RIchard Crosse of Sedgley

The Court of Chancery document C2/JasI/C24/13 in the National Archives perhaps provides some intriguing evidence about the relationship between the Crosse family and the Whitehouse family in Coseley, in the parish of Sedgley, Staffordshire, in the mid 17th century.

There are four inter marriages of the two families that deserve some analysis and speculative conclusions.

The first two are that of Richard Whitehouse and Elizabeth Crosse, Sedgley, 16 Jan 1596 and John Crosse and Ann Whitehouse, 3 Feb 1598.

And a generation later, William Whitehouse marries Anne Crosse in Darlaston in 1631 and the more pertinent marriage for the discussion on this site is between Richard Crosse and Isabella Whitehouse in Sedgley in 1633.

This Richard Crosse is a prime candidate for being the father of Anne Crosse who in turn marries Thomas Shaw in Sedgley on 1 Jan 1656. He would therefore be the grandfather of Richard Shaw of Sedgley. The marriage entry in the register gives details of Thomas’s father, saying that he is Richard Shaw of Dudley. Unfortunately no father is given for Anne Crosse.

There is a plurality of Richard Crosse burials in the All Saints Sedgley register but unfortunately no wills. All would suggest four generations of Richards and multiple marriages.

The baptism of Richard son of Richard Crosse, Nailer, on 14 Aug 1603 would appear to be the Richard Crosse, later designated as ‘Jnr’ in the register. His first wife dies in 1633 where it records the burial of ‘Joan, wife of Richard Crosse Jnr’. This is followed by the marriage to Isabella Whitehouse six months later. The burial of Richard Crosse in 1640, is followed by that of Old Richard Crosse in Aug 1640. The wife of Old Richard Crosse is also recorded as being buried a few weeks earlier.

This leaves the way for the marriage of Richard’s widow Isabella Crosse to marry Dudley Bagley also a widower in 1649. Dudley Bagley was the son of Ann Tomlinson, the sister of Elizabeth Tomlinson, mistress to Edward Sutton, 5th Baron Dudley. The Bagleys had received many favours from their proximity to the Baron.

It seems a reasonable presumption that Anne Cross  (no baptism) and Isabella Cross (bap 1633) are both children of Richard Crosse by his first wife Joan. This is the only Crosse family with children in Sedgley at the time. There is also likely to be an older brother Richard Crosse, again with no baptism.

The two daughters Anne and Isabella Crosse would have lost their mother when very young in 1633 and their father in 1640. Their stepmother would then have remarried Dudley Bagley when they were still teenagers.

The will of Dudley Bagley, yeoman of Sedgley, dated 1685, is difficult to read but it would seem that Isabella, second wife to both Richard Crosse and Dudley Bagley was still alive. Indeed there is a burial recorded as late as 1695 for Isabella Bagley.

Dudley Bagley is mentioned on the non cupative will of  his aunt Elizabeth Tomlinson.

Later children of Richard Crosse and an Elinor would in this analysis then be children of Richard’s first cousin, the son of John Crosse and Ann Whitehouse. This Richard son of John Crosse is recored as being baptised on 5 Oct 1613. John Crosse, the father, had died a few weeks before the birth, buried 19 Aug 1613.

Further analysis of the Whitehouse family is probably possible. Isabella Crosse who was born in 1633 is the likely bride of George Hartill of Willenhall whom she married in St Peter’s Wolverhampton in 1662.

Sources and Notes

  • National Archives C2/JasI/C24/13; Date: 1603-1625
    • Plaintiffs: Richard Crosse. Defendants: John Crosse, Anne Crosse his wife and William Whitehouse. Subject: messuage and lands in Colsley in Sedgley, Staffordshire. Pleading Court of Chancery
  • Staffordshire Parish Record Society: Sedgley, ed 1940-41
    • Selected Parish Register entries for the Crosse family
      • Bap: Richard son of Richard Crosse, 14 Aug 1603
      • Bap Richard son of John Crosse, 5 Oct 1613 (First cousin)
      • Bur: Richard Crosse, Yeoman, 19 Jun 1628 (Grandfather)
      • Bap: John son of Richard Crosse (Junior), 10 Apr 1631
      • Bur Rose Crosse, 29 Nov 1631
      • Bap: Isabelle daughter of Richard Crosse 12 May 1633
      • Bur Joan wife of Richard Crosse (jnr), 7 Jul 1633 (First Wife)
      • Mar: Richard Crosse and Isabella Whitehouse, Jan 1633/34
      • Bap: Sarah daughter of Richard and Elinor, 5 May 1639
      • Bur: Richard Crosse, 31 May 1640
      • Bur: Wife of Old Richard Crosse, 9 Jul 1640
      • Bur: Old Richard Crosse, 8 Aug 1640
      • Bur: Margery wife of Dudley Bagley, 23 Mar 1644
      • Mar: Dudley Bagley and Isabella Crosse, 1649
      • Bur: Richard son of Richard Crosse, 28 Aug 1654
      • Bur: ?Mary and Richard Crosse, 3 Jun 1660
  • Will of Dudley Bagley, Probate 30 Sep 1685, PCC (married RC’s widow)
  • Note also marriage of Richard Crosse and an Alice Lubridge in Tipton in 1593 that could be Richard’s (1603-1640) parents