Biography of Anne St John Countess Rochester 1614-1696

On 9th July 1604 [her father] John St John 1st Baronet (age 18) and [her mother] Anne Leighton were married.

On 5th November 1614 Anne St John Countess Rochester was born to John St John 1st Baronet (age 29) and Anne Leighton.

On 19th September 1628 [her mother] Anne Leighton died in childbirth.

On 23rd October 1630 [her father] John St John 1st Baronet (age 44) and [her step-mother] Margaret Whitmore (age 54) were married.

In October 1632 Francis Henry Lee 2nd Baronet (age 16) and Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 17) were married. She by marriage Lady Lee of Quarrendon in Buckinghamshire.

In or before 1638 [her son] Henry Lee 3rd Baronet was born to [her husband] Francis Henry Lee 2nd Baronet (age 21) and Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 23).

In 1639 [her husband] Francis Henry Lee 2nd Baronet (age 23) died in Spelsbury, Oxfordshire. His son [her son] Henry (age 1) succeeded 3rd Baronet Lee of Quarrendon in Buckinghamshire.

On 17th January 1639 [her son] Francis Lee 4th Baronet was born to [her former husband] Francis Henry Lee 2nd Baronet and Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 24).

In 1644 [her husband] Henry Wilmot 1st Earl Rochester (age 31) was created 1st Viscount Wilmot. Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 29) by marriage Viscountess Wilmot.

In 1644 Henry Wilmot 1st Earl Rochester (age 31) and Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 29) were married.

On 1st April 1647 [her son] John Wilmot 2nd Earl Rochester was born to [her husband] Henry Wilmot 1st Earl Rochester (age 34) and Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 32).

In 1648 [her father] John St John 1st Baronet (age 62) died. His grandson John (age 6) succeeded 2nd Baronet St John Lydiard Tregoze in Wiltshire.

In 1652 [her husband] Henry Wilmot 1st Earl Rochester (age 39) was created 1st Earl Rochester. Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 37) by marriage Countess Rochester.

Around 1658 Peter Lely (age 39). Portrait of Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 43).

On 19th February 1658 [her husband] Henry Wilmot 1st Earl Rochester (age 45) died at Sluys [Map]. He was buried in Bruges [Map]. After the Restoration his remains were reburied in All Saints Church, Spelsbury [Map]. His son [her son] John (age 10) succeeded 2nd Earl Rochester, 2nd Viscount Wilmot.

In 1659 [her son] Henry Lee 3rd Baronet (age 21) died of smallpox. His brother [her son] Francis (age 19) succeeded 4th Baronet Lee of Quarrendon in Buckinghamshire.

John Evelyn's Diary. 20th October 1664. Hence, to see the famous wells, natural and artificial grots and fountains, called Bushell's Wells, at Enstone. This Bushell had been Secretary to my Lord Verulam. It is an extraordinary solitude. There he had two mummies; a grot where he lay in a hammock, like an Indian. Hence, we went to Dichley [Map], an ancient seat of the Lees, now [her son] Sir Henry Lee's (age 25); it is a low ancient timber-house, with a pretty bowling-green. My [her future daughter-in-law] Lady gave us an extraordinary dinner. This gentleman's mother (age 49) was Countess of Rochester, who was also there, and [her brother] Sir Walter St. John (age 42). There were some pictures of their ancestors, not ill painted; the great-grandfather had been Knight of the Garter [Note. Reference to Henry Lee of Ditchley who was not great-grandfather; he was second-cousin once-removed]; there was a picture of a Pope, and our Savior's head. So we returned to Cornbury.

On 29th January 1667 [her son] John Wilmot 2nd Earl Rochester (age 19) and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Malet Countess Rochester (age 16) were married at Knightsbridge Chapel. She by marriage Countess Rochester. They having eloped and married against her families wishes. Two years previously he had abducted her for which he spent three weeks in prison. Her father being dead it isn't clear whose ward she was. He the son of [her former husband] Henry Wilmot 1st Earl Rochester and Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 52).

Before 4th December 1667 [her son] Francis Lee 4th Baronet (age 28) and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Pope Countess Lindsey were married. She by marriage Lady Lee of Quarrendon in Buckinghamshire. She the daughter of Thomas Pope 2nd Earl Downe and Lucy Dutton Countess Downe. He the son of [her former husband] Francis Henry Lee 2nd Baronet and Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 53). They were half fifth cousin once removed.

On 4th December 1667 [her son] Francis Lee 4th Baronet (age 28) died. His son [her grandson] Edward (age 4) succeeded 5th Baronet Lee of Quarrendon in Buckinghamshire.

On 26th July 1680 [her son] John Wilmot 2nd Earl Rochester (age 33) died. His son [her grandson] Charles (age 9) succeeded 3rd Earl Rochester, 3rd Viscount Wilmot.

On 18th March 1696 Anne St John Countess Rochester (age 81) died.