John Leemkuell

John Leemkuell

John Leemkuell
Person	John Leemkuell
Title
First name	John
Middle name(s)
Last name	Leemkuell
Suffix
Spouse of
Widow of
Occupation	Merchant
Secondary shorebased occupation
Mariner occupation
Associated with ship(s)
Training	Not apprentice
Is apprentice of
Was apprentice of
Had apprentice(s)
Citizen	Unknown
Literacy	Signature
Has opening text	John Leemquell
Has signoff text	John Leemkuell
Signoff image	(Invalid transcription image)
Language skills	English language
Has interpreter
Birth street
Birth parish
Birth town
Birth county
Birth province
Birth country
Res street
Res parish	Saint Michael Crooked Lane
Res town	London
Res county
Res province
Res country	England
Birth year	1618
Marriage year	1671
Death year	1684
Probate date	May 27, 1684
First deposition age	32
Primary sources
Act book start page(s)
Personal answer start page(s)
Allegation start page(s)
Interrogatories page(s)
Deposition start page(s)	HCA 13/63 f.429v Annotate, HCA 13/65 f.12v Annotate, HCA 13/68 f.651r Annotate
Chancery start page(s)
Letter start page(s)
Miscellaneous start page(s)
Act book date(s)
Personal answer date(s)
Allegation date(s)
Interrogatories date(s)
Deposition date(s)	Oct 22 1650, Jul 28 1651, Mar 20 1654
How complete is this biography?
Has infobox completed	Yes
Has synthesis completed	Yes
Has HCA evidence completed	Yes
Has source comment completed	Yes
Ship classification
Type of ship	N/A
Silver Ship litigation in 1650s
Role in Silver Ship litigation	None

Biographical synthesis

John Leemkuell (alt. Leemquell, Lemkuell, Mr. Leemkuell, John Leemknell, John Lemknell, Johan(n) Leemknell, Johannes Leemkuell) (b. ca. 1617-1618, Buxtehude, near Hamburg; m. (1) ?Anna, <1671 (2) Elizabeth Beack (alt. Beake), 1671; d.1684). Merchant.

Resident in London since about 1639. Probably resident in the Stillyard in 1648. Resident in the Stillyard in 1650, the parish of All Hallows the Great (in which the Stillyard was located) in 1651 and in the parish of Saint Michael Crooked Lane in 1654. "John Lemkuell" is listed as resident in "Crooked Lane" in the 1677 London directory. He had a mansion house in Crooked Lane at the time he wrote his will in December 1683.

Lemkuell described himself in 1650 as a Hamburger, but had been resident in London since about 1639 from the age of about twenty-two. Born in Buxtehude, Germany, which lies circa fifteen kilometers to the west of Hamburg. See draft certificate of English naturalization for "John Leemknell, born in Buxtehude, Germany", dated January 2nd 1661. See also his will, written in December 1683, in which he refers to lands and property of his father in Buxtehude.

John Leemkuell was married at least twice.

His first known marriage took place before 1671, to an unknown woman. This first wife may possibly have been named Anna, and speculatively may have been Anna Mathewes, and a relative of the London merchant Peter Mathewes.

His second known marriage took place on August 2nd 1671 to Mrs Elizabeth Beack (alt. Beake) of Love Lane, London. She is described as a spinster of about thirty years of age. John Leemkuell is described as a merchant of about fifty years of age of St Michael Crooked Lane. There is a marriage record from 1686 of "Mrs Elizabeth Leemknell, of St Michaell, Crooked Lane, Lond., Wid., abt 32". The age of thirty-two may be a mistranscription for forty-two. Elizabeth Leemknell is definitely John Leemkuell's second wife, whose maiden name was "Beack" or "Beake". By 1686 she had been a widow for two years, since the death of John Leemkuell in 1684. A record of treasury warrants from 1705 refers to an annuity of £42 "before certified to John Leemknell now to be paid to Abraham Beake surviving executor of Eliz. Catchpoole alias Leemknell who was executrix of the said John. Elizabeth Lemkuell, born Beack (alt. Beake) was the sister of the London merchant Abraham Beake, who was the son of the London merchant Arnold Beake. There is some evidence in Admiralty Court depositions from the 1650s of a trading link between the Mathewes and Beake merchant families, that is between the possible family of John Leemkuell's first wife and that of his second wife. Elizabeth's will, proved in 1696, makes explicit reference to her former husband John Leemkuell, and refers to her brother Abraham Beake, and also her brother (presumably in-law) John Cronenburg.

John Leemknell (alt. Leemkuel, Leemkuell)" appears in the customer ledgers of the London banker Edward Backwell, 1663-1672.

Lemkuell appears in Fire Court documents in 1673 in connection with the Stillyard, and is described as a member of the Hansa company.

A will of "John Leemknell" was proved on May 27th 1684. The will was written on December 29th 1683. In his will, written in good health, he describes himself as a merchant of London. He refers to his sister's daughter, Anne Elizabeth, who is the wife of Claes Meyer. He refers to the eldest son of his sister, John Henry Muller alias Miller, who had been his apprentice and though no longer an apprentice still lived with him. John Henry Muller was to receive £3000 and "all my Germaine bookes". He refers to his loving wife Elizabeth Leemknell, who was still living, and who was to have and enjoy his "now Mansion House scituated in or neare Crooked Lane London". After his wife's death the mansion house was to go to his sister's eldest son. His sister's youngest son, Hans Muller alias Miller, was to receive £1000. After the death of Hans Muller alias Miller senior (the father of the eponymous Hans), the son was to receive 400 Rix dollars with interest which Hans senior owed John Leemkuell, as witnessed in a document dated 1654. He refers to lands and property overseas "at or neare Buxtehud".He gave £700 to the German Church of the Lutheran Augustans confession in Trinity Lane London.

Possibly related to the "Joachim Leemquell" whose August 28th 1677 testament is identified in a C19th Hamburg secondary source.

See Percy Ernst Schramm (1969) for background on the Hamburger Senatorenfamilie "Jencquel". Possibly related to "Lemkuell"?[.

Evidence from High Court of Admiralty

Thirty-two year old John Leemkuell deposed on October 22nd 1650 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined in a case concerning the ship the Brazil ffrigot. He described himself as the London factor of Christofer Polde, a Hamburg merchant, and stated that he had laden a bale of twenty pieces of bayes aboard the Brazil ffrigot at London to be transported to Lisbon and delivered there to a Dutch merchant on behalf of Polde. Lemkuell described himself as "being a Hamburger" and stated that Polde was also a native of Hamburg "of Dutch parents".

Thirty-three year old John Leemkuell deposed on July 28th 1651 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined on a libel on the behalf of Peterson in the case of "Peterson against Kilvert". Leemkuell stated that he had been resident in London as a merchant for the last eleven years (so since about 1639). The case concerned the shipment of Canary wine.

Thirty-seven year old John Leemkuell deposed on March 20th 1654. He was examined on an allegation on behalf of the claimers in the case of "The Clayme of John Scothering Senator of Hamburgh and others for their goods in the Peter whereof Mathias Cornelison was Master". The case concerned a ship named the Saint Peter (Master: Mathias Cornelison) which was to go from Toulon to Genua and then to Hamburg with freight for John Scothering. The ship had been laden at Toulon by Tobias Zollicoffer, one of the family of Swiss Zollicoffer merchants. The ship, as reported by Leemkuell, was a Swedish ship and her master a Swede.

John Leemkuell stated that he had been a correspondent of the Hamburgh senator and merchant John Scothering for the last four years (so since ca. 1650). Leemkuell had received a letter from Paul Langerman, another Hamburg merchant, informing him of the lading of goods for John Scothering by Tobias Zollicoffer at Toulon. Leemkuell stated that he had received another letter from John Scothering advising him that if the ship and goods should arrive in Flanders, he, Leemkuell, was to procure a license to bring and sell the currants (or some of them) in London. In such circumstances Leemkuell was to sell the currants in London and to remit half the proceeds to John Scothering in Hamburg and half to the Zollicoffers. Leemkuell reported having received a letter of advice from Marseilles containing extracted papers from the Toulon Court of Admiralty. These papers stated that the currants, prior to being loaded at Toulon into the Saint Peter had been taken at sea from a ship named the Great Turk alias the Hope by the Knights of Malya and brought to Toulon as prize.

Comment on sources

CHECK YEAR

"Sir Thomas Player to Williamson. Certifying that he has received of Mr. Jacobson and Mr. Leemkuell by the appointment of the Senate of Hamburg, 8,750l., which makes up the complete sum of 35,000l. [S.P. Dom., Car. II. 370, No. 251.]"

1648

"Dec. 20 [?1648] London. XXX. Certificate sealed in presence of Thos. Skynner, secretary of the Company of Merchants Adventurers, that Jacob Jacobson, master of the Steelyard in Dowgate Ward, as also John Leemkuel, merchant, Paulus Vander Velden Freehost, and John Eisleben, inhabiting the same house, are all there authorized and placed by the Honble. Chamber of Hanz Towns of Germany, and are by Act of Parliament free from all subsidies, taxes, &c, as the..."

1652

C 10/14/6 James Austen v Grace Savaidge [Savage], Peter Mathewes, John Lemknell and Anna his wife, and John Sporwood: St Saviour, Southwark, Surrey. 1652.

1659

C 10/48/19 Bushell v. Paulson, Leemknell: Middx. 1659

1661

"NATURALIZATIONS. John Leemknell, (FN. *) born in Buxtehude in Germany. FN. *: "1660-1, Jan. 2. Draft certificate of the naturalization of John Leemknell and others. Hist. MSS. Com. Reports, VIi, 142."

1661

"Staatsarchive Bremen, 2-C.3.a.1. Kontext: Verhältnisse der Hansestädte untereinander, zu Auswärtigen und zum Heiligen Römischen Reich (Hanseatica) >> C. Hanseatica >> C.3. Verhältnis der Hansestädte zu England, insonderheit das Kontor und der Stalhof zu London von 1650 bis 1865 >> C.3.a. Akten von 1650 bis 1707; Laufzeit: 1656-1661: Enthältvermerke: Intus: Johan Leemkuell in London an den Bremer Rat wegen des ihm vom Hausmeister Jacob Jacobsen entzogenen Wohnrechts im Stalhof 1661"

1671

"1671. Aug. 2. John Leemknell, of St Michael, Crooked Lane, London, Mercht, Widower, abt 50, & Mrs Elizabeth Beack, of Love Lane, London, Spr. abt 30, at own disposition; at St Dunstans in the East, London."

1672

London Metropolitan Archives: Hamburg Lutheran Church. CLC/189/MS08355 Letters patent by Charles II, granting to Johann Leemknell, Theodor Jacobson, Peter Splied, Stazius Athrens and Nicholaus Hein, merchants, the right to erect a church on the site of Holy Trinity the Less in Little Trinity Lane, for the purposes of holding divine service, administering the sacraments, to congregate freely and appoint a minister. 1 membrane, vellum, seal missing Former Reference: MS 08355 1672 September 13 In Latin."

1673

"Oct. 31st 1673. Mr. Justice Raynsford, Mr. Justice Wyndbam, Mr. Baron Thurland, present. At the Court of Iudicature, erected and revived by several Acts of Parliament, for determi nation of differences touching houses burned or demolished by reason of the late fire, which happened in the yeare 1666 etc. in London, held in Cliffords Inne Hall, London, on Friday, the one and thir tieth day of October, in the XXV'.11 yeare of the reigne of our Soveraigne Lord King Charles the Second, Aunoque Domini 1673.

Theodore Jacobsen of London Merchant, Peticioner against Jacob Jacobsen, President of the Merchants of Almayne, and the said Merchants of Almayne being under and of the Confederacion, Leige and Company of the Dutch Hanze, otherwise called Merchants of Almayne.

Whereas the said Theodore Jacobsen lately exhibited his Peticion into this Court of Iudicature, hereby setting forth in effect, that he was possessed at the time of the late dreadfull fire, which happened in London, of One back Mesuage or Tenement with a Wharf and several! other Warehouses and buildings thereunto belonging, the Tofts and ground whereof doe conteyne the dimensions following, that is to say: On the South fronting the River of Thames from East to West One hundred fifty and seaven feet and One inch and thereabouts; on the Westside thereof from the said front to the Backside of the building in Thames-Street from South to North, two hundred eighty three feet and foure inches ore thereabouts, beside the said wharfe, on which Westside is one breake in the North Corner Thirty and seven feet from the backside of the North building two feet levell; on the North End from the Eastside to the West middle Walls One hundred forty two feet and five inches or thereabouts; and on the Eastside thereof from North to South, besides the said Wharfe, two hundred Eighty Six feet and three inches or thereabouts (on which said Eastside are foure severall small Breakes] situate, lying and being in the Stilehoff, alias Stileyard, in Thames Street in the Parish of AU Hallowes the Great, in Dowgate Ward in London, as Tenant unto the abovenamed Merchants of Almayne, being under and of the said Confederacion, Leige and Company of the said Dutch Hanze, otherwise called Merchants of Almayne, having an house in the City of London, commonly called Guildhall Teutoni- corum, in whome the said Stileyard with the said Mesuage, Warehouses and buildings (amongst other things) were vested by Act of Parliament, made in a Parliament held at Westminster on the Sixth day of October, in the Twelfth yeare of the reigne of King Edward the fourth, and there continued by divers Prorogacions to the Three and twentieth day of January in the fourteenth yeare of the reigne of said King Edward the fourth, whereby the said Stileyard (amongst other things) is limited to the said Almayne Merchants, that then were or that afterwards should bee, to have and to hold unto them and their Successors for ever; that the said Mesuage or Tenement, Warehouses and buildings were burned downe and consumed by the said dreadfull fire, which happened in London in the Mo- neth of September, in the yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and six. And the Petitioner is willing to rebuild the same, soe as hee may have reasonable encouragement thereunto, which he has proposed unto the abovenamed Jacob Jacobsen, the said President of the said Almayne Merchants, and also unto the said Almayne Merchants of the said Guildhall Teutonicorum, which hath been as yelt refused unto the Peticioner: hee therefore humbly prayed the Court to'grant Warrants to warne the said Jacob Jacobsen and the said Merchants of Almayne to bee and appeare in this Court of Iudicature at a Day therein to bee limited to the end, that such Decree might bee made in the premisses, as the Court should thinke meet. Whereupon Warrants were granted and issued from this Iudicature directed to the said President and Merchants of Almayne to bee and appeare here this present One and thirtieth day of October. Whoe having been thereupon warned, the said Jacob Jacobsen, the said President, and John Lemkuell and George Matson, members of the said Company, appeared here in Court this Day on behalfe of themselves and of all the rest of the Members of the said Company, Mr. Bowes being of their Counsell; the Peticioner being personally present in Court, Mr. King being of his Counsell. And upon reading the said recited Peticion and opening the matters therein specifyed to the Court, the Peticioners said Counsell informed the Court, that the said Peti cioner is willing to undertake the said building and is contented to give as much rent as any new Contractor will give for the said ground to build upon, and therefore has caused the said ground to bee measured and vallued by severall skilfull Workemen, who doe all agree, that the utmost value of the aforesaid ground is One hundred and tenn pounds per annum. And for further satisfaction of the Court touching the value of the said ground, three severall workmen, namely Caius Gabriell Libbers, Sampson Allen and Edward Helder, severally made Oath in Court: that they have measured the said ground and have estimated the value thereof and doe all agree, that the utmost the same is worth to bee lett to build upon between man and man, is One hundred and tenn pounds per annum groundrent. And the said Counsell further informed the Court, that the said Peticioner is obliged by the said Company to an extraordinary way of building, both for strength and ornament, and that to perfect and finish the same accordingly will cost him seven or eight thousand pounds. And therefore to encourage him to performe so chargable a Worke for the honor and splendor of the city, being a place much resorted to by the foraigners and straingers, the said Counsell prayed the Court to decree unto the said Peticioner a terme of forty yeares from Michaelmas last at the said yearly rent of One hundred and tenn pounds. And in regard the said building in respect of the largeness thereof will take upp more time then is usuall for ordinary buildings before the same can bee effected, {the said Councell prayed, that the Peticioner may have time allowed him for buil ding untill Midsomer next come twelve Moneths. And that the first Quarters Rent bee paid at Michaelmas then next following. Whereupon the aforesaid President and the said other persons ap pearing on behalf of the said Company, nor their said Counsell not opposing any of the aforesaid matter, the Court being satisfied of the reasonableness of the said proposalls and being very desireous to give all due encouragement to soe great a building, pronounced the same Decree accordingly. Therefore for a finall Determinacion of all differences between the Peticioner and the said Defendants touching the premisses, the Court doth order, adjudge and decree unto the said peticioner Theodore Jacobsen an estate and terme of forty yeares of and in the aforesaid Tofts, soile and ground, con- leyning the Dimensions herein before particularly expressed and of and in the Mesuage or Mesuages and buildings to bee thereupon erected and new built in pursuance of this Decree, and of and in the said wharfe with all appurlenaunces to the same premisses belonging or in any wise apperteyning, to have and to hold the same unto him, the said Peticioner Theodore Jacobsen, his Executors, Admi nistrators and Assignes, from the feast day of St. Michael the Archangell now last past for and du ring and untill the full end and terme of forty yeares from thence next ensuing fully to bee corn- pleat and ended, yeilding and paying. And the said Peticioner Theodore Jacobsen, his Executors, Administrators and Assignes shall yeild and pay for the first yeare and three Quarters of a yeare of the said terme of forty yeares the rent of One peppercorne, if the same bee demanded, and from thenceforth yearely and every yeare for and during the terme of Eight and Thirty yeares of the said terme of forty yeares the yearely rent of One hundred and tenn pounds of lawful! money of England, quarterly at the foure most usuall feasts or daies of payment of rent in the yeare, to witt: the feast daies of St. Michaeli the Archangell, the Birth of Our Lord, the Annunciacion of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, by even and equall porcions. And that the first Quar ters payment of the same bee made upon the feast day of St. Michaeli the Archangell, which will be in the yeare of our Lord One thousand Six hundred Seventy and five. And also yeilding and paying for the last Quarter of a yeare of the said terme of forty yeares the rent or summe of seven and twenty pounds and tenn shillings of like money upon the last day of the said terme. And it is further ordered and decreed by the Court, that in Consideracion of the said terme of yeares hereby decreed under the Rents aforesaid, hee, the said Peticioner Theodore Jacobsen, his Executors, Admi nistrators or Assignes, at his or some of their proper Costs and Charges, with all convenient speed shall cause to bee erected and new built in and upon the aforesaid Tofts, soile and ground one or Abtbeilang more good and substantiall Mesuage or Mesuages and buildings, with such good and sufficient Mate- nails, as by the late Acts of Parliament for rebuilding the City of London it is directed and pre scribed. And for the avoiding difficulties in the recovering of the said yearely rent of One hundred and tenn pounds, and for the better ascertaining of Covenants mutually to bee performed between the Peticioner and the aforesaid Defendants during the aforesaid terme, it is further ordered and de creed by the Court, that the aforesaid Defendants or their successors for the time being, upon the reasonable request and at the Costs and Charges of the said Peticioner, Theodore Jacobsen, his Exe cutors, Administrators or Assignes shall make and duly execute unto him or them, requiring the same a good and sufficient Lease by Indenture under their common Seale of all the aforesaid premisses for the said terme of forty yeares hereby decreed, as aforesaid, or for soe many yeares thereof as shall bee to come and unexpired at the time of the making such Lease, at and under the yearely rent and rents aforesaid, payable as aforesaid, with reasonable Covenants and Condicions usuall in Leases made of houses in London, in such Lease to bee conteyned. And that the said Peticioner Theodore Ja cobsen, his Executors, Administrators or Assignes, to whome such Lease shall be made, shall accept thereof and duly seale and deliver a Counterpart of the same. And lastly it is ordered and decreed by the Court, that the said Peticioner Theodore Jacobsen, his Executors, Administrators and Assignes at and under the aforesaid rents payable as aforesaid and covenants as aforesaid shall and may law fully, peaceably and quietly have, hold and enjoy the aforesaid Tofts, soile and ground, conteyning the dimensions aforesaid, and the Mesuage or Mesuages and buildings to bee thereupon erected and new built, in pursuance of this present Decree, and the same Wharfe with all appurtenances to the same premisses, belonging or in any wise apperteyning for and during the said terme of forty yeares, hereby decreed as aforesaid, according to the tenor and purport of this present Decree and of the Lease hereby decreed to bee thereof made, as aforesaid, notwithstanding any other Estate, Right, Title, interest in Law or Equity, Trust, Charge or other Incumbrance whatsoever, according to the Act of Parliament for securing the Estates of builders lately made and provided.

Sign: Ri. Rainsforde. Hugh Wyndham. Edward Thurland."

1674

C 6/212/30 Short title: Jacobson v Throckmorton. Plaintiffs: Jacob Jacobson, John Leemknell, Theodore Jacobson, Peter Splidt, Stazis Ahrens and Nicholas Heyen. Defendants: William Throckmorton, John Horden, William Bennett, John Oliver, John Cox, Robert Rodway and others. Subject: property in Queenhithe, St Michael, Middlesex. Document type: bill, answer. 1674

1675

"Petition of John Leemkuel and other German born merchants of London concerning the rebuilding of the German Church. 1675."

1676

C 10/128/53 Genew v. Leemknell: Middlesex. 1676.

1677

"No. 507. Joachim Leemkuell. Das Testament vom 28. August 1677, wovon Abschrift im Archive, vermacht die Zinsen von 2000 [?] fuer die Armen der Neustadt."

1684

PROB 11/376/204 Will of John Leemknell, Merchant of London 27 May 1684

1686

"Aug. 16 Allen Catchpoole, of St Bottolph's, Aldersgate, Lond., Mercht, Widr, abt 32, Mrs Elizabeth Leemknell, of St Michaell, Crooked Lane, Lond., Wid., abt 32; alleged by Richd Pearson, of St Michaels afsd; at Islington, Midd."

1696

PROB 11/433/362 Will of Elizabeth Catchpole or Catchpoole of Suffolk 11 August 1696 - Refers to her marriage to her present husband Allen Catch-poole and to her earlier marriage to "John Leemkuell late of London merchant". Mentions an indenture made between John Leemkuell, John Cranenburg of London merchant and Abraham Beake of London merchant. Refers to her sister Sarah Gill. She identifies Abraham Beake as her brother and also John Cranenburg as her brother (presumably meaning brother-in-law). She gives a small amount to the "Low Dutch Church in Saint Austin Fryers London".

1705

"1705. the annuity of £42 before certified to John Leemknell now to be paid to Abraham Beake surviving executor of Eliz. Catchpoole alias Leemknell who was executrix of the said John £1400-0-0 £42-0-0"

1706

PROB 11/487/375 Will of Allen Catchpoole, Merchant of London 10 April 1706