ASHLEY-COOPER
From the files of Stephen M. Lawson
The Ashley Family
The Ashleys came originally from Wiltshire, where they possessed
the manor of Ashley, at a very early period. Benedict Ashley,
or Ashley, living in the reigns of Henry II, and Edward I was
the great-great grandfather of:
- Robert ASHLEY, who flourished under Henry IV. and
his two immediate successors. He married Egidia, only
daughter and heiress of Sir John Hamelyn, by Joan Plecy,
by whom he acquired the manor of Winbourne St. Giles, in the
county of Dorset, and had a son,
- Edmund ASHLEY, living temp. Edward IV. who married
Margaret, daughter of Robert Turgis, and was father
of,
- Hugh ASHLEY, of Winbourne St. Giles, who died 1493,
leaving Elizabeth, daughter of Raynold Walwyn,
of Sussex, a daughter and a son successor,
- Henry ASHLEY, esq. of Winbourne, who m. Radegan,
daughter of Robert Gilbert, of Somersetshire and had Henry
(Sir) his heir, Anthony of Damerham, who m. Dorothy,
daughter of John Lyte, esq. of Lytes Carey, in Somersetshire
and had Anthony of whom later, . . .
- Sir Henry ASHLEY, of Winbourne St. Giles, M.P. for Dorsetshire,
born in 1519 and knighted at the coronation of Queen Mary, and
appointed ranger of Hold Forest. He married Catherine, daughter
of Sir John Basset, knt. and was succeeded by his son,
- Sir Henry ASHLEY, knt. of Winbourne St. Giles, b. 1548, gentlman
pensioner to Queen Elizabeth; m. Anne, daughter of Lord Burgh,
and had, with four daughters, three sons, who died without issue,
and the family estates passed to his cousin,
- Sir Anthony ASHLEY, of Winbourn St. Giles, who sat
in several parliaments, and was highly distinguished by the favor
of Queen Elizabeth. He was secretary to the council of war, and
received the honour of knighthood for his services at the capture
of Calais; the account of which event he brought over to her
majesty. He was subseqently secretary to the privy council in
the reign of James I. and was created a Baronet in 1622. Sir
Anthony married, first, Jane, relict of Thomas Cokaine,
esq., of Okeover, in Staffordshire, by whom he had an only daughter
and heiress, Anne, who marrying Sir
John Cooper, bart., conveyed the Ashley estates to the Cooper
family. His lordship had, previously to his elevation to the
earldom, been created in 1661, Baron Ashley, in accordance with
a stipulation in his father's marriage settlement, that if the
family ever attained the peerage, their title would be that of
Ashley. Anne Ashley and Sir John ASHLEY-COOPER, (by the above
agreement) were the parents of the celebrated statesman, Sir Anthony ASHLEY-COOPER, Earl of Shaftsbury.
The Cooper Family
- John COOPER, Esq. died in 1495.
- Richard COOPER, Esq. married Jane, daughter
of Sir John Kingswell, of Sydmonton, county Hauts, and
purchased the Manor of Paulett, 1531. He d. 1566.
- Sir John COOPER, son and heir, born 1552, m. Margaret,
or Martha, daughter of Anthony Skutt, of Stanton Drew,
co. Somerset, Esq. He was M.P. for Whitechurch, co. Hauts, 1586,
and d. 1610.
- Sir John COOPER, first Baronet, of Rockbourne, co.
Hauts, son and heir, married twice; Anne, daughter and
heir of Sir Anthony ASHLEY, of Winbourne
St. Giles, co. Dorset, secretary at war to Queen Elizabeth, was
the mother of his heir, Sir Anthony ASHLEY-COOPER.
He was created a Baronet 1622 and he died March 23, 1631.
Sir Anthony Ashley-Cooper
Anthony ASHLEY-COOPER, First Earl of Shaftesbury, son
and heir of Sir John COOPER and Anne
ASHLEY, born Jul. 22, 1621, at Winbourne St. Giles, Dorsetshire,
inherited a very large estate from his maternal grandfather, yet
had the education of a constitutional lawyer at Gray's Inn, from
whence he was called from speculation to action, in the parliament
of 1640, for Tewkesbury, at the early age of nineteen years. On
the restoration he was named a commissioner for the trial of the
regicides, and was created Baron Ashley, of Winbourned St. Giles,
1661. In 1670 he became a member of the administration called
"The Cabal", in which he was a lored of the treasury
and chancellor of the exchequer; and on the resignation of the
Lord Keeper Bridgeman, Nov. 1672, he was constituted lord high
chancellor of England, having been created, April preceding, Baron
Cooper, or Pawlett, and Earl of Shaftsbury. He married first,
Margaret, dau. of Thomas Lord Coventry; secondly, Frances, dau.
of David Cecil, third Earl of Exeton; thirdly, August 20, 1655,
at St. Paul's covent Garden, Margaret, dau. William (Spencer)
2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton by Penelope, 1st. dau. Henry
(Wristhesley 3rd. Earl of Southampton, who delivered him two daughters.
His son and heir was by the second lady. The date of death of
Margaret is not known. She was living when he was cr. 20 April
1661, Baron Ashley of Wilbourne St. Giles. in 1662 Lord Ashley
and others, being apprised of the excellent soil of this country,
united and formed a project for planting a colony on it. Charles
II granted them all the lands from Lucke Island (southern Virginia)
to the river Saint Matthias (Florida) and extending so west to
the Pacific Ocean, which embraced almost the entire "Southern
States" of today. Of this immense region the king constituted
them absolute lords and proprietors. Anthony died Jan. 21, 1683,
at Amsterdam, Holland.
Miss Massie - Evidence suggests that Anthony ASHLEY-COOPER
was the father of illegitimate twin daughters by a daughter of
Andrew MASSIE of Edinburgh, Scotland. The mother removed
to London with her brother William, who entered the service of
Anthony ASHLEY-COOPER around 1646.
Daughters of Anthony Ashley-Cooper by Miss
Massie
- Lucretia -
- Penelope - b. England; d.
VA. Married Peter MASSIE.