John Doolittle and Mary Thatcher

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Husband John Doolittle

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           Born: Abt 1585 - Shenstone, Stone, Worcestershire, England
     Christened: 
           Died: 1640 - Shenstone, Stone, Worcestershire, England
         Buried: 

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         Father: Roger Doolittle (Abt 1555-1593)
         Mother: Ann (      -      )

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       Marriage: 26 Sep 1613 - Stone Parish, Worcestershire, England

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Wife Mary Thatcher

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: After 1640 - Shenstone, Stone, Worcestershire, England
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 F Mary Doolittle

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           Born: 1616 - Shenstone, Stone, Worcestershire, England
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: William Tillett (      -      )

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2 M John Doolittle

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           Born: 
     Christened: 2 May 1619 - Shenstone, Stone, Worcestershire, England
           Died: 1698 - Shenstone, Stone, Worcestershire, England
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Mary (      -1719)

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3 F Ann Doolittle

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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4 M Humphrey Doolittle

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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5 F Elizabeth Doolittle

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: John Bugging (      -      )

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6 M William Doolittle

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           Born: 1629 - Shenstone, Stone, Worcestershire, England
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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General Notes (Husband)

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John was a child when his father died.

Dollittle mentions a scandal in 1601 in which the local vicar was let go by the local bishhop for "hys lewde and wyched offences". He apparently was not well liked by his parish. He failed to keep parish records, those his successor kept them rigorously.

In 1603/4 John, then about 19, was indicted for, with John Partridge and Johh Taylor also of Stone parish, assaulting gentleman Edward Broad of Chaaddesley Corbett and Stone.

His bride, Mary Thatcher, belonged to a large local family.

From April 1621 to October 1622 he served as Constable of teh parish of Stone. He was responsible to keep the peace, take statements from from witnesses and people accused of crimes at or before trial (which is not clear), and keep up the highway.

John was a yeoman, meaning he owned land, and his famly lived quite well. Dollittle includes a drawing of a good sized Tudor "yeoman's house" in Shenstone that dates to the 16th century and that she thinks was likely John Doolittle's.

His inventory lists his property and gives some idea to his affairs.

His house had a hall (large main room), a parlor (the main bedroom), a kitchen, cellar, and three rooms upstairs. (The house in Dollittle's drawing is about three times this size.) The upstairs rooms each contained a bed, and a large quantity of stored goods. The chamber over the parlor contained in addition to a bedstead with furnishings, two pieces of woollen cloth, ten strikes of rye (320 gallons), one strike of malt, sawn timber, six hundred weight of cheese, forty strikes of apples, three strikes of oatmeal and groats together with John's wearing apparel. Dollittle notes that this must have smelled to high heaven and attracted numerous rats and mice.

The rooms in John's house had more furniture and possessions than the rooms in his father's house. He owned a fowling piece that hung over the fireplace, and implements to cook fowl.

John also owned a small farm four miles south at Cuttenhall in Elmley Lovett parish. This farm was used primarily as a dairy, though the seven cows were at the main farm in Stenstone. There were tubs, churns, milkpans and cheese vats, and cheese and butter. The farmhouse had simple household effects and was occupied, we aren't told by who.

In addition to the two properties, John paid a death duty of a yoike of oxen to the Lord of the Manor. He may have held some of his land by copyhold.

His will specified that his children were to receive his estate "in such proporcheon & manner & at such time as shalbe thought fit & convenient by his Exectutrix (his wife) and the Overseers" who "should consider the carrage & behavior of his said children & accordinge to their demeanor".

John was 51 when he did, and his children ranged in age from 24 to 11.

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