This post reconsiders the Aucher family of Losenham, Kent, of interest, not least, because the Auchers are ancestors of Jeremy Clarke of Newport RI and a goodly number of Virginia families. Over the past hundred-odd years, accounts of the Aucher family in journals and handbooks have relied upon the 1619 visitation of Kent [Harleian Society 42: 180-181] which starts the pedigree with Nicholas Aucher; the 1574 visitation [Harleian Society 74: 24-25] offers a shorter tree starting at Henry Aucher and his two wives Isabell Towne and Mary Saint Leger. The pedigrees are spare on dates till later generations. Here is the standard pedigree: 1. Nicholas Aucher of Losenham [in Newenden], Kent Nicholas Aucher married -----: ----- Oxenbridge, daughter of ----- Oxenbridge of Brede, Sussex 2. Henry Aucher of Losenham [in Newenden], Kent Henry Aucher married -----: Elizabeth Digges, daughter of John Digges and Juliane de Northwode 3. Henry Aucher of Losenham [in Newenden], Kent Henry Aucher married first -----: Isabel atte Towne Henry Aucher married second -----: Joan Saint Leger, daughter of Thomas Saint Leger of Otterden, Kent 4. Thomas Aucher of Losenham [in Newenden], Kent; son of father’s first marriage Recent research offers grounds for substantial revision of the pedigrees. It has been placed on the web [http://knightlyfamilies.com/intro3.htm] by Ana Luppertz. Her industry has turned up most of the records that follow. I have taken much from her website, expanded her short citations, and added several comments. This tentative new pedigree seriously calls into question the Oxenbridge and Digges marriages, and, with the Digges marriage, the Aucher descent from the Magna Carta surety Geoffrey de Say. The connections between the generations are not invariably self-evident in the records. I hope others will offer evidence which will confirm or disprove each step of the pedigree. It adds several generations. While there is further research to be done on earlier generations, I have tackled the pedigree from Nicholas onward. 1. Nicholas Aucher; fl 1301/2; alive 1336 Nicholas Aucher married -----: Petronilla de Cassingham, son of Ralph de Cassingham 2. Henry Aucher; son of Nicholas Aucher and Petronilla de Cassingham; born -----; fl 1317; dead 5 October 1330; dvp Henry Aucher married -----: Isabella Alard, daughter of Henry Alard of Winchelsea, dead 1348 3. Henry Aucher; son of Henry Aucher and Isabel Alard; born -----; fl 1339-1340; died -----; dead 1373 Henry Aucher married -----: Elizabeth -----, born -----, died -----, alive 1390 4. Henry Aucher; son of Henry Aucher and Elizabeth -----; born -----; fl 1375 Henry Aucher married [1362-1367] -----: Alice -----, daughter of ----- and Margaret de Knelle 5. Henry Aucher son of Henry Aucher and Alice -----: born -----, died -----, dead 1422 Henry Aucher married first -----: Isabel atte Towne Henry Aucher married second -----: Joan de St Leger who married by 1422 Robert Capys 6. Thomas Aucher; son of Henry Aucher and Isabel atte Towne; born -----; fl 1424; died ca 1450 Thomas Aucher married -----: ----- **Generation 1** I have found no evidence other than the visitation that Nicholas Aucher married an Oxenbridge. A century later, around 1400, Auchers and Oxenbridges show up together in a fair number of records, but not a century before. The evidence that Nicholas Aucher married Petronilla de Cassingham was printed in Robert Furley, A History of the Weald of Kent, two volumes in three, (London and Ashford, 1871-1874): 2/1: 201-205. (Unfortunately the crucial page 203 is blurred in the internet archive copy.) Those pages cite a quo warranto proceeding of 3 Edward II [1309-1310] concerning Archbishop Winchelsea’s trees in Kent: “And the Archbishop by his attorney says that before the aforesaid grant of the aforesaid St. Edmund, his predecessor, and afterwards, the trees growing in the said land always belonged to the predecessors of him, the Archbishop, and likewise to himself, to be felled at their pleasure....The jurors say upon their oath that the oaks and beeches growing in the aforesaid 120 acres of land are the trees of him, the Archbishop, and that he and his predecessors from time immemorial were wont to fell trees growing in the aforesaid land, and to sell [them] at their pleasure, without impedime! nt of complaint from the aforesaid Nicholas and Petronilla, Bertram and Benedicta, or their ancestors. And if any trespass has been done in the aforesaid woods by the aforesaid Nicholas and Bertram, or by any others, the same Archbishop and his predecessors received amends therefor.....They say also, that the aforesaid defendants have by force and arms felled 362 oaks and beeches in the aforesaid land to the damage of him, the Archbishop, in 118 marks, 6 shillings, and 8 pence. They say also that the aforesaid Nicholas, Bertram, and the others have cut down no other trees of his, the Archbishop’s elsewhere than in the afroesaid 120 acres of land.” Nicholas’ marriage to the Cassingham co-heiress explains how the Aucher came to hold the Cassingham manor of Keinsham in Rolveden. Nicholas was likely of age 1301/2 when he witnessed a quitclaim of Sir Robert de Passeleye and his son Edmund to Richard le Waleys III 24 February 1301/2 [TNA, GLY/1339]. Nicholas was alive in 1336 when he complained that he had been assaulted by Edmund son of Edmund Haclut, knight, John son of Henry Tyks of Rochester, and others, which led to a commission of oyer and terminer 4 May 1336 [Calendar of the Patent Rolls; Edward III; 1334-1338: 290] This would also give the Aucher family a descent from a folk hero of the war against Prince Louis 1216-1217: See G. R. Stephens, “A Note on William of Cassingham”, Speculum 16/2 (April 1941): 216-223. **Generation 2** Henry was born, say, 1290-1300. The marriage of Henry to Isabel Alard is set out in a number of fines: 1) Henry son of Nicholas Aucher and Isabell daughter of Henry Alard of Winchelsea [by Martin German her guardian), plaintiffs, and Robert son of John Alard, efendant of one messuage, 500 acres land, 100 acres meadow, 100 acres wood in Newenden; right of Robert, who grants to Henry and Isabella and to his heirs by her; quinzaine of St Martin 11 Edward II [25 November 1317] [Archaeologia Cantiana 14 (1882): 246 #555] Henry son of Nicholas Aucher [Auchier] and Isabel daughter of Henry Alard of Winchelsea (by Martin German her keeper), plaintiffs, Robert son of John Alard defendant; for one messuage, 140 acres of land, 22 acres of meadow, 6 acres of wood, etc, in Waltham Holy Cross, which Richard de Forsham holds for life of the demise of the defendant; Henry acknolwedged the tenement to be the right of the defendant; the defendant granted the reversion to the plaintiff and the heirs of Henry of the body of Isabel to hold of the chief lords, remainder to the right heirs of Henry; this agreement was made in the presence of Richard and he did fealty; Michaelmas term 11 Edward II [1317] [R. Kirk, Feet of Fines for Essex, seven volumes, (Colchester, 1913-1928) 2 (1272-1326): 180 #641] Henry and Isabelle Aucher [Augier] conveyed land of some sosrt to Priory of St Barbe in Normandy [Amadée Louis Léchaudé d’Anisy, Extrait des Chartes et autres actes Normands ou Anglo-Normands qui se trouvent dans les archives de Calvados, two volumes, (Caen, 1834-1835) 1: 138] Henry was dead 5 October 1330 when his widow and sister made a fine: Isabella, who was the wife of Henry Aucher, of Lossenhamme, plaintiff, and Agnes daughter of Nicholas Aucher, defendant; one messuage, one garden, 115 acres land 11 acres wood, etc, in Rolveden; right of Agnes who grants to Isabella for her life; after death of Isabella to remain to her son Henry and the heirs of his body; Octave of St Michael 4 Edward III [5 October 1330] [Archaeologia Cantiana 20 (1893): 161-162 #97 Isabel died shortly before 10 August 1348. She and her neighbor had rallied support for dikes and water works in their neighborhood since 1336. In keeping with ongoing work on those project, she was reported dead. [Calendar of patent rolls; Edward III; 8 (1348-1350): 177-178] **Generation 3** Henry was born 1317-1330. He was dead 1373. It’s hard to tell whether he was of full age or not when he was required, for 40 shillings of land he held in Gosetrow, to find an archer to defend against invasion. The record refers to him, not by name, but as “The heire of Henry Auchere” [“Muster Roll for the Rape of Hastings 13 Edward III [1339-1340], [Collectanea Topographica et Genealogica 7 (1841): 118-128 at 120.] By 1346-1347 he was given his name in the assessments to knight the Black Prince. He held land in the hundred of Tenterden, half a knight’s fee with Stephen de Forsham in Maytham which William Barry had held; another quarter knight’s fee in Maytham Nichlas had held of John Malmains [presumably part of the Cassingham inheritance]; and quarter knight’s fee in Losenham which Nicholas Aucher had held of Ralph Saint Leger; [James Greenstreet, “Assessments in Kent for the Aid to Knight the Black Prince, Anno 20 Edward III, Archeologia Cantiana 10 (1876): 99-162 at 139-140]. He was alive 14 October 1367 when Sir Piers de Brewes, knight, Henry Auger, William Stantton clerk, William Olmestede, and Robert Covert, chaplain, made acquittance to William Taillour of Rye; [East Sussex Record Office RYE/137/5]. He was dead 1373-1374 when his widow Elizabeth, late the wife of Henry Auchier of co. Kent, conveyed lands in Waltham Holy Cross to John Hokkele and Matthew Langrich of London; [TNA, E/210/1942 and E/210/3288 = Ancient Deeds, series D] She was alive 25 November 1390 when she leased her dower rights to her son Henry: “Elizabeth who was wife of Henry Auchier to Henry son and heir of Henry Auchier. Indenture of lease of her estate in the manors of Lossenham, Godenne and Cassyngham and lands, rents, and services in Kent which the said Elizabeth and her husband held to them and thei heirs of their bodies, the manor of Lovedale (by them likeswise held) excepted, rendering to her and her assigns for term of her life £40 a year in the cathedral church of St Paul London, power being reserved to enter and hold all the premises in her first estate if the rent shall be one month in arrear, or in case the lessee shall without her assent alien the same or any parcel thereof to any man in fee or for life, or make waste therein, or shall die in her life time, or shall allege in bar of her or her assigns any acquittance or release save on under her seal; dated London 25 November 14 Richard II [1390]; 25 November 1390"; [C! alendar of the Fine Rolls; Richard II; 4 (1389-1392): 297] Luppertz concludes that Henry Aucher married Elizabeth Talbot because, on 10 July 1372, Gilbert Talbot, knight, gave his sister Elizabeth Aucher, William Mulscho clerk, and William de Halden a yearly rent of £10 of his lands in Upton and Denton in Huntingdonshire [Calender of Close Rolls; Edward II; 13 (1369-1374): 452]. It strikes me as unlikely that Gilbert Talbot’s sister was the wife of Henry Aucher. If so, it would have been the only time in generations before and after that an Aucher had married outside his neighborhood in Kent and Sussex. Possibly the Talbots of Richard’s Castle had interests in west Kent, but, if so, the records do not show any association with the Aucher family. Nor is it clear that Elizabeth was Gilbert’s own sister. Douglas Richard, Magna Carta Ancestry (2005): 694 notes that John Talbot of Richard’s Castle had three children: John, Gilbert, and Joan wife of Ralph Parles. Possibly Elizabeth was a fourth. Possibly a sister-in-law? In any case she could hardly have been Elizabeth Digges. This Elizabeth’s son was of age in 1390, so born by 1369. This meant that Elizabeth herself was born by, say, 1353. This would make her of an age with Elizabeth Digges' parents. According to Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry (2005): 282, Elizabeth Digges’ grandparents John de Northwode and Joan Hert married ca 1350, so again this Elizabeth would have been the age of Elizabeth Digges’ mother. **Generation 4** Since he was married by 1375, Henry Aucher was born by 1360 and possibly as early as the 1340s. It is unclear when he died. He married -----: Alice -----, daughter of ----- and Margaret de Knelle His brother John married -----: Joan -----, daughter of ----- and Margaret de Knelle A pedigree in the pleas rolls show that Henry married Alice and his brother John married Joan, both daughter of Margaret de Knelle, granddaughters of Edmund de Knelle, great-granddaughters of Matthew de Knelle and his wife Margaret. Their father’s name was not given, but they were half-sisters of William de Welles, party to their suit. Their mother Margaret de Knelle had married as her second husband his father William de Welles; [George Wrottesley, Pedigrees from the plea rolls (-----, 1905): 120 [quote De Banco roll. Hilary term 49 Edward III, m.314]] In 1389, both Henry, as heir of his father, and his brother John conveyed land in Waltham Holy Cross to Matthew Langridge and his wife Margaret: John Aucher, son of Henry Aucher esquire (armigeri) to Matthew Langrich and his wife Margaret; quitclaim with warranty of a moiety of all lands etc in Waltham Holy Cross late of Henry his father, and sometime of Robert son of John Allarde, which moiety came by inheritance to the said Margaret after the death of William Hatfeld her father, who purchased the same of John Bradegate and his wife Joan sister and one of the heirs of Thomas de Bradegate, and is in possession of the said Matthew and margaret by a partition dated the feast of Trinity 6 Richard II, made between them on the one part and Joan Bradegate, Alice Bradegate, Robert Catour and his wife Amice, the daughters and heirs of Margaret sister and the other heir of Thomas Bradegate; dated 12 May 12 Richard II [1389]; Henry Aucher, son and heir of Henry Aucher esquire to Matt! hew Langrich and Margaret his wife, their heirs and assigns, quitclaim and warranty, dated 4 April 12 Richard II [1389]; [Calendar of Close Rolls; Richard II; 3 (1385-1389): 672] **Generation 5** Here the records blur. There is no clear proof when Henry husband of Alice died and his son Henry husband of Isabel and Joan came into the family land. This Henry was dead 9 July 1422 when his second wife had remarried: There is no clear record, other than the visitation pedigrees, of his marriage to Isabel atte Towne. Joan Saint Leger’s son Henry Aucher confirmed an estate to his step-father Robert Capys in 1438, which record refers to an earlier charter to Capys and his wife Joan, mother of Henry, dated 9 July 1422: Henry Aucher esquire to Robert Capys and his assigns; confirmation indented of their estate in the manor of Esthalle and the island of Elmele, whereof among other things Robert Capys and Joan his wife, mother of the said Henry whose heir he is, were seised by charter dated 9 July 1 Henry VI [1422] as their freehold for their lives and the life of the longest liver, by demise of John Wodehous esquire, etc, by name of a messuage and 400 acres of marsh in Elmeley co. Kent.; dated Friday after Midsummer 16 Henry VI [ca 29 June 1438]; [Calendar of the Close Rolls; Henry VI; 3 (1435-1441): 452] His son Thomas was recorded as holding land in 18 June 1424 [East Sussex Record Office FRE/6969]. That record does not indicate whether Thomas had attained his majority or just his inheritance. A final concord in 1429 between John More and Thomas Aucher, and Simon Burdon and his wife Johanna, shows that he had come of age [TNA, CP 25/1/114], so Thomas was born by 1408. Happy to know of other records that confirm, enhance, disprove, or cast doubt upon the puzzle pieces above. Scott Swanson sswanson@butler.edu