Origins
The Mortimer story in Gloucestershire begins in the late Middle Ages. The Mortimer Earls of March owned large tracts of land in Gloucestershire in the 1300s and formed a marriage alliance with the Berkeley family, barons of Berkeley, Gloucestershire. It is in Berkeley that the first reference to Mortimers in the Tudor period is found, in the 1522 Military Survey of Gloucestershire and later 1524 Lay Subsidy. John Mortimer lived in the parish of Berkeley in 1522, in a hamlet named Saniger. On the banks of the river Severn, Saniger was originally spelt Swanhangre, meaning a river bank with swans. Being blessed with excellent pasture, Berkeley is a large parish and was home to other historic yeoman families in the 16th century, including the Clutterbucks, Sanigers, and Smiths.
Further south of Berkeley, a William Mortimer also lived in Tockington, Gloucestershire. Given the geographic proximity, John and William Mortimer were perhaps related, maybe as father and son, or more likely as brothers, as there were only two Mortimers in Gloucestershire at the time. A Mortimer family of Devon had existed since at least 1454 (see Mortimers of Devon – The Early Generations). It is possible that the Mortimer family went much further back in Gloucestershire and were distantly connected with the Devonshire Mortimers. DNA studies currently in progress may be able to provide insight into such a question.
It is not known whether John Mortimer of Saniger had any children – though a later John Mortimer later lived in Berkeley in the 17th century, who was presumably related to the following family.
The Mortimers of Thornbury
(Mr) Mortimer of Thornbury? c.1510-
The Thornbury parish register does not state any relationships in the baptism and burial records, complicating genealogical research. It is here suggested that a Mortimer family progenitor lived in or near Thornbury in the 16th century and was father to the following children.
i. Elizabeth c.1537- , m. John Stinchcombe 27 Nov 1558, Thornbury, who was either a sister or mother of John Mortimer of Thornbury.
ii. John Mortimer
John Mortimer of Thornbury (c.1544-1615)
John Mortimer is the first Mortimer family member to be definitively associated with Thornbury, Gloucestershire, a parish adjacent to both Berkeley and Tockington, where Mortimers lived in 1522/4. As such he may have been related to either family. Elizabeth Mortimer married John Stinchcombe in 1558 Thornbury; she was presumably a relative. John’s contemporary of the same name was John Mortimer of Olveston, who had two sons baptised in Olveston in 1564 and 1566. John Mortimer of Thornbury married firstly, Joanna Dowsell (c.1544-1580) 5 Nov 1565 Thornbury, and they had several children in Thornbury, some of whom died young. John was named an overseer in the will of William Orchard in 1572; he again acted as overseer of the will of John Ellyats in 1576 and John Stambourne in 1577, when he was named as John Mortimer “junior”. John was enumerated in the 16th century lay subsidies. He lived in Falfield, Thornbury when his income was assessed at £3 for the purposes of the tax in 1581, 1585, 1592 and 1595. John’s wife Joanna died in 1580 and was bur. 24 Dec 1580, Thornbury. John and his wife Joanna had the following children in Thornbury
1. John Mortimer II
2. William? bur. 29 Jun 1569 Thornbury.
3. Thomas Mortimer of Falfield c.1568-1627, who was presumably the son of John Mortimer of Falfield. He was mentioned in relation to a debt in the will of William Nelme of Woodford, Berkeley in 1599, and had the following children. Thomas may have died in 1627 and was bur. in Thornbury.
1. Thomas Mortimer II 1615-1627, b. 25 Jun 1615.
2. Mary 1618-1618, b. 23 Aug 1618 Tortworth (daughter of Thomas Mortimer of Falfield), also bapt. the same date in Thornbury.
3. Sarah 1619
4. Agnes? c.1571 m. Richard Cole 11 Oct 1591 Thornbury.
5. Robert? bur. 5 Feb 1571/2.
6. Agnes 1575-1575
7. Catherine 1577-1577
8. Neville 1577-1577, b. 7 Sep, bur. 19 Sep 1577.
9. William? 1578-1579
10. William Mortimer of Thornbury 1580-1626, hooper, b. 7 Jun 1580 Thornbury, m.1. to his first wife whose name is unknown, but who may have been Dorothy, d. 1622. He m.2. Margaret Groome, 21 Apr 1623 Thornbury. Margaret died and was bur. 19 Jul 1626 Thornbury. William made his will the same year, which mentioned his late wife Margaret, daughter Dorothy, son in law Richard Thayer, and younger daughter Ann. He was bur. 1 Sep 1626 Thornbury. William and his first wife had one daughter:
i. Dorothy b. 29 Jan 1604/5 Thornbury, m. Richard Thayer 5 Apr 1624 Thornbury.
William and his second wife Margaret had one daughter:
ii. Ann 1625, bap. 20 Feb 1624/5 Thornbury.
John Mortimer II of Falfield (c.1566-1615)
John was presumably the son of John Mortimer of Falfield m. 1565. John was a yeoman farmer in Thornbury parish. He married Joan Search, 1591 Thornbury, and they had the following children; their eldest son was named William. John Mortimer died in 1615, Morton, Thornbury. Joan his widow remarried to John Howell, 20 Jan 1616/7 Thornbury. An abstract of John Mortimer’s will here follows.
Abstract will of Johannes Mortymere of Morton, Thornbury, yeoman, 19th July 1615
Sick in body etc. desires to be bur. in Thornbury churchyard.
To sons William and Francis M., £10 pounds apiece when they come of age.
To dau. Joan £10 when she comes of age.
Residue to wife Joan sole exec.
Overseer: brother in law John Search. Witnesses: Richard Warner, John Longe? & John Search.
John and Joan Mortimer had the following children.
1. William Mortimer of Thornbury the younger, 1600-c.1650? , yeoman, b. 21 Jan 1599/1600 Tortworth. He m. Joan Mildmay, 20 Oct 1623 Thornbury and they were presumably parents of the following children.
i. William? 1626, b. 3 Dec 1626 Thornbury
ii. Joan 1629-1633, b. 15 Aug 1629, bur. 12 Dec 1630 Thornbury
iii. Ursula 1632-1632, b. 9 Mar 1631/2, bur. 9 Sep 1632
iv. Ann 1638-1639, b. 3 Dec 1638, bur. 10 Jan 1638/9
v. William? 1640-1640, b. 16 Apr 1640,
vi. Elizabeth 1643, b. 15 Jan 1642/3.
vii. Charles? c.1645-1645, bur. 3 Oct 1645
viii. Arthur 1645, b. 29 Sep 1645.
2. Francis Mortimer 1603-1647, shoemaker, b. 2 Jun 1603 Tortworth, m.1. Frances Peasley 7 Oct 1633, m.2. Katherine (Jennings?) between the 9/13 Mar 1633/4, Thornbury, m.3. Mary before 1647, though he had no children. Francis made a nuncupative will before 1647, mentioning his wife Mary, brother in law Andrew Butler, and sister Joan Mortimer alias Butler.
3. Richard 1606-1609, b. 9 Feb 1605/6 Tortworth, bur. 25 Apr 1609 Thornbury.
4. Joan 1608, b. 6 Nov 1608 Tortworth, m. Andrew Butler 4 Jun 1632 Thornbury, mentioned in the nunc. will of her brother Francis c.1647.
The Mortimers of Olveston
The name of the progenitor of this family is unknown, though he may have been called John, and would have been born c.1508, Gloucestershire, perhaps the son of William Mortimer of Tockington fl. 1524. He had at least two sons:
1. John Mortimer
2. Thomas Mortimer c.1537-1593, of Ackeley, Olveston, husbandman, who was presumably born in Olveston and the brother of John Mortimer. He married four times; m.1. to first wife, whose name is unknown, they had three children. Thomas m.2. Margaret Everis, 18 Jan 1571/2 Olveston, Margaret died in the same year, and was bur. 31 May 1572 Olveston. Thomas m.3. to Agnes, in 1573, and they had three children. Agnes died in 1581 and was bur. 31 Aug 1581, Olveston. Thomas Mortimer m.4. Alice Woodshall, 6 Nov 1587 Olveston, and they had the following children. Thomas made a will in 1593, and died that year. He was bur. 13 Aug 1593. Thomas Mortimer’s will mentioned his children Thomas, William, Agnes and George, cousin James Mortimer, sister in law Margaret Woodshall, his wife Alice was sole exec. and residuary legatee. The overseers were John Hollester, William Horte of Tokenton (Tockington) and Thomas Segear. The will was witnessed by Alice Waker.
Children by first marriage:
i. Joan 1563-1564, b. 27 Jul 1563, bur. 8 Nov 1564 Olveston.
ii. John 1566-1566, b. 3 Oct bur. 28 Oct 1566 Olveston.
iii. Joan c.1567-1568, bur. 26 Feb 1567/8 Olveston.
Children by third marriage:
iv. John 1574-bef.1593, bap. 16 Sep 1574 Olveston, d. bef. 1593.
v. George 1576-bef.1593, b. 17 Feb 1576/7.
vi. Ann 1579, b. 6 Sep 1579
Children by fourth marriage:
vii. Thomas Mortimer II 1590-1613
viii. William Mortimer 1593
John Mortimer of Olveston (c.1535-1570)
John was presumably born in the 1530s, the brother of Thomas Mortimer of Olveston (above). Little is known of him. He married and had the following children. John Mortimer died in 1570 and was bur. 14 Oct 1570 Olveston.
1. John? Mortimer of Henbury (c.1559-1581), may have been an older son of John Mortimer of Olveston. He lived in Redwick or Northwick, in the parish of Henbury in 1581 and was his income was assessed at £3 in the subsidy of that year.
2. James Mortimer of Olveston (c.1562-1634), born in the early 1560s, m.1. Joan Watts 13 Jan 1583/4 Olveston, and they had two children, both of whom died young. Joan died in 1586 and was bur. 19 Jan 1585/6 Olveston. James m.2. to Joan (surname unknown) c.1588, and they had six children. He was mentioned as a cousin in the will of Thomas Mortimer, 1593.
Children by first marriage:
i. Elizabeth 1584-1584, b. 11 Jul, bur. 27 Jul 1584 Olveston.
ii. James 1585-1585, b. 7 Sep, bur. 20 Sep 1585 Olveston.
Children by second marriage:
iii. Maurice 1590-1626, b. 29 Aug 1590, bur. 8 May 1597 Olveston.
iv. Thomas 1593- , b. 4 Feb 1592/3.
v. Mary c.1594
vi. Joan 1595, b. 18 Jun 1595
vii. Margaret 1598-1625, b. 13 May 1598
viii. William Mortimer of Henbury 1602- , 28 Apr 1602 Olveston, m. before 1620 and had the following children in Henbury:
1. Maurice 1621, b. 23 Dec 1621 Henbury
2. Edith 1624, b. 30 May 1624
3. John 1625, b. 20 Nov 1625
4. Elizabeth 1629-1635, b. 2 Jun 1629, bur. 23 Mar 1634/5.
3. Henry 1564-1565, b. 3 Sep 1564, bur. 10 Jan 1564/5 Olveston.
4. William Mortimer (1566-1612), b. 3 Oct 1566, bur. Sep 1612 Olveston. He made a will in 1612, mentioned George Mortimer, and his son John, Henry, Joan, Elizabeth, Mary and Christian. Also James Mortimer and his children Thomas, Mary and Margaret. He appointed his brother George Mortimer as executor, and his overseers were Nicholas Franckombe and Richard Yeomans.
5. George Mortimer of Olveston (c.1570-1633), who was the brother of William b.1566, and was perhaps the younger brother. He m. Alice Tasker 13 Nov 1596 Olveston, and they had ten children. He was the executor of his brother’s will in 1612. Alice his wife was bur. 11 May 1625 Olveston. George died in 1633 and was bur. 12 Feb 1632/3 Olveston.
i. Joan 1597-1613, b. 30 0ct 1597 Olveston
ii. Elizabeth 1599, b. 3 Nov 1599, m. Anthony Hollister 21 Aug 1623 Olveston.
iii. John Mortimer (of Almondsbury?), 1601- , b. 3 Jan 1601/2
iv. William c.1603-1603, bur. Mar 1602/3
v. Henry 1604-1625, bur. 24 May 1625 Olveston
vi. James 1606-1609, b. 5 Aug 1606, bur. 23 Nov 1609 Olveston
vii. Mary 1609-1623, b. 25 Mar 1609
viii. Christian 1611, b. 22 Dec 1611
ix. Alice 1614, b. 20 Mar 1613/4, m. Solomon Wasson 2 Aug 1638 Olveston.
x. Ursula 1616, b. 28 Jan 1615/6
