Biography of Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell 1638-1720

Paternal Family Tree: Williams aka Cromwell

Maternal Family Tree: Elizabeth Bourchier 1598-1665

On 22 Aug 1620 [her father] Oliver Cromwell (age 21) and [her mother] Elizabeth Bourchier (age 22) were married.

In 1638 Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell was born to Oliver Cromwell (age 38) and Elizabeth Bourchier (age 40).

Around 1655 Peter Lely (age 36). Portrait of Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 17).

On 11 Nov 1657 Robert Rich (age 23) and Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 19) were married. He died three months later. He the son of Robert Rich 3rd Earl Warwick (age 46) and Anne Cavendish Countess Warwick.

Around 1658 John Michael Wright (age 40). Portrait of Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 20).

On 16 Feb 1658 [her husband] Robert Rich (age 24) died of consumption.

Pepy's Diary. 19 Sep 1660. Office Day. I put on my mourning and went to the office. At noon thinking to have found my wife in hers, I found that the tailor had failed her, at which I was vexed because of an invitation that we have to a dinner this day, but after having waited till past one o'clock I went, and left her to put on some other clothes and come after me to the Mitre tavern in Wood-street (a house of the greatest note in London), where I met W. Symons, and D. Scobell, and their wives, Mr. Samford, Luellin, Chetwind, one Mr. Vivion, and Mr. White1, formerly chaplin to the Lady Protectresse (age 62)2 (and still so, and one they say that is likely to get my Lady Francess (age 22) for his wife). Here we were very merry and had a very good dinner, my wife coming after me hither to us.

Note 1. According to Noble, Jeremiah White married Lady Frances Cromwell's waiting-woman, in Oliver's lifetime, and they lived together fifty years. Lady Frances had two husbands, [her former husband] Mr. Robert Rich and [her future husband] Sir John Russell of Chippenham (age 20), the last of whom she survived fifty-two years dying 1721-22 The story is, that Oliver found White on his knees to Frances Cromwell, and that, to save himself, he pretended to have been soliciting her interest with her waiting-woman, whom Oliver compelled him to marry. (Noble's "Life of Cromwell", vol. ii. pp. 151, 152.) White was born in 1629 and died 1707.

Note 2. Elizabeth, wife of [her father] Oliver Cromwell.

On 07 May 1663 John Russell 3rd Baronet (age 23) and Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 25) were married.

In 1664 [her daughter] Elizabeth Russell Lady Thirkleby was born to [her husband] John Russell 3rd Baronet (age 24) and Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 26).

In 1664 [her father-in-law] Francis Russell 2nd Baronet (age 48) died. His son [her husband] John Russell 3rd Baronet (age 24) succeeded 3rd Baronet Russell of Chippenham in Wiltshire. Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 26) by marriage Lady Russell of Chippenham in Wiltshire.

In or after 1664 [her son] William Russell 4th Baronet was born to [her husband] John Russell 3rd Baronet (age 24) and Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 26).

Pepy's Diary. 13 Oct 1664. After being at the office all the morning, I home and dined, and taking leave of my wife with my mind not a little troubled how she would look after herself or house in my absence, especially, too, leaving a considerable sum of money in the office, I by coach to the Red Lyon in Aldersgate Street, and there, by agreement, met W. Joyce and Tom Trice, and mounted, I upon a very fine mare that Sir W. Warren helps me to, and so very merrily rode till it was very darke, I leading the way through the darke to Welling, and there, not being very weary, to supper and to bed. But very bad accommodation at the Swan. In this day's journey I met with Mr. White, Cromwell's chaplin that was, and had a great deale of discourse with him. Among others, he tells me that [her brother] Richard (age 38) is, and hath long been, in France, and is now going into Italy. He owns publiquely that he do correspond, and return him all his money. That Richard hath been in some straits at the beginning; but relieved by his friends. That he goes by another name, but do not disguise himself, nor deny himself to any man that challenges him. He tells me, for certain, that offers had been made to the old man, of marriage between the King (age 34) and his daughter (age 26), to have obliged him, but he would not1. He thinks (with me) that it never was in his power to bring in the King with the consent of any of his officers about him; and that he scorned to bring him in as Monk (age 55) did, to secure himself and deliver every body else. When I told him of what I found writ in a French book of one Monsieur Sorbiere, that gives an account of his observations herein England; among other things he says, that it is reported that Cromwell did, in his life-time, transpose many of the bodies of the Kings of England from one grave to another, and that by that means it is not known certainly whether the head that is now set up upon a post be that of Cromwell, or of one of the Kings. Mr. White tells me that he believes he never had so poor a low thought in him to trouble himself about it. He says the hand of God is much to be seen; that all his children are in good condition enough as to estate, and that their relations that betrayed their family are all now either hanged or very miserable.

Note 1. The Protector wished the Duke of Buckingham (age 36) to marry his daughter Frances. She married, 1. [her former husband] Robert Rich, grandson and heir to Robert, Earl of Warwick, on November 11th, 1657, who died in the following February; 2. [her husband] Sir John Russell, Bart (age 24). She died January 27th, 1721-22 [Note. Other sources day 1720], aged eighty-four. In T. Morrice's life of Roger, Earl of Orrery (age 43), prefixed to Orrery's "State Letters" (Dublin, 1743, vol. i., p. 40), there is a circumstantial account of an interview between Orrery (then Lord Broghill) and Cromwell, in which the former suggested to the latter that Charles II should marry Frances Cromwell. Cromwell gave great attention to the reasons urged, "but walking two or three turns, and pondering with himself, he told Lord Broghill the King would never forgive him the death of his father. His lordship desired him to employ somebody to sound the King in this matter, to see how he would take it, and offered himself to mediate in it for him. But Cromwell would not consent, but again repeated, 'the King cannot and will not forgive the death of his father;' and so he left his lordship, who durst not tell him he had already dealt with his majesty in that affair. Upon this my Lord withdrew, and meeting Cromwell's wife and daughter, they inquired how he had succeeded; of which having given them an account, he added they must try their interest in him, but none could prevail"..

Around 1667 [her son] Rich Russell was born to [her husband] John Russell 3rd Baronet (age 27) and Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 29).

On 24 Mar 1669 [her husband] John Russell 3rd Baronet (age 29) died. His son [her son] William Russell 4th Baronet (age 5) succeeded 4th Baronet Russell of Chippenham in Wiltshire.

In 1670 [her son] John Russell was born to [her former husband] John Russell 3rd Baronet and Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 32).

In 1683 [her son-in-law] Thomas Frankland 2nd Baronet (age 18) and [her daughter] Elizabeth Russell Lady Thirkleby (age 19) were married. They had ten children.

Before 1691. John Riley (age 44). Portrait of Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 52).

In 27 Jan 1720 Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell (age 82) died.

[her son] Christian Russell was born to John Russell 3rd Baronet and Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell.

Royal Ancestors of Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell 1638-1720

Kings Wessex: Great x 26 Grand Daughter of King Alfred "The Great" of Wessex

Kings England: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Kings Franks: Great x 28 Grand Daughter of Louis "Pious" King Aquitaine I King Franks

Kings France: Great x 21 Grand Daughter of Robert "Pious" II King France

Ancestors of Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell 1638-1720

Great x 3 Grandfather: Morgan Williams

Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Cromwell 14 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Walter Cromwell 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Katherine Cromwell 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Glossop

Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Cromwell aka Williams 15 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Murfyn

Great x 2 Grandmother: Frances Mirfyn

GrandFather: Robert Cromwell 16 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Warren of Feering in Essex

Great x 2 Grandfather: Ralph Warren

Great x 1 Grandmother: Joan Warren

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Lake alias Davy of Cornwall

Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Trelake

Father: Oliver Cromwell 17 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Steward

GrandMother: Elizabeth Steward

Frances Cromwell Baroness Russell 18 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

GrandFather: John Bourchier

Mother: Elizabeth Bourchier