MRP: Piers family

= Sir Thomas Piers =
b.ca. 1616, d. April 1680

The Piers family name also appears as Peirse in primary and secondary records.

Sir Thomas Piers married twice, firstly to Jane Oxenden around 1643, and then, following her early death, to Audrey Master of Ospringe in May 1649. He had four children; Thomas Piers (b.abt 1643, d.1693), his son and heir by Jane, and three further boys by Audrey, including a son, Streynsham (XXXX-1681), who shared his cousin Streynsham Master's unusual forename. According to Hasted Sir Thomas Piers’ father was Lawrence Piers (alt. Peirce) of Westfield, Sussex. Westfield is a parish a few miles to the north east of Hastings on the road to Ashford, and appears to have had a high proportion of yeoman and weaver/kersey makers in its early C17th PRC wills.

Sir Thomas Piers had his home at Stonepit(t)(s), near Seal in North Kent, which he inherited from his father, Lawrence Piers (XXXX-c.1625). The house had come into the family through his father’s marriage to XXXX of Stonepitt. Though Sir Thomas is cited by Maximilian Dallison in his legal complaint against the Oxenden brothers after Elizabeth Dallison's death, he appears to have maintained relations with Maximilian, and was appointed overseer in Maximilian's will of 1671, described as "my good friend Sir Thomas Piers."

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Sources

PROB 11/337 Duke Will of Maximilian Dalyson of Hamptons in West Peckham, Kent 01 December 1671
PROB 11/363 Bath 60 – 123 Will of Sir Thomas Piers of Seal, Kent 24 May 1680

Hasted, Edward, 'Parishes: Seale', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 3 (1797), pp. 51-59

Potential sources

Primary

PROB 4/21966 Piers, Streynsham, of St. Olave, Hart Street, London 1681 5 May

PROB 11/145 Clarke 1 – 63 Will of Lawrence Peirse of Westfield, Sussex 05 May 1625
PROB 11/366 North 48 – 94 Will of Streynsham Peirs or Piers, Gentleman of London 05 May 1681

[East Sussex Record Office: Courthope of Whiligh in Ticehurst, East Sussex:....Bond SAS-CO/1/1334 12 Apr 1686]
- Contents: George Rivers of Tunbridge, Co. Kent, Esq. to Sir Thos. Piers of Seale, Co. Kent, Bart., & George Courthope of Ticehurst, Esq. & John Baker of Mayfield, Esq.; Bond for performance of Covenants. of Indentures of 20 Oct 28 Chas. 2nd, the said Sir Thos. Piers, George Courthope & John Baker being joint trustees for Rose & Eliz. Rivers, sisters of the said George Rivers

Sheffield Archives:Deeds and Papers of the Barker Family of East Lodge, Bakewell, Derbyshire...Agreement to levy a fine Bar D/461 14 Jun 1663
- Contents: Nicholas, Earl of Scarsdale, Sir Thomas Piers of Stonepitt and William Chapman of the Inner Temple, with John Mildmay of Danbury (co. Essex) and Mary, his wife, daughter of Elizabeth Bancroft, deceased, late wife of James Bancroft, merchant tailor of London and Robert Stanton of Bowbrickhill (Bucks.) and Elizabeth, his wife, also daughter of Elizabeth Bancroft. Coates Park, Alfreton to Piers and Chapman, in trust for Mary Mildmay.

Sheffield Archives: XXX... Lease and Release Bar D/229-230 27 Nov 1675
- Contents: Robert Cory, D.D. of Danbury (co. Essex) and Mary, his wife a daughter and co-heir of Elizabeth Bancroft, widow, of James Bancroft, late citizen and merchant tailor of London, Sir Thomas Piers of Stonepitt in Seale (co. Kent) and William Chapman of the Middle Temple, to Edward Phiney of Greisthorpe and Robert Jackson of Alfreton. A moiety of Coates Park of Alfreton: for £605.

Secondary

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Supplementary material

“PIERS The Right Worshipful Sir Thomas, (Peirs), bart, of Seale co. Kent, widower, 33, and Ethelred alias Awdrie, MASTER, spinster, 23, daughter of the Right Worshipful Sir Edward MASTER, knight, late of the precinct of Christchurch in Canterbury, deceased – at St Bartholomew the Less, London. 19 May 1649.”

“PIERSE Thomas, (Piers), esq, bachelor, 26, son of Sir Thomas PIERSE, bart, of Stonepitt, co. Kent , and Elizabeth COURTUPP, spinster, 23, daughter of Sir George COURTUPP knight of _ co. Sussex, both said fathers consenting – at St Bartholomew the Great, London. 5 July 1669.”

“June 3 YEAR? Thomas Fowler, of S' Peter Ashe, co. Kent, Esq., aged 20, his father dead (with consent of his guardian Reginald Peckham, of same, Esq.), & Jane Piers, Sp:r 21, dau. of Sir Thomas Piers, of Scale, co. Kent, Bar*, who consents ; at Seale.”

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