Sir John Leveson Richard Leveson Francis Leveson two other sons Rachel Leveson seven other daughters
Father
Thomas Leveson
Mother
Ursula Gresham
Sir John Leveson (21 March 1555 – 14 November 1615) was an English politician. He was instrumental in putting down theEssex rebellion of 8 February 1601.
John Leveson, born 21 March 1555 atWhornes Place,Cuxton,Kent, was the eldest son of Thomas Leveson (1532–1576), second son of the Londonmercer Nicholas Leveson (d.1539) by Denise or Dionyse Bodley (d.1561), youngest daughter of Thomas Bodley (d.1493) andJoan Leche (d. March 1530).[1] His mother was Ursula Gresham (1534–1574), one of the twelve children ofSir John Gresham,Lord Mayor of London.[2]
According to Wisker, Leveson was an efficient estate manager and 'an excellent public servant'. He was a close associate inKent ofWilliam Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, and eventually one of the executors of his will. He was also a captain inPeregrine Bertie, 13th Baron Willoughby de Eresby's 1589 expedition to France. He was knighted in 1589, and helped raise volunteers for three ofSir John Norris's expeditions in 1589, 1596 and 1601.[2] He was a cousin of Sir Richard Leveson, and with him was involved in the shipment of 2000 soldiers sent to Ireland in 1601.[2]
While riding to his house at theBlackfriars, London, on 8 February 1601 Leveson inadvertently became instrumental in suppressing the rebellion ofRobert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, taking command of a force onLudgate Hill and placing a barrier across the street. Within half an hour Essex's men tried to force their way through, and in the resulting skirmish Essex's stepfather,Sir Christopher Blount was injured, whereupon Essex withdrew with his men toEssex House.[4]
Leveson married firstly, on 27 April 1579, Margaret Manwood (d. 26 April 1585), the daughter ofSir Roger Manwood,[2] by whom he had three daughters who died in the lifetime of their father.[5]
Leveson married secondly, on 9 July 1586, Christian Mildmay (d. February 1627), widow of Charles Barrett by whom she was the mother ofEdward Barrett, 1st and last Baron Barrett, and daughter ofSir Walter Mildmay,[2] by whom he had five sons, three of whom died within the lifetime of their father, and five daughters, four of whom died within the lifetime of their father.[5]
Among Leveson's children who lived to adulthood were:
Sir John Leveson (d.1613), who married Frances Sondes (1592–c.1634), the daughter of Thomas Sondes (1544–1593) ofThrowley,Kent, by Margaret Brooke (1563–1621), the youngest daughter ofWilliam Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, and died of plague in December 1613,[5] predeceasing his father and leaving two infant daughters, Christian and Frances.[6][7] After Sir John Leveson's death, Frances married, as his first wife,Thomas Savile (bap. 14 September 1590 – c.1659), later Earl of Sussex. There were no issue of the marriage. After Frances' death, Savile married secondly, shortly after November 1640, Anne Villiers, only daughter ofChristopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey, by Elizabeth Sheldon, the daughter of Thomas Sheldon.[8]
Richard Leveson. Richard was made heir to the large but heavily indebtedShropshire andStaffordshire estates of his relative and namesake,Vice-Admiral Richard Leveson, who died in 1605. Sir John was much concerned in his later years, as head of a familytrust, with the struggle to rectify the financial position of the Leveson estates. He died with the issue unresolved but his wife, Christian, was able to pay off the debts and secure the inheritance of their second son in 1623. He was a regionally important asroyalist in theEnglish Civil War.
Sutton, Anne F. (1994)."Lady Joan Bradbury (d. 1530)". In Barron, Caroline M.; Sutton, Anne F. (eds.).Medieval London Widows 1300-1500. London: Hambledon Press. pp. 209–238.ISBN9781852850852. Retrieved7 April 2013.
