Margaret Mawle Barker

Biography

Margaret Mawle married the cloth maker John Barker at Nayland, in Suffolk in eastern England, in 1562. When John prepared his will in 1587, he placed the settlement of his estate in her hands as executrix. He also gave her lifetime use of their home and two other houses, while a separate group of properties was hers to use for one year.

The will combined provision for Margaret with instructions for bringing up the younger children. Three sons and four daughters were still singled out for that care, and her son John and son-in-law John Beriffe were named to help supervise the estate.

John was buried in October 1588. Margaret made her own will on Christmas Eve 1589 and was buried at Nayland on January 11, 1589/90. Her will was proved on February 7. Her widowhood lasted little more than a year.

The parish-based reconstruction identifies her son John with John Barker of Stoke Nayland. This remains a probable identification.