THE HUNTS OF SOUTH LEIGH

FAMILY GROUP RECORD  OF
  THOMAS AND ELIZABETH HUNT

Elizabeth Hunt, a widow, died and was buried 26 February 1637 in South Leigh.

Elizabeth Hunt burial

Burial record for Elizabeth Hunt in South Leigh:
"Elizabetha Hunt vidua sepulta fuit vicesimo sexto die ffebruary Anno Dom 1637"
Elizabeth Hunt widow was buried the 26th day of February in the year of our Lord 1637.

Elizabeth left a will in 1637 providing details about her family, including branches of the Smith family. Her deceased husband's name was not mentioned in the will.

Elizabeth Hunt will

Will of Elizabeth Hunt of South Leigh, 1637

In the name of God Amen the ffowrth daie of July in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred thirty and one I Elizabeth Hunt of Southleigh in the Countie of Oxon widow being in good &pfect health minde & memory thanks be given to God therefore doe make & ordaine this psentes to be my last will & testament in manner & forme following (that is to saie) Imprimis I commend my sowle into the hands of Almightie God & my bodie to be reverently buried in the churchyard of the parish chuch of Southley aforesaid. Item I give unto my sonne Thomas Huntt xijd. Item I give unto Anne Smyth my daughter the wife of Edward Smith xijd. Item I give unto William Huntt my sonne xijd. Item I give unto Elizabeth Smith my daughter the wife of Thomas Smith xijd. Item all the rest of my goods and chattels not given or bequeathed, my debts paid & funeral expences discharged, I give & bequeath unto William Guye and Joan his now wife, my eldest daughter whom I make sole executors of this my last will & testament. And I entreat my loving frends & neighbors Richard Trinder & William Georg, to be the overseers hereof, and in token of my love unto them, I give unto each of them vjd. In wytnesse whereof I the said Elizabeth Hunt to this my psent last will have put my hand & seale, the daie & yeare first above written. 
Sealed subscribed & acknowledged by the said Elizabeth Hunt to be her last will in the psence of us Michaell Bishopp Henry Giles junior Thomas Wilsheire

Elizabeth Hunt mark

The mark of Elizabeth Hunt on her will


An inventory was created for Elizabeth:

Elizabeth Hunt inventory

Inventory of Elizabeth Smith

A true and pfect inventorie of all the goods and chattel of Elizabeth Hunt widow late of Southley deceased praised the ixth day of March Anno Dom 1637 by William George and Richard Trindar of Southley aforesaid yeomen.
Imprimjus her wearing apparel – xvis
Item money in her purse js vjd
Item ij blankets xs
Item ij paire of sheets viijd
Item one coverlet iijs iiijd
Item one bolster one flocke bed vjs viijd
Item one little box viijd
Summa total 2li vjs ijd


The early South Leigh parish register does not have a mention of Elizabeth's husband. The parish register began in 1612. Her husband was deceased by 1631, when Elizabeth wrote her will as a widow. The first mention of a Hunt in the parish was at the burial of Edith Hunt in 19 August 1627.

Thomas Hunt's name was inscribed on the tenor church bell in 1627 in the bell tower at South Leigh. Thomas Hunt and Raph Trindar were described as "gardians" of the bell, most likely churchwardens. Since Thomas Hunt, Elizabeth's son was yet a young unmarried man at the time, it is likely that this Thomas Hunt was Elizabeth's husband.


Thomas Hunt bells

(From Transcripts of Memorial Inscriptions at the Parish Church
of St. James the Great, South Leigh, Oxfordshire)


Thomas and Elizabeth had the following children:

1. Joan, married William Guyes; had children Thomas (1615), Annis (1621), Mary (1627), a daughter not named (1629), and John (1631), Elizabeth; buried 8 November 1663 in South Leigh.

2. Thomas, married Elizabeth Cookenell (Cookenoe) 24 June 1630 in South Leigh; had children Juliana (1632), Elizabeth (1633), and Joanna (1636); buried 18 November 1638 in South Leigh.

3. Anne, born in about 1595 of South Leigh; married Edward Smith 15 October 1618 in South Leigh; had children Stephen (1619) and Ann (1622); buried 5 November 1635 in South Leigh.

4. William, born in about 1598 of South Leigh; married Maria Rawlins 2 September 1619 in Standlake, Oxfordshire.

*5. Elizabeth, born in about 1600; married Thomas Smith; had children Elizabeth (1622), Richard (1624), Anne (1626), Margarit (1628), Susanna (1632) and John (1735); buried 27 January 1662 in South Leigh.


SOURCES: Will of Elizabeth Smith, widow of South Leigh, 1637; South Leigh parish register; will of William Guyes of South Leigh, 1680; Transcripts of Memorial Inscriptions at the Parish Church of St. James the Great, South Leigh, Oxfordshire, http://archive.coggesparish.com/southleigh/inscrip/.