General Notes

Notes for Mr (Richard?) Beauchamp:
In 1983 DeBrett's of London was commisioned by a descent of Rhoda Beauchamp Walker, to determine her Beauchamp ancestry. This was done and a copy was placed it the British equal to our Library Of Congress.A Beauchamp cousin uncovered this copy and wrote DeBrett's to inquire about the availibility of other copies. After obtaining her copy I wasmade aware of the book whic h I now have in my possession.The following is an exerpt from the book. This along with the copies of wills makes it obvious that Thomas's father was not a Roger Beauchamp but instead he was John Beauchamp. As time permits I will make more ofthe documentation available. (GCH 15 April 2000)


Quoting from the research work of DeBrett's of London

"Our research into the Beauchamp family of Cosgrove has covered a wide range of sources, the most revealing of which has been a seriesof Northamptonshire wills in the sixteenth and sevent eenth centuries.The will of Edward Beauchamp, the eldest son of Thomas Beauchamp and Dorothy , formerly Clarke, was dated 6 Jan 1624 at Cosgrove, and it was his wish "to be buried in the churchyard of Cosgrove among the burials of my ancestors". He mentioned his wife, Emma, an d three sons and two daughters. His father, Thomas Beauchamps's will was dated 15 Dec., 1613 and he mentioned four sons, Edward (whose will of 1624 we have just mentioned), Thomas, who wa s given lands in Downham,Cambridgeshire,and John, the merchant ancestor who married Alice Freeman. Thomas also named a daughter Margaret, who received land at Wolverton, Buckinghamshire.

We also learn he had brothers Christopher and Robert. Thomas's brother, Christopher Beauchamp , left a will in 1622 in which he mentioned his brother Henry. The eldest brother, John Beauchamp, left an interesting will 23 Feb 1615, which was proved in Prerogative Courtof Canterbury ,the superior probate jurisdiction of England and Wales. Like his nephew and namesake John, son of Thomas Beauchamp, the elder John was a successful merchant. He lived in Amsterdam and although he had a wife,he mentioned no children. He did leave bequest to his nephews,John and Richard, the sons of his late brother, Thomas Beauchamp. The testator also mentioned his brothers, Henry , Christopher, Richardand Robert Beauchamp, and a sister named Ellis. The most important point in the will is that there is a reference to John Beauchamp's father,also called John Beauchamp, who was believed to be living in Buckinghamshire in 1613.

Unfortunately, we know almost nothing about this elder John Beauchamp of Buckinghamshire. However, from the evidence contained in earlier Northamptonshire wills, we believe he can be identified as the son of Thomas and Agnes Beauchamp of Cosgrove. Thomas made his will on 10 Mar1545 , and apart from his son John, he named a daughter Agnes, and his wife, who was also called Agnes. He had a sister called Elizabeth Conqueste. Thomas' widow, Agnes Beauchamp of Cosgrave, made her will on 16 Aug 1545. Most of her property was left to the church,or for charitable purposes, but she did make a bequest to Thomas Conquest, who was her brother, or brother-in-law . Finally, theearliest will we have identified relates to John Beauchamp of Cosgrove, and was dated 16 February 1536. He mentioned his brother, Thomas, who was his executor, his son William and daughter Emma.

Thus we can trace the Beauchamp family of Cosgrove back with a good degree of certainty to 1536 from probate sources. We consulted many other sources, such as Inquistions Post Mortems, marriage licenses and legal records in the Court Of Requests, but these produced no evidence of earlier generations. One source which may have identified the father of Thomas Beauchamp, the earliest known ancestor, is Lay Subsidy Rolls, which are records of taxations levied by Parliament. In1543/4, Thomas Beauchamp of Cosgrove was assessed for taxation. In1524/5, we find Richard, John and Thomas Beauchamp at Cosgrove. We know that Thomas and John were brothers, and we may speculate that Richard Beauchamp was their father. However, extensive searches in deeds, muster rolls, pipe rolls, close rolls and other Beauchamp families and individuals flourishing in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, have failed to produce firm evidence of the genealogy before 1536".