Pontifex
Until now the earliest direct known ancestor of the Pontifex family was John Pontifex of West Wycombe, Bucks, who made a will and died in 1589. However, there were some other Pontifexes in Bucks before that in the Court of Common Pleas records:
Born 1380-1400
Richard Pontifex, of Wingrave, Bucks, husbandman, in Common Pleas 1426-1446
Born 1400-1430
Richard Pontifex, of Wingrave, Bucks, husbandman, in Common Pleas 1465
William Ponfex, of Wyngrave, husbandman, in Common Pleas 1451
Born 1410-1420
William Pontifex, of London, girdler, in will of his uncle Roger Celle, of St Albans, chaplain, 1446
Born 1440-1460
John Pontifex, of East Claydon, Bucks, carter or husbandman, Common Pleas 1489-1512
William Pontifex, priest, of West Ham, Essex, in Common Pleas 1498-1505, will 1518
Born 1460-1480
Robert Pontifex, of East Claydon, carrier or husbandman, Common Pleas in 1505-1512
William Pontifex, of East Claydon, husbandman, Common Pleas 1509, died at Leighton Buzzard, Beds, 1523
Born 1500-1520
John Pontifex, of Hughenden, cook, wife Joan. Common Pleas 1551-1553
Born 1530-1540
John Pontifex, of West Wycombe, will 1589, wife Alice, children William and Edward
Born 1560-65
William Pontifex, married Agnes in 1601, died in 1630 in West Wycombe (parish records)
Edward Pontifex
The John Pontifex and Joan in Hughenden are probably the parents of John Pontifex of West Wyvombe - the two parishes are adjacent. It's unlikely that the John Pontifex in 1551 is the same as the one who left a will in West Wycombe in 1589, almost 40 years later. One of the earlier Pontifexes in East Claydon could be his grandfather. There was also a John Pontifex in East Claydon in 1483. This would yield a line like this:
b. 1390. Richard Pontifex, of Wingrave, found 1426-46
b 1410. Richard Pontifex of Wingrave, found 1465
b. 1440. John Pontifex of East Claydon, found 1483-1512
b. 1480 Robert or William Pontifex of Est Claydon, recorded in 1505-12
b. 1510 John Pontifex of Hughenden, Joan his wife, recorded 1551-53
b.1540 John Pontifex of West Wycombe, High Wycombe, will 1589
Some other Pontifexes:
Will of Roger Celle, of St Albans, chaplain, 1446
Item I give to William Pontifex, of London, girdler, my nephew, the bed in which I lie, with the canopy and curtains appertaining. Item I give to the said William Pontifex two silver spoons, and one bound book of obsequies called placebo and dirige.
William Pontifex a priest, of St Christopher's church, London, and chaplain of St Mary Magdalen, East Ham, Essex. Inducted the vicar of West Ham in 1511. Will proved 10 July 1518. To be buried in churchyard of St. Mary Magdalen. Niece Agnes Guge, her husband Thomas, their sons Thomas, John, William.
Courts of the Archdeaconry of Buckingham 1483-1523.
1483-85. East Claydon, Bucks. Richard Merston vicar of East Claydon. Thomas Palmer,
Johannes Pontifex 'yconomi comp.
About 1550, East Claydon. A messuage called Pontifex purchased by Simon Love
1523 William Pontifex, accidentally killed in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, 15 May 1523, while armed with a dagger, intervening between two burghers of that town who were quarreling. Patent Roll: grant of parden given to Thomas Germyn. This must be the William Pontifex of East Claydon, a few miles away, in 1509.
Temple Manor Court Rolls, High Wycombe
Folio 52 11th July 2nd Eliz.(1559)
The next presentment is of a cottage in Frogmore which John Pontifex held in socage
(i.e. freehold) & had sold to Rowland Eeles alias Witmall & the bailiff commanded to distrain for 12d. a relief.
John Pontifex of West Wycombe, buried there. Will proved April 1589. Wife Alice.
Children William and Edward.
Cheshunt, Herts
1600, William Pontifex, son of William Pontifex
1612, Mary Pontifex, daughter of William Pontifex
1613, George Pontifex, son of William Pontifex
1618, William Pontifex married to Joan Francis
1619, Rose Pontifex, daughter of William Pontifex and Joan
1623, Anne Pontifex, daughter of Thomas Pontifex and Alice
1621, Nicholas Pontifex, of Cheshunt, apprenticed to William Clarke, basket maker, of Wormley
William PONTIFEX, son of Edward, Dorney, Buckinghamshire, (? in Ms 'Downley'), farmer (deceased), to Sarah widow of John May, 22 Dec 1747, Glaziers' Company
William PONTIFEX, son of William, Iver, Buckinghamshire, farmer, to Richard Jones, 22 Nov 1781, Armourers' and Braziers' Company
William Gambell, son of William, Mount Pleasant (Holborn), Middlesex, labourer, to William
PONTIFEX, 7 Oct 1789, Armourers' and Braziers' Company
James Wood, son of John, Mitcham, Surrey, labourer, to William PONTIFEX, 28 Mar 1793,
Armourers' and Braziers' Company
Thomas Peirce, son of John, Holborn, Middlesex, flatter, to William PONTIFEX, 30 Sep 1793,
Armourers' and Braziers' Company
George Boyce, son of Daniel, St Clement Danes, Middlesex, tailor (deceased), to William
PONTIFEX, 15 May 1793, Armourers' and Braziers' Company
John Shafe, son of William, Shoreditch, Middlesex, perukemaker, to William PONTIFEX, 3 Apr 1794, Armourers' and Braziers' Company
Thomas Shearman, son of William, Bear Alley, London, mathematical instrument maker, to
PONTIFEX William, 15 Aug 1797, Armourers' and Braziers' Company
Jabez Phillips, son of Jabez, Parkers Rents, Shoe Lane (Holborn), London, coppersmith, to William PONTIFEX, 1 Apr 1800, Armourers' and Braziers' Company
John Church, son of Richard, Cannon Street, London, fish salesman, to Daniel PONTIFEX, 9 Nov 1795, Plaisterers' Company
Thomas Windson, son of Thomas, Minories, London, hosier, to Daniel PONTIFEX, 7 Jan 1797, Plaisterers' Company
Edmund Semore, son of James, St Thomas, London, gentleman (deceased), to Daniel
PONTIFEX, 19 Mar 1800, Plaisterers' Company
Descendants of John Pontifex
Generation No. 1
1. John1 Pontifex1 was born abt. 1540 in West Wycombe, Bucks, and died 1588 in West Wycombe, Bucks. He married Alice ?.
Children of John Pontifex and Alice ? are:
+ 2 i. William2 Pontifex, born 1570 in West Wycombe, Bucks; died 1630.
3 ii. Edward Pontifex, born Abt. 1575.
Generation No. 2
2. William2 Pontifex (John1) was born 1570 in West Wycombe, Bucks, and died 1630. He married Agnes ? 1601.
Children of William Pontifex and Agnes ? are:
4 i. Jane3 Pontifex, born 1602 in West Wycombe.
+ 5 ii. William Pontifex, born 1604 in West Wycombe, Bucks; died 1682 in Burnham.
6 iii. Ann Pontifex, born 1608 in West Wycombe.
+ 7 iv. Matthew Pontifex, born 1612 in West Wycombe; died 1673 in Bradenham.
8 v. Mary Pontifex, born 1614 in West Wycombe.
Generation No. 3
5. William3 Pontifex (William2, John1) was born 1604 in West Wycombe, Bucks, and died 1682 in Burnham. He married Ann ?.
Children of William Pontifex and Ann ? are:
9 i. John4 Pontifex, born 1627 in West Wycombe.
10 ii. John Pontifex, born 1632 in West Wycombe.
11 iii. Jane Pontifex, born 1637 in West Wycombe.
12 iv. Sarah Pontifex, born 1637 in Hughendon.
+ 13 v. William Pontifex, born Abt. 1640 in Burnham; died 1723 in Burnham, Bucks.
14 vi. Daniel Pontifex, born Abt. 1645; died 1725 in Burnham, Bucks. He married Sarah Higgens 1680.
7. Matthew3 Pontifex (William2, John1) was born 1612 in West Wycombe, and died 1673 in Bradenham. He married Elizabeth Quey.
Child of Matthew Pontifex and Elizabeth Quey is:
+ 15 i. Daniel4 Pontifex, born 1654 in Bradenham; died 1721 in West Wycombe.
Generation No. 4
13. William4 Pontifex (William3, William2, John1) was born Abt. 1640 in Burnham, and died 1723 in Burnham, Bucks. He married Mary ?.
Children of William Pontifex and Mary ? are:
16 i. Sarah5 Pontifex, born Abt. 1695; died 1718 in Burnham. She married (1) James Style. She married (2) John Devonshire 1708.
+ 17 ii. Daniel Pontifex, born 1695 in Burnham; died 1775 in Iver.
18 iii. Mary Pontifex, born Abt. 1696. She married Richard Dell 1718.
15. Daniel4 Pontifex (Matthew3, William2, John1) was born 1654 in Bradenham, and died 1721 in West Wycombe. He married Mary Sherwood 1679.
Children of Daniel Pontifex and Mary Sherwood are:
19 i. Mary5 Pontifex, born 1681.
+ 20 ii. Edward Pontifex, born 1684 in West Wycombe; died 1736.
21 iii. Daniel Pontifex, born Abt. 1686.
22 iv. Elizabeth Pontifex, born 1689.
Generation No. 5
17. Daniel5 Pontifex (William4, William3, William2, John1) was born 1695 in Burnham, and died 1775 in Iver. He married Sarah Batten 1718, daughter of John Batten.
Children of Daniel Pontifex and Sarah Batten are:
23 i. Daniel6 Pontifex, born 1719 in Burnham, Bucks; died 1750 in Iver. He married Sarah Hedger 1749 in Upton Cum Chalvey, Bucks.
24 ii. John Pontifex, born 1720 in Burnham; died 1753 in Iver. He married Elizabeth ?.
25 iii. William Pontifex, born 1722 in Burnham, Bucks; died 1773 in Iver. He married Sarah Style 1745.
26 iv. Sarah Pontifex, born 1736 in Iver. She married John Russell 1752.
20. Edward5 Pontifex (Daniel4, Matthew3, William2, John1) was born 1684 in West Wycombe, and died 1736. He married (1) Mary ?. He married (2) Martha Oxlade 1707, daughter of Thomas Oxlade and Martha Clarke.
Children of Edward Pontifex and Mary ? are:
27 i. William6 Pontifex, born Abt. 1730. He married Mary Oliver 1753.
28 ii. Ann Pontifex, born Abt. 1734. She married James Irving 1752 in West Wycombe.
29 iii. Ralph Pontifex, born 1735 in West Wycombe; died 1815.
Child of Edward Pontifex and Martha Oxlade is:
30 i. Mary6 Pontifex, born 1708.
Endnotes
1. Claud E. C. Pontifex, The family of Pontifex of West Wycombe, Co. Buckingham, 1500-1977.