I am the direct descendant (g7 grandson) of William Lanchbuery. William Lanchbuery was born the fifth child of Hercules Launchbury (1580-1645) and Mary (d.1654) about 1625. He was born into the small village of Chadlington, Oxfordshire, and baptised at the church of All Saints on March 25, 1625.

William (if church records are to believed) lived for an extremity long time, and although he only inherited the clearing of his debts from his mother?s will, (see Will of Mary Lainchberry 1654) most of the family money came his way eventually, thought the majority of wealth had gone to his Brother Isaac (see will of Isaac Lanchprey 1680). He married late in life, aged 53, to Sarah Harris on February 19, 1678, at the church of All Saints in Chadlington, and she bore him a son and a daughter (1680/81).

William Lanchbuery was a Yeoman farmer (numbered 768 on my Ahnentafel system) and by his death (aged 103) on February 18, 1737 he had accumulated quite a bit of wealth. Sarah was much younger than William was, but he out lived her as well. By the time he made out his will, his only son Hercules was a widow, aged 57, remarried to a ?Mary? ? so he passed on his worldly possessions to his grandchildren (see Will of William Lanchbury), which is transcribed in full below

?I William Lanchbury of Chadlington . . . Yeoman . . . in indifferent health . . .To my son Hercules Lanchbury during his natural life my Messuage and Lands which I hold by Lease of Sir {William} Osbaldeston Bart if the said Lease shall so long continue. After his decease I give to Mary his now wife during her widowhood the bakehouse with the room over the same, the barn adjoining the stable, and half of the garden, part of the said premises with liberty of ingress egress way and passage at all times to and from the same through the backsides belonging to the said premises. After the death of my said son and death or marriage of his said wife I give my said Messuage and Lands to Isaiah Lanchbury and John Lanchbury, two of the sons of my said son Hercules, for all the remainder of the said Lease equally divided between them.

To William Lanchbury, another son of my said son Hercules, all that my Messuage or Tenement and Lands which I hold by Lease from William Rollinson Esq and also the crop of corn that shall be growing thereon at the time of my death to h[old?] to him his Exec?rs Adm?s and Assigns for all the remainder of the term therein then to come __ the said William Lanchbury paying to my said son Hercules 20/- a year during his natural life by two equal half-yearly payments to wit at Michaelmas and Ladyday, and also pay all such sums of money as shall appear at my death to be charged on the said premises by way of Mortgage. To my grandson John Burden his Exec?rs Adm?s and Assigns my Messuage or Tenement at Ramsden in the said County of Oxford with the garden and barn thereunto belonging for all the remainder of the term which I have to run therein, he paying such moneys as the same stand as? a? Security? for ___

To my daughter Frances Burden my bedstead which is now in the house / William Lanchbury/ {late in the possession of Sheney ___} my Looking Glass, and the {use of the brass drum? for life} To my grandaughter Sarah Burden {an upright barrel and my ____ drum} after the death of her mother. All the rest of my {household goods} to my said grandson William Lanchbury ________ {The residue of} my goods chattels credits ready money {and personal estate} not hereinbefore mentioned and? {so he can pay the funeral expenses I give} to my said son Hercules Lanchbury whom I __ appoint sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament . . . .

Witnesses: Thomas Maj[or?] Abell Issard Tho: Bulley

A Codicil to be annexed to and taken as part of my Last Will and Testament.
I hereby ratify and confirm my Will dated 9/6/1735 every Article Clause and thing therein except as follows:

Whereas I have by my said Will charged the Messuage and Land devised to my grandson William Lanchbury with the payment of an Annuity of 20/- a year to my son Hercules Lanchbury during his life: Now I do hereby revoke the said Annuity of 20/- a year and give my said Messuage and Lands and crop that shall happen to be thereon as in my Will to my said grandson William Lanchbury absolutely, discharged from the said Annuity. [Dated 23rd Jan 1737]

Witnesses: Henry Ward John Burden Wm Dolton??

The two children of WILLIAM LANCHBUERY and SARAH HARRIS are:
HERCULES ARCHELONS5 LAINCHBERY, b. Abt. 1680, Chadlington; d. April 15, 1754, Chadlington,
m. (1) ; m. (2) MARY, Bef. 1735. (my g6gparents)
FRANCES LANCHBUERY, b. Abt. 1681, Chadlington; m. (John) BURDEN.

William died on the 18 February 1737