Individual Details
John Vassall
(Abt 1548 - Sep 1625)
John Vassall was a well-to-do gentleman from Ratclliffe, Stepney, and Cockseyhurst, Eastwood, Essex, England. Records show him to be an alderman in London during 1588, the same year he outfitted two ships of war, Samuel and Toby Junior. John was successively captain of each of these 140 ton, 70 men vessels during the fight with the Spanish Armada.
His expertise as a naval captain was used in navigation questions determining the skill of a pilot in a shipwreck on the Goodwin sands during 1577. In the second charter of the Virginia Company of London made in 1609, John Vassall's name is included as "gentleman".
John married three times. Apparently no children resulted with his first wife. Records are scanty on how many children were born to his second wife Anne Russell. William was called his "fourth son by his second wife". His final wife, Judith Borough, the widow of Thomas Scott, had "2 sons and 4 daughters" with him. William was raised by Judith and named one of his daughters after her. John died of the plague in Stepney during 1625.
According to a Prouty cousin who has successfully joined the Jamestown Society through the Vassall line- Judith to William to John. John was a major supporter of the Virginia Company thereby qualifying for membership in that organization. Online found reference for him on a historic merchant site- he financed 2 ships for the Spanish Armada, supposedly he also helped finance Mayflower. His daughter was married to Mayflower Captain?? Have not documented that. Another interesting twist- this online site made reference to John Vassal being a French Huguenot.
His expertise as a naval captain was used in navigation questions determining the skill of a pilot in a shipwreck on the Goodwin sands during 1577. In the second charter of the Virginia Company of London made in 1609, John Vassall's name is included as "gentleman".
John married three times. Apparently no children resulted with his first wife. Records are scanty on how many children were born to his second wife Anne Russell. William was called his "fourth son by his second wife". His final wife, Judith Borough, the widow of Thomas Scott, had "2 sons and 4 daughters" with him. William was raised by Judith and named one of his daughters after her. John died of the plague in Stepney during 1625.
According to a Prouty cousin who has successfully joined the Jamestown Society through the Vassall line- Judith to William to John. John was a major supporter of the Virginia Company thereby qualifying for membership in that organization. Online found reference for him on a historic merchant site- he financed 2 ships for the Spanish Armada, supposedly he also helped finance Mayflower. His daughter was married to Mayflower Captain?? Have not documented that. Another interesting twist- this online site made reference to John Vassal being a French Huguenot.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1548 | England, United Kingdom | |||
| Marriage | 25 Sep 1569 | England, Stepney, St. Donstans - Anne Hewes/Howes |  |  | |
| Marriage | 4 Sep 1580 | England, Stepney, St. Donstans - Anne Russell | | ||
| Marriage | 27 Mar 1594 | England, Stepney, St. Donstans - Judith Borough | | ||
| Death | Sep 1625 | of the plague - Stepney, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom | | ||
| Will | 29 Apr 1625 | England, Middlesex Co., Stepney parish | |
Families
| Spouse | Anne Russell ( - 1593) |
| Child | Samuel Vassall (1586 - 1667) |
| Child | William Vassall (1592 - 1655) |
| Child | Joan Vassall ( - ) |
| Child | Judith Vassall (1582 - 1638) |
| Spouse | Anne Hewes/Howes ( - ) |
| Spouse | Judith Borough ( - ) |
| Child | Anne Vassall (1595 - 1639) |
| Child | Thomas Vassall (1601 - 1639) |
| Child | Rachel Vassall (1604 - ) |
| Child | Elizabeth Vassall (1608 - 1639) |
| Child | Mary Vassall ( - ) |
| Child | Stephen Vassall ( - 1639) |
Notes
Marriage
No children from this marriageWill
John Vassell of Ratcliffe in the parish of Stepney, Middlesex, mariner, 29 April 1625, proved 16 September 1625. To be buried in the parish church of Stepeney where I am now a parishioner. To my wife Judith all my household stuff whatsoever, my plate only expected. To my son Samuel my great filt salt, to my Son William my plain white silver salt and to my daughter Ann Jones my great white silver bowl. The rest of my plate to Judith my wife during her natural life, and after her decease it shall be divided amongst other five of my children, vizt. Rachel the wife of Peter Andrewes, Stephen Vassell, Thomas Vassell, Mary the wife of Edward West and Elizabeth the wife of Henry Church. at the discretion of my said wife according as she shall dispose thereof in her lifetime. I give to the said William Vassell to his use forever all the wainscot, portals of wainscot, cupboards and benches of wainscot affixed and fastened in the house where in I now dwell and all the dresser boards, shelves, iron backs for chimnies, locs and other ironworks upon the doors and windows now standing and being in and about my said delling house in Racliffe. I give him also the great table of walnut tree now standing in my great parlor. I give to my son Thomas Vassell my lease and term of yers unexpired of the parsonage or rectory of Eastwood in County of Essex, which I bought of John Coggen and Mary his wife, and all my messuages, lands, tenements &c. in Eastwood. To my daughter Mary wife of Edward West fifty pounds. To my daughter Rachel now wife of Peter Androse one hundred pounds. To Elizabeth my daughter, now wife of Henry Church one hundred pounds. Judith my daughter, the relict of John Freeborne late deceased, hath had and received divers and sundry large sums of money far surpassing and surmounting the portions of the rest of my daughters. I Give her therefore only twenty shillings to buy her a ring. I give to Judith my wife for life, my messuages, lands, tenements &c. in Seething Lane, in the several parishes of All Sts Barking, in Tower Street, and St. Olaves, White Hart Street, London, and after her decease I Give and bequeath them all to my son Stephen Vassell. I give all my lands, messuages &c. at Brookstreet in the parish of South Weale (Weald). Essex. unto Judith , my wife and her heirs forever. I make and appoint the said Judith Vassell sole executrix. And to be overseers I do appoint my sons Samuel Vassall, William Vassell and my son in law John Jones.On the 15th day of April 1686 commission issued to Stephen Vassall grandson (nepoti ex filo) of John Vassall lately of Ratcliffe &c. deceased to administer the goods &c. left unadministered by Judith Vassall the relict and executrix deceased.
Endnotes
1. Sumner, Edith Bartlett, Ancestry of Edward Wales Blake and Clarissa Matilda Glidden : with ninety allied families (Los Angeles, Calif: unknown, 1948|||(Ann Arbor, Mich. :, 326 pgs.), p. 249.
2. Sumner, Edith Bartlett, Ancestry of Edward Wales Blake and Clarissa Matilda Glidden : with ninety allied families (Los Angeles, Calif: unknown, 1948|||(Ann Arbor, Mich. :, 326 pgs.), p. 294.
3. Sumner, Edith Bartlett, Ancestry of Edward Wales Blake and Clarissa Matilda Glidden : with ninety allied families (Los Angeles, Calif: unknown, 1948|||(Ann Arbor, Mich. :, 326 pgs.), p. 249.
4. Sumner, Edith Bartlett, Ancestry of Edward Wales Blake and Clarissa Matilda Glidden : with ninety allied families (Los Angeles, Calif: unknown, 1948|||(Ann Arbor, Mich. :, 326 pgs.), p. 249.