Person:Richard Stukely (1)

Incorrect Relationships Published in a Book

Author Roscoe L Whitman, whose book on the ancestors and descendants of Stukely Westcott includes some good research, has nevertheless made a few errors. On page 5, he makes Richard Stukely, husband of "Elizabeth, Lady of Chuton", the brother of George Stukely (who he accidentally calls Richard), husband of Jane Luttrel.^[2] This appears highly unlikely based on the chronology. Since George took over his father's burgage in Dunster in 1462, it would appear he was his father's eldest living son. Yet, Richard's wife gave birth in 1392 (in her first marriage) and George died more than a century later.

This error makes it difficult to know what to do with the author's claim that this Richard was the son of Richard Stuccle of Marsh of Dunster, Somersetshire and his wife, Jean, dau. and heir of Thomas, whose names bear a strong resemblance to the names of George's parents (Visitations of Somersetshire).

Also of note is that the genealogy given on page 5 misses two generations between the Hugh Stucley presented as (3) and his great-grandson Hugh Stucley, presented as (4). The former's wife Catherine Afferton died in 1467 (Visitations of the County of Devon, cited on her page), while the latter was born about 1496.

1. ↑ Vivian, J. L. (John Lambrick). The visitations of the county of Devon: comprising the herald's visitations of 1531, 1564, & 1620. (Exeter: For the author by H.S. Eland, 1895)
   p. 721.

   "Richard Stewkley of Trent in Com. Somersett."

2. ↑ Whitman, Roscoe L. (Roscoe Leighton). History and genealogy of the ancestors and some descendants of Stukely Westcott: one of the thirteen original proprietors of Providence Plantation and the colony of Rhode Island with especial mention of the Westcotts of Cheshire, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and the Westcotts of Milford, Otsego County, New York and some of the allied families. (Oneonta, New York: Otsego Publishing Co., 1932)
   p. 5.

   In the paragraph labeled (1), the author makes Richard Stuccle, husband of "Elizabeth, Lady of Chuton", the brother of George Stuccle (who he accidentally calls Richard), husband of Jane Luttrel. This appears highly unlikely based on the chronology.