Origins
Christow is a small parish situated on the eastern edge of Dartmoor. The Mortimers of Christow descend from Matthew Mortimer, who was born in Tedburn St Mary.
Matthew Mortimer of Christow (1607-1674)
Matthew was born in 1607, the third surviving son of John Mortimer of Tedburn St Mary, and younger brother of Walter Mortimer and Nicholas Mortimer. He was baptised 24 Feb 1606/7, Tedburn St Mary. Matthew moved to Christow, where he married Isett Osborne, 12 May 1631. They had at least six children. Matthew was the first member of the Mortimer family to live in Christow, and was among the supporters of a Protestant parliament in the 1642 Protestation Return in Christow. He died in 1674 without leaving a will, and was bur. 28 Jan 1674, Christow. Administration was granted to his widow Isett 15 Nov 1674; Isett lived the rest of her life as a widow and was bur. 30 Jan 1682/3. They had the following children.
1. Richard Mortimer 1632-1705, bap. 5 Feb 1631/2, who married Mary (c.1635-1701) at an unknown date and time. They might have married later in life for they had no children. Mary his wife was bur. 2 Feb 1700/1, Christow. Richard died at the age of 73, and was bur. 14 Mar 1704/5.
2. Thomasin 1634, bap. 7 Dec 1634, who m. Robert Reynell (1635-1677), 7 May 1658, Christow. She may have died in 1716, Woodland.
3. Matthew Mortimer II 1637-1706, bap. 7 May 1637. He m. 1. Elizabeth, c.1660, who died in 1675, and m. 2. Elizabeth Geale (1644-1706) 1 Feb 1677/8. He died in his 70th year, without leaving a will, and was bur. 22 Jan 1705/6, Christow. His widow Elizabeth renounced her right to administer and so administration was instead granted to his brother Edward Mortimer. Elizabeth was bur. 27 Jul 1706, Christow. Matthew had the following children by his first wife Elizabeth who was bur. 23 Dec 1675. Their only son Matthew died in infancy.
i. Matthew Mortimer III 1663-1664, bap. 1 Mar, 1662/3 bur. 30 Mar 1663/4, Christow.
ii. Martha 1664, m. Robert Partridge 12 Jun 1682, Christow.
iii. Joan 1665, bap. 15 Jan 1664/5, m. Richard Wannel in 1712, Chagford.
iv. Mary? c.1666, presumably a daughter of Matthew Mortimer. She m. Philip Park, 25 Nov 1684, Christow.
v. Susanna 1667-1671, bap. 9 Jul 1667, bur. 17 Aug 1671, Christow.
vi. Elizabeth 1670, bap. 14 Feb 1669/70.
vii. Susanna 1672-1705, bap. 8 Oct 1672, bur. 1705, Christow.
viii. Agnes 1675, bap. 29 Nov 1675
4. William Mortimer 1640-1680, bap. 29 Nov 1640, who m. Joan Clampett, 17 Jun 1673, Christow, they had the following children. He was bur. 24 Feb 1679/80, Christow. His widow Joan was bur. 4 Sep 1681.
i. James Mortimer 1674-1704, bap. 29 Mar 1674, Christow, m. Jane Bombury 11 Apr 1703 Christow, bur. 9 Jun 1704 Christow. Jane his widow m. Matthew Potter, 14 Feb 1706/7 Christow. James and Jane had one son.
1. William Mortimer 1703-1711, named after his grandfather; bap. 6 Jan 1703/4, bur. 30 Jul 1711 Christow. His father died in 1704 and his mother Jane remarried in 1707.
ii. Matthew 1678-1679, bap. 10 Mar 1677/8 (his name obscured by a register tear). He was bur. 4 Dec 1679, which record stated Matthew was the son of William Mortimer and Joan his wife.
5. John c.1644-1654, bur. 5 Jun 1654, mentioned as son of Matthew Mortimer in the burial record. He was presumably born in the mid 1640s.
6. Edward Mortimer
Edward Mortimer of Christow (c.1649-c.1711)
Edward was presumably the youngest son of Matthew and Isett Mortimer, and was probably born in the late 1640s (given his parents married in 1631). He married firstly Susanna Feazant (Pheasant?) 18 Apr 1678 Christow, and they had the following children. Susanna his wife died in 1702 and was buried 21 Jun 1702, Christow. He administered the estate of his brother Matthew Mortimer in Mar 1705/6. He remarried to Edith Sircombe, widow (1682-1770) 15 May 1718, who was born in Sandford. He died 3 years later and was bur. 10 Oct 1721 (that Edward m. 1678 and m. 1718 were the same person is shown by there being only one burial record for Edward Mortimer in Christow, and no baptism record for a younger Edward Mortimer). His widow Edith married Samuel Wills, 8 Aug 1723, Christow, and she was bur. 16 Feb 1770, Christow. Edward and his first wife Susanna had the following children.
1. Samuel Mortimer 1680-1757, bap. 31 Mar 1680 Christow, who m. 1. Mary Berry (1682-1725), 23 Nov 1704, Christow, m. 2. Joan Newberry (1700-1771). In 1723 he made the oath of allegiance in Christow. His first wife Mary was bur. 22 Jan 1724/5 Ashcombe. He died in 1757, Ashton. His second wife Joan remarried after his death to John Widdicombe, 29 Nov 1759, Ashton. Samuel and his first wife Mary had the following children:
i. Samuel 1706-1706, bap. 10 Feb, bur. 20 Feb 1705/6 Christow.
ii. Susanna 1706-1706, bap. 11 Feb, bur. 18 Feb 1705/6.
iii. Susanna 1707, named after her grandmother, bap. Apr 1707 Christow. She m. John Madge.
iv. Mary 1709-1716, bap. 31 Mar 1709 Ashton.
Samuel and his second wife Joan had the following children:
v. William 1734-1740, bap. 15 Dec 1734 Trusham
vi. Richard Mortimer 1736-1797, bap. 16 May 1736, m. 1. Mary Wreford 4 Jul 1762 Chudleigh. They had one son, William Mortimer 1763-1765 (bap. 30 Jan 1763, bur. 26 Sep 1765, Chudleigh. Mary died in 1765, he m. 2. Sarah Beer, 30 Jul 1762 Trusham. Sarah his wife died in 1792. Richard was bur. in 1797, Chudleigh.
vii. Ann 1739, bap. 18 Feb 1738/9 Trusham
viii. William Mortimer of Ashton 1741-1801, bap. 3 Jan 1741/2 Ashton
2. Alice 1682, bap. 23 May 1682 Christow, m. William Potter 11 Sep 1710 Chudleigh
3. Elizabeth 1685, bap. 24 Mar 1684/5, m. William Pitt 2 Oct 1706, Christow.
4. Henry bap. 5 Nov 1689.
Edward and his second wife Edith had at least one son:
5. Edward Mortimer
6. Samuel Mortimer ? He may have been born c. 1721, Christow, and fit into the family tree here, perhaps named after Samuel Mortimer b. 1680. He may otherwise have been a son of the above Samuel. The younger Samuel Mortimer m. Mary Rolstone (1719-1782), 4 Jan 1741/2 Exeter St Mary Steps. He was bur. 26 Nov 1778 Bridford. They had the following children.
i. Joan 1741-1742
ii. Samuel 1744-1744
iii. Mary 1746
iv. Susanna 1748-1749
v. John Mortimer of Bridford 1754-1785, b. 4 Jul 1754, m. Elizabeth Caseley 9 Jun 1776. They had the following children in Bridford.
1. Charlotte 1777
2. Samuel 1780
3. John Mortimer II 1782
4. Betty 1782
vi. Elizabeth 1757
vii. Joanna 1760
Edward Mortimer II (1719-1802)
Edward was bap. 30 Mar 1719, Christow, the youngest son of Edward Mortimer d. 1721. His father died when he was a child, and his mother Edith remarried in 1723 to Samuel Wills, they had one son Henry Wills b. 1725, Edward’s half brother. Edward married Elizabeth Hawkins (1720-1787) 13 Apr 1743 Bridford and they had six children. He died in 1802 and was bur. 24 Dec 1802 Christow.
1. Samuel Mortimer
2. Ann 1745
3. Mary 1747
4. Betty 1754
5. Sarah 1757
6. Susanna 1762
Samuel Mortimer (1744-1822)
Samuel was bap. 12 Jan 1743/4. He m. Elizabeth Soper (1752-1832) 12 Mar 1776, Bridford.
1. Mary 1776, m. Joseph Dymond (1772-1837) 12 Feb 1804 Bovey Tracey
2. Joanna 1778
3. Edward Mortimer
4. Betty 1782
5. Samuel 1785
6. John Woodley Mortimer 1791-1846, bap. 17 Apr 1791 Bridford, bur. 24 Aug 1846 Exeter Holy Trinity, aged 55.
