Events
Date of Baptism: 12 July 1601.
Place of Baptism: Challock, Kent.
Date of Burial: 7 December 1669.
Place of Burial: Charing, Kent.
Gabriel’s probate inventory is dated 3 January 1669/70.
Relationships
Father: Sampson Pierce.
Mother: Agnes Giles.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Katharine Joslin. Married 20 July 1623 at St Ann, Blackfriars, London.
The marriage is recorded in the parish register.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Gabriel Pierce (baptized 23 January 1624/5 in Stalisfield, Kent - buried 6 September 1709) married Anne.
John Pierce (baptized 30 September 1627 in Stalisfield)
Jane Pierce (baptized 18 July 1630 in Stalisfield - buried 23 July 1699 in Charing, Kent) married William Henman.
Sampson Pierce (baptized 3 January 1632/3 in Stalisfield)
Thomas Pierce (baptized 5 January 1635/6 in Stalisfield - buried 1642 in Stalisfield)
John Pierce (baptized 7 April 1639 in Stalisfield - died 1683) married Sarah Hart in 1679.
Joseph Pierce (born about 1640 - buried 10 November 1680 in Charing) married Anne [Williams] in 1670.
Mary Pierce (baptized 29 April 1644 in Charing, Kent) married Edward Nowers 14 November 1672 in Pluckley, Kent.
Evidence
from the register of Challock, Kent:
Gabriell the Sonne of Samson Pyerce, Baptized the 12 day of July 1601
from the register of St Ann, Blackfriars, London:
Marriages 1623 July
L Gabriel Pierce & Katharin Joslin – 20
from the register of Stalisfield, Kent (Archdeacon’s transcripts):
Baptized
Gabriel the sonne of Gabriel Piers Janu 23: [1624]
[1625]
“Gabriell Piers” signed the bill of register as a churchwarden.
Baptized
John the sonne of Gabriel Piers Sept 30o [1627]
Baptized
Jane, daughter of Gabriell Peirs. July – 18th [1630]
Baptized
Sampson, sonne of Gabriell Peirs – January: 3d [1632/3]
[1634]
“Gabriell Peers” signed the bill of register as a churchwarden.
Baptized
Thomas, sonne of Gabriell and Katherin Peirs – Januarij - 50 [1635]
Baptized
John, sonne of Gabriell & Katherin Peirs – Aprill 7o [1639]
the probate inventory of Gabriel’s goods:
A true and perfect Inventory of all and singuler the goodes Ch’ells and Creditts of Gabriell Peirs the elder late of Charing in the County of Kent gen’ dec’d valued & apprized the third day of January in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand sixe hundred sixtie and nine by us whose names are subscribed as followeth (to witt)
Impr’is his ready money & Apparrell 10-00-00
Item debts oweing to the dec’d at the tyme of his death 23-00-00
Item Ewes & Lambs 23-01-00
Item wood in the yard & elsewhere 10-08-00
In the Parlor
Item one long table eight Joyned stooles seaven Chaires sixe Cushions one little Table, two Carpetts, one windowe Curtayne and rodd, two paire of Andirons, one fire shovell & tongs 04-05-00
In the Hall
Item one table, three Chaires, five Joyned stooles two paire of Andirons, & other small things 01-08-08
In the Kitchin
Item two tables, one Court Cupboard, sixe spitts, one Jacke, two Iron dripping pans, foure tynne dripping pans, one Coope, three Chopping Knives, three Gredirons, foure stooles, fiue Chaires, one fire shovell & Andirons & other things there 06-05-00
In the brewe house
Item five tubbs, five keelars, one Furnace one small Querne & an old Kettle 04-00-00
In the Bake house
Item three brasse kettles, three warmeing pans, two brasse potts, three brasse Chaffing dishes one morter & pestle foure brasse Skillettes & other things there 03-15-00
In the milke buttery
Item three brine tubbs, foure pailes seaven boules, Eight Crockes, & other things 02-01-00
Item a parcell of Iron 12-00-00
In the other buttery
Item one Safe, one old Chest, fower keelars, one Chaire & other small things 01-16-00
In the meale house
Item two kneadtubbs, one Forme two sieves & other small things 00-12-00
In the Cellar
Item nine barrells, three Stalders, one salt-Stocke, one tuvell and old tubb & a keelar 01-15-00
In the house in M:r Creswells occupacion
Item one Furnace, one table, one forme one Safe, one Court Cupboard one Jacke & a little Cupboard 02-06-00
In the outhouses where Mrs Wolfe and Sarah Harte lives
Item two old beddstead, one Forme, one table one Chest, one trendle bedstedd one Cupboard, one little table, one Forme one high bedsteadd with Curtaine rodds 02-06-08
In the servants Chamber
Item two old bedsteadds, two Flockbedds Foure Flocke boulsters foure blancketts one little table, one old Chaire 02-10-00
In the buttery chamber
Item one bedsteadd, one featherbeadd, one feather boulster, one flocke boulster with blancketts, Curtaines and rodds 05-00-00
In the Chamber over the Cellar:
Item two high Bedsteds, two trundle bedsteds one presse cupboard, two Chests, one Court Cupboard, foure stooles, two feather bedds, three feather boulsters, three feather pillowes seaven blanckettes, foure Coverings, two paire of Curtaines & vallance, one paire of Andirons, two Flockebedds, two Flocke boulsters and other things there 17-09-06
In the Porch Chamber
Item one bedstead, one feather bedd, two feather boulsters, one Coverlett, Sixe feather pillowes two Chests & blanckettes 06-05-00
In the Garrett
Item three Chests, one table, one Cupboard, aparcell of blanckettes & old Curtaines and other things 04-17-00
Item eight Dozen of Napkins foureteene table clothes, seaven towells, fifteene paire of pilloweberrs, one Cupboard cloth, two walletts, eight Course table clothes, eight Course Towels, five & twentie paire of fine sheetes, twelve paire of Course sheetes 38-09-06
Item for hay 06-00-00
Item about one hundred weight of pewter 04-00-00
Item things unseene & forgotten 01-00-00
Tot is 196-10-4
valued & appraized the day & yeare aforesaid by us ./
Anthony: Nowers;
George Deedes
The 1680 will of Gabriel’s son Joseph:
In the name of God Amen the first day of November in the two & thirtieth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the second by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland Kinge defender of the faith &c I Joseph Pierce of Chareinge in the County of Kent gen’ beinge sick of body but of good and sound memory & understandinge blessed be God doe make & ordayne this my will and testament in manner followinge First I comend my Soule into the hands of God that gavie it trustinge by the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be eternally Saved my body I com[m]itt to the earth from whence it was taken decently to be buried at the discretion of my Executrix herafter named and for my estate wherewith it hath pleased God to blesse me I dispose as followeth First I give and devise unto my loveing wife Anne all my lands tenements & hereditaments lyinge in Chareing aforesaid and which I have not heretofore setled uppon her or to her use To have & to hold the same to her the said Anne & her assignes for & duringe the terme of her naturall life And after her decease I give and devise the same unto my three daughters Anne Jane and Katherine and their heires to be equally divided betwixt them And in case any of my said daughters happen to departe this life without heires of her or their bodys lawfully to be begotten before the decease of my said wife then the parte porc[i]on or share of her soe dyinge shall discend & come unto my daughter or daughters that shall be then liveinge And whereas I nowe am possessed and interested of and in the Mannor of Orgarswick in the said County of Kent for divers yeares yett to come by virtue of lease made thereof by the deane & Chapter of the Cathederall & metropoliticall Church of Christ Canterbury I doe give and dispose of the same as followeth First I give and bequeath the same Mannor and all my estate right title interest & her me of yeares therein unto my aforesaid daughters Ann Jane and Katherine to be equally divided betwixt them Item to the intent that the said Mannor may be preserved to my said daughters and the said lease may be renewed by the said Deane & Chapter for a longer terme of yeares then I nowe have therein I doe hereby in power my said loveing wife Anne to Surrender the said lease to the said Deane & Chapter at any time or times of yeares as she shall thinke fitt to the end that she may take a new lease or Leases thereof for a longer terme of years And what money shee shall disburse for renewinge thereof from time to time I will she shalbe saisfied and paid out of the rents and profitts of the said Mannor Item I make and ordayne my said loveing wife Anne Sole Executrix of this my last will and testament provided that uppon the probate thereof she give unto my loveinge freind M:r John Coppin of Canterbury a Bond in the penalty of one thousand pounds Condic[i]oned that she suffer my said daughters to enioye the said Mannor of Orgarswick accordinge to this my last will Item it is my will that my Stock be sould by my Executrix and after my debts legacies and funerall expences shalbe paid and saisfied I give and devise the money thereof comeinge as alsoe all other my personall estate (except what I have by this my will otherwise disposed of) unto my said daughters equally to be divided. betwixt them Item is is my will that my said wife shall have the educac[i]on of my Children and management: of their estates untill they shall attaine their respective ages of one and twenty yeares or days of marriage which of them shall first happen Item it is my will that what money can be made of my personall estate before bequeathed unto my said daughters that the same shall be put out at interest & that the interest thereof shalbe equally divided betwixt my said daughters Item it is my will and I doe in power my said wife to deduct out of the profitts of my said Mannor of Orgarswick & the rest of my personall estate they yearely sum[m]e of Sixteene pounds for every of my said daughters educac[i]on & mainetenance untill they accomplish their respective ages of one & twenty yeares or days of marriage which of them shall first happen And in case it shall happen any of my said daughters to be disobedient unto their mother or shall marry before they attaine their respective ages of six & twenty yeares without her consent Then it is my will and I doe hereby inpower my said wife to dispose of Soe much as she shall thinke fitt of my daughters porc[i]on before by me bequeathed which shalbe soe marry or be disobedient unto the rest of my daughters Item I give and bequeathe unto my said wife the yearely sum[m]e of Six pounds untill she shall fell or cut downe the wood from my woodland in Chareinge which is p[ar]te of her ioynture which said Six pounds I doe inpower her to deduct out of the profitts of my daughters estates Item I give unto my said wife all the lynnen she brought me at the time of our marriage And I will my said wife shall have the use of my household stuffe as it now stands in my dwellinge house for and duringe her life and after her decease I will it shalbe equally divided betwixt my daughters Item I doe forgive unto my wives daughter Elizabeth Williams all such su[m]mes & su[m]mes [sic] of money as she nowe owes me Item I give and devise unto my Sisters Mary Nowers five pounds yearely during her naturall life to be paid quarterly that is to say at the fests of the birth of our Lord Christ the Annuciac[i]on of the Blessed virgin Mary S:t John Baptist & St Michael the Archangell by equall porc[i]ons the first paymt: to begin at that feast of the feasts aforesaid that shall first happen after the decease of her husband M:r [blank] Nowers And if it happen the said five pounds to be behinde by the Space of ten days next after any of the said feasts in which it ought to be paid as aforesaid Then it shalbe lawfull for my said Sister to enter into the said Mannor of Orgarswick to distrayne & the distresse there found to deteyne and keepe untill she shalbe satisfied the said five pounds or soe much thereof as shalbe then in arreare Item in case my said wife shall happen to departe this life before my said daughters shall attaine their respective ages of one & twenty yeares or days of marriage aforesaid Then I make the aforesaid John Coppin executor of this my last will and testament And doe will and appointe that he shall have the educac[i]on of my said daughters in such manner and uppon such Condic[i]ons as I have before appointed my said wife to have the same And I doe allowe him out of my said daughters estate the sum[m]e of ten pounds yearely untill my said daughters attaine their said ages of one & twenty yeares or day of marriage as aforesaid Item it is my will notwithstandinge anythinge before menc[i]oned that if it happen my said wife to marry after my decease then she shall lose & forfeite my lands in Chareinge aforesaid which I have herein before bequeathed her And the same shall imediatly discend to and amongest my said daughters And alsoe that they shall then surrender unto the said John Coppin my said daughters estates and shall alsoe lose their said educac[i]on unlesse she will accept of ten pounds apeece yearely for the same Item in case all my said daughters shall departe this life before their said ages of one and twenty yeares or days of marriage Then I give and bequeath unto my Cosein Thomas Henman all my lease right title & interest of and in the Mannor of Orgarswick he payinge unto my Cosin Allen Henman duringe his life the sum[m]e of Ten pounds of Lawfull money of England yearely for the true payment of which I will that the said Thomas Henman shall give good security unto the said Allen And then I give unto my Cosin Sampson Peirce all my lands & Tenements in Chareinge aforesaid To have & to hold the same to him and his heires forever And all the rest of my personall estate before devised unto my said daughters in case they all dye before their said ages or days of marriage I devise to and amongest my aforesaid Sister Nowers Children to be equally devided betwixt them Lastly it is my will that in case my said wife depart this life before my said daughters shall be married Then if any of them shall marrie before they shall attaine their respective ages of Six and twenty yeares without the consent of the said John Coppin she or they soe marrieinge without his consent as aforesaid shall lose and forfeite soe much of her parte share & porc[i]on before bequeathed as the said John Coppin shall thinke fitt which shalbe divided amongest my other daughters In witness whereof I the said Joseph Peirce have to this my last will and Testament conteyned in three sheetes of paper on every sheete hereof sett my hand and Seale the day & yeare abovesaid:
Joseph Peirs [seal]
Signed Sealed published & declared by the said Joseph Peirce to be his last will and Testament in the presence of us who subscribed our names hereunto in the presence of the said Testator the words: before they attaine their respective ages of Six & twenty yeares interlyned in the third lyne of the second sheete hereof & the words (as she shall thinke be fitt interlyned in the fowreth lyne of the said sheete were interlyned before the Sealeinge and publishinge hereof./
William Jacob.
Annes Jacob
Jydia Baldrick
[Proved 26 November 1680]
The 1683 will of Gabriel’s son John Piers:
In the name of God Amen the 17th day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord 1683–
I John Peirs beeing sick in body but of good and perfect memory thanks be to almighty God and Calling to remembrance the uncertaine estate of this transitory life doe constitute ordaine and declare this my Last will & testament–
Imprimis i doe giue unto my sister Nowers towards the bringing up of her two daughters six pound p[er] annum which i doe order to be paid by my Executrix hereafter named and after the death of my executrix i doe giue and bequeath to my sister nowers two daughters one hundred pound a peice. to be paid within six months after the decease of my executrix. If ither Elisabeth or Ann my sisters two daughters doe faile before the death of my executrix then the surviver shall haue the hundred pound. But in case they both dye before my executrix then it is my will it should goe to my sister Mary Nowers: and if My sister Mary Nowers doe dye before my executrix then i will it to Samson Peirs sonn to my brother Gabriell Peirs. and of this my last will and testament i doe make my wife Sarah Peirs my sole executrix and doe giue and bequeath unto her all the rest of my Goods and Chattells –
Item i doe declare this to be my Last will and testament–
In wittness whereof i haue here unto set my hand and seale in the day and yeare aboue written.
John Peirs [seal]
Signed sealed published and declared by the said John Peirs for his last will and testament in the presence of
George Gooding
George Silles
Commentary
Gabriel’s parentage:
In his 1615 will, Sampson Piers of Stalisfield, yeoman, named his wife Agnes, his son Gabriel, and other children. His son Gabriel was made an executor, and Sampson expressed his desire that his widow Agnes live with him, although he had not yet reached the age of 21. Two of the other children that Sampson mentioned were his sons Michael and John.
In his 1654 will, John Peirs of Charing, yeoman, mentioned his brothers Michael and Gabriel. John made Gabriel his executor and placed his daughter into his care. John also mentioned Gabriel’s sons John, Gabriel, Joseph, and Sampson.
Taking these two wills together, we can easily infer that the father of the Gabriel Pierce of this page was Sampson Pierce.
Sampson had named his wife Agnes in his will. The Sheldwich register records the marriage in 1600 of Sampson Pierce and Agnes Giles. From Sampson’s will, it is clear that Agnes was not his first wife, and it is not specified that Gabriel was her son. But we can be confident that he was. One reason is that he was stated in the will to be under the age of 21. But a stronger reason is that Agnes was the daughter of Gabriel Giles, so the Gabriel of this page was pretty clearly named after Agnes’s father.
References
Archdeacon’s transcripts of the parish register of Stalisfield, Kent. Digital images on FamilySearch.org accessed 24 May 2025.
Probate inventory of Gabriell Peirs. 1669. Consistory Court of Canterbury. Digital images on FamilySearch.org accessed 24 May 2025.
Register of St Ann, Blackfriars, London. Digital image on Ancestry.com accessed 24 May 2025.
Will of John Piers. Proved 1654 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
Will of John Peirs. Proved 1683 in the Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury. Digital images on FamilySearch.org accessed 26 May 2025.