Menasseh Shakespeare

of Holborn, London

The IGI lists a number of children of Menasseh Shakespeare and his wife, Ann, all baptised at St Andrew, Holborn:

• John, bapt 16 Jan 1679

• Samuell, bapt 20 Jan 1681

• Thomas, bapt 6 May 1683

• Sarah, bapt 5 Apr 1685

• Manassah, bapt 15 May 1687

• William, bapt 2 June 1689

It seems that the Menassah Shakespeare, born in 1687, married - the IGI records: marriage 27 April 1710, Manasses Shakespeare and Mary Goodwin. No children of the couple have been found.

There is one other entry for this unusual name:

• bapt 24 March 1671, Manassah, son of Wm. Shakespeere and Dorothy.

No other children of this second couple appear on the IGI, neither does the marriage. The likelihood is that this William and the earlier Menasseh Shakespeare were brothers. There are no clues as to their origin.