1336. James Olive was christened 20 Aug 1646 in Parish Church, Ticehurst, Sussex. He married Katherine Unknown. [Parents]
1338. James Randall married Margaret Unknown.
1376. Thomas Geere was christened 14 Oct 1621 in Parish Church, Wivelsfield, Sussex. He died 7 Nov 1695 and was buried in St. Wulfran Churchyard, Ovingdean, Sussex. Thomas married Mercy Doe on 3 Nov 1640 in Parish Church, Ovingdean, Sussex. [Parents]
The family were Puritans. Thomas's wife was Mercy Doe and Mercy was a Puritan name.
A popular but unproven legend in the Geere family is that they helped Charles II to escape in 1651. It alleges that Charles II appeared from under a chestnut tree in Ovingdean churchyard and asked Betsey to help him. She asked her father, Thomas Geere, and they put him up for a night or more. Betsey was said to have had a son, the very picture of the King, wait for it, about nine months later. In 1660, after the restoration, Charles II sent a snuff box and other rewards for their help. In a history of Ovingdean there is a mention in a list of residents of the High Street, of a Mr. Gear who claimed to have a snuff box given by Charles II.
Betsey would be Elizabeth Geere, and Elizabeth Geere, the daughter of Diones and Elizabeth of Ovingdean, of a suitable age, was 19 in 1651. Her parents had emigrated to America and probably left her and her sister with Thomas and Mary Geere of Ovingdean, but Thomas had moved to Falmer and died in 1650. So was it Thomas Geere junior, about 29 years old and had married Mercy Doe who was living at Ovingdean Grange (opposite the church), and had Betsey living with them. Since this legend has been passed down by word of mouth, it is quite possible that cousin Betsey has become daughter Betsey at some stage. Ovingdean registers have been lost up to 1711 and BTs lost between 1640 and 1685, so there is no record of a birth of her son or her burial, also no trace of a marriage or marriage licence - Betsey probably died young.
Thomas and Mercy were buried at Ovingdean where their graves, although dating from the 17th century, may still be found. They are amongst the oldest identifiable there, near the church door, mounted on Sussex brick plinths.
Ovingdean Grange was the location for Harrison Ainsworth's novel about Charles II, in which a Geere is the fictional butler at the Grange.
Ovingdean Churchyard "Mr. Thomas Geere departed this Lieth (sic) 7 November 1695 in the 74 year of his age (not 71 as recorded in Bax)".
1377. Mercy Doe was born 1622. She died 29 Nov 1671 in Ovingdean, Sussex and was buried in St. Wulfran Churchyard, Ovingdean, Sussex.
St. Wulfran churchyard, Ovingdean "Mercy wife of Thomas Geere died 29 November 1671 in the 49 year of her age".
1472. William Braban was born about 1586. He married Unknown. [Parents]
1528. Henry Hoad was christened 28 Sep 1645 in Parish Church, Wartling, Sussex. He married Bridget Wescet on 30 May 1667 in Parish Church, Wartling, Sussex. [Parents]
1632. Christopher Wyble was born about 1540 in Brenchley, Kent. was buried 26 Apr 1595 in Parish Church, Brenchley, Kent. Christopher married Clemence Wykes on 14 Apr 1563 in Parish Church, Brenchley, Kent.
1633. Clemence Wykes was born about 1540 in Brenchley, Kent. was buried 17 May 1600 in Parish Church, Brenchley, Kent.
1640. John Saxby was christened 10 Mar 1582 in Parish Church, Brenchley, Kent. was buried 1642 in Parish Church, Brenchley, Kent. John married Unknown. [Parents]
2000. John Highland married Anne Freind on 19 Jun 1638 in Parish Church, Brightling, Sussex.
