Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: about 1639.
Place of Death: probably in or near Morton Valence, Gloucestershire.
Joan made her will in 1637 and it was proved in 1639.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: John Bower.
Joan named his wife Joan in his will.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
John Bower (baptized 4 August 1575 in Moreton Valence)
William Bower (baptized 4 August 1575 in Moreton Valence)
Samuel Bower (died in 1621)
Margery Bower
Richard Bower
Annes Bower married Vayle
Joan Bower (baptized 7 March 1584/5 in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire) married Mill.
Jane Bower married Maurice Guy 10 January 1620/1 in Gloucester (St Mary de Crypt).
Elizabeth Bower (baptized 9 October 1597 in Hardwicke, Gloucestershire) married Ambrose Beard 26 April 1624 in Moreton Valence.
Evidence
Joan’s will:
In the name of god amen the seauenth day of February in the thirteenth yeare of the Raigne of our moste gratious Soueraigne Lord Charles by the grace of god of England Scotland France and Ireland King defender of the Fayth &c Anno d’ni 1637 I Joane Bower of Horsmarley within the p[ar]ish of Morten Valence in the County and Diocese of Gloucester widdow sick and weake in body but of good and p[er]fect memory thankes be unto god for the same doe make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme following First and before all things I Comende my soule into the hands of Almighty god my maker and Redeemer in whome and through I hope to be saued and my body to the Earth when it shall please god to appoynte the seperacon in hope of a Joyfull Resurrection thereof at the Last day amonge the Faythfull in Christ As touching my worldlie goodes Item I giue and bequeath unto Richard Bower my sonne Five Powndes of good and Lawfull mony of England To be payd unto him at the ende and determynation of one yeare after my Decease Item I giue and bequeath unto Thomas Bower of Stroud [?] my grande Child the som’e of Twentie shillings of like lawfull mony of England to be payd unto him at thende and determynation of one year after my decease Item I giue and bequeath unto Samuell Bower the sonne of my sonne John Bower my biggest Joyne or waynscote Chest and my biggest ketle of Caldron of Brasse Item I giue and bequeath unto Joane Bower and Sarah Bower daughters of my sonne John Bower each of them a pewter platter and one payer of sheetes apeece Item I giue and bequeath unto Henry Bower the sonne of my sonne John Bower one Calfe Culloured Rede of a yeare old Item I giue and bequeath unto Ellizabeth Beard my daughter the wife of Ambrose Beard my best gownde and petecott and Tenn shillings in mony Item I giue and bequeath unto Ellizabeth Beard my grandchilde my Yallow Couerthyd or healing a board or table Cloth of Lynnen being Fower Ells one Canmus sheets and sixe shillings eyght pence in mony Item I giue and bequeath unto Joane Beard my grandchilde my bearing sheete one Candlestick of Brasse and sixe shillings eyght pence in mony Item I giue and bequeath unto Ambrose Beard my grande Cilde one Calfe Culloured black of a yeare olde and sixe shillings eyght pence in mony Item I giue and bequeath unto Jane Guye the wife of Morrice Guye being my daughter one bedcase a Candlestick of brasse Item I giue and bequeath unto Joane Mill my daughter one Couertlyd or healing and one payer of Blanckets that are on the bedd whereon I nowe Lodge Item I giue and bequeath unto John Mill my grand Childe sixteene shillings eyght pence to bee payd unto him at the ende and determynacon of one yeare after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Mill my grandchilde sixteene shillings eyght pence to be payd unto her when shee shall Com’ to and accomplysh the age of Twenty one yeares or on the day of her maryage which of those shall first happen, Item I giue and bequeath unto Morrice Guye my grand childe one bedsteed, one bedd two Couertlyds or healings one payer of blanckets and one bolster To be deliu[er]ed unto him when hee shall Com’ unto and accomplish the age of Twenty one yeares Item I giue unto him the sayd Morice Guye Three Powndes of good and Lawfull mony of England To be payd unto him at the tyme aforesayd Item I giue and bequeath unto Samuell Guye William Guye and Anne Guye my grand Children Twenty sixe shillings eyght pence apeece to be payd unto them when they shall Com unto and accomplish the full age of Twentie one yeares a peece Item I give and bequeath unto Anne Michell my seruant my Red petecote that hath a white bodyce, Item I giue and bequeath unto Alice Holder and Elizabeth Howton twelue pence a peece All the Rest of my goodes Cattells Chattells houshold stufe and Impliments of houshold whatsoeuer unbequeathed my debts and Funerall expences [...] payd I wholy giue and bequeath unto John Bower my sonne whome I make and ordayne my whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament utterly Reuoking and Disannulling all and euery former will and wills here tofore by mee made and ordayned And I doe intreate nomynate and appoynt Gyles Gabb of Morton Valence aforesaid yeoman and Nicholas Dangerfield of the same Clothier to be my ouerseers of this my last will and testament to see the same Justlie and trulie p[er]formed And for theire paynes taking herein I giue unto them fower shillings apeece In wittnes whereof I the sayd Joane Bower have to this my last will and testament sett my hand and seale the day and yeare first aboue written
Joane Bower
her marke
X
Signed and sealed in the presence of Nicolas Daingerfild
Samuell Bower
Anne Michell her marke
& George Dixon
[Proved 6 July 1639]
References
Will of Joan Bower. Proved 1639 in the Consistory Court of Gloucester. Digital images on Ancestry.com.
Will of John Bower. Proved 1634 in the Consistory Court of Gloucester. Digital images on Ancestry.com.