Kent County, England

This is a coastal region in southeast England, which now borders Greater London. The county has an ancient and fascinating history, dating back to the Roman Empire and the Viking era, among others. All Hallows Barking, or All Hallows-by-the-Tower, was established in the year 675 and contains recycled Roman tiles. It was built on the site of a former Roman building and is one of the oldest churches in present day London. The St. Alphege Parish Church was built during the Medieval period, in the 13th century. So, even when our Lanier ancestors attended services here, these churches were already hundreds of years old.

Nicholas Lanier (1542-1611)

French Huguenot and great, great grandfather of Sarah Lanier Brewer
Born - abt 1542 in Rouen, France

Married - abt 1565 in All Hallows Barking Parish, England to Lucreece Bassano, of Italian ancestry

Died  - 31 Jan 1610/1611 in East Greenwich, Kent County, England

Written 28 Jan 1611/1612

Proved Jul 1612

Wife - Lucreese

Children listed - John, Alphonse, Innocent, Jerome, Clement, Andrea, four daughters

Property mentioned - land, goods, money

"To Lucreece my wife, all my lands, and goods; to sons John, Alphonse, Innocent, Jerome, Clement, 12 shillings; to Andrea 20 pounds if he does not have my place; my four daughters, three of whom are unmarried, I leave to the discretion of my wife Lucreece, my sole executrix."
Source - "Lanier" by Louise Ingersoll, page 3 (Rochester XIX, folio 514)



John Drake

John was a brother of the wife of Thomas Brewer. Thomas was an early settler of Jamestown and the father of John Brewer I, another Jamestown area resident. Therefore, John Drake was John Brewer's uncle.

Written 2 Jul 1623, Proved 23 Jul 1623
Source - Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight, page 406 ➚

Wife - not mentioned
Children listed - John, Anne, Sarah and Richard
Brother - Roger Drake and his wife Margaret
Great neices/nephews - John Brewer, Marie Brewer, and Margaret Brewer (children of John Brewer I and Mary)
Maidservant - Catherine
Property - standing salt of silver, money, unspecified other possessions

I, John Drake, citizen and clothworker of London, do wish to be buried in the Parish Church of St. Peter in Westcheapeals, Cheapside, London.

I bequeath to Margaret Drake, wife of my brother Roger Drake, citizen and clothmaker of London, one standing salt of silver;

to John Brewer, the son of John Brewer, citizen and grocer of London and of Mary his wife, the sum of 40 £;

to Marie, daughter of John Brewer and Mary his wife, the like sum;

to Margaret, daughter of the same John and Mary the sum of 3/6/8;

to Catherine my maid servant;

the residue after payments of debts to be divided into 4 equal parts and one part given to my son John Drake; another to daughter Anne Drake; another to daughter Sarah Drake and another to son Richard Drake.

I make my brother Roger Drake my sole and only executor. July 2nd, 1623.

Clement Lanier (1580's-1661)

Great grandfather of Sarah Lanier Brewer
Born - 1580s in Greenwich, Kent County, England
Married - Mar 1627/1628 to Hannah Collett
Died - 6 Nov 1661 in East Greenwich, St Alphege Parish, Kent County, England

Written 2 Feb 1658

Proved 3 Dec 1661

Registered 20 May 1662

Transcription ➚

No wife named

Children listed - Hannah, Nicholas, Elizabeth, Susann, John, Robert, Lionell, William, and Frances

Property mentioned - money, household goods, personal items, house, yard, garden, and stable

Summary of content:

Hannah (daughter) - his household items, personal belongings, house, backyard, garden, and stable in East Greenwich, to be sold to raise 40 pounds for her to keep

Nicholas (son) - 5 pounds if he comes in person and demands it

Elizabeth (daughter) - 10 pounds, to be paid her at age 21

Susann (daughter) - 10 pounds, to be paid her at age 21

John (son) - 5 pounds if he comes in person and demands it

Robert (son) - 5 pounds if he comes in person and demands it

Lionell (son) - 5 pounds if he serves out the remainder of his apprentice period to his master, M E Thomas Mabb, until he is free. Otherwise he gets only 12 pence.

William (son) - 5 pounds

Frances (daughter) - 10 pounds

If any of them die unmarried before reaching the age of 21, their portion is to be divided among the remaining daughters only.

If sale of the property does not raise enough money, the resulting funds are to be divided proportionately.

Clement's friends Lanncelott Symmonds, Esquire, and Thomas Candland, Gentleman, are appointed overseers of the will and are to assist Hannah in selling the lands and goods. If any of the children argue about their portions, these two men are supposed to resolve the issue without involving the courts.

Hannah is appointed the sole executor.

The witnesses were Lan Symonds, Ann Dixon and William Pill.