LOCKE

(1) John Locke, Sheriff of London in 1461, was probably descended from Thomas Locke of Merton Abbey, Surrey, England, said to be living in the Rectory of Merton Abbey about 1291. John's monument stood in the church of St. Mary, Bow, London. Father of:

(2) Thomas Locke, died 1507 in London, buried at St. Thomas of Acres, was a merchant. He married Joan Wilcock, born in Rotheram, Yorkshire, died 1512.
Children:

  1. William
  2. John, buried at Mercer's Chapel, London, 1519
  3. Thomas, minister at Merton in 1552; married Mary Long, daughter of Simon Long.
(3) Sir William Locke, Knight and Alderman, Sheriff of London in 1548, died 1550, buried at Merton, Surrey. He married first, Alice Spence of London, died 1522, buried at Mercers's Chapel, London. They had nine children. Sir William married second Katherine Cook, daughter of Sir Thomas Cook of Wiltshire, Knight. She died 14 October 1537, buried at Merton.
        When Henry VIII had Parliament pass two acts in 1534 that simultaneously declared that the Pope had no authority in England, and that Henry was the head of the Church of England, Pope Clement VII reacted by issuing a bull (proclamation) that a curse be upon Henry VIII and the whole country. The bull was posted at Dunkirk, France, and William Locke succeeded in the dangerous mission of pulling it down. For his exploits, the King granted him a freehold of 100 pounds per year, dubbed him a Knight, and made him one of the gentlemen of his privy chamber.
        Among the ten children of Sir William and Katherine was:

(4) Michael Locke, a merchant of London, married Jane, daughter of William Wilkinson, a mercer and Sheriff of London. Among their 5 children was:

(5) Matthew Locke; married Eleasar who died 30 March 1605. Among their 2 children was:

(6) Christopher Locke, lived at Pilrow, near Loxton. He had seven children:

  1. Sarah, born 1587; married Nicholas Davies, born 1595, and came to boston, Massachusetts, in 1635 on the ship Planter. They first lived at Woburn, Massachusetts.
  2. Christopher, born 25 March 1593 at Pilrow
  3. John Locke, baptized 1 August 1595; became Church Warden, Parish of Mark, then Captain of the Foot Guard in the civil wars of Charles I. He married --- Bernard. Children:
    1. child, died in infancy
    2. John Locke, born 29 August 1632, died 28 October 1704 at Oates, Surrey, England. He is the historically famous "John Locke the Philosopher" upon whose idea that political sovereignty is based on the consent of the governed was grounded the Constitution of the United States.
  4. daughter; married Jerome king. Mother of Peter King, born 1659, who became Lord High Chancellor of England.
  5. Honour, baptized 21 August 1597; married Francis Shepard, of Mark
  6. Christian, baptized 3 July 1601
  7. Lewis, baptized 13 July 1606, buried Taunton, St. Mary Magdalen on 27 March 1692. He had four wives and thirty-five children.
  8. William
(7) William Locke, a mariner of Stepney Parish, London,who died at sea. He married Elizabeth, died 27 June 1631, Stepney Parish, London. Parents of:

(8) William Locke, born 13 December 1628. He emigrated to America with his aunt Sarah and her husband Nicholas Davies in 1635. He lived at Charlestown and Woburn, Massachusetts. He died 16 January 1720 in Woburn. On 27 December 1655 in Watertown, Massachusetts, he married Mary Clarke, born 10 December 1640 in Watertown, Massachusetts, died 18 July 1715 in Woburn, Massachusetts. Mary was the daughter of William Clarke, born about 1608 in England, died 15 March 1682 in Woburn, Massachusetts, a weaver, and of his his wife Margaret, born about 1614 in England, died 11 October 1694, who accompanied her husband to America in 1635. Parents of:

(9) John Locke, born 1 August 1661, died April 1756, a weaver who held many offices in Lancaster, Massachusetts. He married on 31 May 1683 in Woburn, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Plympton, born 23 December 1658, died 23 February 1720. Parents of:

  1. Abigail, born Massachusetts, died 10 April 1729, Hebron, Connecticut; married 19 February 1713 in Reading, Massachusetts, Thomas Carter, born 13 June 1686, Woburn, Massachusetts, died 18 March 1772, Warren, Connecticut.
Return to the Main Genealogy Page