1636/37 "Laurence the Sonne of M Laurence Omer, and Mrs Mary Omer was baptized on January 6" at Staple, St James, Kent. [1]
1661/62 "Master Larence Omere" was "buried the 5 day of March" in Staple, St James, Kent. [2]
1663 Rebecca Omer, widow of Addington, Kent, wrote her will on December 4. [3]
In the name of God Amen, the Fourth day of December in the yeare of our Lord God according to the Computacon of the Church of England One Thousand Six hundred Sixty and Three And in the Fifteenth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c I Rebecca Omer of Addington on the County of Kent widowe being sicke and weake in body but of perfect mind and memory (Praysed be Almighty God) doe make and ordaine this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme following First I surrender my soule unto the hands of Almighty God whoe gave it And my body to the earth from whence it was taken And my desire is to be buried in the Church yard of Staple in the County aforesaid neare unto the body of Lawrence Omer gent my late deceased husband But if with conveniency it cannot be done Then to be interred in the Chancell of the parish Church of Offham in the said County as neare unto the body of my late sister which lyeth there as possible may be Item I give and bequeath unto Sarah de Crittz my naturall sister a Ring of Gold to be delivered unto her within one moneth next after my decease by my Executrix hereafter named Item I give and bequeath unto Katherine King one other of my sisters a Ring of Gold to be alsoe delivered unto her by my said Executrix within the tyme aforesaid Item I give and bequeath unto Grace de Crittz one other of my said sisters my watch I now have Now concerning my sonne Charles Omer I soe hereby comitt the Guardianshipp and tuition of him unto my sister Grace giving and granting unto her the said Grace full power and authority to receive and take all the Rents revenues and proffitts of all and singuler the messuages lands and tenements In the severall parisshes of Ashe Staple Ivye Church Nell and elsewhere in the County aforesaid which were left unto him by the said Lawrence Omer his father to be imployed for the maintenance and Education of my said sonne during his minority And the rest or surplusage thereof to be converted to the most proffit and advantage for him against he shall attaine unto the Age of one and Twenty yeares But if my said sister Grace shall happen to take a husband before my said sonne shall accomplish the said age Then I doe make and ordaine my beloved Freind Mark Cottle of London gent and Emanuell de Crittz my naturall brother the overseers of this my last will And I doe hereby give unto them the said overseers full power and authority to bring my said sister Grace to an accompt yearly for all the rents revenues and proffitts aforesaid with the disbursments during the tyme of her said Guarianship And if the said overseers shall finde that my said sonne be not well used either in his person or estate Then my will and meaning is that they shall take him into their Custody and Tuition as his Guardians And receive and take the rents revenues and proffitts of all and singuler the messuages landes and tenements aforesaid for the maintenance and good education of my said sonne And the remainder or surplusage of the said Rents and proffitts convert and employ to the most benefitt and advantage for him yearly until he shall accomplish the age of one and Twenty yeares And to render a just accompt of the same when they or either of them shall be thereunto required Item I give and bequeath unto my said sonne Charles the Sume of Foure pounds in Gold as a remembrance of me his mother All the rest and residue of my goods unbequeathed of what nature or quality soever they be (my debts being first paid and my funerall expences discharged) I give and bequeath to my said sister Grace whome I doe make and ordaine the sole Executrix of this my last Will hopeing shee will faithfully perform the same according to my true intent and meaning herein Expressed In Witnes whereof I have to this my present will and Testament put myne hand and seale the day and yeare First above written. Reb: Omer Sealed and acknowledged to be her Last Will in the presence of Laur: Binge Jane Clarke Th: Powell
1663 "Rebecca Omer widowe" was "buryed: in ye Chancell; 17 Decemb: 1663" in Offham, St Michael, Kent. [4]
1664 The will of Rebecca Omer was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on April 5 with administration granted to Grace De Crittz sister of the deceased and Executrix nominated in the Testament. [5]
Research Notes:
In his discussion of the parish of Staple in Kent, Philipott states, [6]
There is a Family in this Parish called Omer, which as appears by old Court-rolls, tombs, deeds, and other evidences, have been constantly resident almost four Hundred years.
In his discussion of the parish of Staple in Kent, Hasted states,
There was a family of the name of Omer, called likewise Homer, which had constantly resided in this parish, their mansion being in Staple-street, for upwards of four hundred years, as appears by old courtrolls wills, and other evidences. (fn. 1) The last of them who resided here, was Laurence Omer, gent. who died about the year 1661, leaving an only son Charles, who died unmarried; their burial-place was in this church-yard, and there are now two of their tombs remaining there, one of which is much adorned with sculpture, but the inscriptions are nearly obliterated, only there can be read on the latter, the name Omer, alias Homer.
1. Several of their wills are in the Prerog. off. Canterbury. [7]Addenda and corrigenda to volume 9
Staple.
Page 190[sic], line 8 from the bottom. Add, on one of these tombs is an inscription for Lawrence Omer, alias Homer, gent. of Staple, obt. 1661, at. 25, having married Rebecca, daughter of John Degnez, by whom he had Mary, deceased, and Charles. Arms, Quarterly, per pale and fess indented, on a bend, 3 lozenges impaling quarterly first and fourth 3 birds, second and third 5 lozenges in fess. [8]
[1] Canterbury Cathedral Archives, U3/183/1/1, Staple, St James, Composite Register, 1544-1691, Baptisms 1544-1689; Marriages 1544-1683, Burials 1544-1691, [FindMyPastImage], [FindMyPastRecord], [CanterburyCathedralArchives].
[2] Canterbury Cathedral Archives, U3/183/1/1, Staple, St James, Composite Register, 1544-1691, Baptisms 1544-1689; Marriages 1544-1683, Burials 1544-1691, [FindMyPastImage], [CanterburyCathedralArchives].
[3] Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, [AncestryImage].
[4] Kent History & Library Centre, P274/1/A/1, Offham, St Michael, Composite Register, 1538-1742, [FindMyPastImage], [FindMyPastRecord].
[5] Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, [AncestryImage].
[6] Thomas Philipott, Villare Cantianum: Or, Kent Surveyed and Illustrated (Lynn: W. Whittingham, 1776), 308, [GoogleBooks].
[7] Edward Hasted, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, Vol. 9 (Canterbury: W. Bristow, 1800), 189, [HathiTrust].
[8] Edward Hasted, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, Second Edition, Vol. 10 (Canterbury: W. Bristow, 1800), 429, [HathiTrust].