Marriage of Alexander Saint John, Esq., and Jane Dallison, widow of Thomas Leventhorpe, Esq.

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

The extended ancestry of the New World immigrant, Elizabeth Saint John
(died 1677), wife of Rev. Samuel Whiting, of Lynn, Massachusetts has
been known for many years. Among her forebearers is one Alexander
Saint John, Esq., of Thurleigh, Bedfordshire, 3rd son of Sir John
Saint John (died 1525), of Bletsoe, Bedfordshire. Not much is known
of Alexander Saint John's life. After a bit of digging through a
variety of records, I've learned that Alexander was a legatee in the
1509 will of William Morgan, Doctor of Law, as well as a legatee and
named one of the executors in the 1525 will of his father [see
McGregor, Bedfordshire Wills Proved in the P.C.C. (Bedfordshire Hist.
Rec. Soc. 58) (1979): 92–93 (will of William Morgan), 124 (will of Sir
John Saint John)]. Alexander Saint John seems to have left no will.

Regarding Alexander Saint John's marriage, visitation accounts agree
that his wife was Jane Dallison, but disagree whether or not he was
her first or second husband:

1. Harvey et al., Vis. of Bedfordshire 1566, 1582, 1634 & 1669 (H.S.P.
19) (1884): 55 (Saint John ped.: “Alexander St John of Thurley in com.
Herf. (read Bedf.) Esquire third sonne to Sr John St. John Knight =
Jane d. of George Dalyson of Cranesley in com Northampt. arg. wydow of
Thomas Lenthroppe of Shinglehall in com. Hertf. arg.”).

2. Cooke & St. George Vis. of Hertfordshire 1572, 1634 & 1546 (H.S.P.
22) (1886): 149–151 (Leventhorpe ped.: “John Leventhorpe of
Shinglehall, co. Hertf., and High Shreeve of the same. = Jane, da. of
George Dallison of Cransley, co. Northton. = Alexander St. John of
Thirley, co. Bedf., 1 vir.”).

Stephenson, List of Monumental Brasses (1926): 195-196 would seem to
settle the question. He cites the monumental brass of Jane Dallison's
husband, Thomas Leventhorpe, Esq., died 1527, and states she was widow
of Alexander Saint John:

"Thos. Leventhorpe, esq., 1527 (eff. in arm. with tabard lost), and w.
Joan, dau. of Geo. Dallison, esq., widow of Alex. St. John ...." END
OF QUOTE.

However, care should always be given to secondary sources such as
Stephenson or Europaische Stammtafeln. In this case, Stephenson is
wrong.

The marriage license of Alexander Saint John and his wife, Jane
Dallison, has survived and it shows that they married in 1530, three
years after the death of Jane's first husband, Thomas Leventhorpe,
Esq.:

Source: Chester, Allegations for Marriage Licences issued by the
Bishop of London 1520 to 1610 1 (H.S.P. 25) (1887): 7; also published
in Bedfordshire Notes and Queries, Volume II, published 1889, pg. 90:

"Granted by the Bishop of London.

1530. - Nov. 18. - Alexander Seynt John, of Lacton, & Johanna, alias
Leventhorpe, of Sawbridgeworth." END OF QUOTE.

The above record may be viewed at the following weblinks:

http://books.google.com/books?id=euIK_JxRngsC&pg=PA7

http://books.google.com/books?id=1M8GAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA90

Lastly, there is an interesting article in Genealogists’ Magazine 16
(1969–71): 93–96 regarding Oliver Saint John (died 1673), Chief
Justice of the Common Pleas, who was the brother of the immigrant,
Elizabeth (Saint John) Whiting. The author of that article, Frank
Smallwood, states that Alexander Saint John was Jane Dallison's third
husband. But he fails to give his source for that statement. So yet
again another question arises regarding the marriages of Jane
Dallison.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah

[Douglas Richardson]

In my earlier post today, I quoted the marriage license of Alexander
Saint John and Jane (Dallison) Leventhorpe dated 1530.

I left one word "Jane" out of the quoted marriage license. It should
read:

1530. - Nov. 18. - Alexander Seynt John, of Lacton, & Johanna, alias

Jane Leventhorpe, of Sawbridgeworth." END OF QUOTE.

[Wjhonson]

Quite right, because the original inscription for this Thomas d 1527 and his UNNAMED wife was lost including any indication of who she was, so what you are seeing is a modern recreation

http://books.google.com/books?id=dkEJAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA379




is

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[jlsin...@gmail.com]

I have a Sir Alexander St.John, son of Sir Oliver St. John and the heiress of "Beniham of Bletsoe" . I am thinking that this is actually Margaret Beauchamp and Oliver as the other sons listed in this entry are William and John, Gent. of Gower

Mr. Richardson, I have also been successful in resolving the parentage of Mathias "Sension" with primary sources. The results will surprise most. The research will be published this January in The Register.

[Wjhonson]

Are you perhaps getting this off one of those "full text" books that at times splice together completely different columns into one paragraph?