​

Chapter 28

 

JOHN GREENE OF DORCHESTER

1549 - 1615

Merchant;

Capital Burgesse of Dorchester, Dorset

 

 

 

John Greene was a successful merchant of Dorchester, Dorset - a constable of the town in 1583, a capital Burgess in 1586 and named as one of the original 15 Burgesses of the town when Charles 1st signed the Charter dated 26 June 1610. He was born about 1549 and wrote his will on the 10th September 1613 in Dorchester, Dorset, England. Probate was sworn to Giles Greene Esq, his son, on 7th February 1615 in London, England.

​

http://www.opcdorset.org/fordingtondorset/Files2/AldermenCapBurgesses.html 

 

"From page 41 of the Municipal Records of Dorchester

The Charter of James I dated 26th June 1610

The first Capital Burgesses and Councillors are to be Henry WHITTELL and Richard BLACHFORD aforesaid, Mathew CHUBB. John GREEN, John YEAT (also see below), John SPICER, James GOLDE, Oliver HAYNE, John GOLDE, Richard BARKER, William MILLER, Nicholas VAWTER, Joseph EYRES, John PARKINS and William WHITEWAYE. The said Capital Burgesses and Councillors are to have power to fill vacancies caused by the death or removal - the oath to be taken before a Bailiff; and to elect on the Monday after Michaelmas two of the said fifteen Burgesses and Bailiffs for the year following, to be sworn before the Bailiffs, their predessors, and to fill vacancies caused through death removal. persons duly elected, and refusing to hold office may be committed to the prison of the Borough until they submit to serve, and may be fined, and imprisoned until fines be paid."

 

John Greene possibly married Cicily Walrond at date unknown. Records did not survive of this marriage and there are 2 references on line linking John Greene to Cicily, however further verification is necessary.

​

From THE "ADVENTURERS" OF REV. JOHN WHITE OF DORCHESTER. DORSET

 by Rev. John White (1575-1648)

"JOHN HILL - Ironmonger. B.a. 1589, he was the third son of Roger Hill, gentleman of Poundisford, Pitminster, Somerset. He married Sara Green, dau. of John Greene and Cicily Walrond, of Dorchester. He was a Burgess of the town and Borough of Dorchester, 1623. (Ref: Dorset Visitations 1623, pp. 3, 55)

 

John Greene had the following children: Sarah Greene, Female Greene, John Greene, Alice Greene, and Giles Greene.

​

Sara Greene (c1584 - 1630) married firstly Thomas Davidge (1568 - 1613), Merchant of Dorset  about 1600 probably in Dorchester Dorset, England but no records survive of their marriage. He is named in John Grene's will of 1614 as his son-in-law. John Greene, his father-in-law,  leaves two gold rings to Thomas and his daughter Sarah and gives Thomas his best gown and his daughter a gown of "Flanders Serge" and the hanging of doringe in the bed chamber and the sheets that"I now lie on". He also requests Thomas to be one of the overseers of his will. Thomas Davidge was born in St Peters, Dorchester, Dorset about 1568. Thomas Davidge, Merchant of Dorchester, Dorset, wrote his will on the 9th December 1613 and the will was proved on the 23rd February 1614. He requested burial in St Peters, Dorchester. He mentions the following children: Alice Davidge, Richard Davidge, Sara Davidge and Johane Davidge. He leaves a ring to his wife's brother Giles Greene and nephews Thomas Davidge and Richard Davidge, his brother Richard Davidge, his Uncle Thomas Byshopp, Richard Penny the servant of his father-in-law John Greene. his Aunts Elizabeth Tiggens and Marie Hodder, sister Johane, his sister's son Henry Bandall, Cousin Edith Tiggens - now his servant, Elliott Johnson his kinsman, Mr Humfrey Buyshop and John Elrington and his "little" cousin Gilles Hardey, son of John Hardy of Dorchester. He leaves the majority of his estate and assets to his wife Sara while she remains unmarried and on marriage they are to go to his son Richard Davidge. His wife Sara Greene is sole executor of his will.

The four children of Thomas Davidge (1568 - 1613) and Sara Greene 1584 - 1650) were:

See the will of Thomas Davidge here: www.opcdorset.org/fordingtondorset/Files2/WillThomasDavidge1614.html  

​

1. Alice Davidge was probably born in Dorchester in the early 1600's (

​

2. Richard Davidge (c1603 - 1666) was born before 1603 in Dorchester, Dorset England.

He married Katherine Stanford, daughter of Thomas Stanford of Barkby, Leicestershire, England in 1652 in Dorset England. They had the following children, all baptised at St Alfege, Kent, England: 

Sara Davidge (1753 - 1733) married Sir Henry Gould (1643 - 1710)

Katherine Davidge (1654)

Richard Davidge (1655 - 1692)

Thomas Davidge (1656)

John Davidge (1658)

Stanford Davidge (1658)

Charles Davidge (1660)

Elizabeth Davidge (1662)

Anne Davidge (1664)

See the will of Richard Davidge here: www.opcdorset.org/fordingtondorset/Files2/WillRichardDavidge1... 

​

3. Sara Davidge probably born in Dorchester in the early 1600's married Richard Hill Jnr on the 20th July 1630.

​

4. Johane Davidge  probably born in Dorchester in the early 1600's (died about 1679) married Clifford Bale, Gentleman of London,  on the 10th April 1632. She was previously married to a Small and in her will written on the 20th December 1678 in London  she talks about the debt of her son William Small now deceased and court proceedings against him and the purchaser of his estates Mr George Walker. Her will was proved on the 20th December 1679

After the death of Thomas Davidge in about 1613 John Hill of Dorchester (1589 - 1657) married Sara Greene (c1584 - 1630/31) in Dorset about 1617

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

                                                                   Visitation of Dorset 1623

​

John Hill BA 1589 was the third son of Roger Hill, Gentleman of Poundisford, Somerset. He was baptised on the 7th November 1590 in Pitminster, Somerset, England. He was a Constable in Dorchester 1618 - 19, Capital

Burgess 1621 - d; Alderman 1621 - d, Bailiff 1624 -5, 1631-2,1642 - 3; 1628 MP for Dorchester with Denzil Holles; Mayor of Dorchester 1636-7,9; Treasurer West Dorset 1637,9;  Commissioner of Sequestration 1643. John and Elizabeth had 3 children: Mary Hill baptised 10 September 1620 married Richard Cullen and had a daughter Sarah Cullen - granddaughter and heiress of John Hill; Elizabeth Hill and John Hill (1622 - 1623)

See further details here: http://www.opcdorset.org/fordingtondorset/Files2/JohnHill1589-1657.html 

​

He wrote his will on the 20th May 1657,and is living in  London. His wife Sarah had died about 1631 and and his son John died as a baby in 1623. He does however,  leave the majority of his estate to his granddaughter Sarah Cullen daughter of Richard Cullen and his wife Mary deceased - presumably John and Sara's daughter Mary Hill. There is no mention of their daughter Elizabeth Hill. He leaves to the children of his daughter-in-law Sarah Hill nee Davidge deceased  -wife of Mayor Richard Hill Merchant 100 pds each - John Hill, Mary Hill and Sarah Hill. He also leaves 50 pds to the children of his daughter-in-law Johane Bale, wife of Clifford Bale - daughter of Sarah Greene and Thomas Davidge. sister of Sarah Davidge above. He also leaves 50pds to the daughters of his son-in-law Richard Davidge (son of Sarah Greene and Thomas Davidge - his stepson) - Sarah Davidge and Katherine Davidge. He leaves money to John Hill son of his late brother William Hill and Jane Yonge and to Richard Cullen son-in-law.  He leaves money to the poor and sets up further legacies for the youth of the poor in Dorchester.

​

Female Greene (c1586 - c1619) who died between 1616 and 1620 leaving her husband a widower with 10 children. She married John Melledge (c1570 - 1632) about 1601 probably in Dorchester, Dorset and he is named as son-in-law of John Greene's in Greene's will of 1614. John Melledge doesn't name his first wife and mother of the following children in his will. He remarried after her death a Margaret Eyres in 1620, who is mentioned in the will: 

Female Greene (c1580 - Died 1616 - 1620) married John Melledge (c1575 - c1631/32) - Grocer of Dorset.

John Melledge of Poole, Dorset, England wrote his will on the 20th February 1631  in Poole, Dorset and  Probate was proven on the 12th June 1632 in Poole, Dorset, England. He  requested burial in St James Church Yard, Poole. He has property in Puddletown which he leaves to his son Mathias, property in Poole which he leaves to his son Johnson Melledge and a house, shop and cellar in Dorchester which he leaves to his second wife Margaret. He names 7 of his 11 children in his will - John, Johnson, Mathias, Miecha (sic), Ruth, Jane and Martha Martin. He also mentions his loving friend Elliott Johnson who is also kin. 

 

Elliot Johnson (c1550 - 1633)was a Grocer from Poole  and he had married a sister of John Greene (1540 - 1614, called cousin by John Greene in his will), and he specifically leaves money to the Melledge children in his will - Cozen Ruth Melledge, Johnson Melledge,  Mathias Melledge - Clerk in Poole  and Jane Melledge. He also mentions Cozen Richard Winder, Richard Reade son of John Reade, Cozen Reade of Burford, Margaret Lawrence - wife of Richard Lawrence of Pool, Anne Mayer daughter of Richard Mayer and Margaret Goodfellow of Poole.

 

Female Greene and John Melledge had the following children:

(Holy Trinity Baptisms are from www.opcdorset.org and also www.ancestry.com.au)  

John Melledge (c1602 - 1604) Born 15th April 1602 and died 22 June 1604 in Holy Trinity, Dorchester,            Dorset, England

Jane Melledge (c1603) Baptised 4 September 1603 Holy Trinity, Dorchester;

Mary Melledge (c1604) Baptised 29 November 1604 Holy Trinity, Dorchester;

Mathias Melledge (c1605 - 1647) Baptised the 24th February 1605 Holy Trinity, Dorchester; 

Graduated from Oxford  and became clerk at Hamworthy Church, Dorset; He married Bathsheba Williams (widow) on 7th September 1635 at Hilton, Dorset. two other possible marriages are Mary Rioll in 1666 in London and in 1668 a marriage to Katherine in Canterbury Kent. Mathias Milledge (sic) son of John of Dorchester, Dorset gent; Wadham College, matric 3 Nov 1626 aged 17; BA from Hart Hall 27 January 1628-9; as Nathan Miles MA from JESUS College 30 April 1629.h. (Ref: Oxford University Alumni, 1500 - 1886)

Michael  Melledge (c1606) (Miecha - as in father's will and spelt Micha or Micheas in other references.)

Baptised 19 March 1606 Holy Trinity Dorchester, Dorset. He married an Elizabeth.

Anne Melledge (1608) Baptised 26th June 1608 Holy Trinity Dorchester, Dorse

Martha Melledge (1609) Baptised 27th August Holy Trinity Dorchester, Dorset referred to as Martha Martin in her father's will.

Johnson Mellidge (1610 - 1659) Baptised 7th February 1610 Holy Trinity Dorchester, Dorset; married Alice and they had a daughter Anne who married James Hollybread. By 1678 The Antelope Inn, High Street, Poole  was in the hands of Alice Melledge, Johnson's widow. In her will dated 1678 she left the Inn to her daughters Mary Emerson and Alice Melledge Junr. Johnson Melledge was buried on the 16th September 1659 in Poole, Dorset. 

(https://poolehighstreet.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/the-melledge-family-and-the-antelope/)  

​

Ruth Melledge (1612) Baptised on the 24th January 1612 Holy Trinity Dorchester, Dorset.

John Melledge (1616) Baptised the 14th April 1616 Holy Trinity Dorchester, Dorset.

Joan Melledge (1616) Baptised the 4th April 1616 Holy Trinity Dorchester, Dorset.

​

John Greene (c1588 - 1650) married a Katherine. John Greene wrote his will in Enfield on the 9th June 1660 and probate was sworn by his wife Katherine at Enfield Middlesex the sole executor on the 10th July 1660.  He leaves to his brother Giles Greene all of his wearing apparel and 20 shillings. He leaves to his son John Greene a bed and other items. He leaves the majority of his estate to his beloved wife Katherine

​

Alice Greene (c1590) married Robert Beke (Named in Greene will of 1614).

​

Giles Greene, (c1596 - 1656) the son of John Greene (1549 - 1615), married Elizabeth Hill (1600 - 1673) in 1617 daughter of William Hill (1583 - 1642) and Jane Yonge (1584 - 1630) Elizabeth and Giles Greene had 7 children including John Greene who became Secretary of the New River Company and married Elizabeth Middleton.  For further details See Giles Green page.

​