Anthony CROSBY [Parents] [scrapbook] was born 1 about 1545 in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. He died 2 in PROB 7 MAR 1599 in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. He was buried 3 in 1599 in Churchyard, Wheldrake, Yorkshire, England. Anthony married 4 Alison 5, 6 about 1570 in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
Anthony's will was probated on 7 Mar 1599.
ANTHONY CROSBY, born about 1545, in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor; married, about 1570, Alison _____, parentage unknown. Children:i. Ellen Crosby, b. about 1571; m., about 1586, George Westobie of Weldrake, County York. His widow, Ellen (Crosby) Westobie, is made administratrix of his estate (Administration Act Books, Hartwell Deanery. P. and E., Court of York). The will of the father (Anthony4 Crosby) names the five children of Ellen and George Westobie as "my grandciuldren."
ii. THOMAS Crosby, b. in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor about 1575.
Anthony Crosby died in 1599. See will.
Anthony Crosby (son of Thomas, son of Miles, son of John), when a youth, removed with his mother from Bursea in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor into the adjoining township or manor of Gribthorpe in the parish of Bubwith, where she secured the lease of a farm, and she also had a lease of Whyn Close in the adjoining manor of Harlthorpe. By her will in 1568, her son Miles Crosby succeeded to the Gribthorpe farm, and Anthony was bequeathed an interest in Whyn Close in Harlthorpe, where he probably settled. On 7 Apr, 1580 as "Anthony Crosbye" he was a witness to the will of Robert Riche, the elder, of Lathorne in Angleton (a parish adjoining Harlthorpe on the north); and as "Anthony Crossebye" he appears as a witness to the will of Robarte Essingwood of Harethorpe, dated 24 Jan. 1590/1. (P. and E. York Wills, vol. 21, fol. 446, and vol. 24, fol. 547.)
Anthony Crosby was a yeoman, and evidently a man of energy and thrift, as he acquired means to become a landowner, purchasing by fine in 1592 a commodious hundred acre farm in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, as appears by the following document:
Final concord made in the Queens Court at Hartford Castle on the morrow of All Saints, 34 Elizabeth (2 Nov. 1592) between Anthony Crosby, plaintiff, and Thomas Lambert and his wife Jane, Francis Lambert, Philip Lambert, John Lambert, and George Lambert, deforciants, of one messuage, one toft (ruined building), one garden, sixty acres of arable land, thirty acres of meadow, ten acres of pasture, and commons rights in pasture for all beasts, with all appurtenances, in Holme in Spaldyngmore, of which by plea of covenant the said Thomas, Jane, Francis, Philip, John, and George recognize the aforesaid premises to be the right of said Anthony, and they remise, quit claim, and warrant for themselves and their heirs to the said Anthony and his heirs against themselves and their heirs forever. For which acknowledgement, quit claim, warranty, etc., the said Anthony gave the said Thomas, Jane, Francis, Philip, John,, and George, £40 sterling. (Feet of Fines, Yorkshire, Michaelmas Term, part 1, 34 and 35 Elizabeth (1592).
As the above document gives no names or bounds of the premises conveyed, their exact location has not been determined. The Lambert grantors were sons of Richard Lambert of Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, who died in 1573. The £40 consideration named was nominal, and does not represent the actual full price paid for the property.
Besides the above-mentioned farm in Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, Anthony Crosby also acquired a close called Leonard Scayles Close in Wheldrake (a parish about eight miles northwest of Holme), in which parish he was residing at the time of his death, in 1599. His will mentions a manservant and a maid-servant, so he evidently was a farmer in prosperous and comfortable circumstances. Born at the very end of the reign of Henry Vlll., his life was passed during the reigns of Edward VI. (1547-53), Mary (1553-58), and Elizabeth (1558-1603). The latter reign, under the stimulating influence of freedom from Rome and the establishment of the Reformation, became an era of sudden and remarkable advancement for England. The destruction of the Spanish Armada in 1588 first made England the mistress of the seas, and, followed by reverses to the Spanish arms on the Continent, established the country as a world power and started her greatness as a mercantile nation and world-wide colonizer. Besides this great advance in political and commercial supremacy, and in the intelligence, enterprise, wealth, and culture of the population, the period is also famed as the golden age of English literature, made illustrious by Shakespeare, Bacon. Spenser, Jonson, Raleigh, and Sidney. The country being freed from the thraldom of Rome, the cheapening of printing and increasing circulation of the Bible among the people gave rise to religious agitations and dissensions among the Protestants, resulting in the Puritan movement, which led a generation later to the settlement of New England, in which Anthony Crosby's son Thomas, grandson Simon, and great-grandson Anthony participated, thus transferring the family to the New World.
Shortly before his decease, in 1599, Anthony Crosby made a will, the original document itself being still preserved in the Probate Registry at York, of which a complete copy is appended:
In dei noie Amenn, I Anthonye Crosbye of Wheldrake in the dyocesse of Yorke, sicke of bodye yet of sound and pfecte memorye and understandinge, the almightye god be therefore praysed, doe make my last wyll and testament in maner as followeth. Firstly I commend my soule unto the handes of almightye god who by his sonne Jesus Christ hatth created and redeemed me, and my bodye to be buryed in the Church or Churchyard of Wheldrake, as myne executors shall directe. Nextlye I geve and bequeathe unto Thomas Crosbye my sonne all and singular my landes whatsoever lyinge and being in Holme in Spaldingmore and in the libcrtyes thereof, to him and his heyres for ever. Also I geve unto the said Thomas my sonne j yoke of my best Oxen which he wyll chuse and my base wayne with yoakes and teames to serve four oxen. Also I give to Alysonn Crosbye my wife my dose in Wheldrake called Leonard Scayles close for ev; also I give to the said Alysonn my wife two of my best kyne. Also I give to the said Thomas Crosbye my sonne my yonge blacke mayre, my bridle, and my sadle. Also I give to Luke Westobye, Willm Westobye, John Westobye, Thomas Westobye, and Richard Westobye, children of George Westobye of Wheldrake, Tenn pounds to be in equall ptes devided among them whenn they comme to the full age of one and twentye yeares, or to be bound apprentices to some good trade or occupaconn, so that myne executors maye thenn be lawfullye dischardged and acquitted thereof. Also I geve to Richard Jacksonn my servnte twentye pence so y he be diligent and trustie to his service this yeare followinge, otherwise to succease. Also I give to Isabell Stevensnnn my mayd servnte twentie pence. Also I give to poore people of Wheldrake tec shillinges to be distributed amonge them, after the discretionn of Georg Howsemann there curate and Robte Wynterburne. The reste of my goodes and cattells unbequeathed I give to Alysonn Crosbye my wife and Thomas Crosbye my sonne, they dischardging my debtes and funerall expences, whome I make executors of this my laste [torn] and testamente.
Witnesses hereof and at the sealing, John Blansherd, Robte. Winterburne, Richard Butler, George Howseman. Prob. 7 March 1599-1600 by the executors. (Copied from Original Will in Prerogative and Exchequer Court of York; also registered in voL 28, fol. 65.)
Anthony Crosby married, about 1570, Alison _____. Her parentage has not been determined, but perhaps she was a Blanchard of Bubwith. A John Blansherd was a witness to the will of Anthony Crosby in 1599. The will of John Blancharde of Bubwith, dated 20 Oct. 1571, mentions a wife but no children, gave small bequests to nearly a score of persons, and left all residue to "Thomas Blancherde and his brother John Blancherde, Elizabeth Blancherde, Janet Blancherde. Willm Howdell, Alison Crosbie, Robt. Thorpe, Agnes Thorpe, Alexander Elerthorpe, and Janet Elerthorpe"; no relationships are stated, but it is likely these residuary legatees were nephews and nieces of the testator. (P. and E. York Wills, vol. 19, fol. 450.)
As the early registers of Bubwith and Wheldrake are lost, the records of baptisms of the children of Anthony and Alison Crosby are not to be found; and his will reveals but two.
Anthony Crosby was the father of Thomas Crosby, and grandfather of Simon Crosby, who came to New England, both of whom were in Cambridge, Mass., prior to 1640.
