Joan Shakespeare Hart was born in 1569 and, unlike her famous brother, remained in Stratford her entire life. She married a local hatter, raised four children, and lived in the family home until her death in 1646. Her existence is barely noted in the historical record; only seven official documents reference her.
Obviously the four children were conceived of, born of, and raised by someone else.
What is most interesting to me in this finding is that someone, his sister, lived to the age of 77...
At a time when the average life expectancy was probably the late 40s-early 50s...