Elizabeth (Becher) Harrison (abt. 1540 - 1612)

Ancestors

Wife of Clement Kelke — married 6 Oct 1560 in St Christopher-le-Stocks, London, Middlesex, England

Wife of Thomas Harrison — married 7 Feb 1595 in St Helen, Bishopgate, London, Middlesex, England

Died Sep 1612 at about age 72 in Finchampstead, Berkshire, England,

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Elizabeth (Becher) Harrison was born in England.

Biography of Elizabeth BECHER KELK HARRISON of 1540

Elizabeth Becher was born about 1540, the daughter of Henry Becher and his wife Alice Heron of Kent, England.

Elizabeth Becher is the oldest of at ten siblings:

• Elizabeth Becher, born 1540 married Clement Kelk and Thomas Harrison and passed away in 1612 in Finchampstead, Berkshire, England,
• Henry Becher, born 1542 in Kent, England, married Judithe Riche, had 8 children, and passed away in about 1608 in Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire, England
• Edward Becher, born 1544, in England, married Frances Brooke, had three children, worked as Esquire to the Bodyguard of Queen Elizabeth I and passed away about 1605.
• Phane Becher, Sr., born 1546 who received a land grant in County Cork, Ireland from Queen Elizabeth I, and founded the town of Bandon in southwest Ireland.
• William Becher, born 1548 in London, England, married Judith/Judithe Quarles, had ten children including Sir William Becher]], Knight and MP, and passed away about October 1631 in London, Middlesex, England.
• Margaret Becher, born about 1551, married Sir Thomas D'Abridgecourt, had at least three children, and passed away October 21, 1621 in Hampshire, England.
• Mary Becher, born 1549, who married Chidiock Wardour, and passed away September 19, 1600.
• Bartholomew Becher, born 1550 in London, Middlesex, England, married Alice Miller, became an attorney, and passed away after 1589.
• Mabell Becher, born 1553, who married Sir Richard Norton, MP, and had children, including Sir Richard Norton, First Baronet Norton of Rotherfield, and passed away before 1594.
• Dorothy Becher, born 1555, and passed away April 1558 at the age of three years old.

Elizabeth Becher married Clement Kelke, was widowed and later remarried to Thomas Harrison.

• There is a brass memorial plaque to the memory of Elizabeth Becher and her husband Clement Kelk on the South Wall of St Michaels, Maidenhead, Berkshire.

"Here under this marble-stone lyeth the body of Clemente Kelke, Gent, who had to wife, Eliz. daughter to Alderman Becher, he was borne at Bristow [Bristol] & was a citizen of London, a merchant ventver and free of the Haberdashers, being of the age of 70 yeares, deceased this 24th of Sept. An. Dni, 1593."

• Thomas Harrison Prob 3 Mar 1602, Finchampstead, Berk

William Becher my wyfe’s brother, Elizabeth my now wife nee Becher, formerly Kelk, Son-in-law George Carlton, nephew John Harrison, Richard Harrison, son Thomas Harrison, grandsons Thomas & Charles.

• Elizabeth had no children.

• From British History online; "A large broken slab covers a vault under the floor of the tower in which are intered the remains of THomas Harrison, of East Court, born in 1530, died Feb 25 1602 aged 72. Also the remains of Elizabeth, his third wife who died in September 1612. On the slab also recorded that his first wife was Alice daughter of Richard Ward of Hurst & that his second wife was Katherine, widow of Thomas Anston [Anton?] of Strathfieldsay [From Chronicles of Finchampsted, in the County of Berkshire by William Lyon. 1895]" p.120 adds that Elizabeth was buried on the 10th September.

• Elizabeth Harrison [nee Becher] 1612, Finchampstead, Berkshire, England. Book. Vol. 3. (burial). Collection. Berkshire:- Wills proven and Administrations Granted in the Court of the Archdeacon of Berks-1508-1652. Text: 1612 Harrison Elizabeth Finchampstead L. 275.

The Last Will and Testament of Mrs Elizabeth Harryson [nee Becher formerly Kelke] In the name of God, Amen. The thirteth day of January in the yeare of our Lorde one thousand six hundred and eleven [twelve] I Elizabeth Harrison of Finchampsted in the Countie of Berks, widowe, beinge weake in body but of perfect memorie (thankes be to God) consideringe the frailty of all humane fleshe , the shortness of our life, and the ancertentee of our ende which causeth me to remember that deathe must ensue and that of certentie all flesh shall die once, the remembrance whereof causeth me to make this my last will and testament in manner and form hereafter followinge. First for that it becometh every Chjristian to to profess his faithe , I testify and declaire that I beleve all and every article of the Christian faithe and also the summe and aegle? contents of the holie Scriptures, utterlie abhorringe all kinde of heresy & reposinge my whole trust and confidence in that most sure Rock Jesus Christ who ?ith the oblation of his one bodie purchased the redemption of all our sinnes and trangressiones. I also stedfastlie beleeve that at the last daie when all fleshe shall arise and appeare in judgement my synnes and iniquities shall not be laide to my charge. And althoughe by nature I am the childe of wroth and subject to everlastinge damnation, yet by Jesus Chist I stedfastlie beleve paninge the first death which is the reward of syne and all fleshe must of necesity last thereof to live after in glory, prepared for the Saintes and servantes of God from the beginning of the worlde. And in the stedfast hope and assurance I comitte and submitte self under the mightie hand of God whome I desire from the bottome of my harte to directe my doinges according to his good will and pleasure to deliver me from sudeyne & anprovided death And when it shall please God to take my bodie from this life the buriall thereof to be in the Church porche of the parishe of Finchampsted wheare Mr Thomas Harrison my late husband lieth interred or else I referre it to the will and disposinge of myne executrixe and overseers. Ant touching my soule I commend the same into the handes of Almightie God my maker and redemer who be blessed and praised nowe and for ever Amen. And for suche earthlie thinges as God of his goodness hath bestowed upon me in this world I doe dispose them on suche persons and to suche ?ses and purposes as in this my last will and testament is set downe & expressed. That is to say, first I give and bequeath to my sister Dabridgecourte a silver Sugar box weyinge thirtene ounces or thereabouts. Item I forgive unto my sister Susan Beecher and her sonne all the debt by them owinge me. Item I give to Anne Harrison wife of John Harrison Scholemaister the summe of tenne pounds if shee lives if not I give it to her children. Item I give and bequeth to the children of Marie Harmie deceased the summe of tenne pounds. Item whereas my brother William Beecher (as by certain writings & spciallies under his hande appereth doth owe me fower hundred and thirtie pounds, my meaninge is that if he pay two hundred of the said Four hundred thirtie to me or myne Expecutrix in the first weeke of Easter terrme next followinge, and an other hundred unto his daughter Elizabeth Beecher my goddaughter if she be obedient unto her parents that then the other hundred and thirtie pounds shall be forgiven him. But if he should faile to pay the said two hundred pounds then hee shall stand charged with the whole 430 pounds and shall paye it. Item, I give and bequeath unto my Sister Beecher wife of my said brother William Beecher the summe of fortie shillings for a ringe of rememberance. Item, I give and bequeath unto the poore of the parishe where my bodie shall be buried the summe of fortie shillinges. Item I give to the poore people of Great St ? llens in London wheare some time I dwelte the summe of 20 shillings. Item I give to the poor of Wockingham 20 shillings. My legacies to the poore my will is to have paid within one moneth after my decease. Item I give and bequeath to theis my servantes Nicholas Lifeild , Richard Lane, Edwarde Hayse and John Cooper to every of them 20 shillings. Item I give to John Cooke, Thomas Dibler and John Milles to every of them 10 shillings, if they be with me at my decease. Item I give to my maides that have dwelt with me two years to every of them 10 shillings. I give to Redwaie’s wife 1 shilling for her paines and forgive the rent of the copse. Item I give to Robert Woodrox 20 shillings and my will is, that the summe of eighte pounds which I owe to the said Robert Woodrox be paid unto him by myne executrix before the Ladie Day next after my decease. Item I give unto John Horchmoute 10 shillings and my will is that the 30 shillings I owe him be paide him within half a yeare after my decease. Item I give and bequeth unto Elizabeth Lane the wife of Richard Lane the sum of fower pounds. Item I give unto Thomas Lane the son of Richard Lane the summe of 13 shillings 4 pence yearlie so long as he is sette to schole with Mr Montague and to all that six? children of Richard Lane 10 shillings a peece. And all theis legacies to be within one yeare next after my decease performed and paide except before limited. And I appoint and ordayne towards my funeral charges the summe of 30 pounds to be employed on a funeral dinner with other charges required for the buryeing of my bodie accordinge to my degre without anie blackes or moorninge garmonte. And I do ordeyne and constitute my neece Olife Salmon to be my sole executrix of this my last will and testament to whome I give and bequethe all and singular my gooddes, Chattelles, cattell, jewells, plate, implements of househould stuffe and otherwise whatsoever beinge priced either before not bequeathed in this my will or in the schedule or codicil heerunto annexed. Item I will and ordeyne that my nephew John Salmon shall have his 100 marks ( yet behride?) paid him and the rest of his monie accordinge to the covenants. And Lastlie I ordeyne and make my nephew Warden Esquire*, Samuel Marshe Baccholer in Divinitie and Nathaniell Cannon Minister to be Overseers of this my Last will and testament and whome I instruct to be carefull to see the same performed in all pointes accordinge to the trust in them rested? Unto whiche my saide nephew Warden? I doe give as well for his paines herein to be taken, and also for a rembrance of my love the summe of 10 marks and a ringe syned with a hearne? And I give unto Sammell Marshe and Nathaniell Cannon ( hopeying they will helpfull to myne Executrix) the summe of forty shillinges a peece. In witness whereof and to manifest this my present Last will and testament I have putte to my hand and seale the day and yeare first above written. Witnessed Elizabeth Harryson, Warden Esquire, Samuell Marsh, Nathaniel Cannon A Codicil or Schedule to the will anexed Item I give to Elizabeth Marsh my Goddaughter 10 shillings Item I give to Ann Harrison daughter of Thomas Harrison my Goddaughter 10 shillings Item I give to Elizabeth Harrison my Goddaughter 10 shillings Besides her pto in the will Item I give unto Elizabeth Cayne my Goddaughter 10 shillings

Elizabeth Becher passed away in 1612 in Finchampstead, Berkshire, England,

Sources

NOTE: The sources below are online genealogies. If anyone has additional details on primary source documents, or photos thereof, please upload here.

• http://www.thepeerage.com/p27163.htm

• Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976.

• Rootsweb Freepages - Henry Becher & Alice Heron: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~becher/henry_becher%20and%20Alice%20Heron.htm

• Rootsweb World Connect - "Becher Family of Cork, England and Australia" - by J. Stiles http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=becher&id=I17

• Geni dot com - Becher Family Tree - https://www.geni.com/people/Henry-Becher/6000000010676771688

• http://fabpedigree.com/s004/f036067.htm

• Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd, editor, Burke's Irish Family Records (London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976), Becher, page 100. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Irish Family Records