Mary Anne Sheldon

circa 1612 - after 1691


Anne made her mark on a conveyance in 1691 ⁽⁸⁾

There is a little confusion as to her first name. She is called Mary ⁽¹⁾⁽⁴⁾ in some documents and Anne in others ^(2)(6)(7)(8). Her baptism was earlier than the earliest surviving parish registers for Ashford, so we cannot say what name she was baptised with. I will call her Anne, as that is what her father called her in his will ⁽²⁾.

Anne was probably born around 1612 ⁽⁹⁾, in Ashford. She married Ralph White on 24th May 1635 at All Saints in Bakewell ⁽¹⁾, and they lived in Sheldon, where they had at least one child Francis ^(4)(6)(7)(8). Her father died in 1651 and left her £20, by far the largest bequest in his will ⁽²⁾.

Her husband died in 1673 ⁽³⁾, and sometime between then and 1678 ⁽⁷⁾ she moved in with her son Francis in Monyash and gave up her home in Sheldon (of which a description is found in 1678 ⁽⁷⁾). She was still living there in 1691 ⁽⁸⁾, when Francis is believed to have moved to Flagg. Her burial has not been found.

• Francis has his own page.

1. Parish Register of All Saints, Bakewell includes the entry:
   [1635] [..]ph White Marie Sheldon both of the parish Mar[......]
   Nothing more can be read from the filmed register, but Val Neal's transcript includes a marriage between Raph White & Marie Sheldon on 24th May 1635, which is obviously also the entry which Gardner Bartlett refers to ⁽⁹⁾
2. PCC contemporay copy of the will of Arthur Sheldon of Ashford, dated 10/6/1651 reads:
   In the name of God Amen I Arthur Sheldon of Ashford
   in the county of Derby yeoman being weake in body but in perfect minde and memorye pray
   sed bee Almighty God for itt do heeere amke and ordayne this my last will and Testament
   in manner and forme followinge First I Committ Comend and bequeath my soul into
   the hands of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by whose Death and passion I truly hope to
   enjoye pte of the blessed Resurrection And to bee made an Inheritor of the Everlasting Joyes
   of Heaven Item I bequeath my body to the earth whereof itt was made to bee
   Buryed in the chappell of Ashford neere William Lowe his seate there And for all my
   worldly Goods to disposed of as Followeth Imprimis I give and bequeath unto Ralph
   Sheldon my sonne the some of Two Shillings and sixpence Item I give and bequeath unto Isaac
   Sheldon my Grandchilde the some of eight poundes Item I give unto Samuell Sheldon
   the sume of Fouer pounds Item my will is that Solomon Sheldon my Grandchilde bee
   kept one yeare and halfe with meate and drinke after my decease att the [...] of my of my Exe
   cutors Item I give and bequeath unto William Wright and Thomas Wright my granchidren
   the some of Tenne shillings betwixt them Item I give unto my Grandchilde John Wright
   Tenne Shillings Item I give unto Anne White the wife of Raph White of Sheldon
   the some of Twenty pounds And for all the rest of my Worldly Goods I give and
   bequeath unto Elizabeth lowe the wife of William Lowe of Ashford whom I make
   the sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament And Ralph White of Sheldon
   Supervisor And I utterly revoke all former Wills Gifts Legacys and promises what
   soever heertofore made In witness hereof I the said Arthur Sheldon have heerunto
   sett my hand and seale the Tenth day of June in the yeare of our lord God 1651 The
   Marke of Arthur Sheldon Sealed and delivered in the presence of John Wright
   John Ragge
   This will was proved at Westminster the Twentieth day of Maye In the yeare
   1653 Before the Judges for Probate for Wills and grantinge Administracons accordinge
   to an Act of Parliament Entitled an Act for Probate of Wills and grantinge
   Administrations & By the Oath of Elizabeth the wife of William Lowe sole Executrix To
   Whom was Comitted Administracon & Shee beinge by [.oucession] first swore truly to
   administer etc
3. Parish Register of All Saints, Bakewell includes the entry:
   [September 1673] 11 Ralph White of Sheldon buryed
4. Administration of Ralph White (ref: B/C/11/Ralph White, Sheldon, 1673 @ LRO) reads:
   [Top section in latin. Mentions "Francis White of Monyash, yeoman" & "William White of Chapel en le Frith, dom" & the year 1673. Main body below is in English :]
   The condicon of this obligacon is such that it the above bounden Francis White adm -
   inistrator       of all and singular the goods Chattells and creditts of Ralph White his
   Father of Sheldon by consent of [Maria relict ..........] Do make or cause to bee
   made a true and perfect Inventorie of all and Singular the goods Chattells and Creditt of
   the said deceased [... ....] or shall [....] to the handes possession of knowledge of him
   the said Francis White       [....nt] the hands or possession of any other
   person or persons for h     And the sonne to [ma..] do exhibit or cause to bee exhibi -
   ted into the [Register] of this [Courte] att or before the First of December [....]
   And the same goods Chattells and Creditts of the said deceased att the time of his
   death [...] att any tyme after [.all] come to the handes or possession of the said
   Francis White       or unto the hands and possession of any other person or
   persons for him to well and truly administer [ap...ing .. ....] And further do make or
   cause to be made a true and [i...accompl] of his said administration att or before the
   the Feast of All Saints [...] next cuming
   And all the rest and residue of the said goods Chattells and Creditts [which shall be] found
   remayninge uppon the said aministrator his [accompl] the same beinge first exami -
   ned and allowed by the Judge for the tyme beinge of this Courte shall deliver and
   paie unto such person and persons rispectively as the said Judge by his [....] or [some]
   time pursuant to the true intent and meaning of this Act shall limitt and appoint
   And if it shall hereafter appear that any last will and Testament was made by
   the said deceased and the Executor or Executors therein named do exhibitt the same
   [....] this Courte makinge request to have itt allowed and approved accordinglie At the
   said Francis White     above bounden beinge [th...] unto required do render and
   deliver the said letters of administration (approbacon of [such] Testament being first
   had and made in the said Courte Then this obligacon to be [....] or ils to stand in
   full form and [p......]
   Sealed and delivered
   in the presence of
   [.........]               Francis White
                            William White
5. Inventory of Ralph White (ref: B/C/11/Ralph White, Sheldon, 1673 @ LRO) reads:
   A true and perfect Inventory of all the goods Credits Cattels and Chattels
   of Ralph White late of Sheldon in the County of Derby yeoman
   deceassed vallued and Appraised the 20^th of September 1673 By
   Roger Dale & Tho Birds [at sequtor]
   

   	£ - s - d
   Imprimis his purse and Apparell	5 - 0 - 0
   It two oxen	5 - 0 - 0
   It Four kine	7 - 0 - 0
   It one Shirt	1 - 0 - 0
   It eight [score] sheep and lanmbs	20 - 0 - 0
   It one Swine	1 - 0 - 0
   It poultry	0 - 1 - 0
   It corne oth ground	4 - 0 - 0
   It Hay	8 - 0 - 0
   It Stone [Trows]	0 - 6 - 8
   It one wayne and other implemts of Husbandry	1 - 10 - 0
   It in ye dwellinge house one table & fourm one buffet three chayrs & stools	0 - 10 - 0
   It in the parlour one table & fourm one buffet one cubbord	1 - 6 - 8
   It in the chamber over the parlour two beds and one press	0 - 16 - 0
   It in the little chamber over the house one bed one little cubbord & a trunk	0 - 16 - 0
   It bedinge	2 - 0 - 0
   It pewter and brass	1 - 6 - 8
   It Iron ware	0 - 6 - 8
   It wheeks [hechills] & other woden ware	0 - 5 - 0
   It a little Cubbord	0 - 2 - 0
   It cushons	0 - 1 - 0
   It butter & cheese	0 - 6 - 8
   Sum total	61 - 18 - 4
   Debts owinge to the decedant
   It John Bruell of Ashford one bill of £2-10	2 - 10 - 0
   It Mr Ralph Sleigh for a 11 Stone of wool & a half	3 - 17 - 10
   Mr William Wardle of Bousley house	10 - 0 - 0
   	16 - 7 - 10

6. Probate of Ralph White (in Latin) (ref: B/C/11/Ralph White, Sheldon, 1673 @ LRO) reads:
   Apud Bakewell desimo nono die November Anno dni 1673
   [...... .... .. ..... ..... .. .. ....] Franciscus White
   de Monyash in Com Derbie yeoman filio [....... .....] Anna [...]
   [... ... .......... ..] condicon of [...] Franciscus White et
   Wmus White de Chappell in le Frith [.....]
                       Francis White [.... .... ..]
                                           Thom [Crownell] Com
7. A surrender held in Sheffield Archives has the following catalogue entry:
   FILE - Surrender - ref. SpSt/100/31
   Date: 13 Jul 1678
   At the Court Baron of Ashford, of William, Duke of Devonshire.
   Francis White and Mary his wife, and Anne White, surrender to the Lord of the Manor; one messuage in Sheldon with the appurtenances containing 3 bays; one kitchen containing 1 bay; one barn with straw, containing 2 bays; one other barn with tiles; one stable containing by estimation one bay; 5 roods of land; 3 gardens lying in the west of a messuage now divided in 2 closes; that of David Frost, east, and Francis White, west; 3 roods of land lying in a close called Le Croftheads; one rood of land near a close called Le Butts; 1 acre of land in a close called Edge Peech; 1 acre of land in a close called Swiftlands; 1½ roods of land called le Meadow; 5 roods land called Le Tansie; 1 acre land called Marr furlong; 1½ acres of land called Marr furlong; 1 close called Le Peech close, now divided in 2 parts, containing by estimation 9 roods.
   Get transcript
8. A lease and release held in Sheffield Archives has the following catalogue entry:
   FILE - Conveyance (lease and release)
   ref. CM/304-305
   date: 12-13 Jun 1691
   Francis White of Monnyash, William Storres of Chesterfield and Anne White of Monnyash, Widow (mother of Francis) to John Bagshaw of Gt. Hucklow. Messuage and lands in Monyash and Flagg as in CM/301, for £580 paid by Bagshawe to Storres.
   My transcription of the lease (CM/304) reads:
   This indenture made the twelfth day of June in the third yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord and Lady William and Mary by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King and Queen defenders of the faith Annoq Dm 1691 Betweene Francis White of Monnyash in the County of Derby yeoman William Storres of Chesterfield in the said County of Derby Wollendraper and Anne White of Monyash aforesaid Widdow mother of the said Francis White on the one pte and John Bagshaw of Great Hucklow in the said County of Derby gent of the other parte. Witnesseth that they the said Francis White William Storres and Anne White for and in consideracon of the sume of Five shillings to them or one of them in hand paid the receipt whereof they doe hereby acknowledge and thereof doe acquitt him the said John Bagshaw his heires Executo^rs and Adm^rs and every of them by these presents have given granted Bargained and sold and by these presents doe give grant Bargaine and sell unto the said John Bagshaw his heirs and Assignes All that messuage house or tenement in Monnyash aforesaid [..] herein the said ^{Francis White} doth now or late did inhabite and dwell and [as] these severall and respective closes inclosures peices or parcells of Land meadows or pasture in Monnyash aforesaid to the aforesaid messuage belonging herein and hereafter respectively and perticularely named and comonly called or knowne by the respective names hereafter Expressed (that is to say) the Kilne close the Parke the overlidiate and the netherlydiate the calfe close and the Barkside the over close the nether nythings the over nythings the two Dale closes three woodes on [the] Nythings or by what other name or names the said p^remisses or any of them now are or heretofore [.... ..... .....] knowne which granted and released premisses with the appurtenances are now in the possession of the said William Storrs his Assignee or Assignes And these five severall closes or pcells of inclosed land containing by Estimacon tenne Acres and three roods or thereabouts be the same more or lesse lying and being in Flagg in the said County of Derby in a place there called Crowshaw distinguished by the severall names of Nether close Mibdde close [Bo..] close new close and over close and on small pcell of Land Lying on the wesy side of the said Middle close which said last menconed closes or pcells of Land are now in the possession of the said William Stores his Assignee or Assignes and alsoe all other the lands tenements and heraditaments whatsoever of him the ^sd Francis White lying and being in Monnyash & Flagg or either of them or whereof or wherein the said Francis White hath ^any estate of inheritence in possession or revercon (Excepting one Barne and three closes lying on the Back of the said barne in Flagg aforesaid and are called the long acres lying end to end Northwardly from the said barne and containe by estimacon four Acres and a halfe be the same more or lesse) Together with all houses outhouses buildings Barnes stables orchards Gardens Tofts Crofts fouldes fouldyards wayes waters heireditaments and appurtenances whatsoever comons of pasture and [.......] Easments & [fitts] comodityes to the aforesaid messuage or Tenement closes and prcells of land or to any of them belonging or in any wise appertaining And all the estate right tythe interest [pxerty] clayme and demand whatsoever of them Francis White William Storres and Anne White their heires and Assignes of in and to the same And the revercon and revercons remainder and remainders therof To have and to hold the saod premisses with their and every of their appurtenances unto the said John Bagshaw and his heires for and dureing the terme of six months from the day of the date of these p^resents ^{[To... and .... .. ..... ..... ...]} and of the statute for transferring of uses into possession he the said John Bagshaw may be in actuall possession of the p^remisses & thereby be enabled to accept [a tase] a grant and release thereof to him and his heires to such uses as shall [be ............ In Witness thereof ....................................]
   Francis White                         Will Stor
   The main points from this document are:
   • Dated 12th June 1691
   • This is the first half of a "lease and release" for the Monyash/Flagg property, except for about four and a half acres to the north of the barn in Flagg.
   • Lease is from William Storrs to John Bagshaw
   • Francis's mother Anne also named on this occassion
   My transcription of the release (CM/305) reads:
   Add transcript here.
9. The Sheldons of Bakewell, Derbyshire, England, and Isaac Sheldon of New England by J Gardner Bartlett, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register contains a genealogy of the Sheldon family and includes this section on Arthur Sheldon:
   14. ARTHUR ⁸ SHELDON (Roger ⁷, Richard ⁶, John ⁵, John ⁴, Richard ³, Hugh ², Richard ¹), of Ashford, in Bakewell, co. Derby, born about 1575, died in the summer of 1651, aged about 75 years. He married about 1600, but the name of his wife is unknown.
   The earliest record found of him is in 1591-92, when, as a youth, he is mentioned as heir in remainder to his father Roger Sheldon, in the lawsuit between his grandfather, Richard Sheldon, and the latter's half brother, Henry Sheldon. (Vide supra, No 9) He also suceeded to the little cottage, with 4 acres, in Ashford, called Lowefield, which was in the family as early as 1494.
   In a rental roll of the manor of High Peak Hundred, dated 7 June, 2 Charles I [1626], Arthur Sheldon is recorded as holding in Ashford a cottage and 4 acres called Lowefield, at a rental of 3s 4d. (Rolls of the Manor of High Peak Hundred, Duchy of Lancaster, 1/28.)
   In a subsidy of 4 Charles I [1628] Arthur Sheldon was assessed at Ashford, in High Peak Hundred, co Derby, and paid 8s on goods valued at £3. (Lay Subsidies, 93/362)
   The will of Arthur Sheldon of Ashford, co Derby, yeoman, weak in body, dated 10 June 1651. To be buried in the chapel of Ashford, near William Lowe his seat there. To my son Ralph Sheldon 2s 6d, and to his wife Barbara 2s 6d. To my grandchild Isaak Sheldon £8. To [grandson] Samuell Sheldon £4. My grandson Solomon Sheldon is to be kept one and one-half years with meat and drink after my decease, at the cost of my executor. To my grandsons William, Thomas, and John Wright 5s each. To [daughter] Anne White, wife of Ralph White of Sheldon £20. All the residue of my goods to [daughter] Elizabeth Lowe, wif eof William Lowe of Ashford, and she is to be sole executrix. Supervisor: Ralph White of Sheldon. [Signed] The mark of Arthur Sheldon. Witnesses: John Wright and John Ragge. Proved at Westminster 20 May 1653 by the executrix Elizabeth, the wife of William Lowe. (PCC, Brent, 254)
   Children:
   i. JANE, b about 1600; m at Bakewell, 9 July 1620, WILLIAM WRIGHT.
       In the hearth tax of 1663 he is enrolled at Ashford in Derbyshire
       and is assessed for one hearth.
           Children (surnamed Wright)
           1. William, b about 1622
           2. Thomas
           3. John
   ii. MARY, b about 1602; d unm; bur at Bakewell 13 Jan 1617/18.
   iii. RALPH, b about 1605.
   iv. ARTHUR, b about 1607; bur at Bakewell 17 Apr 1618.
   v. JOHN, b about 1612; bur at Bakwell 20 Apr 1618.
   vi. ANNE, b about 1612; m at Bakewell, 24 May 1635, RALPH WHITE.
       They resided in Sheldon, where he was assessed for two hearths
       in the hearth tax of 1663.
   vii. ELIZABETH, b about 1615; m WILLIAM LOWE of Ashford, who was
       assessed there for two hearths in the hearth tax of 1663.