Elizabeth Spencer

William Spencer, son of Henry Spencer and Isabella, married Elizabeth Empson in Towcester, Northamptonshire, England. She was the daughter of Sir Peter Empson and sister of Sir Richard Empson. This marrying into gentry is the mark of a family on the rise. His son, Sir John Spencer's tomb incorporates the Empson coat of arms[1].

William and Elizabeth have two recorded sons, John and Thomas, both recorded in the Visitation of Warwickshire[2]. (Both brothers petitioned for and received together a coat of arms in 1504).

He died in about 1485. There is a legacy recorded in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1485 from a William Spencer to Richard Stowe, Master of the Guild of the Holy Cross, the Blessed Mary the Virgin, and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist[3]. This may well be from William.

http://www.oxford-shakespeare.com/Probate/PROB_11-11-147.pdf

The testator had an elder brother, William Spencer, and a younger brother, Thomas Spencer, both of whom, according to the will below, predeceased the testator:

-William Spencer, said to have been of Radbourn, Warwickshire, married Elizabeth Empson, one of the sisters of Sir Richard Empson (d.1450-1510), by whom he was the father of Sir John Spencer (d. 14 April 1522) of Snitterfield, Warwickshire, the testator’s nephew, executor and residuary beneficiary in the will below, as well as a younger son, Thomas Spencer, and a daughter. According to the will of Sir John Spencer (d. 14 April 1522), his mother, Elizabeth Empson, was still living in 1522. For the will, dated 12 April 1522 and proved 16 June 1522, of Sir John Spencer (d. 14 April 1522), see TNA PROB 11/20/348.

• Elizabeth Empson1

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• F, #86777, b. circa 1448
• Father Peter Empson1 b. c 1414, d. c 1473
• Mother Elizabeth Joseph1
• Elizabeth Empson was born circa 1448 at of Towcester, Northamptonshire, England.1 She married William Spencer, son of John Spencer, Esq. and (Miss) Warsted, circa 1469.1
• Family William Spencer b. c 1445, d. a 1485
• Child
  • Sir John Spencer+1 b. c 1474, d. 14 Apr 1552
• Citations
• 1.[S61] Unknown author, Family Group Sheets, Family History Archives, SLC.
• From: http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p2888.htm#... ________________________
• Elizabeth Empson
• F, #322721
• Last Edited=28 Nov 2008
• Reference: FDR-44697.
• Child of Elizabeth Empson and William Spencer
  • 1.Sir John Spencer+ d. 14 Apr 1522
• From: http://www.thepeerage.com/p32273.htm#i322721 _________________________
• Elizabeth EMPSON
• Born: ABT 1448, Towcester, Northamptonshire, England
• Father: Peter EMPSON
• Mother: Elizabeth JOSEPH
• Married: William SPENCER ABT 1469, Towcester, Northamptonshire, England
• Children:
  • 1. John SPENCER (Sir)
  • 2. Thomas SPENCER (Esq.)
• From: http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/EMPSON.htm#Elizabeth EMPSON1 __________________________
• Elizabeth Empson
• Father Peter Empson, b. Abt 1414, of, Towcester, Northamptonshire, England , d. 1473
• Mother Elizabeth Joseph, b. Abt 1418, of, Towcester, Northamptonshire, England , d. Aft 1475
• Family William Spencer, b. Abt 1420, d. Aft 1485, of, Radbourne, Warwickshire, England
• Children
  • 1. Sir John Spencer, Knight, b. Abt 1457, of, Wormleighton, Northhamptonshire, England , d. 14 Apr 1552, of, Althorp, Northamptonshire, England
  • 2. Thomas Spencer, of, Badby, Northamptonshire, England

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References

• 1.[S25] #798 The Wallop Family and Their Ancestry, Watney, Vernon James, (4 volumes. Oxford: John Johnson, 1928), FHL book Q 929.242 W159w; FHL microfilm 1696491 it., vol. 3 p. 713.
• 2.[S39] Medieval, royalty, nobility family group sheets (filmed 1996), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Family History Department. Medieval Family History Unit, (Manuscript. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1996), FHL film 1553977-1553985..
• 3.[S646] Ancestors of American presidents, Roberts, Gary Boyd,, (Boston, Massachusetts : New England Historic Genealogical Society, c2009), 973 D2r 2009., p. 430.
• 4.[S547] #1848 The Visitation of the County of Warwick in the Year 1619 (1877), Camden, William, (Publications of the Harleian Society: Visitations, volume 12. London: [Harleian Society], 1877), FHL book 942 B4h volume 12; FHL microfilm 162,048 ., p. 284.
• From: http://histfam.familysearch.org/getperson.php?personID=I50048&tree=...
• http://nielsenhayden.com/genealogy-tng/getperson.php?personID=I3145... cites
• 1. [S4464] Clifford L. Stott, "Ancestry of Agnes Spencer, Wife of Thomas Higginson of Berkeswell, Warwickshire, Ancestor of Nine American Immigrants, Cousin to Diana, Princess of Wales, Sir Winston Churchill, President George Washington, and Others." The New England Historical and Genealogical Register 174:199, Summer 2020; 174:330, Fall 2020.
• WikiTree contributors, "Elizabeth Empson (abt.1449-aft.1522)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Empson-4 : accessed 19 January 2025).