Thomas Shedd

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ⁶¹⁹

Thomas Shedd, was born in Debden, Essex, England in 1545, and was living there at the time of his marriage in 1572. During the next four years he resided in at the adjoining parish of Great Easton, and in 1576, he moved into the adjacent larger town of Thaxted where he continued living for about a score of years. While living here he inherited by the will of his father in 1584/5 four acres of land called "The Lees," an enclosed field call "Mays" and a legacy of twenty pounds in money. He later returned to Great Easton, where he died in 1612, about the age of sixty-seven years old. In various records he is termed a "husbandman" (farmer).

From the Thaxted litigation concerning Thomas Shedd:
Case of Cutts vs. Armiger and Sparrow, 1570, Sir John Cutts, Knt., lord of the Manor of Horham Hall in Thaxted, removed for some years from Thaxted and leased for forty-one years a large farm in the manor, with farm houses, to one Edward Armiger who settled there. On 29 Sep 1579, the latter privately subleased part of his farm for nine years to Thomas Shedd, a few years later privately mortgaged the farm to a nephew, one Robert Sparrow, and afterwards publicly conveyed a part of the residue of hi term to one Richard Clark. In 1584, Sir John Cutts resumed residence at Horham Hall, and desiring the use of the Armiger's farm he bought back the term of Armiger and the interest of Clark, both of who doubtless exacted a high price from the knight. After completing this transaction, the latter was confronted with the to him undisclosed encumbrances to Shedd and Sparrow. Sir John then brought suits in equity against Armiger and Sparrow in Jun 1584, both in the Court of Chancery and the Court of Star Chamber, alleging the purported conveyances to Shedd and Sparrow were fraudulent. Among the interrogatories by Cutts to Armiger the eighth dealt with Shedd, viz: "What is Thomas Shedde named in your answer, where does he swell, what part of the premises does he hold, by what assurance, for what period, at what date and at what rent? When, where and by whom was the alleged deed made and whom were the witnesses?" In reply Armiger deposes: "Thomas Shedd named in interrogatory is a husbandman dwelling in Thaxted, and deponent granted to him the greatest part of the premises by indenture of lease to said Shead for nine years for a certain yearly rent therein specified, and previous to the mortgage to Sparrow. But defendant received no find (or cash payment) for this lease on which there were no agreements other than as specified in said indenture which was written by one Barnard of Stortford (Bishop's Stortford, co. Herts). a scivener; and on Richardson and another Barnard were witnesses." "Thomas Shedde of Thaxted, County Essex, husbandman, the age of forty years, deposes 30 Jan 1585/6. He knoweth the complainant and hath see the defendant Sparrow, and knoweth the farm and lands in Thaxted which Edward Armiger had by lease of John Cutts. The deponent states that he is the same Thomas Shedd referred to in the interrogatory, and further states that said Armiger did lease the greatest part of said farm to him this deponent for the term of nine years, which lease is yet in being and in force, and of said term there are yet enduring and to come two years as much more unto the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel next ensuring (29 Sep 1586). And deponent sayeth that he has occupied said leased part of said farm in his own tenure and occupation, and dwelt upon the same by virtue of said lease." [Star Chamber Proceedings, Elizabeth, C-6-39 & C-77-5; also Town Depositions in Chancery, Bundle 182].

The mansion & farm are still called "Armigers" (1922). About two hundred yards beyond the mansion of "Armigers," towards Thaxted and on the same side of the highway, is a very ancient cottage, still (1922) included in Armiger's Farm and tenanted, and now called "Common Cottage" from its location near some common land. From its construction and appearance this old house seems to have been built before the reign of Elizabeth (1558) and there is no older house on Armigers Farm, except the mansion. It is apparent that this is the house occupied by Thomas Shedde, great-grandfather of Daniel Shed the emigrant to America about 1640.

Will:
"Thomas Shedd of Great Eystane (Eston), County Essex,husbandman, sick in body but in perfect memory, dated 8 Jun 10 James I (1612). To be buried in the parish churchyard of Great Eystane. To my son Thomas Shedd 3s. 4d. to be paid within three months after my decease by my executors. To my son William Sheed 3s. 4d. to be paid within three months after my decease by my executors. To my son Daniel Shed 3s. 4d. to be paid within three months after my decease by my executors. To my daughter Mary Shed a flock bed, a pillow, a blanket, and covering, and a pewter platter, to be delivered by my executors. All the rest of my goods that were mine before I married Elizabeth, my now wife, I give to my said wife Elizabeth and to John Shedd my son, to be equally divided between them. All the goods that I had by my said wife Elizabeth, I give to her again. I appoint my wife Elizabeth and my son John Shedd executors, and the charges of the court to be borne by all my children named in my will. (signed by mark) Thomas Shed. Witnesses: Samuel Enever, John Wright, Proved 1 Oct 1612. [Commissary Court of the Bishop of London for Essex and Herts, Original Will, Bundle for 1612.]

Thomas Shedd first married, 23 Nov 1572, at Debden, Ursula Richardson. She was the mother of his children, and she was buried in the Great Easton Churchyard, 4 May 1603. Thomas's second wife, whom he married at Great Easton, 16 Apr 1604, was Elizabeth Rowley. They had no children together, and she was buried in Great Easton, 9 Feb 1635/36.

Chidren of Ursula Richardson and Thomas Shedde:

Chidren of Ursula Richardson and Thomas Shedde:

• Jane, bap. 11 Oct 1573, Great Easton; m. there 2 Sep 1599, Walter David

• Thomas, bap. 13 Mar 1574/75, at Geat Easton

• Ursula, bap. 16 Mar 1576/77, at Thaxted

• William, b. abt 1579, living in 1612 and had a daughter named Martha, bap. at Taxted, 27 Oct 1606

• John, bap., 24 Feb 1580/81; succeeded to his father's place in Great Easton where he was living in 1630; m. Margaret; children recorded in Great Easton were:
      (1) Tryphena, bap 26 Feb 1602/03
      (2) Nicholas, bapt 7 Jul 1605; bur., Great Easton, 31 Aug 1639
      (3) William, bap. 22 Feb 1607/1608
      (4) Thomas, bap. 22 Aug 1613; living in Breat Easton in 1649; m. Anne; children born in Geat Easton:
            Elizabeth, bap. 10 Oct 1641
            Ann, bap. 22 Oct 1643
            Thomas, bap. 8 Feb 1648/49
      (5) Margaret, bap 2 May 1620
      (6) John, bap. 4 May 1623

• Daniel, bap. 17 Nov 1583, at Thaxted; living in 1612

• Mary, bap. 30 Now 1587, at Thaxted; living unmarried in 1612

~Daniel Shed genealogy, pgs. 16-19

Thomas married Ursula Richardson on 23 Nov 1572 in Debden, Essex, England.⁶¹⁹ (Ursula Richardson was born about 1548 in Thaxted, Debden, Essex, England, died before 4 May 1603 in Easton, Essex, England ⁶¹⁹ and was buried on 4 May 1603 in Great Easton, Churchyard, Essex, England ⁶¹⁹.)