The Culpeper Family of Sussex

He testified in his will that he was born in Salehurst, but the loss of the parish register prior to 1585 leaves the date to a deduction from his age at death. He was educated at the inns of chancery and was admitted to Grays Inn, November 25, 1594, as 'Alexander Culpeper of Wigsell, Sussex, gent., late of Staple Inn.' This would be when he was twenty-four. His next appearance on the surviving record is 1603, when at his marriage he was described as 'of Harrietsham, arm,’ (indicating that he had established himself in the neighbourhood of the family of his uncle, Francis Culpeper of Greenway Court, of which hereafter); but is identified by the will of Thomas of Wigsell (1609) as 'my brother Alexander Culpeper' On his marriage he went to live in his wife's St. Leger dower house and thereafter is described as 'of Ulcombe' whenever he appears in documents (e.g., in the allegation for the mar. lic., 1636, of the youngest dau. of Thornas of Wigsell, noted post); but after his wife's death in 1636 he removed to Greenway Court, and so in his will described himself as 'of Greenway Court.' He was knighted by James I, November 19, 1621 (Nichols, iii, 732), as 'of Kent.'
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The fullest record of him is in the dark days of the Troubles, which overtook him in the decrepitude of age. He then gave a loyal support to the Crown, with the result that his estate was sequestered. At a hearing held after his death, at which his executors claimed the privilege of compounding for his estate (Cal. Committee for Compounding, 1643-60, pt. ii, P. 1058), it was stated that he was 'never any house keeper,' that he had been 'drawn down to Oxford and Bristol' in March, 1643, but 'never bore arms,' being 'sick of a dead palsy,' and that he died at Bridgewater with the King's army, in August, 1645, aged 75. A fine of 550 pounds sterling was assessed and paid. He left an elaborate will, which, in its provisions for all his nephews and nieces and their children, as well as others of the connection, is the key to the tangled genealogy of the next generation of the Culpepers. That will, evidently drawn at Oxford, and probably by his nephew Thomas of the Middle Temple. [may be found in the Archives Section of Culpepper Connections] - Fairfax Harrison