Aske-Lightfoot Update...

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larry cates

Aske-Lightfoot Update...

Legg inn av larry cates » 03 des 2005 03:42:03

Greetings, group members.

I simply wanted to update everyone concerning a matter which I brought
before you two years ago, namely the ancestry of the Virginia
Lightfoots, Philip of Gloucester Co. and John of New Kent Co. and the
potential connection of their grandfather, Rev. Richard Lightfoot of Stoke
Bruern, Northamptonshire, to the Aske family of Aughton,
Yorkshire. If you will remember, various wills in this family prove that
the Lightfoots were cousins of the Thomas Jones family of Lewisham, Kent
and the heraldry on Rev. Lightfoot's tomb impales Lightfoot with Aske.
Thomas Jones' monument in Lewisham explicitly states that he married the
daughter of Robert Aske, Priscilla, and claims that Robert was lineally
descended from the Askes of Aughton. Since that time, working directly
and through the offices of hired researchers in London and the United
States, I have:

(1) confirmed the marriage records of Priscilla Aske to Thomas Jones and
Mary Aske to Richard Lightfoot, both in London.
(2) found the will of Robert Aske of Lewisham, Kent(1604), warden of the
London goldsmith's company and warden of London Bridge for a time,
explicitly mentioning the Jones family.
(3) discovered a manuscript pedigree written by Richard Mundy (MSS 1571)
and cited in Joseph Foster's THE VISITATION OF YORKSHIRE (London, 1875)
that states flatly that Robert Aske, goldsmith, of London,
was an illegitimate son of Robert Aske of Aughton, Yorkshire, the son and
heir of John Aske, esquire, and his wife Ellinor Ryther, daughter and
coheiress of Ralph Ryther. (This was in addition to a legitimate son of
Robert, also named Robert.)
(4) discovered a mention of James Aske of London (son of the goldsmith
Robert) in the will of John Aske (heir of Aughton, legitimate grandson of
the goldsmith's natural father) in 1605, which calls James "cousin." Also
discovered that the widow of John Aske requested that James be made her
co-executor. So this is proof of Mundy's contention.
(5) discovered the pedigree of the London Lightfoot family in the
recently published 1687 Herald's Visitation, which states that Rev.
Richard Lightfoot and Jane [sic] Aske were the parents of John
Lightfoot, Esq., barrister at law and that John, who married Elizabeth
Phillips was the father of, among many others: (a) "John Lightfoot a
Capt. of one of his Maties. Ships died at Sea A o. 1682 aetat. circa 55
an. sine prole [married] Elizabeth dar. of John Tailor of Maidstone in
Com. Cantii" (b) "Philip Lightfoot now in Virginia circ. 41 An."

Now, the only thing that is out of kilter here is the given name of Mrs.
Richard Lightfoot, who was definitely named Mary in her marriage record.
Jane, who was Richard's widow, was probably a second wife, and
stepmother of most of the children, though sometimes referring to them as
her children or grandchildren. There is no record of Mary Aske
Lightfoot's death in London or of Richard's remarriage. In any case, the
pedigree states flatly that the grandmother of the Virginia
Lightfoots was an Aske, not a Jones, as has been stated elsewhere for many
years.

The most exciting part is that Philip of Gloucester Co., VA, is
explicitly identified as a son. This leaves John of New Kent somewhat up
in the air, but I believe that he was the son of Capt. John Lightfoot of
the above pedigree despite the "sine prole" notation. As we all know, the
Heralds were not infallible. I have been able to confirm, through my
agents, Dr. Tyler's contention about a record in the
Prerogative Court of Canterbury granting administration of Captain
Lightfoot's estate. The entry in the P.C.C. index of administrations
[manuscript on microfilm] is the only one for Lightfoot recorded from 1682
to 1688 and states that administration for John Lightfoote who died in
parts beyond the seas, was granted 31 March 1688. A marginal note in
Latin records that on 7 Mar [1686/7] William Lightfoot, father's brother
("Patruo") of John Lightfoote and Philip Lightfoote, in parts across the
seas, sons of John Lightfoote, late of Surinam, widower, deceased, was
granted admnistration of the goods of the deceased during the sons'
absence. I feel certain that John of this list is John Lightfoot of New
Kent, as he had close ties to Phillip of Gloucester. He actually made
Philip the trustee of his wife, Ann
Goodrich's, dower property from her father in 1681. Philip was probably
John's uncle.

All of this amounts to exciting news for the Virginia Lightfoot
descendants, who now have a verified English origin and a verified
Plantagenet descent.

Larry W. Cates
Charlotte, NC

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