Part III – The Parr Family
Generation 7. Sir John De Parre, Lord of Parr, born about 1326, married about 1351, to Matilda de Leyburne. The family of Parr was long settled at Parr in Lancashire, England.
Generation 6. Sir William De Parre, son of Sir John de Parre, born about 1352, was married in 1383, to Elizabeth De Ros, daughter of John de Ros, and the granddaughter and heiress of Sir Thomas de Ros, Baron of Kendal. (See Ros Family, Part III) He thus acquired Kendal Castle in right of his wife, and one-fourth of the barony of Kendal, which continued in the family for 200 years, till it was surrendered to Queen Elizabeth. It was known as “The Marquis Fee.” At Kendal this branch of the family resided. Sir William died in 1405. Through Elizabeth, we descend from Royalty
Generation 5. John Parr, born Hertfordshire, died young, son of Sir William de Parre, in Hertfordshire to Agnes Crophull.
Generation 4. Sir Thomas Parr, grandson of Sir William de Parre and Elizabeth de Ros, was born in 1405. He was married to Alice Tunstall, the daughter of Sir Thomas Tunstall of Thurland, Lancashire, England. He was “Sub-vice comes” for Westmoreland from 1428 to 1437, and was sheriff from 1461 to 1475. He was assaulted in going to Parliament in 1446, the case being noticed in parliament (Rolls of Parliament, v 168) and took an active part in the wars of Roses on the Yorkist side. He died in 1464, leaving 3 sons and 6 daughters.
Generation 3. Sir William Parr, the eldest son of Sir Thomas Parr and Alice Tunstall, was born in 1434. By his first wife he had no surviving children. He was married/2 to Elizabeth Fitz-Hugh, daughter of Henry, Lord Fitz-Hugh, by whom he had a daughter, and three sons.
A courtier and a soldier, he was made a knight of the Garter by Edward IV. He was exempted from the resumption act of 1464. He was on the side of the Nevilles at Banbury in 1469, was sent by Clarence and Warwick to Edward in March 1470, just before the battle of Lose Coat Fields, and was entrusted by Edward with his answer. When Edward IV returned from exile in 1471, Parr met him at Nottingham, and was rewarded with the comptrollership of the household, which he held till Edward’s death. He swore to recognize Edward, prince of Wales, as heir to the throne in 1472, and was exempted from the resumption act of 1478. Parr sat as knight of the shire for Westmoreland in 1467 and 1473, and was sheriff of Cumberland from 1473 to 1483. He was sent to Scotland to arrange about the breaches of the truce probably in 1479. He was exempted from the act of apparal in 1482, was chief commissioner for exercising the office of constable of England in 1483, and took part in the funeral of Edward IV, It seems probable that he died about this time, in 1488.
Children:
Generation 2. Sir William Parr, second son of Sir William Parr and Elizabeth Fitz-Hugh, knighted 25 December 1513, sheriff of Northamptonshire in 1518 and 1529, and after his niece’s promotion became her chamberlain. On 23 December 1543, he was created Baron Parr of Horton, Northamptonshire. He died 10 Sept 1546, and was buried at Horton, He was married to Mary Salisbury, died 1555, daughter of Sir William Salisbury and had 4 daughters.
Children: