THE OLD CHURCH OF  SHENSTONE

The authentic ancestry of Colonel Thomas Grendon of Virginia is easily adduced, and the sparse number of genuine descendants of genuine ‘ancient palnters’ is lessened further:

Manorial record: 1. Roland Frith v. John Silvester, Wm. Grindon, senr.: Manor of Shenston. How long was plaintiff bailiff there? Touching value of the heriots during the time he was bailiff, during the time the manor was in the hands of the late Earl or Countess of Warwick.Election of thirdboroughs for town of Footherley. Waste of timber. Trees in part of the demesnes called Sandalles, used by defendant to enclose Ogley Common. Survey. Customs of manor: Stafford. E 134/5Jas1/Trin6. 5 Jas 1, 1607.

In the Name of God Amen on the seventh day of November in the year of our Lod God one Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Seven, I Thomas Grindon of Footherly in the parish of Shenston in the county of Staffordshire yeoman being weak of body but of good and perfect memory, praise unto Almighty God eternal and his Son and our Saviour and for a promise that all men must that fall in the hour of their death shall liveth, I ordain and make this my last will and testament in the manner of the following: I grant and bequest to Margaret my wife all my rights and lands during her naturel life and afterwards to my kinsman Thomas Grindon Citisen of London and his heirs forever. I do grant and bequest to my said kinsman Thomas Grindon Four pounds of lawfull money of England  … Item: I grant and bequeath all my other goods and chattels whatsoever to Margaret my wife … Item: I bequest to the poor of Shenston parish 40 shillings … and make Margaret my loving wife the sole executor of this my last will and Testament’. (He renounces all former Wills and Testaments whatsoever). (He gives certain rights in Shenston to his kinsman Thomas Grindon). (His will is written in his own (educated) hand, and his witnessed by the local church minister, ‘John Cotterell of Footherly yeoaman’, Joane Cotterell, and John Collins.

Abstract of the Will of Colonel Thomas Grendon, of Dukes Place, Citizen & Draper of London, dated December 15, 1678: ‘To Mr. John Harding Cittizen & Grocer of London and Mr. Robert Coe Cittizen & Goldsmith of London whome I make ex’ors & trustees my land in Fultherley in Shenston, Co., Stafford’. He gave his son, Thomas Grendon, ‘now in Virginia’, and his daughter, Hannah (Grendon) Duke, ‘now in Virginia’, property in Shenstone. (See Colonial Surry, John B. Boddie, 1959).

copyright m stanhope 2016