John Clench was most likely the son of either John or his brother Thomas Clench, both of whom were minors in 1495.
John was presumably still a minor in 1503, when his grandmother Katherine Clench's will states John Clench be put to school and good guiding by John Berry, John Triplowe, (his uncle) William Brett. He may have died prior to 15 Nov, 1508, when there is an administration of the goods of John Clenche. In this case the lands he inherited would have passed to his brother Thomas Clench.
Thomas Clench could have married and had a son named John between 1496 and 1505.
LANDS
John Clynch paid 4 pence in the 14th year of King Henry VIII (22 April 1523 - 21 April 1524) - James Greenstreet, "Subsidy Roll for the Hundred of Faversham, for Ao 14 Henry VIII," Archaeologica Cantiana, Vol XII, 1878, p. 426.
John and Johann were selling their home in Eastling (Faversham Hundred) in the Kent Feet of Fines for 1530/31.
In John's will of 1582, land in Eastling (near to Otterden) is part of his legacy. Assuming a marriage no later than 1530, then John would have been born bef. 1505 (age 25 or older) and Johann before 1511 (age 19 or older).
John and Agnes Clench presumably moved to Otterden sometime prior to 1559. For on 15 March 1559, John Clenche was one of the three men called upon to witness William Goodin's will. Goodwin was a yeoman of that parish and the document was proved 26 September 1560.
JOHN CLENCH's WILL
John's will in Otterden of 1582 identifies six children -- three sons (Edward, John, and Anthony) and three daughters (Rabech?, Benet, and Ane). The will names the wife of Edward as Rose as well as three daughters of Edward -- Jane, Thomason, and Benet. The will indicates that his son John has children, but for Anthony he only says heirs rather than children
Will for John Clench (Clynche) of Otterden made and probated 1582, Register Ref. PRC/17/44/281, Original Ref. PRC/16/78 C/15, four pages. Extraction of the will:
- John Clench of the parish of Mounton now united with Otterden of the County of Kent, yeoman.
- Will dated 6 July 1582
- Daughter Rabech? wife of Thomas Allene
- Daughter Benet wife of Robart Barnes
- Daughter Ane wife or Rychard Allen
- Willym Allen the son of Rychard Allen my godson
- The three daughters of Edward Clench my son and Rose his wife -- Jane, Thomasson, Benet.
- All the children of John Clench my son.
- All the children of Thomas Allen and Rabech his wife my daughter.
- All the children of Robart Barnes and Benet his wife my daughter.
- The rest of the children of Rychard Allen and Ane his wife except William. [See above for his legacy.]
- Johan my wife -- named as executor.
- Anthony my son and his heirs.
- Some miscellaneous gifts to various people whom I have difficulty deciphering but seems to include:
-servant Margaret Water
-John Amies of Slade?
-William Croffield?
-John Swoth?
-Marye Bucher? loving friend
-church wardens of the parish of Otternden [Otterden]
-iiii poore men [of parish of Otterden??]
-every one of my godchildren
- The legacies include the following locations which may have some bearing on other parishes to study:
-land and wood called Stellys about 7 acres
-Edward my son tenement called Frith and all the lands ... lying in the parish of Eastlynge [Eastling]
-Edward also gets property in Otterden and Moynton
-parish of Minster
-wife Johan gets tenement at Eastling [in the occupacion of William Farmer?]
-Johan property in Moynton?, Otterden, Stalisfyld, after her decease to son Edward
-son Anthonye have water in the pond lyng in the ???? of that I have given unto Edward my sonne
CHILDREN:
- [Vicar] John Clench (1530? -1593). The connection as a son is probable but not fully proven. We know the Vicar's son Josias was named as a "cosen" in John's probable brother Anthony's 1609/10 will, which term probably included nephews in that era. We can also place Josias later in life in Eastling where he is buried and where also John of Otterden had legacies in his will. Vicar John would have been born around 1530 since he married his first wife no later than 1555. Is this the John Clynche who married Joan Topley on 4 August 1555 at Southwark St Saviour (now Southwark Cathedral) (from Surrey Marriages transcriptions) From his probable father 1582 will, we know that John had children (unnamed) in 1582. Since no other John Clinch of that era shows up in the nearby localities except Vicar John, it would lead us to conclude Vicar John to be John of Otterden's son. This John was named as the Vicar of the Tonge parish and is so named with that title in at least one marriage record and in his 24 Jun 1593 will -- in this marriage record, Vicar John marries an Otterden woman. In his will, his current wife Agnes, his son Josias, and his son-in-law Cadwallader Lewes are mentioned. Of the three sons of John of Otterden, all three die in in the same generation with Vicar John in 1593, Edward bef. 1596, and Anthony in 1609/10. Vicar John was most likely married at least three times: the first wife is unknown and the probably mother of his children; b. Mercy Bonnce of Otterden on April 3 1583. By the time John made out his will, in 1593, he was married to "Agnes" His offspring:
- Josias Clench (1555-1632). Parish records show he marries Sara Sharp 8 May 1587 in Tonge and is buried 23 Dec 1632 in Eastling. His age is given in the burial record which calculates a birth in 1555. His wife Sara was probably born sometime before 1568 assuming she was 19 or older at the time of her marriage. She is buried 3 Oct 1602 in Eastling. They have at least three children all christened in Eastling: Jacob c. 20 May 1593, Henry c. 28 Mar 1596, and William c. 5 Aug 1599 and bur. 7 May 1670. Josias also shows up in Kent's Quarter Sessions in 1601 and 1606 in Eastling (alternately shown as "Istling"). Quarter session at Canterbury 21 July 1601 " ... against Josiah Clynch, churchwarden of Eastling, for non-payment of 4s. 4d. to Arthur Francklyn, constable of the hundred of Faversham, owing for half a year at the feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist 1601." Quarter session of 7 May 1606 "Peter Mase of 'Isling' [? Eastling], labourer, in £10, to appear and answer; sureties, Thomas Sturges and Josias Clynch of 'Isling', yeomen."
- Sara Clench. Parish records show she marries Cadwallader Lewes (or Lewis) 11 Jul 1586 in Tonge. They have at least three children christened in Luddesdown: William c. 28 Dec 1587, Ursula c. 27 Dec 1589, and Thomas c. 2 Jul 1592. She was probably born before 1567 when she would have been 19 or older at the time of her marriage. From the will of her father, it appears she died before 24 Jun 1593 but after 2 Jul 1592 when her last child was christened. Cadwallader had a will dated 1595 in the Archdeaconry of Rochester (1595p IR 18.417 17)
- Edward Clench Our Ancestor (about 1551 - before 1596) married Rose Williamson - biography follows
- Anthony Clench (-Mar 1609/10). No wife or children are mentioned in his will, but he does name three Clinches -- goddaughter Margaret and "cosen" Edward who may both be his brother Edward's children; Josias who is Vicar John's son. Anthony is probably the youngest of the three sons since he is mentioned last in his father's will and that he dies 1609/10 versus Edward (bef. 1596) and John (1593).Will of Anthony Clinche of Otterden, probated 1610. Date of will: March 3, 1609. Even though not stated, it may be old style dating March 3, 1609/10.
- Body to be buried at the discretion of his executor. Money given to the poor of the Otterden parish.
- Bequeaths to the widow Swale,
- "my cosen Edward Clinch,"
- "my cosen Josias Clinch,"
- Richard Boldork?,
- John Baldorke?,
- Joan Baldork?,
- "my goddaughter Margaret Clinch,"
- Bennet Harry, Josias Clinch [again],
- "my cosen Edward Clinches wife,"
- "my sister(?) Swale(?),"
- "Ann Baldorf? widdow,"
- John Collard,
- Widdow Swale [again].
- Appoints John Baker (Clark or Clerk?) and Widdow Swale as executors. Witnesses: John Collard, Nicholas Baker, Joane Dober. parish register says Mar 1609/10 Antonie Clench, "housekeeper." buried
- Rabech? (deciphering of name from father's will uncertain) Clench. Married to Thomas Allen.
- Benet Clench. Married to Robert Barnes.Her first husband "Robertus Barnes" was buried at St Margaret's, Wychling,27 Mar 1581. Is Benet Harry mentioned in brother Anthony's 1609/10 will the same person as Benet Clench
- Ane Clench. Married to Richard Allen. Ane's father's 1582 will mention unnamed children but does name one son WIlliam Allen.