Spencer Thomas Vassall

Profile & Legacies Summary

7^th Apr 1764 - 1807

Biography

Son and co-heir of John Vassall II and father of Spencer Lambert Hunter Vassall.

Born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, 07/04/1764. Married Catherine Brandith Blackhouse nee Evans, daughter of David Evans, rector of West Tilbury, Essex. Soldier from the age of 12 years when he joined the 59th Regiment of Foot as an Ensign. Died 1807 of wounds received at Montevideo. His wife later married Thomas Chetman Strode of Somerset. He has a sub-entry in the ODNB as 'army officer.'

Sources

Lorenzo Sabine, Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution Vol. 3 pp. 383-384; John C. Appleby, ‘Vassall, John (d. 1625)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/28119, accessed 27 June 2017]; John Vassall and his Descendants https://archive.org/stream/johnvassallhisde00cald/johnvassallhisde00cald_djvu.txt [accessed 24/05/2018].

We are grateful to Barry Jolly for his assistance with compiling this entry.

Further Information

Absentee?

British/Irish

Spouse

Catherine Brandith Backhouse Evans

Children

Spencer Lambert Hunter (1799-1843), Frances (1803-1803), Rawdon John Popham, Honora Mary Georgiana, Catherine Alicia Beresford

Will

PROB 11/1465/21 - precis.

Spencer Thomas Vassall, Lieutenant Colonel of the 38th Regiment of Foot now quartered at Fermoy in Ireland.

To my dear wife Catherina Brandith Barkhouse Vassall and to my brother-in-law John Gustavis Lemaistre of Upper Seymour Street and John Leach of Lincolns Inn all my real, freehold and personal estates and property either in Great Britain or Jamaica or elsewhere in trust for the intents and purposes hereinafter expressed.

My trustees shall pay to my wife immediately on my decease, £800 sterling. The interest of all my property to be paid to my wife for the term of her natural life provided she shall remain unmarried and support, maintain and educate such children as I may have at my decease. If my wife shall marry then upon trust that only one half of the said yearly income shall be paid to her during her life and the other half shall be applied by my trustees towards the support, education and maintenance of my children in such manner as my trustees shall think proper.

After the decease of my wife, upon trust my said property, subject to the annuity of £20 for Miss Catherine West of Chichester in Sussex hereinafter mentioned, to the use of my sons Spencer Lambart Hunter Hassall and Rawdon John Pophal Vassall to be equally divided aming them at the ages of 21 years and for my daughters at the age of 21 years (or day of marriage if earlier and with the consent of my trustees). If my wife should die during the minority of my children then the trustees to apply so much of the interest of each child's share as may be necesssary towards the support, maintenance and education of such child and shall invest the remainder in Government or other securities to accumulate.

An annuity of £20 per annum to be paid to Catherine West[?] during her natural life.

To my wife, my plate, china, linen, carriages, horses and furniture.

To John Gustavus Lemaistre and John Leach £50 each as a mark of my esteem.

My wife to be sole guardian of my children. My trustees to be executors.

Signed 05/06/1805.

Proved at London 04/06/1807 [and later].

Occupation

Soldier

Oxford DNB Entry

Visit Oxford Dictionary of National Biography site

Associated Estates (1)

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