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 Abt 1531 - 1576 (~ 45 years)
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| Name |
Leveson, Thomas |
| Born |
Abt 1531 |
Of Halling, Kent, England  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Buried |
21 Apr 1576 |
Buckston, Kent, England |
| Person ID |
I08135 |
My Genealogy |
| Last Modified |
27 May 2015 |
| Family |
Gresham, Ursula, b. 31 Oct 1534, Of London, England , d. Bef 1576, Of Buckston, Kent, England (Age 41 years) |
| Married |
29 May 1553 |
St Michael Bassingshaw, London, England |
| Children |
| | 1. Leveson, Mary [Natural] |
| | 2. Leveson, Frances [Natural] |
| | 3. Leveson, Margaret [Natural] |
| | 4. Levenson, Anne [Natural] |
| | 5. Leveson, John, c. 21.03.1555/56, Cuxton, Kent, England , bur. 7 Nov 1615, Cuxton, Kent, England |
| | 6. Leveson, William, b. Abt 1565, Of Halling, Kent, England , bur. 15.01.1620/61, St Alphage, London Wall, London, England |
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| Family ID |
F02449 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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| Notes |
- Will of Thomas Leveson of Hawlynge, Kent 30 October 1576 PROB 11/58
Description: Thomas Leveson was the son of Nicholas Leveson (c. 1490-1539) and his wife Denise (Dionysia) Bodley. Whereas his cousin Richard inherited his father James Leveson’s lands in Trentham and Lilleshall, Thomas inherited his own father Nicholas Leveson’s lands in Kent.
Thomas’s will indicates that he was closely connected with Kent, stating that he wished to be buried alongside his late wife, Ursula Gresham in ‘the churche of Buckeston in Kent’. The will also states that Thomas owned ‘landes, tenements and hereditamentes’ in ‘the Counties of Essex Kente, Staffordshire and London’.
Like other contemporary wills, Thomas Leveson’s will tells us much about the places he was associated with in Kent and Staffordshire, and also provides information about family relationships and the importance of family lineage at this time.
Thomas Leveson’s will also tells us about his family, notably that he had nine daughters. His will states that he wished to leave two thousand pounds in order to give his ‘younger sonne William Leveson’ and his ‘nyne daughters...two hundred pounds a pece’. The will also refers to his older son John Leveson, who was given the responsibility of overseeing that the bequests in the will were executed, and also responsible for overseeing his ‘funeralles’. The will also states that John was to receive the remainder of his father’s ‘goodes chattelles and debtes’, which he was responsible for paying.
Thomas Leveson’s will reflects the closeness of relations between the Leveson family. Thomas refers to ‘Legacyes of twentye poundes’ left to his children ‘by the last will and testament of Dionyse Leveson my mother deceassed’. In a further bequest, Thomas refers to ‘my lovinge brother in lawe John Gresham’ to whom he leaves ten pounds, alongside his brother William Leveson. Thomas Leveson’s will reflects the value of wills in providing a range of information about families and family relationships.
In addition to his extensive lands, Thomas Leveson’s will indicates that he had close connections with merchants. Many of his friends named in the will and given financial responsibilities are merchants, such as ‘Arthure Duwbreye of London murchante taylor’
Thomas Leveson’s will portrays him as a wealthy landowner associated with mercantile trade, who was concerned with providing for his family and the places he was closely associated with during his lifetime.
Like his uncle James Leveson, Thomas makes many benevolent bequests. He states ‘I will there shalbe bestowed emongest the poore people which shalbe at my buryall Tenne poundes or more’. He also made provision for money to be distributed ‘amongest the poore people inhabitinge within the severall parishes of Buckeston, and Hawlynge’. His benevolence and association with Kent, particularly Buckston and Halling, are evident in this bequest.
Like his predecessors, Thomas Leveson’s will states that he left money to his servants. However, Thomas is particularly generous is this respect, leaving ‘fortye shillings a pece’ to ‘everye man servante’ and ‘twentie shillings a pece’ to ‘everye woman servant’. It is significant that Thomas Leveson’s description of his servants also reflects a concern with his legacy. His bequest relates to ‘everye of my servants dwellinge with me in my house or wearinge my Lyverye’. Thomas’s servants evidently wore his livery, clothing which identified them with his household, indicating that the identity and legacy of the Leveson family were important to him.
Mentions sons William and John and 9 daughter, not named?
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