Captain John Killigrew Esq. & Elizabeth Trewinard

59420. Captain John Killigrew Esq. & 59421. Elizabeth Trewinard   

~1501, John born in Arwenack, Cornwall, England, s/o 118840. John Killigrew & 118841. Jane Petit.

4/21/1509, Henry VIII succeeded Henry VII as King of England.

~1510, Elizabeth born in St. Erth, Cornwall, England, 2^nd d/o 118842. James Trewennard.

5/30/1522, Bond by Richard Penrosse … to … 'Reynold' Tretherf and 'and Margerye his wyff' … have enfeoffed …  John Kyllygrewe, the younger, … (S) Ancient Deeds, V5, 1906, A12892.

1524, Penryn subsidy: John Killygrew goods 40, & John Killygrew jun. land 4.

1536, John Killigrew “the Younger” listed as having major investments with Virginia in the records of Edward Bennett of London. [John’s father died late in the year.]

11/8/1536, John’s father died.

2/1/1537, “Bargain and sale. 1 John Killigrew of Penryn esq. 2 Alex. Killigrew esq. …; two tenements in Penryn.” (S) UKNA.

By 1543, John appointed Governor of Pendennis Castle, Cornwall, by Henry VIII, about the time the castle was completed. [He held this position until his death. Alexander and Thomas paid fees as officers of the Garrison.]

1543, John Killigrew paid the Subsidy (tax) in Budock.

1544-47, “Nicholas Carmynowe, …, v. John Killigrew, esquire, and James Trewennard.: Maintenance of a suit in the Court of Whitehall in the name of Alexander Killigrew for two messuages in St. Erme held of the manor of Killigrew, … at Truro.: Cornwall.” (S) UKNA.

5/26/1545, Meeting at Greenwich. Present: Chancellor, … Letter to Thos. Treffrye and John Kyllygrew to deliver a ship stayed at Falmouth … (S) L&Ps, F&D, V20, Pt1, 1905.

1545, John Kyllygrew paid the Benevolence (tax) in Budock, Cornwall.

By 1547, John, first Captain of Pendennis castle, built by King Henry VIII (d.1547).

1547-53, “Plaintiff: Ralph Cowche. …, constables of Budock, John Killigrew, and others Place Or Subject: Forcible entry into a mill at Budock County: Cornwall.” (S) UKNA.

4/1549, John and others were king’s commissioners of the property of sundry churches in Kerry. (S) Calendar of State papers 1601-1603, P398.

1551 John Killigrew was appointed surveyor of the fortifications being bult there at a cost £3,124 - Killigrew's fee was 691s per year.

7/19/1553, Queen Mary came to power. [Mary assembled a force in East Anglia and deposed Jane, who was ultimately beheaded. ‘Bloody Mary’ had over 280 religious dissenters burned at the stake.]

1553-55, Plaintiffs: Ralph Cowche. Defendants: John Kyllygrew of Arwennack, esquire, Nicholas Rowmow and John Love. Subject: 4 mills in the manor of Penryn, Cornwall. (The court awarded one of the mills to complainant pending a full hearing.) (S) UKNA.

1554, Protestant John Killigrew the elder, forced to make recognisances to faithfully keep Pendennis Castle.

6/28/1556, John and his son John imprisoned at Fleet for 3 weeks by Queen Mary as a Protestant sympathiser.

1556-58, Plaintiffs: Alexander CARVANELL and Mary his wife, executrix and late the wife of Martin Pendrie. Defendants: John Kylligrew. Subject: Book of accounts of the said Pendrie which the said Kylligrew claims as proving his title to a tin-work. Cornwall. (S) UKNA.

7/17/1558, His Majesty's fleet, in which the Archbishop of Toledo, the Regent Figueroa, with himself and many other officers of the household, came, having been detained here eight days waiting for a favourable wind to sail [for] Spain; they have received much hospitality and kindness from all here, especially from John Killigrew, the Governor of the Castle, and his son, for which they feel very grateful, and think it right to apprize their Lordships thereof. (S) Cal. of State Papers, Mary, 1861.

11/17/1558, Queen Elizabeth I succeeded Queen mary as Queen of England.

1558, John restored to royal favor by Queen Elizabeth I.

7/21/1562, Bond by Thomas Behethland, gentleman, to William Carnseyow, esquire, in 100 marks, conditioned for his standing to the award of John Killigrew, esquire, and Thomas Rescrow, gentleman, touching the title to land, &c. in Pon snowy [Cornwall]. (S) Ancient Deeds, V5, 1906, A12998.

1563, Alexander and John Killigrew witnesses to the will of Richard Tresaher of Exeter.

1563, John given wardship of 15-year-old son of Thomas Arundell of Tolverne.

11/26/1567, John of Arwenack, Cornob. died; buried in the parish church of Budock. A brass memorial has this inscription: “Here lyeth John Killigrew, Esquire, of Arwenack, and Lord of ye Manor of Killigrew, in Cornwall ; and Elizabeth Trewinnard, his wife. He was the first captaine of Pendennis Castle, made by King Henry the eight, so continued until the nyath of Queen Elizabeth, at which time God took him to his mercye, being the year of ou Lord 1567. Sir John Killigrew, knight, his sone, succeeded him in ye same place by the gift of Queene Elizabeth.”

(S) Archaeologia, Or, Miscellaneous Tracts Relating to Antiquity, 1817, P99. (S) Bibliotheca Cornubiensis, Boase, 1882. (S) Pendennis and St. Mawes, Oliver, 1875, P10. (S) Journal, Truro Royal Institution of Cornwall, P179 …, 1889.

Family notes:

·         John’s son John was the eventual heir of the Alexander mentioned in the above records.

Children of John and Elizabeth:

i. Sir John Killigrew, born ~1523, in Cornwall, England.

John married Mary Wolverton, d/o Philip.

9/10/1551, from Scilly Isles. John Kyllygrew, junr., to same. Requests more money for payment of the works at Scilly. Begs to know if he is to keep any men at work during winter. (S) Cal. of State Papers, Edward IV, V13, 1856.

6/28/1556, John and his father John imprisoned at Fleet for 3 weeks by Queen Mary as a Protestant sympathiser.

1567-71, John built at Arwennack “a very costly mansion” [near the town of Falmouth which was created by his grandson John Killigrew in 1613.] (S) The Ancient Cornish Drama, Norris, 1859, P487. [Described by Martin Lister-Killigrew (died 1745) as the finest and most costly then in the county, as to this time in part appears by the stately hall window thereof, still standing, and was possessed of one of the largest estates in the county, his lands on those parts extending from Arwenack, to Helford passage, and had the propriety of sixteen parish tythes.]

1569, Sir John Killigrew sent to Germany by the Queen. (S) Cal. of State Papers, Spain, V2, 1894.

1582, Mary is known to have committed piracy of a Spanish ship.

3/5/1584, John died; buried in the parish church of Budock.

Children: [“3 sonnes, viz., John, Thomas, and Symon ; and 2 daughters, Mary and Katherine.”]

·         John Killigrew: succeeded his father as Captain. He married Dorothy Monck. 1588, he was “a notorious pirate”.

·         Aft. 1558, John’s son Thomas ‘slain before Ghent.’ (S) Cal. of State Papers, Elizabeth, V16, 1909.

·         Mary Killigrew: wife of Sir Henry Billingsley.

ii. Peter Killigrew, born ? in Cornwall, England.

Peter the Controller of Customs at Plymouth and Fowey.

1603, Peter died.

iii. Henry Killigrew (29710), born ~1535 in Cornwall, England.

iv. Catherine Killigrew, born ? in Cornwall, England.

Catherine married Robert Trapps of London.

1596, Catherine married 2^nd Henry Billingsley, knt., lord mayor of London.

5/4/1598, Catherine died, buried in St. Catherine church, Coleman St.

v. Sir William Killigrew, born ? in Cornwall, England.

William the Groom of the Privy Chamber to King James I.

1622, William died.