History - A Brief History of Satterlee-ley-ly and Allied Families in England

Transcribed from "Satterlee-ley-ly and Allied Families," Goldie Satterlee Moffatt and John L. Satterlee, 1970 (Vol. I); last page updated by Goldie in 1984.

(The following pages, with family charts were sent to Goldie Satterlee Moffatt on January 3, 1967 by Miss Katherine W. Satterlee of NY.  Grateful acknowledgement is made to Katie Jaques for providing the transcript of the pages in electronic form).

 

SATTERLEE

Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and Natural History, Vol. 8, page 197, states:

"SOTTERLY--This most ancient family was seated at Sotterley in Waughford Hundred. They were Lords of Sotterly, Stoke & Harthe in 1312 for which they were to find a horse for the King's Service for 40 days. Edmund Sotterly was Knight of the Shire in 1331 through 1333, but after 1466 we find no mention of them.

"They bore for arms: Gules a fess ermine vert, three round buckles or the points upwards."

 

SOTTERLEY OF SOTTERLEY

Sotterly in the Hundred of Waughford is, undoubtedly, the southern lea or pasture land of Saxon times so-called in relation to some more important locality probably Beccles, from which it is distant about 6 miles. In Domesday Book it is written as "Soterlega" and was then a part of the estate of Hugh Abrincis, Earl of Chester.

"Soterlega Mundret holds it now (1070) and Burchard held it in the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042-66); 1-1/2 carucates (a measure of land used for assessment purposes in early England = 180 acres) of land as a manor (estate administered as a unit); then 3 Borders (tenants who hold a cottage and a few acres of land), now 16; and 2 serfs; then 2 ploughs on the demesne (an estate of which the owner is in possession), now 3 and 3 oxen; woodland for 100 swine; 4 acres of meadow; then, as now, 1 rouncy (riding horse); 14 cows; 31 swine, 120 sheep, 30 goats, then as now; worth 53 shillings 4 pence rent."

Suckling in his History and Antiquities of the County of Suffolk says the Manor of Sotterley was one league (3 miles) in length and 9 furlongs (1-1/2 miles) in breadth.

Early in the reign of Henry III (1216-1240) Philip Bocland, Lord of Shaddingfield, obtained a license of free warren (a privilege which one has in lands by royal grant of hunting and taking wild beasts and birds of warren to the exclusion of any other person not entering by permission) in Sotterley with liberty of holding a market and a fair annually. A younger son of his took the name of the manor as a surname.

Sir Edmund de Soterley of Soterley, Knight, was High Sheriff of Suffolk 12 Sept 1233. Respite for a fine from making himself a Knight for 3 years from Michaelmas, 26 March 1256. His son and heir was:

Sir Roger de Soterley of Soterley, Knt., witness to a deed on charter from Sir Nicholas de Cryol, Knt, to Guy Ferrers of his Manor of Benhale, County Suffolk in 1289, confirmed 13 June 1294. Sir Roger de Soterley and Sir John de Bellemonte were appointed Commissioners of Array to assess and levy the King's Tenth on all personal property in the County of Suffolk 12 Nov 1294. Sir Roger de Soterley, Alan de Goldyngham and Hugh de Muryant appointed to same post 4 Nov 1301 and 9 Feb. 1302. Sir Roger also held the Manors of Argyle, Stoke and Worrall in the County of Chester by the same tenure as he held Sotterley; viz., to furnish a horse fully equipped for the Welsh War. He left 2 sons at his death in 1322.

1. Sir Edmund (see below).

2. John was sued by Thomas Charles for entering his free warren at Tretenham and Little Hanby, County Norfolk and taking away his fish, rabbits and hares, 10 Dec 1301. He was on the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327 and paid 11s 1d tax.

Sir Edmund de Soterley of Soterley, Knt. Pardon granted to Edmund de Soterley for acquiring in fee without license from Sir Roger de Soterley, Knt., 2 tofts (site for a dwelling house) and 5 carucates of land in Stoke and Harthe in Worrall, Co. Suffolk, held in chief with restitution of the same 2 Dec. 1311. Edmund de Soterley, Lord of the Villa of Soterley, was on Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327 and paid 6s 7d tax. Commission of Oyer and Terminer [from French, oyer et terminer, to hear and determine -- a commission authorizing a judge to hear a criminal case in special circumstances - Black's Law Dictionary -- kmj} on 4 Feb. 1328 to Robert Banyard, John Claver, Thomas de Reppes and Thomas de Birston on complaint of John de Howeworth that Edmund de Soterley, Reginald de Welyngton, Thomas Guage, Wm. De Dellyrige, and Clarice, his wife, and Peter le Bone, Robert, son of John Le Fleur the elder, Maretia Parat, Wm. Parat and others assaulted him at Howeworth, Norfolk. By fine of one mark because he is so poor. On 1 Aug 1332, Commission of Oyer and Terminer issued to Roger de Kordeston, Tomas Bacoun and Thomas Reppes on complaint of Katherine, the late wife of Roger Fitz Auburn, that Edmund de Soterley, Knt., Edmund his son, Roger le Ros of Soterley and John Elliot, of Soterley, did, at Soterley, brake in pieces a cart of his worth 20 shillings, killed 3 horses which were in it. Carried away his goods and assaulted his servants; by a fine of one mark. In the Red Book of Fees, the Exchequer on the County of Chester there are 82 fees in the County of Chester according to the Inquisition made by Alan le Zouche when Justice. Among others; Edmund de Soterley, 1 fee 18 March 1338. Sir Edmund was a Knight of the Shire, 4-5-6 of Edward III (1331-1333). His wife Joan had two sons:

Sir Roger, 1344, no issue

Edmund, see below.

Sir Edmund de Soterley the Younger, Knt., license for 60 shillings paid to the King by the Master of the Hospital for Lepers, St. Mary Magdalen, Beccles, Suffolk for the alienation in Mortmain by Richard Walkfare, "Chevalier" Ralph de Hemenhale, "Chevalier" Thomas Savage, "Chevalier" John de Ulverton, "Chevalier" Edmund de Soterley and Alexander de Bouresgard. Parson of the church of Barsham to him and the brethren and sisters of the Hospital of 20 shillings of rent, issuing out of the Manors of Barsham and Herst 6 Feb 1362; Wife's name Margaret. He died in 1380. When the sheriff made return that Edmund de Soterley held, at the time of his death, jointly with Margaret, his wife, the Manor of Soterley with the advowson (right of presenting a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice [fief], rectory or vicarage, of the Church), and that Roger de Soterley was his son and heir. Margaret died in 1384, for in that year the Sheriff returned that Margaret, widow of Edmund de Soterley, Knt., held at the time of her death the Manor and advowson of the King as of the County of Chester by the service of one Knight's fee.

Their son and heir: Roger de Soterley held these estates by the same tenure and purchased of Sir Ralph Bigod, Knt., 11s 6d per annum rent, with the rent of 1,500 herrings in Gislingham and Soterle. He had two sons:

1. Walter, see below.

2. Edward, who was father of John de Soterle who claimed one messuage and 30 acres in Soterly in 1434; but was clearly an usurpation as it was the younger branch. In the Court Books will be found this entry, 1434: "Johannes de Soterle aravit quandam divisionem inter ter et ad prejudicium Dui." In 1459 we find his only child is Katherine, wife of John Lisk of Baddingham.

Sir Walter de Soterley, Knt., died in 1410, leaving two sons, both minors. "Commission in Oyer and Terminer to John Lancastre, William Waller and James Andrew to inquire into the report that divers wastes have been committed in the Manor of Sotterly in the County, Suffolk which was taken into the custody of Henry IV, by the death of Walter de Soterle, tenant in chief, and by reason of the minority of Edmond de Soterle, heir and son and is in the King's hand yet by reason of the minority of Thomas, brother and heir of Edmund, 5 July 1416. Thus he had sons:

Edmund died unmarried.

Thomas, see below.

Thomas Sotterley of Sotterley whose wife's name was Elizabeth, probably sister of Robert Baynard. In 1451 Sir Miles Stapleton, Edmund Clare of Castre, Esq., and Robert Baynard were feoffees of the Manor of Rollesby Co., Norfolk for Thomas Sotterley of Sotterley in Suffolk, Esq., which he had devised to Elizabeth, his wife, and heirs, she dying before him (c. 1450), he now orders it to be sold and the money to be disposed of for the soul of the said Elizabeth, but Robert Baynard, was to have the refusal of the purchase. Robert Baynard was undoubtedly his wife's brother as the Baynards had at one time owned Rollesby in Norfolk. Thomas Sotterley fought on the side of the Lancastrians and died in 1466, leaving:

1. Thomas, see below.

2. Elizabeth married Sir Thomas Playter, to whom Sotterley was sold in 1469 by order of Edward IV, as Sir Thomas Playter had fought on the side of the Yorkists.

Sir Thomas Sotterley of Sotterley, Knt., last Lord of the Manor, fought on the side of Henry IV but after the disastrous battle of Tewkesbury in 1471 and the death of Henry IV, in 1472 he was compelled to alienate Sotterley to his brother-in-law, Sir Thomas Playter to whom Sotterley had already been granted in 1469 by Edward IV. He removed to Norwich, Norfolk, and married Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Thomas Bedingfield of Oxburgh, Co. Norfolk. Both he and his wife died in 1477 and were buried in the Church of the Austin Friars at Norwich. Their monumental brasses are still to be seen there. Sir Thomas had issue:

John of Chellesworth, County of Suffolk, who died unmarried in 1518.

William (see below)

William Satterley (name as now spelled for the first time) succeeded to the property o f his brother John at Chellesworth but died later the same year, 1518, leaving a son and heir…

XI Nicholas Satterley of Chellesworth who died in 1558; his son

XII. Solomon Satterley of Chellesworth sold his interest in the estate and removed to London. He died while on a visit to a town in Cheshire in 1599, and left 2 sons:

1. Julian (see below)

2. Jasper, also called Gaspar, who went to Devon with his elder brother Julian and settled at Payhembury where he died in 1629. Will filed at Exeter.

Julian Satterley came to Devon after his father's death in 1599, settling at Lustleigh, near Exeter, where he died in 1628.

Nicholas Satterley settled at Silferton, where he died in 1644. Had 3 children:

1. WilliamI, see below.

2. Thomas, who settled at Sherbrook where he died in 1652; had Thomas, Jr., who married 5 May 1656, Thomazone Macy.

3. Petronilla married, 17 Dec 1628, Alexander Risdon.

WilliamI Satterley was born at Silferton near Exeter in Co. Devon in 1610. He matriculated at Pembroke College, Oxford, on 6 Feb 1629, age 19. Married #1 wife, Elizabeth (?), between 1629-1630. His one son by her was WilliamII Satterley or Satterly, who was born in 1632. WilliamI Satterley received his B.A. 1633 and his M.A. 1635. In 1640 he was appointed Vicar of St. Ida's Church in Ide, Devon. He was arrested by Cromwell and imprisoned for his fealty to Charles I, but was released at the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. During the time of his banishment he had married wife #2 in 1645 at Ide in Devon; her name was also Elizabeth (no mention of her last name was given in the records). He had at least 5 sons by #2 wife, and perhaps some daughters:

Immigrant generation:

A-1 WILLIAMII SATTERLY - b. 1632; after becoming a clergyman of the Established Church of England, he came to America, before 1655; in that year he was the proprietor of Setauket, in Brookhaven Town, Suffolk Count, L.I., New York. He married Mary [Jenner] of Stamford or Stratford, Fairfield Co., Conn. It was he who drowned in Long Island Sound in 1677-78, with John Moger and Samuel Dayton.

A-2 Richard Satterley, b. 1647; matriculated Wadham College, Oxford, 18 March 1665, age 18, and stayed in England, where he had a family.

A-3 Nicholas Satterlee, b. 1649; came to Westerly, RI 1669. Married Mary (?) and had 3 children. See Vol. III.

A-4 WilliamIII Satterley-ly, b. 1651; came to America c. 1675.

A-5 Giles Satterley, b. 1655, matriculated Exeter College, Oxford 1 Mar 1671, age 16. BA St. Mary's Hall, 8 Mar. 1675. He was Vicar of Cornworthy, in Devon, England, 1682.

.

A-6 Benedict, b. 1657, see below.

XVII. Benedict Satterley was born at Ide in Devon, 1657. He was captain of a ship trading between England and the new colonies. While his ship was at New London, Conn., he became deeply attached to Mrs. Rebecca Dymond, the young widow of Capt. John Dymond and daughter of John Bemis. He resigned the command of his ship, married Mrs. Dymond and settled down at New London. The following is the marriage record of Captain Satterley as is given in Caulkin's History of New London, Conn., p. 283:

"Benedict Shatterley, son of William Shatterley of Devonshire Old England near Exeter, was marryed unto Rebecca, the widow of John Dymond, August 2, 1682."

James Bemas, Constable of New London died in 1665 and his wife, a sister of Joseph Coit, married secondly in 1673 Edward Griswold of Killingsworth. Two daughters of the Widow Bemas were baptized in 1671, viz., Rebecca and Mary. Rebecca married first on 3 Apr 1672 Tobias Minter, an Emigrant from Newfoundland. He died at sea 1673 and June 17, 1764 she married John Dymond, another sea captain who died about 1680 and 1682 she married Mr. Benedict Satterley as above given.

Children of Benedict Satterley and Rebecca Dymond [Bemis]:

William (1683-1733); married Anne Avery, d/o John and Abigail (Chesebrough) Avery

Sarah, married Joseph Wickham of Killingsworth

Rebecca, married Joseph Sweezy.