Origins
The Mortimers of Down St Mary descend from Francis Mortimer, born c. 1655, and were presumably connected to the Mortimers at Morchard Bishop, where later family members lived as tenant farmers. Francis Mortimer was presumably born in the neighbouring parishes of either Morchard Bishop or Sandford. He was occupied as a husbandman, and married Elizabeth Datheridge otherwise called Doddridge in 1682. The exact nature of his connection to other Mortimers in the area remains uncertain. He may have been a brother of Roger Mortimer who married Mary Comyns in 1673, Morchard Bishop, though this Roger might have been the same as Roger b.1653 Sandford, son of John Mortimer.
Francis Mortimer (c.1655-1706) of Down St Mary
Francis date of birth is estimated from the date of his marriage, which marks the first known record about him. He m. Elizabeth Datheridge 22 Nov 1682 in Zeal Monachorum, Devon. He made a will dated 21 Jul 1705, which extract follows:
Francis Mortimer of Down St Mary, husbandman, leaves eastern house to son John, and western house to children Roger, Francis, Elizabeth, after wife’s death, on condition that wife Elizabeth remains a widow. To children Simon and Hannah, 20s. Residue to wife Elizabeth, sole executrix. Proved 16 Oct 1706.
Francis and Elizabeth Mortimer had the following children, the first four being born before the start of the extant parish register:
1. John Mortimer
2. Roger Mortimer c.1687-, who m. Elizabeth Howard, 21 Jul 1722, Down St Mary. They had the following children:
i. Mary 1724, b. 26 Sep 1724, m. William Howard (presumably a relative of mother Elizabeth Howard) 31 Mar 1746, Morchard Bishop. They had six children in Morchard Bishop; Eliz 1746, Eliz 1749, Mary 1751, Gra 1756, Wm 1759-1761, & Wm 1763.
ii. Roger Mortimer II 1728, b. 19 Mar 1727/8, who m. firstly Mary Kingwell 30 Jan 1753, Morchard Bishop, they had the following children:
1. John 1753-
2. Patience 1756-1813, b. 1 Feb 1756, m. Roger Bibbins, 12 Jun 1780, Zeal Monachorum. They had seven children in Zeal Monachorum; Mary 1781-1781, John 1782, Roger 1785, Mary 1788, Ann 1791, Patience 1794, Jane 1798. Patience was bur. in 1813, Zeal Monachorum.
3. Elizabeth 1760-?, b. 24 Fe 1760, who presumably d. young, before 1776.
4. Mary 1763, b. 29 May 1763.
5. Roger b. 1 Jan 1766, d. before 1841.
Roger Mortimer m. secondly, Ann Bond, in 1770, Down St Mary. They had three children:
6. Ann b. 22 May 1773, bap. 23 Jun 1773 Chudleigh, Devon.
7. Elizabeth 1776-c.1777, b. 16 Sep 1776, d. young, before 1778
8. Elizabeth b. 11 Oct 1778
iii. John Mortimer 1730-1773? Ideford, b. 1 Dec 1730 Down St Mary. He m. Mary Towill, 8 May 1757, Bishopsteignton. He was possibly bur. 1773, Ashcombe near Chudleigh, Devon, the same parish where his brother Francis Mortimer lived. He died after 1771, and may have been bur. in 1773 Ashcombe, although alternatively this may have been John Pudner Mortimer b.1770 Ashcombe, whose life details are unknown. John and Mary had the following children in Ideford:
1. George 1761-c.1763, b. 17 Jul 1761, who presumably d. young.
2. Elizabeth 1764, b. 2 Dec 1764.
3. John Mortimer II 1767-1840, b. 21 May 1767. In 1794, he witnessed the m. of William Mortimer d.1815. He m. Elizabeth Gale (1763-1843), 1 Nov 1794, Ideford, signing his name. His occupation at the time was a labourer. The marriage was witnessed by William Smallridge and Thomas Wilking. He died and was bur. 11 Aug 1840, Ideford, aged (74), at the time of his death he lived at Ugbrook, Chudleigh. John and Elizabeth had the following children baptised in Ideford:
i. John 1795-1795, b. 30 Aug 1795, bur. 4 Oct 1795.
ii. John 1796-1797, b. 17 Nov 1796, bur. 26 Mar 1797.
iii. William Mortimer of Wolborough 1798-c.1867, who was b. 26 Aug 1798, and m. Sarah Hole, 25 Mar 1827, Chudleigh. He worked as an ag lab. in Kingsteignton, then Wolborough, and died between 1861/71. William and Sarah his wife had the following children.
1. John Mortimer 1829
2. Elizabeth 1830
3. William Mortimer 1833
4. Charles Mortimer 1835
iv. John Mortimer III 1801-c.1886, b. 18 Oct 1801, Ideford. He m. Sarah, and lived in Chudleigh and Kingsteignton. He died between 1881/91. John and Sarah had the following children.
1. William Mortimer c.1827-1918, who m. Ellen. They had one son.
i. John Mortimore c.1893-1914, born in Ugbrooke, near Chudleigh, Devon, the only son of William and Ellen Mortimer. He served in the First World War in the Coldstream Guards. He fell 22 Dec 1914 and was bur. at Le Touret Cemetery, Richebourg-l’Avoué, Pas-de-Calais, France.
2. Mary c.1829
3. Elizabeth c.1831
4. John Mortimer IV c.1833-1904
5. James Mortimer c.1835-1916
6. Stephen Mortimer c.1838-1911
7. Sarah Ann c.1840
8. Lucy c.1842-1898
9. Alban Mortimer c.1845
10. Henry Mortimer c.1848-1938
v. Mary Ann 1804, b. 5 Aug 1804, m. Stephen White, 8 Feb 1831, Chudleigh. At the time of her marriage she was living in Totnes. They had a daughter, Matilda b. 1832.
4. Ann 1769
5. William Mortimer of Chudleigh c.1771-1815, whose baptism record is missing. He m. Ann Cornish (b.1772), 5 Oct 1794, Bishopsteignton. The m. was witnessed by John Mortimer, whose signature matches that of John Mortimer m. 1 Nov 1794 to Elizabeth Gale (see above). William was bur. 24 Mar 1815, Bishopsteignton, aged (43), of Chudleigh. William and Ann Mortimer had the following children. He may have been occupied as a stonemason, as two of his sons followed this profession.
i. William Mortimer II of West Teignmouth 1796-1867, b. 15 May 1796 Ideford, who m. Ann Cole 26 Dec 1815, East Teignmouth. He worked as a stonemason in West Teignmouth. He died in 1867. William and Ann had a son:
1. Charles Mortimer c.1831, who married and had at least two sons, and four daughters.
ii. John Mortimer 1799-1879, b. 13 Jan 1799, who m. Keziah Lee (c.1791-1874), 29 Sep 1819, East Teignmouth. He worked as a stonemason in West Teignmouth. John and his wife had a daughter:
1. Mary Ann Mortimer, b. 1825 West Teignmouth.
iii. Mary 1801
iv. Ann 1803
v. Elizabeth 1805
vi. Thomas Mortimer 1807
vii. Charles Mortimer 1809, who m. Jane, and they had the following children in Tormoham, Torquay.
1. Louisa c.1841
2. Noah Mortimer 1843-1923, who emigrated to the USA.
3. Elizabeth c.1848
iv. Francis Mortimer 1733-1770, b. 16 Jan 1732/3 Down St Mary. He m. Ann Pudner, 29 Aug 1759, Ashcombe. He was bur. 8 Apr 1770, Ashcombe. His wife’s son John was born 8 months afterwards. They had two older children:
1. Roger Mortimer, b. 3 May 1761, Aschcombe, possibly bur. 1785, Down St Mary.
2. Francis Mortimer II 1763-1847, b. 27 Feb 1763, m. Mary Ridaway, 31 May 1798, Highweek. Both bride and groom were described as sojourners in the parish, and Francis Mortimer lived in Down St Mary at the time. He was an ag lab., and died in 1847, Newton Abbott Workhouse. He was bur. 15 Oct 1847, Highweek parish churchyard, near Chudleigh. His wife Mary d. in 1843 and was bur. in the same location. They had the following children baptised in Combeinteignhead.
i. Elizabeth 1798, b. 21 Oct 1798 Highweek.
ii. John Mortimer, b. 25 Dec 1801.
iii. William Mortimer, b. 9 Apr 1805.
iv. Mary Ann, b. 29 May 1808.
v. James Mortimer, b. 30 Aug 1812.
Ann widow of Francis Mortimer had sons
3. John Pudner Mortimer, who may have been illegitimate. He was bap. 9 Dec 1770 Ashcombe. He was a near contemporary of John Mortimer of Sandford (1768-1809), who m. Betty Evans.
4. Thomas Mortimer 1773-1849, b. 4 Jul 1773 Ashcombe, who moved to Plymouth as a mariner. He m. Elizabeth Vivan, 30 Jul 1801, Plymouth.
5. William Mortimer 1776-1824, b. 29 Oct 1776 Ashcombe, who like his brother probably also moved to Plymouth. He was bur. 15 Jul 1824 Stoke Damerel, aged (45).
v. Elizabeth 1736, b. 18 Jan 1735/6, who m. John Kensbeer in 1761 Down St Mary. They had three children; John 1764-c.1766, Elizabeth 1767, & John 1773.
3. Simon Mortimer of Sandford (c.1690-1763), detailed in Mortimers of Sandford, Part 2.
4. Hannah (c.1693- ), who m. Peter Easterbrook, 31 Mar 1719 Sandford. Either Hannah died in Feb 1730/1 Sandford, or she died in 1754 (Hannah Easterbrook Mortimer was bur. in 1754, Sandford). Her husband died in 1778.
5. Elizabeth 1697-c.1702, who died young, b. 25 May 1697, d. before 1704.
6. Francis 1700-aft.1723, b. 29 Apr 1700, perhaps the same Francis Mortimer who lived in Cadbury at the time of the 1723 Oath Roll.
7. Mary 1701-1703, who died young, b. 17 Jun 1701, bur. 17 Oct 1703.
8. Elizabeth 1704, who m. Francis Cove, 25 May 1724, Down St Mary.
John Mortimer of Down St Mary (1685-1730)
John was presumably the eldest son of Francis Mortimer, husbandman. He was left the “eastern house” in the will of Francis Mortimer, and stayed in Down St Mary his whole life. He was presumably also a husbandman like his father. He married Ann Dain, 2 May 1715 Down St Mary, and they had four children; two daughters and two sons, both of whom lived in Morchard Bishop. He made a will proved by his wife in 1730.
1. Ann b. 13 Feb 1715/6 Down St Mary, who m. Robert Steer, 7 Feb 1743/4 Down St Mary. They had one son, Nathaniel b. 1744. An Ann Steer later m. John Mortimer in 1757, though this Ann was more likely related to Faith Steer b. 1733, as the name Faith is used for the first time in the following generation.
2. John Mortimer, was bap. 17 Jan 1718/9, the eldest son of John and Ann Mortimer of Down St Mary. He m. Ann Heywood, 26 Oct 1742 in Morchard Bishop, and they had at least seven children. Both John Mortimer and George his brother married into the Heywood family.
i. Ann b. 2 May 1743 Morchard Bishop
ii. George Mortimer, the eldest son, was b. 6 Feb 1744/5. He m. Elizabeth Pope, 30 Dec 1768 in Morchard Bishop. They had eight children, half of whom survived to adulthood.
1. William Mortimer 1769-1841, who was b. 18 Jun 1769 Morchard Bishop. He lived all his life in his home parish, where he worked as a shoemaker. Neither William or any of his sisters ever married, and they all lived together in the same house in 1841.
2. Betty 1771-c.1777, b. 15 Apr 1771, d. young before 1777.
3. Ann 1776-1854, b. 16 Jun 1776, d. 1853/1854 or 1859. She never married and lived with her brother and sisters in Morchard Bishop all her life.
4. Elizabeth 1770-c.1780, b. 30 Sep 1777, d. young before 1784.
5. Mary 1781-c.1784, b. 28 Jan 1781, d. young before 1791
6. Betty 1784-1868, who was b. 18 Jul 1784. She never married and lived with her brother and sisters in Morchard Bishop all her life.
7. John Mortimer 1787-c.1790, b. 9 Apr 1787, presumably died young, there being no further record of him.
8. Mary 1791-1874, the youngest and last surviving child. She was b. 7 Aug 1791 and bap. 7 Oct 1791. She never married and lived with her brother and sisters in Morchard Bishop all her life. Mary died in 1874 at the age of 83.
iii. Mary b. 27 Jul 1747, who m. Samuel Tozer, 24 Jul 1768 Zeal Monachorum. They had eight children; Eliz 1769, Mary 1771, Giles 1773, Giles 1778, Nancy 1780, Mary 1783, Ann 1785, & Joan 1789.
iv. Susanna b. 5 Mar 1749/50, bur. 4 Dec 1752
v. Betty b. 17 Oct 1752, m. John Pike 8 Apr 1776 Morchard Bishop
vi. Susanna b. 7 Oct 1755, m. Edward Conybeer 8 Feb 1784 Morchard Bishop.
vii. John Mortimer 1758 / or Thomasin Mortimer 1758, b. in different months of the same year. One was presumably the child of John and Ann m. 1741/2, the other the child of John Mortimer and Ann Steer m. 1757.
3. George Mortimer 1721-1799, was the second son of John and Ann Mortimer. Unusually, even though he was the second son, it seems to be his branch of the family who managed a farm in Morchard Bishop, while the heir of his brother John Mortimer was a shoemaker. He m. Elizabeth Heywood, 2 Feb 1751/2, and they had seven children. George was a yeoman, as stated in his will dated 1799, in Morchard Bishop.
i. Mary b. 23 Oct 1752
ii. John Mortimer 1756-1814, b. 20 Apr 1756, eldest son of George and Elizabeth Mortimer. He m. Mary Philpe in Morchard Bishop, and was bur. 9 Sep 1814, aged 58. They had the following children.
1. Frances b. 2 Oct 1778, who m. Robert Sage 25 Jul 1809 Morchard Bishop.
2. Betty 1780, who m. Richard Southcott, 15 Jan 1810, Morchard Bishop.
3. Thomasin b. 9 Mar 1783
4. William Mortimer 1786-1858, b. 27 Aug 1786, m. Mary Sage 27 May 1817. They had the following children. He lived in Birchinbeer, Morchard Bishop between 1817-1819. By 1820 he had moved to Lower Town, in the same parish. He was occupied as a broadweaver in Morchard Bishop. William and Mary had two daughters.
i. Frances 1817-1819
ii. Elizabeth 1825
5. George Mortimer 1788-1856, b. 7 Sep 1788, who m. Elizabeth Scott c.1820. In 1841 he lived in Higher Knightstone, Morchard Bishop where he was a hand loom weaver and pauper. George and Elizabeth his wife had two children in Morchard Bishop.
i. John Mortimer 1821-1869, b. 10 Jun 1821 Morchard Bishop, m. Grace Mitchell, 1851, Crediton. He was bur. 7 Jun 1869, Cruwys Morchard, aged 48. They had two children.
1. John Mortimer II 1854
2. George 1857-1861
ii. Grace 1825, bap. Christmas Day 1825, Morchard Bishop.
iii. George Mortimer 1758-1818, b. 24 May 1758, m. Elizabeth Gibbins (1765- ) 26 Dec 1792 Morchard Bishop. He was a yeoman farmer in Morchard Bishop, as stated on the marriage record of his son, Thomas. George was bur. 15 Dec 1818, aged 61. George and Elizabeth had the following seven children.
1. Thomas Mortimer 1793-1858, b. 16 Jul 1793 Morchard Bishop, m. Elizabeth Gibbins, 27 Feb 1845 Morchard Bishop. Thomas was a yeoman and resided at Wigham Farm, Morchard Bishop. In 1851 he farmed 71 acres and employed 5 labourers. He died and was bur. in 1858. Thomas and his wife Elizabeth had the following children.
i. Thomas Mortimer II 1846-1916
ii. Ann 1848
iii. Elizabeth 1850
2. Mary 1795-1871, b. 24 Feb 1795, m. John Pope of Knathorne, Morchard Bishop, 24 Mar 1817. They had ten children; Simon Mortimer Pope 1819, John 1820, William Wreford P. 1822, George 1824-c.1830, Philip Henry P. 1826-c.1830, Eliz 1826, Charlotte 1828, Mary 1831, George 1833-1900, Philip Henry P. 1838.
3. William Mortimer of Morchard Bishop 1797-1831, whose contemporary William Mortimer was also b. 1795, son of John and Ann Mortimer. He was bap. 2 Apr 1797, and bur. 1831, Morchard Bishop, aged 34.
4. George Mortimer of Bristol 1799-1867, b. 20 Aug 1799, Morchard Bishop. He m. Elizabeth McGregor, 8 Mar 1838 Bristol Temple parish. He was occupied in Bristol as a licensed victualler and publican, and lived at Quay St., Bristol. He died and was bur. 19 Apr 1867, Totterdown, Somerset, aged (69). George and Elizabeth had two children.
i. Isabella 1839-1916
ii. William Mortimer 1840
5. Elizabeth 1801, was b. 30 Dec 1801. She m. John Somerwill, 2 Jun 1827, Morchard Bishop. They had the following children; Mary Ann 1829, Prudence 1831, John 1835, Emma 1837, George 1838, Ellen 1842, and Thomas 1844.
6. John Mortimer of Bristol 1804-1877, b. 3 Apr 1804, m. Emma Dorchester (1823-1895), 3 Apr 1849, Bedminster, Somerset. They had one son, John Mortimer II b. Oct 1849. The elder John Mortimer died in 1877, Hallen, Gloucestershire.
7. Ann 1806, b. 29 Oct 1806, who m. John Ford of Exeter (1805-1884) 21 Jan 1828, Morchard Bishop. They had the following children; George Mortimer Ford 1829, William Henry F. 1831, Thomas Mortimer F. 1833, Ann 1836, Charles 1839, Frederick 1840.
iv. William 1761-1762, b. 21 Jul 1761, bur. 8 Jan 1762.
v. Elizabeth b. 31 May 1763
vi. Nathaniel Mortimer 1766-, b. 20 Jan 1766, who was apprenticed to Richard Challis, butcher 29 Jan 1788, Morchard Bishop. He m. Elizabeth Hill in 1796, Morchard Bishop. They moved to Enmore, Somerset before 1800, and had the following eight children.
1. Grace b. 11 Oct 1796, Morchard Bishop.
2. John Mortimer of Moorlinch 1798-1876, who moved to Somerset. He was bap. 11 Mar 1798, Enmore. He m. Sarah Davis, 25 Apr 1833, Middlezoy, Somerset. He worked as a dairyman in Somerset, and died 24 Sep 1876, Bridgewater. John and his wife Sarah had six children.
i. Elizabeth 1834
ii. George 1835
iii. Jane Elizabeth 1841
iv. William 1842
v. Mary Ann 1843-1875
vi. Elizabeth 1847
3. Nathaniel II b. 11 Mar 1798, was presumably a twin of John Mortimer above. He perhaps fathered an illegitimate child by Ann Webber, in 1827, Morchard Bishop.
4. Elizabeth b. 11 Apr 1800, Enmore.
5. George 1803-1831, b. 27 Feb 1803, Enmore, bur. 25 Jan 1831, Morchard Bishop, aged 27.
6. William 1805-1815, b. 19 May 1805, bur. 4 Jun 1815, Enmore.
7. Thomas Mortimer of Witheridge 1807-1858, b. 12 Jul 1807, Enmore, m. Mary Peck, 1 Aug 1831 Crediton, bur. 1858, Morchard Bishop. They had no children.
8. James Mortimer 1809-1890, b. 18 Jun 1809, m. Elizabeth Pitman, 6 May 1839 Bristol St Mary Redcliffe. They had no children. James d. 25 Apr 1890, Weston Zoyland, and was bur. 2 May 1890 in the same parish. His will was proved 27 May 1890.
vii. Grace b. 21 Apr 1767
4. Francis Mortimer 1722-1722, b. 8 Nov and bur. 18 Nov 1722.
