I'm new to the Warwickshire field, and have an unusual research topic that's led me here. I'm following up on a baronetage reference for an old Northamptonshire family, the Samwells of Upton. Thomas Samwell, who became the first baronet in 1675, is referred to as marrying Anne Godschalk, d/o Sir John Godschalk of Atherston-on-Stour (rendered as "Stower" in the reference title), Warwickshire. She is also named as Sir John's heir.
Online databases for Warwickshire materials have so far netted me zero in confirming a residence of A-on-S for the Godschalks. And, it gets even more complicated. KB listings for Restoration knighthoods confirm that John Godschalke was knighted on 24 June 1660. The listing there suggests that he was of "Aldeston, Worcester." Now, there is no "Aldeston" in Worcestershire, but there is an "Aldington." No joy there either for the Godschalkes. There is also an Alderton, Wiltshire....but I don't think roads lead there.
In addition to Sir John's date of knighthood, I do know that his PCC will was written in the Summer of 1659, and names his wife Anne, and mother Elizabeth, now married to a Thomas Morton. The will was probated in late November 1660. It mentions no children in the body of the will, partially explained by the birth of his only son, John, in August of 1660 (the baptism recorded at St. Margaret's Westminster). The St. M's registers make no other mention of a Godschalke baptism up to that point (the shut-off date is 1660 for this volume--later volumes have not been seen. To make things even more interesting, Sir John met an untimely end: he was murdered at the Golden Fleece Tavern in November 1660, an event covered by three different Restoration diarists, including Pepys. Dame Anne Godschalke, widow of Sir John, and born Anne Filmer--daughter of Sir Robert Filmer of East Sutton, Kent (author of "Patriarcha"), continued to live in London up until the 1670s, at which time she sold her property leases to William Ashburnham of the Royal Household (the Godschalkes seem to have lived in the Westminster Abbey precincts), and moved back to her childhood home of East Sutton Park in Kent. Her will was written in June of 1676, and proved in February of 1677/8. She is buried with her Filmer family at Sts. Peter & Paul, East Sutton. Her son John Godschalke matriculated at Oxford in 1677, age 16. It is not known whether he married, but he, like his mother, is buried at East Sutton, and died in November 1683.
I'm thinking that Anne Godschalke, daughter and heir of Sir John, was born after her father's death, perhaps in early 1661. If the marriage to Thomas Samwell of Upton, Northants happened after 1683, she would have indeed been her father's heir, having survived her brother John. The referenced history of the Samwell baronet makes no mention of the marriage date. The PCC will for Thomas Samwell of Upton is dated 1696, and there is none for Anne, suggesting that she either didn't survive him, or else remarried. One quickly glanced Samwell descendancy on StirNet (before the warning window kicks in and makes you join or else), suggested a burial date of 1690 for Anne, wife of Thomas. She's credited for being Thomas Samwell's second wife, and having two children by him--perhaps she died of childbirth complications from the second one. Hard to say. I've looked in vain for memorial lists for the church at Upton by the manor--some vague descriptions of Samwell memorials, but nothing specific.
So....the best case scenario for making all the above work: Anne Godschalke lived with her Filmer relatives until the death of her brother and heir John Godschalke Esq. in 1683, and then returned to her father's relatives in Warwickshire, where she was shortly married. Another possiblity is that Thomas Samwell was living in London, and it was there that the match was made, as the Filmer connections in the capital were plentiful. The burning question, then, is whether there were Godschalke relatives in Warwickshire before and during the Restoration timeframe--roughly from Charles 1 through the end of Charles II.
As a finding aid, Godschalke has been rendered as Godschalk, Godschall, Godshall, Godscall....etc. The Flemish-born merchant dynasty of the same name--and same period--in London, is not connected....as far as I can tell. Any help with the above is most welcome.....hopefully I have enough details to ring a bell for someone!
