Williams, alias Williams Onslow of Spettisbury
The Williams family of Spettisbury in Dorset previously owned Tendring Hall in Suffolk. They were a branch of the Williams family of Wollaston in Shropshire. Here is the information I have on them :
● William ap David was father of
● Reynold Williams of Wollaston in Shropshire. Sheriff of Montgomery. He married Margaret said to be daughter and heir of Fulk Lee and had a son
● Thomas Williams of Wollaston in Shropshire. Sheriff of Montgomery. He married Blanche daughter of Robert Powell and had issue
1. Reynold, of whom presently, and
1. Rose, who married by 1551 (as his 1st wife) George Evelyn (who died 30th May 1603). Their eldest son Thomas Evelyn (1551-1617) was grandfather of Sir Edward Evelyn (1626-92), 1st Baronet of Long Ditton in Surrey.
The son,
● Reynold Williams of Wollaston in Shropshire, was Sheriff of Montgomery. He married Margaret daughter of Gerard Gore (c 1516-1607), Alderman of London, by his wife Helen (d 1608) daughter of Ralph Davenant of Davenants Land in Essex. Margaret was a sister of John Gore Lord Mayor of London 1624-5 and of Sir Paul Gore 1st Baronet of Manor Gore in Co.Donegal. Reynold and Margaret had, with other issue,
1. Thomas of Wollaston in Shropshire. Eldest son and heir. He died in 1624.
6. Edward, their 6th son of whom we treat.
● Edward Williams became a Merchant of London. He married Mary daughter of Robert Palmer of Hill in Bedfordshire and left a son,
● Reynold Williams of Stoke by Nayland in Suffolk. His will was proved on 3rd May 1689. He married 1stly Mary daughter of Richard Peacock but she appears to have left no issue. He married 2ndly Sarah daughter of Thomas Dyke of Horsham in Sussex. By her he had issue
1. Thomas Williams, eldest son and heir, was of Tendring Hall near Stoke-by-Nayland in Suffolk. He married Elizabeth (baptized at Kedington in Suffolk on 30th May 1659), 4th daughter of Sir THOMAS BARNARDISTON 1st Baronet of Kedington in Suffolk by his wife ANNE, younger daughter of Sir WILLIAM ARMINE, 1st Baronet of Osgodby in Lincolnshire. Thomas Williams will was proved on 30th May 1718. He left issue
i. Thomas Williams, only son and heir, was of Tendring Hall. He married Alice daughter of Anthony Bramston of Skreens in Essex by his wife Katherine daughter and co-heir of Sir Thomas Nutt. Thomas is said to have either died without male issue, or may even have died childless. The Tendring Hall estate then passed to his uncle John, as noted below.
i. Anne, who married (as his 3rd wife c 1732/3) Sir ANTHONY THOMAS ABDY, 3rd Baronet of Felix Hall in Essex. Sir Anthony was baptized at Kelvedon in Essex on 5th October 1688 and died on 11th June 1733 leaving two daughters and co-heirs by his 2nd wife (the elder of whom married Anne's cousin Richard Williams). Anne has been described by some as the Heiress of Tendring Hall. However this is unlikely as the estate was in the hands of her uncle John by the time he died in 1741. She died childless on 21st September 1745.
2. John, Lord Mayor of London, of whom presently.
3. Edward, whose only surviving child, Sarah, died unmarried.
Tendring Hall near Stoke-by-Nayland in Suffolk.
● John Williams Lord Mayor of London 1735-36. He married Mary 2nd daughter of Richard 1st Baron Onslow by his wife Elizabeth daughter and heir of Sir Henry Tulse, Lord Mayor of London 1683-84. He succeeded to Tendring Hall on the death of his nephew Thomas. John Williams died in 1741. His will proved 4th July 1743. His widow Mary died in 1747. Her will proved 1st December 1747. They left issue
1. Richard Williams, eldest son and heir. Born by 1716. He held the Tendring Hall estate at the time of his death, childless, in 1750. He was succeeded by his brother John.
2. John, of whom presently.
3. James, born in 1717. An army officer, he was killed at Lafeldt. He left no issue.
● John Williams, heir to his brother in 1750. He assumed his mothers surname of Onslow becoming John Williams Onslow. He was born in 1716. In 1744 he married Charlotte Maria (baptized at Kelvedon in Essex on 11th June 1723), elder daughter and co-heir of Sir ANTHONY THOMAS ABDY, 3rd Baronet of Felix Hall in Essex by his 2nd wife CHARLOTTE, 3rd daughter and co-heir of Sir THOMAS BARNARDISTON 3rd Baronet of Kedington in Suffolk. He succeeded his brother at Tendring Hall in 1750, but appears to have subsequently sold that estate. He died in 1779 and was buried at Spettisbury in Dorset. His will proved 23rd November 1779. His widow possibly died c 1801/2 at Poole in Dorset. They had three sons
1. John Williams Onslow, eldest son and heir, of Spettisbury in Dorset. Born in 1746. He died childless in 1790 and was buried at Isleworth in Middlesex. His will proved 19th February 1791. He was succeeded by his only surviving brother, James.
2. Anthony Thomas Williams, who died young.
3. James Williams, heir to his eldest brother, of whom we treat.
● James Williams. Youngest son. Said to be of Spettisbury and Chettle in Dorset. Baptized at Kelvedon in Essex on 1st March 1753. On 26th May 1780 he married his 1st cousin Charlotte, daughter of THOMAS RYVES of Ranston in Dorset by his 1st wife ELIZABETH younger daughter and co-heir of Sir ANTHONY THOMAS ABDY 3rd Baronet of Felix Hall in Essex. Charlotte died on 8th June 1785 and was buried at Shroton in Dorset. James may have lived into the 19th century, perhaps dying at Lymington in Hampshire. They left four children,
1. James Williams, born 30th March 1781. He apparently emigrated to the Cape of Good Hope.
2. Henry Peter Williams, born 9th January 1785. Like his elder brother, he too apparently emigrated to the Cape of Good Hope. Nothing more is known of them.
1. Charlotte Maria Elizabeth Williams, born 3rd March 1782. She died, unmarried, on 16th January 1868 and was buried at Iwerne Minster in Dorset.
2. Harriet Mary Anne Williams, born 6th June 1783. She appears to have died unmarried, perhaps in 1845, and was buried at Iwerne Minster in Dorset.