Paul is connected to the Cranmer family through his paternal third great grandmother Hannah Ford (1812-1884) of Washington Township, Burlington County. Hannah was the daughter of Jeremiah Ford (c. 1791-1845) and his wife Sarah Jane Cranmer (1795-1860).
The Cranmer family first came to the new world from England before 1640. William Cranmer (1620-1689), the progenitor of the New Jersey family, first lived in Southold, Long Island, where he married Elizabeth Carwithy. They moved to Elizabethtown, New Jersey (now the City of Elizabeth in Union County), in the 1660s. Sarah Jane (Cranmer) Ford was the third great granddaughter of this William and Elizabeth (Carwithy) Cranmer.
By the early 1700s, or perhaps slightly before, William Cranmer’s son William (1664-1716) moved further south to West Creek, then in Monmouth County but now in Ocean County. His son John Cranmer (1696-1760) moved even further south residing in Bass River, Burlington County. The large Burlington County branch of the Cranmer family descends from John. Many of those descendants rest either in the Bass River Methodist Cemetery or further inland at the Pleasant Mills Cemetery near Batsto.
Many of the Cranmer men who lived near the coastal waters became sea captains. It has been said that there were more captains with the name Cranmer than for any other surname. Those who moved further inland were likely involved in the bog iron industry and later in glassmaking.
Looking back to the family history in England extremely interesting. William Cranmer’s great-great grandfather was a man named Thomas Cranmer (1467-1501). Thomas and his wife Agnes Hatfield, Paul’s 13th great grandparents, had three sons – John, Thomas, and Edmund. John inherited the modest family estate while Thomas and Edmund were educated at Cambridge.
The younger Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556), at right, took his Master of Arts degree at the College of Jesus in 1515 and was elected to a fellowship at the college. Soon after, he married Joan Black. Although he was not yet a priest, he was forced to give up his fellowship as a result. When Joan died during her first childbirth, Thomas’ fellowship was restored.
Thomas began studying theology and by 1520 had been ordained. His received a Doctorate of Divinity in 1526. For a time, he was assigned to England’s embassy in Spain. On his return in 1527, he was given a personal half-hour interview with the English king, Henry VIII, who he described as “the kindest of princes” (see Tudor Monarchs and the Church).
From 1529 to 1532, Thomas accepted various appointments on the continent including a team set up in Rome to study the possible annulment of Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could wed Anne Boleyn. Later, he served as the resident ambassador at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor. While traveling with the Emperor, he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, the senior bishop and principal leader of the church in England. This appointment was secured by the family of Anne Boleyn, and was quite a surprise because Cranmer had previously held only minor positions in the church.
In May 1533, Cranmer pronounced the judgment that Henry's marriage with Catherine was against the law of God. He even issued a threat of excommunication if Henry did not stay away from Catherine. Cranmer also validated Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s secret marriage and personally crowned and anointed Anne as queen. This had the effect of
As archbishop, Thomas appointed his brother Edmund, Paul’s 12th great grandfather, as Archdeacon of Canterbury in 1534/5. Unlike other English Archdeacons, the Archdeacon of Canterbury is usually a relative of the Archbishop and has special duties related to enthronement. Thomas also proceeded with the reform of the Church of England under both Henry VIII and his son Edward VI, including allowing ordained priest to marry. Both Thomas and his brother Edmund did so, Thomas producing two daughters with his second wife Margaret Ann Osiander and Edmund producing at least one son and one daughter with his wife Alice Sands.
Upon the ascent of the Catholic Queen Mary I (also known as Bloody Mary) to the throne in 1553, Edmund Cranmer was confronted because of his marriage. Because he would not forsake his wife, he was suspended from executing the priestly functions and required to abstain from the marriage bed. Wisely, Edmund fled to Germany and later to Rotterdam where he died. His children eventually returned to England under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I (again see Tudor Monarchs). Edmunds eldest son Thomas Cranmer (1535-1604) became the grandfather of William Cranmer of Elizabethtown, New Jersey.
Edmund’s brother Thomas Cranmer was imprisoned for his role in the reformation of the Church of England. Needless to say, Thomas sent his wife and children away for their safety. He was convicted of treason and condemned to death. In 1556, Thomas Cranmer recanted his break from the church in Rome, which normally would have resulted in his absolution. But Queen Mary I would have none of it, and ordered Thomas burned at the stake as depicted below.
Cranmer was given the opportunity to make a final public recantation from a prepared speech before he was burned. At the pulpit on the day of his execution, he deviated from the prepared script, renouncing the recantations that he had signed with his own hand and stated his hand would be punished by being burnt first. As the flames drew around him, and as shown in the scene above, Thomas fulfilled his promise by placing his right hand into the heart of the fire while saying “that unworthy hand.” His dying words were, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... I see the heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”
The Cranmer family first came to the new world from England before 1640. William Cranmer (1620-1689), the progenitor of the New Jersey family, first lived in Southold, Long Island, where he married Elizabeth Carwithy. They moved to Elizabethtown, New Jersey (now the City of Elizabeth in Union County), in the 1660s. Sarah Jane (Cranmer) Ford was the third great granddaughter of this William and Elizabeth (Carwithy) Cranmer.
By the early 1700s, or perhaps slightly before, William Cranmer’s son William (1664-1716) moved further south to West Creek, then in Monmouth County but now in Ocean County. His son John Cranmer (1696-1760) moved even further south residing in Bass River, Burlington County. The large Burlington County branch of the Cranmer family descends from John. Many of those descendants rest either in the Bass River Methodist Cemetery or further inland at the Pleasant Mills Cemetery near Batsto.
Many of the Cranmer men who lived near the coastal waters became sea captains. It has been said that there were more captains with the name Cranmer than for any other surname. Those who moved further inland were likely involved in the bog iron industry and later in glassmaking.
Looking back to the family history in England extremely interesting. William Cranmer’s great-great grandfather was a man named Thomas Cranmer (1467-1501). Thomas and his wife Agnes Hatfield, Paul’s 13th great grandparents, had three sons – John, Thomas, and Edmund. John inherited the modest family estate while Thomas and Edmund were educated at Cambridge.
The younger Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556), at right, took his Master of Arts degree at the College of Jesus in 1515 and was elected to a fellowship at the college. Soon after, he married Joan Black. Although he was not yet a priest, he was forced to give up his fellowship as a result. When Joan died during her first childbirth, Thomas’ fellowship was restored.Thomas began studying theology and by 1520 had been ordained. His received a Doctorate of Divinity in 1526. For a time, he was assigned to England’s embassy in Spain. On his return in 1527, he was given a personal half-hour interview with the English king, Henry VIII, who he described as “the kindest of princes” (see Tudor Monarchs and the Church).
From 1529 to 1532, Thomas accepted various appointments on the continent including a team set up in Rome to study the possible annulment of Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could wed Anne Boleyn. Later, he served as the resident ambassador at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor. While traveling with the Emperor, he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, the senior bishop and principal leader of the church in England. This appointment was secured by the family of Anne Boleyn, and was quite a surprise because Cranmer had previously held only minor positions in the church.
In May 1533, Cranmer pronounced the judgment that Henry's marriage with Catherine was against the law of God. He even issued a threat of excommunication if Henry did not stay away from Catherine. Cranmer also validated Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s secret marriage and personally crowned and anointed Anne as queen. This had the effect of
As archbishop, Thomas appointed his brother Edmund, Paul’s 12th great grandfather, as Archdeacon of Canterbury in 1534/5. Unlike other English Archdeacons, the Archdeacon of Canterbury is usually a relative of the Archbishop and has special duties related to enthronement. Thomas also proceeded with the reform of the Church of England under both Henry VIII and his son Edward VI, including allowing ordained priest to marry. Both Thomas and his brother Edmund did so, Thomas producing two daughters with his second wife Margaret Ann Osiander and Edmund producing at least one son and one daughter with his wife Alice Sands.
Upon the ascent of the Catholic Queen Mary I (also known as Bloody Mary) to the throne in 1553, Edmund Cranmer was confronted because of his marriage. Because he would not forsake his wife, he was suspended from executing the priestly functions and required to abstain from the marriage bed. Wisely, Edmund fled to Germany and later to Rotterdam where he died. His children eventually returned to England under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I (again see Tudor Monarchs). Edmunds eldest son Thomas Cranmer (1535-1604) became the grandfather of William Cranmer of Elizabethtown, New Jersey.
Edmund’s brother Thomas Cranmer was imprisoned for his role in the reformation of the Church of England. Needless to say, Thomas sent his wife and children away for their safety. He was convicted of treason and condemned to death. In 1556, Thomas Cranmer recanted his break from the church in Rome, which normally would have resulted in his absolution. But Queen Mary I would have none of it, and ordered Thomas burned at the stake as depicted below.
Cranmer was given the opportunity to make a final public recantation from a prepared speech before he was burned. At the pulpit on the day of his execution, he deviated from the prepared script, renouncing the recantations that he had signed with his own hand and stated his hand would be punished by being burnt first. As the flames drew around him, and as shown in the scene above, Thomas fulfilled his promise by placing his right hand into the heart of the fire while saying “that unworthy hand.” His dying words were, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... I see the heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”
I am a Cramer myself, long down the line from Thomas Cranmer, thank you.
ReplyDeleteWow! This was fantastic! My uncle created a Genealogy book in the 60's. I am a descendant of Sarah Cranmer (Inman) who's father was William of Little Egg Harbor in New Jersey. I did not expect to find this amazing information.
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