The Culpeper Family of Sussex

Second surviving son of his generation, he makes his first appearance on the existing record as 'my brother John Colepipir's son, my godson,' in the 1581 will of his maternal uncle, John Sidley of Southfleet (P.C.C. Darcy, 31; Waters' Gleanings, ii, 969). In October, 1587, or soon after the death of his brother William, when, according to the later testimony of his tombstone, he would be 17 years of age, he was entered at the Middle Temple under the description 'late of New Inn, gent... second son of John Colepeper of Wigsell, Sussex, esq.' (Hopwood, i, 293). Unlike his eldest brother, whose record so far runs parallel, he had entered upon a professional career. Duly called to the bar, by 1595 he was having his youthful kinsmen 'bound' with him, and in 1599 is listed as a Bencher. Frequenting the household of his uncle Francis at Greenway Court, he there met and married his first wife, and after Francis' death established her at Greenway Court (then the property of his younger brother Alexander), as appears from the baptism of one of his children in Harrietsham; but later he occupied a house in Salehurst, as appears from his elder brother's inq. p.m. already cited.
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That his law practice was profitable, despite his reputation, recorded on his MI., for composing more litigation that he fomented, appears from his ability to subscribe to the Virginia Company under the charter of 1609; and a year later, under the third charter, to make one of the largest individual subscriptions (£37, 10s. 6d.) to the 'supply' which saved the colony at Jamestown from death by inanition (Brown, Genesis, 218, 407, 546).
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Having been designated, by the will of his uncle Martin, the contingent remainderman of Astwood in Feckenham, he removed his family to Astwood after the inheritance had become certain by the death without issue of his cousin Sir Stephen12; and there buried his first wife in June, 1612. This occupancy was by arrangement with Dr. Martin Culpeper's widow, who had a life estate but had meanwhile re-married and removed her residence elsewhere. In 1616 he bought out that aunt's interest, and then gave over his law practice to become a country gentleman. Being now 'of Feckenham,' he became a diligent presiding magistrate at quarter sessions; being included, a generation ahead of Sir Roger de Coverley, of the quorum in the Worcestershire commission from 1618-1628; again, like Sir Roger, in 1624 he served the office of Sheriff of that county 'with music before me, a feather in my hat and my horse well bitted' (Bund, Cal. Quarter Sessions Papers, Worcestershire, 1591-1643, 1900; Sheriff Lists in Fuller's Worthies).
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But when he was nearly seventy years of age, for what reason does not appear, he sold Astwood to one Thomas Rich, and returned to Greenway Court to die. There, on December 14, 1635, he made his will and on December 18th following, as the parish register testifies, 'Mr. John Culpeper, Armiger,' was buried in the chancel of Hollingbourne church. His will was as follows:
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P.C.C. Pile, 4
Will dated December 14, 1635
Proved January 23, 1635/6.
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John Culpeper of Greenway Court, Kent, esq. To he bur. in the Chancel of the Church of Hollingbourne where Sir Thomas Culpepper shall think fit. To my wife Ann C. bed in the wainscoat chamber, all debts owing to her as Admix. of her former husband, except the debt owing by the Lord Lambert and Lady Lambert; which I bequeath to my son Thomas C., hereby confirming his actions for compounding sd. debt. To my son John C., £30 Rent charge payable by Sir John [afterwards first lord] Culpeper during my son John's life. To my daur, Sicely C., £300 & £20 [annuity]. To James Medlicote my son in law and Frances Medlicote my daur, 20s. each. My [eldest] son Thomas C. to be exer., and to him my personal estate. Witnesses: Tho. Culpeper [i. e., Sir Thomas of Hollingbourne], Alexander Culpeper [i. e., Sir Alexander of Greenway Court], John Culpeper [i. e., Sir John, soon to be first Lord], William Cragge [i. e., the vicar of Hollingbourne]. Prov. by Thomas C., son & exer.
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His brother Sir Alexander subsequently erected to his memory in the Culpeper Chapel of Hollingbourne church the following MI., which, it will be observed, contains several misstatements of fact, viz:
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"Joh(ann)es Culpeper de Fakenharn in Com(itatu) Wigorn(ense) Ar(miger), filius secundus Johannis de Wigsell, vicesimo Decembris Anno D(omi)ni 1635, Aetatis 70. Corpus in cancello adjacente sepultum humo animam Creatori reddidit. Optimus vir et Cives, Juris admodum peritus, unde tantum, hoc pium sibi lucrum fecerit ut amicis jurisconsulti pacifici proximis officiurn praestaret.
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"Uxorem duxit Ursulam Thomae Woodcock, Aldermanni Londinensis et Praetoris electi, filiam, per quam liberos quatuor Thomam, Cecil, Johannem, et Franciscum, paternae pietatis haeredes reliquit."
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Source: Fairfax Harrison, "The Proprietors of the Northern Neck"