Other Groups & Misfits
Early Family Tree (including Groups 1 & 2)
References
TAFOW - "The A'Bear Family of Wargrave" - Stephen Leach
DNF - Source David Nash Ford
Group 1
The source of this entire group is the Stanley A’Bear tree. Many of this group are recorded in the Wargrave baptisms and burials lists.
2nd Generation
John A’Bear (c1493 – 1548) was contemporary with this generation, and being named John suggests he was the first son. This being the case, his birth would therefore have occurred before his brother Thomas (c1495 – 1544). He was born before the Wargrave baptism list began.
The Lay Subsidy for Wargrave (1545/1546) includes a John Abber. (Ref : pg 269 TSBOW). However, this may refer to his son (Grp1 gen 3) or (less likely) John A Bere (G/gen3), or more probably John (gen1). .
His recorded death at Wargrave in 1548 agrees with the fact that he is not named in his father’s will of 1550.
Francis A’Bear – spelt a Bere - (c1500 - c1540) is listed in the Lay Subsidy for Wargrave (1524/1525) and that of the following year, but not in the 1545/1546 Lay Subsidy list. (Ref : pg 268 TSBOW). It is possible, therefore, that he died before this time.
3rd Generation
Regarding Nicholas, Isabelle, Robert, Joan, Agnes, Jane & Elizabeth A’Bear, none of these is listed in the Wargrave baptisms as records began later.
They all appear in the burials list and, with the exception of Elizabeth, all perished within a three week period in 1544. They have been placed here as they seem to be contemporary with this line, and apparently died of the same cause, probably a disease and others who died at the same time are all closely related - Joan (their mother?), Thomas their uncle and William their cousin.
[There is a discrepancy regarding Elizabeth’s year of death. The burial is recorded in 1547, not 1544 as appears in the Stanley A’Bear tree].
The Lay Subsidy for Wargrave (1545/1546) includes a John Abber. (Ref : pg 269 TSBOW). However, this may refer to his father (Grp1 gen 2) or (less likely) John A Bere (G/gen3), or more probably John (gen1). .
4th Generation
Regarding Joan, Richard, Elizabeth & Alice A Beyre / A Beare, all four are listed under the Wargrave baptisms as daughters or sons of John.
Joan was born in 1543 but does not seem to have survived birth as a burial is recorded three days later.
Richard was born in 1544 and may have lived to only eighteen months as there is a burial listed in Sep 1545. His baptism date follows only two months after Joan’s baptism, and is the only sibling whose father is not marked with an asterisk. Additionally it seems likely the first son would have been named John, not Richard, so altogether there is doubt he is the son of this John. However, it is difficult at present to place him more suitably elsewhere.
Elizabeth was born in 1546 but seems to have lived only six months.
Alice was born in 1548.
The baptism for John A’Bear (1545 – 1625) is not listed, which seems inconsistent. His marriage to Margaret is not listed, nor is a death in 1625.
None of these children died in the 1544 epidemic, but their father John had apparently married in 1542 and so may have left home, unlike his poor unfortunate siblings.
5th Generation
No Wargrave records can be found to validate Richard or William’s existence.
6th Generation
There is no Wargrave baptism record for William. The Wargrave marriages list states that William married Dorothy Lifton in 1643. (Stanley A’Bear gives the surname Hilton).
Clement was copied across from Stanley A’Bear’s tree, but may be Clement Abeare (1585 - >1637) daughter of John (c1535 – 1616).
Group 2
Taken from the Stanley A’Bear tree where they were similarly placed - such that Alex (c1508 - 1551) was a brother of George A Beyre (c1505 – 1577).
Alex is not named in his father’s will or any known wills written in his generation, so seems somewhat unlikely to fit here.
No known Wargrave records exist for this group other than the burial of Agnes in 1547. [The Stanley A’Bear tree stated her years as c1548 – 1548].
Group 3
This group does not appear on the Stanley A’Bear tree.
The Wargrave Baptisms list names a Robert in 1539 “son of Robert”, an Alice in 1542 “daughter of Robert” and a Margaret in 1550 “daughter of Robert”.
The burials list names a Robert in 1555 which could be either father or son. If it was the son that died (aged sixteen) it would explain why there are no known descendants of this branch.
Alice “wife of Robert” was buried in 1559.
Six weeks later the burial of Jane “daughter of Robert” is recorded in 1559 and she is placed here as possibly Alice died giving birth to Jane, and baby Jane died afterwards. However, there is no corresponding baptism record for baby Jane, and she could be the daughter of Robert born in 1539 who perhaps married in about 1558, or even a sister of Robert (c1515 - ?1555).
There is a burial record for Alice in 1547, which is taken to be that of the daughter Alice.
William A Beare (c1497 – 1553) names Robert, son of Robert, in his will dated 1553 in conjunction with William’s step-mother Joan Barnard. This could refer to either Robert above, but suggests they were closely related.
Perhaps William and Robert (c1515 - ?1555) were first cousins?
Group 4
Thomas Bear (1542 – 1598) may not be a member of our family. He was born in Padworth, Berkshire. (Ref : DNF). [His will, dated December 1598, is mentioned in TAFOW on pg 74].
Group 5
This is a Henley branch, taken from David Ford’s information, with the removal of John A’Bear (1562 – 1639) - there was clearly an error here as John and Alice would not have had two concurrent sons named John – and the addition of Mary.
Some of these baptisms are stated where the surname is given as Abere or Abeere. (Ref : TAFOW page 62)
It is uncertain if the John who heads this group is duplicated in the main tree or descends himself from a Henley line. The spelling of his surname Abere resembles Thomas (c1495 – 1544) and his sons, so perhaps he was another son to Thomas, and being named John was the first of that line?
See also Group 10.
Remnants from the Stanley A’Bear tree. Both could already have been placed with variations of the dates :
John A’Bear (c1540 – 1612) married Anne ? (c1540 – 1620) in 1559.
John Abeare (1576 – 1647/8) married Anne in 1599.
John A’Bear (1572 – 1639) married Mary Newberry (c1570 – 1637) in 1590.
The date of death of Mary ties up with that of Mary Bear which is listed. Margery Newbery married John Abeare (1576 – 1647/8) in 1633.
Group 7
Thomas A’Bear (1601 – 1677) is the only remnant of the descendants of Thomas A’Bear (1563 – 1636) in Stanley A’Bear’s tree, all other descendants having been reasonably placed elsewhere with slight adjustments to their years of birth and death. There are no known records for Thomas. According to Stanley A’Bear’s tree Thomas should be placed between Thomas Abeare (1582 – 1636) and his daughter and son.
The following are taken from the IGI listings. They do not appear on the Stanley A’Bear tree.
Sarah Abear christened 27 Oct 1674 Saint Dunstan, Stepney, London. Parents John & Mary.
Mary Abear christened 27 Oct 1674 Saint Dunstan, Stepney, London. Parents John & Mary.
Rachel Abbeare christened 21 Oct 1688 Saint Dunstan, Stepney, London. Parents Robert & Rachel.
The following are remnants of the Stanley A’Bear tree:
John A’Bear (1676 – 1678). There is no record of this person in the Wargrave baptism listings.
Ann A’Bear (1681 - ?). There is no record of this person in the Wargrave baptism listings.
Ref : TAFOW page 62. John Aberye’s baptism is in the Henley register, so he and his father Henry may be closely related to Group 5.
Anne Abere’s marriage record is in the Oxfordshire Marriage Index. She could be the same Anne as that named in Group 6 if she became widowed, or T gen4 if the year of death there is incorrect.
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