
      -John Clench ( c. 12 Aug 1575- bur. 3 Jun 1576)
      -Benet Clench (c. 15 Nov 1578)
      -Margarett Clinch (c. 13 Aug 1581)
      -Edward Clinch (c. 19 Jun 1586 - from 23 Feb 1647 to 21 Sep 1648)
      -Elizabeth Clench (c. 12 Apr 1589, Otterden, Kent, England, bur. 27 Mar 1591)
      C. Anthony (-1609/10). No wife or children are mentioned in his will, but he does name three Clinches -- goddaughter Margaret and "cosen" Edward who may both be his brother Edward's children; Josias who is Vicar John's son. Anthony is probably the youngest of the three sons since he is mentioned last in his father's will and that he dies 1609/10 versus Edward (bef. 1596) and John (1593).
      D. Rabech (deciphering of name from father's will uncertain) Clench. Married to Thomas Allen.
      E. Benet Clench. Married to Robert Barnes.[Note: Is Benet Harry mentioned in brother Anthony's 1609/10 will the same person as Benet Clench who married Robart Barnes and was in a second marriage to a Mr. Harry?]
      F. Ane Clench. Married to Richard Allen. Ane's father's 1582 will mention unnamed children but does name one son WIlliam Allen.

      2. Website of Roy L. Hales accessed 4 Jan 2016 <https://sites.google.com/site/ourkentishgenealogy/surnames/clinch>:
      "John and Joan Clench sold a house and 20 acres in Eastling during 1531/1532 (Michael Zell (ed.) "Kent Feet of Fines: Henry VIII," Kent Archaeological Society, Part II, item 1103.
      Is this our John?: National Archives Kew (not digitalized) C 1/622/22 [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7476962}
      Description:
      Short title: Clynche v Lacy.
      Plaintiffs: John Clynche.
      Defendants: Richard Lacy.
      Subject: The manor of Brodhurst [Bredhurst?] which William a Wood mortgaged to defendant. Kent ?
      John's will (PRC16/78/6) from Otterden 1582 mentions his wife Joan [and several children]"

      3. The will of John's son Anthony Clench does not mention a wife or children but does call an Edward Clinch and a Josias Clinch as cousins and Margaret Clinch as a goddaughter. All three are most likely nephews and a niece -- children of his siblings.
      Website wills.canterbury-cathedral.org accessed 5 Jan 2016 shows: Anthony Clinch of Otterden with a will made in 1609 and probated in 1610; register ref. PRC/17/59/180; orig. ref. PRC/16/137 C/17. The will is viewable online at Family Search's "England, Kent, Wills and Probate, 1440-1881; Archdeaconry of Canterbury; Wills 1610, A-F" images 110-113 of 199 at the following link accessed 5 Jan 2016 <https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GR5F-9XDF?i=110&wc=M68K-5P8%3A250713701%2C250719201%2C251810501%3Fcc%3D1949814&cc=1949814>
      The will is difficult to read but my transcription of the main points is as follows:
      Anthony Clinche of Otterden, probated 1610
      Date of will: March 3, 1609. Even though not stated, it may be old style dating March 3, 1609/10.
      Body to be buried at the discretion of his executor.
      Money given to the poor of the Otterden parish.
      Bequeaths to the widow Swale, "my cosen Edward Clinch," "my cosen Josias Clinch," Richard Boldork?, John Baldorke?, Joan Baldork?, "my goddaughter Margaret Clinch," Bennet Harry, Josias Clinch [again], "my cosen Edward Clinches wife," "my sister(?) Swale(?)," "Ann Baldorf? widdow," John Collard, Widdow Swale [again].
      Appoints John Baker (Clark or Clerk?) and Widdow Swale as executors.
      Witnesses: John Collard, Nicholas Baker, Joane Dober.
      [Note: Is Benet Harry the same person as Benet Clench who married Robart Barnes and by 1609 was in a second marriage to a Mr. Harry?]

      4. Concerning the Josias Clinch found in the will of Anthony Clinch as transcribed above:
      A. Find-My-Past Parish records:
      Josias Clinch and Sarah Sharp, married 8 May 1587 at Tonge, Kent.
      Josias Clinch, bur. 23 Dec 1632 at Eastling, Kent, aged 77.
      Sara Clinch, wife of Josias, bur. 3 Oct 1602 at Eastling, Kent.
      B. The following is found online at the National Archives in Kew:
      Quarter session at Canterbury 21 July 1601 <http://www.kentarchives.org.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=Q%2fS%2fR%2f2%2fm.8&pos=2>
      "Similarly against Josiah Clynch, churchwarden of Eastling, for non-payment of 4s. 4d. to Arthur Francklyn, constable of the hundred of Faversham, owing for half a year at the feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist 1601."
      Quarter session of 7 May 1606 <http://www.kentarchives.org.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=Q%2fM%2fS%2fRc%2f1606%2f111&pos=3>
      "Peter Mase of 'Isling' [? Eastling], labourer, in £10, to appear and answer; sureties, Thomas Sturges and Josias Clynch of 'Isling', yeomen."
      C. The will of John Clinch, Vicar of Tonge, shows Josias Clinch as his son:
      Link: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RPM-4C6?mode=g&i=87&wc=M68K-PM9%3A250713701%2C25071920 (image 88 of 370)
      Source accessed 13 Jan 2016: "England, Kent, Wills and Probate, 1440-1881"; Archdeaconry of Canterbury
      Nuncupative Will of John Clinche/Clynce of Tonge, Kent, 1593, PRC/17/50/121b, PRC/16/101 C/8
      Will written 24 Jun 1593, nuncapative
      -John Clynche clerk vycar of Tonge, Kent
      -his goods be divided into 2 parts
      -one part to wife Agnes
      -one part to son Josyas Clynche [Josias Clinch] and to the children of Cadwalladen Lewes clerk parson of Luddestowne?
      -witnesses Tobias Eylham and Goerge Jusyngham?
      D. Josias Clench (1555-1632). Parish records show he marries Sara Sharp 8 May 1587 in Tonge and is buried 23 Dec 1632 in Eastling. His age is given in the burial record which calculates a birth in 1555. His wife Sara was probably born sometime before 1568 assuming she was 19 or older at the time of her marriage. She is buried 3 Oct 1602 in Eastling. They have at least three children all christened in Eastling: Jacob c. 20 May 1593, Henry c. 28 Mar 1596, and William c. 5 Aug 1599 and bur. 7 May 1670. Josias also shows up in Quarter Sessions in 1601 and 1606 in Eastling (alternately shown as "Istling"). In one of these records he is named as the Vicar of Eastling. We have a connection in Eastling for the John Clench of Otterden who has legacies there in his 1582 will.

      5. Canterbury Probate Records; Will for John Clench (Clynche) of Otterden made and probated 1582, Register Ref. PRC/17/44/281, Original Ref. PRC/16/78 C/15, four pages. Extraction of the will:
      - John Clench of the parish of Mounton now united with Otterden of the County of Kent, yeoman.
      - Will dated 6 July 1582
      - Daughter Rabech wife of Thomas Allene
      - Daughter Benet late wife of Robart Barnes
      - Daughter Ane wife or Rychard Allen
      - Willym Allen the son of Rychard Allen my godson
      - The three daughters of Edward Clench my son and Rose his wife -- Jane, Thomasson, Benet.
      - All the children of John Clench my son.
      - All the children of Thomas Allen and Rabech his wife my daughter.
      - All the children of Robart Barnes and Benet his wife my daughter.
      - The rest of the children of Rychard Allen and Ane his wife except William. [See above for his legacy.]
      - Johan my wife -- named as executor.
      - Anthony my son and his heirs.
      - Some miscellaneous gifts to various people whom I have difficulty deciphering but seems to include:
      -servant Margaret Water
      -John Amies of Slade?
      -William Croffield?
      -John Swoth?
      -Marye Bucher? loving friend
      -church wardens of the parish of Otternden [Otterden]
      -iiii poore men [of parish of Otterden??]
      -every one of my godchildren
      - The legacies include the following locations which may have some bearing on other parishes to study:
      -land and wood called Stellys about 7 acres
      -Edward my son tenement called Frith and all the lands ... lying in the parish of Eastlynge [Eastling]
      -Edward also gets property in Otterden and Moynton
      -parish of Minster
      -wife Johan gets tenement at Eastling [in the occupacion of William Farmer?]
      -Johan property in Moynton?, Otterden, Stalisfyld, after her decease to son Edward
      -son Anthonye have water in the pond lyng in the ???? of that I have given unto Edward my sonne

      6. I include this note for two reasons. First, our earliest Clenches had some connection to Eastling through their descendant Josias. Secondly, the second family summarized below has no known direct link but is definitely in the right locality of all our early Clenches and with some additional ancestral research they would most certainly connect.
      Extraction of the surname Clinch (with variants) from Eastling Parish Records, FHL film 1836242, items 1-6. Also compared against a modern extraction on FHL film 1544550, it. 8, which appears to be extracted from the Archdeacon's Transcript (FHL film 1751816, item 1), which I also viewed. There is also a Bishop's Transcript beginning 1603 which I did not view. I extract through to 1675. No Allens or Barnes were found in extractions from our first generation John and Johan Clench's sons-in-law. The parish records I extracted have christenings starting 1559, burials 1558, and marriages 1560:
      20 May 1593, Jacob, c., s/o Josias Clenche.
      28 Mar 1596, Henry, c., s/o Josias Clench.
      5 Aug 1599, William, c., s/o Josias Clenche.
      3 Oct 1602, Sarah wife of Josias Clinch bur.
      [From Archdeacon's transcript: 30 May 1612: Henry, bur., s/o Josias Clench, almost 16 years of age.]
      23 Oct 1621, Edward Clinch, s/o John.
      15 Aug 1624, Sarah Clinch, c., d/o John; bur. 19 Oct 1624, d/o of John Clinch.
      9 Nov 1628, Anne Clenche, c., d/o John.
      29 Jul 1631, Catherine Clinch, c., d/o John.
      23 Dec 1632, Josias Clinch about 77 years old bur.
      [From Archdeacon's transcript: 9 Feb 1634/5, "William Clinch & Margaret Greenstreet both single by license were maryed at Canterbury in the parish church of All Saints.]
      17 Nov 1635, William Clinche, c., s/o William and Margaret.
      14 Jan 1637/8, a stillborn child of John Clinche bur.
      25 Aug 1639, Anne Clinche, c., d/o William and Margaret.
      22 Nov 1641, Edward Clinch, c., s/o William and Margaret.
      21 May 1649 Henry Clinch, c., s/o William and Margaret.
      23 Dec 1652, Mary Clinch, c., d/o Wil. and Margaret.
      [Undated between 1655 and 1662] -- the three are in sequence together and were probably entered much later from memory since the parish records are missing from early 1640 to early 1660s:
      - "John Clench ye Elder & his wife being a widdow" bur.
      - "John Clench ye younger about xl years old" bur.
      - "Katharine Clench virgin about xxx years old" bur. [Modern extraction (FHL film 1544550, it. 8) shows Katharine Clench, virgin, bur. 11 Jul 1661, d/o John.]
      6 May 1663, Katharine Clinch virgine, bur. [Is this a repeat entry for the one above?]
      6 Sep 1663, "Widdow Clinch the wife of John Clinch" bur. [Archdeacon's record states age of "about 60."]
      May 1670, Wm. Clinch bur.
      6 Feb 1670/1, Margaret Clinch widdow, bur.
      Dec 1675, Edward Clench bur.
      Rearranged in family groups by myself:
      Family 1: Parents Josias and Sarah Clench. 3 Oct 1602; 23 Dec 1632, Josias Clinch about 77 years old bur.; Sarah wife of Josias Clinch bur.:
      - 20 May 1593, Jacob, c., s/o Josias Clenche.
      - 28 Mar 1596, Henry, c., s/o Josias Clench; 30 May 1612: Henry, bur., s/o Josias Clench, almost 16 years of age.
      - 5 Aug 1599, William, c., s/o Josias Clenche.
      Family 2: Parents John Clench and unknown wife; 6 Sep 1663, "Widdow Clinch the wife of John Clinch" bur.
      - 23 Oct 1621, Edward Clinch, s/o John; Dec 1675, Edward Clench bur.
      - 15 Aug 1624, Sarah Clinch, c., d/o John; bur. 19 Oct 1624, d/o of John Clinch.
      - 9 Nov 1628, Anne Clenche, c., d/o John.
      - 29 Jul 1631, Catherine Clinch, c., d/o John. "Katharine Clench virgin about xxx years old" bur. [Modern extraction (FHL film 1544550, it. 8) shows Katharine Clench, virgin, bur. 11 Jul 1661, d/o John.] 6 May 1663, Katharine Clinch virgine, bur. [Is this a repeat entry for the one above?]
      - 14 Jan 1637/8, a stillborn child of John Clinche bur.
      Family 3: William and Margaret Clench (William is a son in Family #1); m9 Feb 1634/5, "William Clinch & Margaret Greenstreet both single by license were maryed at Canterbury in the parish church of All Saints; May 1670, Wm. Clinch bur.; 6 Feb 1670/1, Margaret Clinch widdow, bur.:
      - 17 Nov 1635, William Clinche, c., s/o William and Margaret.
      - 25 Aug 1639, Anne Clinche, c., d/o William and Margaret.
      - 22 Nov 1641, Edward Clinch, c., s/o William and Margaret.
      - 21 May 1649 Henry Clinch, c., s/o William and Margaret.
      - 23 Dec 1652, Mary Clinch, c., d/o Wil. and Margaret.
      My comments:
      1. Josias of Family #1 is related to us by being the grandson of our first known ancestors John and Johan (___) Clench through their son John Clench's first marriage to an unknown wife.
      2. In regards to Family #2 above, John is currently floating unanchored to our known line. The connection probably goes back further but is not yet determined. There is no marriage recorded in Eastling; however, Find My Past shows two entries for a John Clench who fits the timeframe of 1620 or earlier. This marriage appears to have been recorded twice -- John Clench and Catheren Dearne, 12 Apr 1618 at Marden, Kent, and John Clench and Cath. Dearne 12 Apr 1619 at Lynsted, Kent. Both entries are for John Clench. Marden is about 27 miles southwest of Lynsted and Eastling is about five miles south. Lynsted is close to Tonge and Eastling, the ancestral homes of the early Clenches. In Lynsted, we also find the 12 Jun 1620 christening of John Clench, son of John Clench, who was apparently born before the couple moved nearby Eastling where they first show up with the christening of their second child. This first son John who was chr. in Lynsted dies in Eastling (no date: "John Clench ye younger about xl years old" bur.) at age 40, which calculates to 1660. Note a child of this couple chr. in Eastlin is named Catherine. Also we find one other child chr. in Lynsted belonging to this family: Mary "Clennch," dau. of John "Clennch," bur. 16 Oct 1625. All of this confirms that John of Lynsted and John of Eastling are the same person. No earlier records of Clenches exist in Lynsted.

      BURIAL:
      1. FHL film 1752239, item 1, Tonge, Kent, England Archdeacon's Transcript:
      - 8 May 1587, Josias Clinch and Sara Sharpe, married.
      - 19 Feb 1590/1, Elizabeth dau. of John Clynche vicar bur.
      - 18 Jul 1592, John son of John Clinch vicar bur.
      - 27 Jun 1593, John Clinch Senior was buried.