Lawrence Bridger of Gloucester

9928. Lawrence Bridger 

1550, Lawrence born in Godalming, co. Surrey, England, s/o 19856. Richard Bridger & 19857. Margery Eliot.
1568, Lawrence entered Oxford College.
1570, Lawrence received his B.A. and [unusually] elected a fellow of Magdalen College.
1577, Lawrence received his M.A. and became the rector of St. John the Evangelist Church in Slimbridge; recommended to the office of Rector and Clerk of Slimbridge by the President of Magdalen with the approval of the Bishop of Gloucester.
10/11/1577, Lawrence invested with the office of Rector and Clerk of Slimbridge by Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. He was recommended by the President of Magdalen with the approval of the Bishop of Gloucester.
Lawrence married twice.
1586, Lawrence was installed as a Prebender of the 3rd stall at Gloucester Cathedral. (S) Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae …, 1854, P448.
6/8/1588, “Discharge of all actions for debt, etc 1) Laurence Bridger of Slimbridge, Glos, clerk 2) George More of Loseley, esq.” (S) UKNA.
1594, “Lease to Edward Bearde of Gloucester, gent., of a house heretofore called 'Humfrey More his Chamber', adjoining the prebendal house of Lawrence Bridger.” (S) UKNA.
4/12/1619, “Lawrence Bridger, clerke, parson of Slimbridge” conveyed Gossington Hall and 60 acres of land adjoining by John Smyth. [John Smyth of the founders of the Berkeley Company, established in 1618 to transport emigrants to Virginia.]
10/30/1621 [18 Jacobi], Lawrence by deed of John Smyth acquired “one messuage in Hurst, near Reingolds. And one close called Hawthorne containing 40 acres, and two closes of pastures in Lyfield, etc.”
10/18/1625, Lawrence resigned his Prebender position of 1586.
1626, Lawrence Bridger, Parson of Slimbridge, clerke, was one of “the persons charged to finde horses for the trayned band under Sir Gabriell Lowe, Knight, and Captaine of Dragoons of Berkeley Hundred”.
1/3/1626-27, “Counterpart of grant from the Hon. Elizabeth, Lady Berkeley, of Cranford, Middx., widow, to Lawrance Bridger of Slimbridge, co. Glouc., clerk, of the worship of William Essington, brother of John Essington, deceased, and lands with appurtenances in Slimbridge.” (S) UKNA. [Lawrence’s son married a Berkeley descendent.]
9/24/1630, Lawrence wrote his will. He makes bequests to 9 children: Samuel, Lawrence, Joseph, Benjamin, Arthur, Elizabeth, Faith, Mary, and Anne with Samuel being the eldest son by his first wife and Joseph the eldest by his second wife. (S) Boddie.
Bef. 6/30/1631, Lawrence died “a very rich and honest man”, according to John Smyth. (S) UKNA – will probated.
(S) The Slimbridge Church Records, (Gloucester Record Office). (S) The Berkeley Manuscripts, V3, by John Smyth (1567–1640). (S) 17th Century Isle of Wight County, Boddie, 1973.
Children of Lawrence and 1st wife:

i. Samuel Bridger (4964), born 1584 in England.

ii. Lawrence Bridger Jr, born 1594 in England.
6/26/1624, Lawrence matriculated at Exeter College, aged 30.

Children of 2nd wife:

iii. Joseph Bridger, born ? in England.
Joseph married a daughter of Andrew Whittington of Bitton.
1630, Joseph named Executor of his father’s will.
1639, Joseph is in possession of Gossington Hall, received from his father in his will.

iv. Benjamin Bridger, born ? in England.

v. Arthur Bridger, born ? in England.

vi. Elizabeth Bridger, born ? in England.
Elizabeth married John Driver.

vii. Faith Bridger, born ? in England.

viii. Mary Bridger, born ? in England.

ix. Ann Bridger, born ? in England.