Sunday, December 07, 2008

Question from Sam (aka Merlin) - Jane Seymour's brother Henry

Does anyone know anything about Jane Seymour's brother, Henry? I've always been interested in him because he seems to have shunned court life and the opportunities arising from Jane's marriage and the relationship with the future Edward VI- very much in contrast with his brothers (Edward and Thomas). I just wonder whether there was a reason for it- some sort of disability or health problem perhaps?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The ODNB states that Jane Seymour's brother Henry died in 1578. The entry on Thomas Seymour states that Henry was born in or before 1503. Henry was thus about 75 years old when he died. Given the quality of medical care in the 16th century, it seems very unlikely that he suffered any sort of disability or health problems if he was able to survive that long.

Henry Seymour held Marwell Hall in Hampshire as his principle residence. The house still stands but was much altered in the 19th century. The attached park is now a public zoo.

One source, though not always a completely reliable one, indicates that Henry served as Sheriff of Hampshire and was made a Knight of the Bath at the coronation of Edward VI in 1547. The same source indicates that he married twice, first to Barbara Wolfe, secondly to Barbara Morgan. He had at least two children: a son named John and a daughter named Jane. John's descendants appear to have emigrated to Ireland during the plantation movement of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Daughter Jane married Sir John Rodney, MP and Sheriff of Somerset. They had at least 16 children and their descendants can be traced into the modern era.

Merlin said...

Thanks for that, PhD Historian. I grew up near Marwell and we had many a family day out there, which is how I became interested in him. I hadn't realised he had lived to such a good age. I suppose he must have (very sensibly) preferred a counry gent's life to being a courtier.

Anonymous said...

Just an aft if you are interested....Henry Seymour's grandson (through Jane and John Rodney), William Rodney, Married Alice Caesar, whose grandson, also William Rodney, married Sarah Jones, who then had several children, one of them being Caesar Rodney...a prominant figure in the State of Delaware's history!

Anonymous said...

I am decended from Henry Seymour's daughter Jane and I am able to trace my family tree all the way back to King Edward III through the Seymour's. The last comment that was posted stated that the grandson of the William Rodney that married Alice Caesar was also William Rodney. That is true, but he did not mary Sarah Jones he married Mary Hollyman. I don't know if they had a son named Caesar, but they did have a son named William Rodney. All together there was five generations of William Rodney.

Anonymous said...

Hoping someone could help me. My Great Grandfather - Rodney William Seymour who was part of the New Hampshire Legislature. He was born in Boston in 1895. His wife was named Mona. He was buried in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He also lived in Ft. Lauderdale. My grandmother gave me this info and I cant piece anything together. I am curious if there is any connection here.