John Spencer (sheriff)

Sir John Spencer (1524–8 November 1586) was an English landowner, sheriff, and member of parliament, an early member of the Spencer family.

Biography

Spencer was born the only son of Sir William Spencer of Wormleighton Manor, Warwickshire, and Althorp, Northamptonshire, and his wife Susan, daughter of Sir Richard Knightley of Fawsley, Northamptonshire. He was probably trained at the Middle Temple, succeeded his father in 1532 and was knighted in 1553.

He was appointed High Sheriff of Northamptonshire for 1551–52, 1558–59, 1571–72 and 1583–84. He was elected Knight of the Shire (MP) for Northamptonshire in April, 1554 and again in 1558.

Family

Sir John Spencer married by 1545 Katherine Kitson, the daughter of Sir Thomas Kitson of the City of London and of Hengrave Hall, Suffolk. They had five sons and six daughters, including

• Sir John Spencer, who succeeded to his father's estates at Wormleighton and Althorp
• Alice Spencer, who married Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby. Their daughter Anne (1580–1647) was heiress presumptive to the English throne upon the death of Elizabeth I according to the will of Henry VIII and the Third Succession Act. As Lady Derby, Alice was a noted patron of the arts and to whom poet Edmund Spenser represented the character "Amaryllis" in his eclogue Colin Clouts Come Home Againe in 1595 and dedicated his poem The Teares of the Muses in 1591.
• Sir William Spencer, the third son, who became a landowner in Yarnton, Oxfordshire. His son Thomas was Member of Parliament for Woodstock 1604-1611, and was created Baronet of Yarnton on 29 June 1611 in the Baronetage of England.
• Sir Richard Spencer, the fourth son, whose son John was a landowner in Offley Place, Great Offley, Hertfordshire, and was created Baronet of Offley on 14 March 1627 in the Baronetage of England.

Sir John Spencer died on 8 November 1586, and was buried with his wife Katherine Kitson in St Mary the Virgin Church, Great Brington (the parish church for Althorp) where his epitaph lists his sons, his daughters and their husbands. He was succeeded by his eldest son, John Spencer. He was a direct ancestor of Prime Minister Sir Winston Spencer Churchill and Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales.

References

• "SPENCER, Sir John (1524-86), of Althorp, Northants. and Wormleighton, Warws". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 2012-11-01.