Thomas Leffingwell (abt. 1573 - abt. 1636)

Born about 1573 in White Colne, Essex, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Alice (UNKNOWN) Leffingwell — married before 1597 in Essex, England

Descendants

Died about 1636 at about age 63 in Essex, England [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ron Lamoreaux [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Leffingwell was born in Essex, England.

Thomas’s ancestors were from Earls Colne. Most of his active life and later children were born in Earls Colne and this was his probable place of birth, though his first children were born in nearby White Colne.

His life is recorded in part by the Earls Colne Project and references to people in that project are made using a letter and 3 digits. Thomas is Person L292

Thomas is mentioned almost annually in the Earls Colne records from 1591-1636 but there is a gap between 1596 and 1605, probably coinciding with a period in White Colne where his first two children were born.

In 1593 he found himself inheriting a copyhold tenement, in Colne Street called Seggs, from his deceased father John. ^[1]

Thomas Married Alice (Person L262) though the record could not be found. Their first child William, born in 1597 was followed by Michael (Michell) in 1603.

In 1609 Thomas was surrendered a third part of ‘one cottage now built as one tenements with customary garden adjoining called Prills’ ^[2] and was subsequently given permission to cut down an elm for repair purposes.^[3]

In 1610 he was granted an alehouse license.^[4]

In 1626 Thomas, their third child was buried in Earls Colne. There is no birth record but it’s possibly the unknown Leffingwell baptism in 1616 in White Colne and noted in the research section.

The baptism of John followed in Earls Colne, 1627.

The baptism of Thomas’s last child, alsoThomas, followed in Earls Colne, 1629.

In 1636 a court roll on another matter, mentions lands in White Colne still in the tenure of Thomas.^[5]

Thomas died before the court meeting of April 1636 where his son Thomas appeared, to seek admission as a tenant. This was granted.^[6]

In 1637 his son Michael was already in the New World and married but there is no indication in documents as to when or why he left Earls Colne. The New World link is solidly but not conclusively established. ^[7]

Research

Previous Work

This person was originally created through the import of Weaver.ged on 03 January 2011.

Name Variation

The name Leffingwell does not roll off the tongue easily, creating plenty of opportunity for spelling variations. In documents relating to this individual alone, the following are found : Leffingewell, Leffingwell, Leffyngwell, Lepingwell, Leppingwell and Lessingwell.

Thomas signed documents with his mark, so he probably was of little help in the process.

Earls Colne Project

Much of the life data derives from the Earls Colne Project

This project has helped significantly in identifying names and documents.

White Colne Parish Records

Documents in Book 1 of the parish records Birth, Marriage and Death 1560-1705 D/P 243/1/1 were examined and 13 records relating to Leffingwell and variations were compared with the Earls Colne records.

Sadly this book is in poor condition with many sections of faded and missing data. In one of the 13 records for example, only the word ,Leffingwell remained, in 1615 baptisms. This is possibly his son Thomas who died in Earls Colne but there is no baptism record.

Thankfully the records for the birth of sons William and Michael (Michell) did survive, confirming their birth in nearby White Colne.

Alternative Ancestry

Despite having access to good documentation, there are still gaps in the record and although the data presented has the best fit, it should be pointed out that Thomas’s Paternal Grandfather John had one son John who was the father of this Thomas but he also had another son Thomas who had a son William.

William was named as Thomas’s Father in the previous version of this record. ( Making John , Thomas’s great grandfather)

This William was Born no earlier than 1561 following the premature death of his brother, also William in 1560. Since Thomas was born in that decade, William could not have been his father. The record was changed accordingly.

There is also a clear ancestry connection stated in a court document dated Tuesday 30 September 1606 Which includes the statement “...Wm Leffingwell son and heir of Thos Leffingwell son and heir of Jn Leffingwell late of Earls Colne cooper son and heir of Jn Leffingwell late of the said Earls Colne and Joan his wife deceased...” which forms a solid construct. Colne Priory Manor Court Rolls (ERO D/DPr21). Note William was Born in 1597.

Other background documents

The Character of English Rural Society: Earls Colne, 1550-1750 - Henry French, Richard Hoyle (Leffingwells get a few pages but not for this Thomas)

Links to Other Wikitree Documents

• Earls Colne One Place Study

Sources

1. ↑ Earls Colne Manor Court Rolls (ERO D/DPr76)
2. ↑ Colne Priory Manor Court Rolls (ERO D/DPr21)
3. ↑ Colne Priory Manor Court Rolls (ERO D/DPr21)
4. ↑ Quarter Sessions: Licences of alehouses and victuallers (ERO Q/RLV20)
5. ↑ Colne Priory Manor Court Rolls (ERO D/DPr22)
6. ↑ Colne Priory Manor Court Rolls (ERO D/DPr22)
7. ↑ Leffingwell record : a genealogy of the descendants of Lieut. Thomas Leffingwell, one of the founders of Norwich, Conn P10 Albert and Charles Leffingwell 1897. Available on archive.org

Acknowledgements

• This profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail