Mortimer of Kingsteignton

The Mortimers of Kingsteignton

An account of the Mortimers of Hennock and Kingsteignhead, including the Mortimers of Combeinteignhead

Origins

The story of the Mortimers of Kingsteignton begins in Hennock, with John Mortimer, who was born in the mid 1530s. He was probably a younger son of Richard Mortimer of Tedburn St Mary, as he named his eldest children Richard and Joan. His youngest son, William Mortimer, moved to Bovey Tracey and was the father of John Mortimer of Kingsteignton. Later in the 18th century, the Mortimers moved down river to Ringmore in Shaldon, opposite Teignmouth on the mouth of the river Teign. One branch of the family became successful dyers in Plymouth.

John Mortimer of Hennock (c.1535-1587)

John Mortimer married firstly, Joan, 10 Jun 1559, Hennock and they had two children.

  1. Joan b. 29 Feb 1559/60, who m. Thomas Ford, 20 Jun 1579.
  2. Richard Mortimer b. 30 Oct 1561.

John’s wife Joan died in 1563, and was bur. 9 Jan 1562/3. John married secondly, in around 1570, to a woman whose name is unknown, and had the following children:

3. Frisset c.1573, m. Christopher Potter 26 Jan 1595/6.

4. Thomasin c.1576, m. William Pinsent 24 Oct 1597.

5. Joan 1578-79, b. 16 Dec 1578, bur. 14 Mar 1579/80.

6. Joan b. 25 Feb 1582/3, the youngest daughter.

7. William Mortimer

John was bur. 17 Mar 1587/8. His will was dated 1587, but unfortunately does not survive, and exists only as a listed entry. It would have most likely mentioned his wife and children, and maybe more distant relatives, perhaps in Tedburn. John might have been the father of John Mortimer, c.1584, who had children Martha b.1609 and John b.1612, Hennock. However, since these two children were born in the gap in christenings of children of John Mortimer of Tedburn, between 1607-1616, they perhaps belonged to the family in Tedburn.

William Mortimer of Bovey Tracey (1587-1616)

William was baptised, 13 May 1587, the youngest son of John Mortimer. His father died when he was ten months old. He married Joan, around the year 1611, and they lived in Bovey Tracey. They had a daughter, Joan, and his wife was pregnant with another child when William made a nuncupative will on 29 Aug 1616. William made his wife sole executrix and residuary legatee, and he died the same day. He was buried in his home parish of Hennock, the following day, probably beside his parents. Their child, a son, was born in September. He was named John, perhaps after William’s father, and he was baptised at Kingsteignton church, 20 Sep 1616. Joan proved her late husband’s will, 9 Nov 1616. Two generations of the Mortimers had now lost their fathers in infancy.

  1. Joan c.1613
  2. John Mortimer
John Mortimer of Kingsteignton (1616-1687)

John was bapt. 20 Sep 1616, the posthumous only son of William Mortimer. He married Catherine Fursland, 16 Sep 1641 in Exeter St Edmund. Catherine was the daughter of Walter Fursland. In 1664, John Mortimer and his wife Catherine featured in a final concord, with Francis Calmady and Joan his wife, and Andrew Holwell and Honora his wife. The women were three sisters, and the daughters of Walter Fursland. They were to convey land in Hennock, Knighton and Knighton Heathfield to Sir John Stowell. In 1674, John Mortimer paid tax on two hearths in Kingsteignton, and in 1680 acted as churchwarden in the parish. He died at the age of 61 years and was bur. 29 Nov 1687 at Kingsteignton. John and Catherine had the following children:

  1. Joan 1643-1706?, who may have died and was bur. in 1706, Kingsteignton. Alternatively, this record could relate to a wife of William, below.
  2. William Mortimer 
  3. Andrew Mortimer c.1650-1724, who became a husbandman in Kingsteignton but had no children. He left a will dated 10 Mar 1723/4, detailing his family members. He mentioned his brother William Mortimer, and John Mortimer, who was presumably the grandson of William. Also his brother in law, John Lange, and the three children of his niece Mary Lange, deceased, by Samuel Holman, who had since remarried. He mentioned the children of his nephew John Skeen, deceased. He also made a bequest to Mary Colman and the families of Humphrey Milton (husband of great-niece) and Richard Prowse. The residue was to John Mortimore and Joan Redstone, joint executors. Andrew died soon after, and was bur. 15 Mar 1723/4. His will was proved in Jun 1724.
  4. Mary c.1654, who married John Lang (c.1655- ), 6 Jan 1679/80 Kingsteignton, and had two daughters. She was bur. in Apr 1696, Kingsteignton.

i. Mary Lang 1681-bef.1720

ii. Joan Lang 1684-1688

5. Rebecca c.1657-1710, who married Thomas Skearns, 4 May 1683 Highweek. They had a son, John Skearns (1686-1721), whose children were mentioned in the will of Andrew Mortimer, above. She was bur. in 1710, Kingsteignton.

6. Elizabeth c.1660-1675, who died before reaching adulthood.

William Mortimer (c.1644-1730)

William was born in the mid 1640s, during the turmoil of the English Civil War, and was the eldest son of John. He was most likely a yeoman, and married in the late 1660s. William was mentioned as a brother in the will of Andrew Mortimer, husbandman d.1724. He was bur. in 1730, Kingsteignton. William survived his son William who died in 1716. His wife may have been Joan who died in 1706. Together they had the following children in Kingsteignton:

  1. John 1669-1672, the eldest son, named after his grandfather, but died in childhood.
  2. William Mortimer II
  3. Andrew Mortimer (c.1672-c.1704), named after his uncle. He married Margaret Norrell, 15 Jan 1696/7 Exeter St Thomas. He died before 1710, when his wife Margaret died a widow. In her burial record it was stated that she was the widow of Andrew Mortimer. This must have been Andrew Mortimer junior, for Andrew Mortimer c.1650 was still alive.
William Mortimer II (c.1671-1716)

William was born between the births of John b.1669 and Andrew b.1672, and was probably the second son of William d. 1730. William was so named after his father, but predeceased him. He was a nephew of Andrew Mortimer d.1724. He married Joan Cose (c.1675-1736), 7 May 1695 Highweek. They had the following children:

  1. Mary 1695, who married Humphrey Milton, 31 Jan 1720 Kingsteignton. Her eldest two children were mentioned in the will of her great uncle, Andrew Mortimer in 1724.
  2. John Mortimer, of whom next.
  3. Andrew Mortimer 1698, of whom nothing further is known.
  4. William Mortimer of Combeinteignhead (1699-1780), a contemporary of William Mortimer of Bishopsteignton (1703-1763). He married in 1728 Grace Pool (1700-1773). They had the following children, and he was bur. 1 Mar 1780.

i. Mary 1729

ii. William 1731-1732

iii. John Mortimer (1733-1796), married Rose Terry (1740-1780), 24 Jan 1764 Combeinteignhead and had the following children:

    1. John Mortimer of Plymouth (1768-1825), bapt. 9 Sep 1768 Combeinteignhead. He was a fuller and dyer, and moved from Combeinteignhead to Plymouth. He married firstly Patience Hammick (1769-1814), 1790 Plymouth. He married secondly in 1820, Mary Rew (1769-1854), who was born in South Molton. The children by his first marriage were:

i. Elizabeth 1792-1875

ii. Rose 1794, obviously named after her grandmother Rose Terry.

iii. John Mortimer II (1797-1834), also a dyer. He was born 23 Aug 1797, and bapt. 8 Jan 1798 Devonport. He married Rachel Brimble, or Bramble (c.1795- ), 21 May 1823 Plymouth. They had two children:

        1. Rachel Bramble Mortimer 1825-1894
        2. John Forrester Mortimer 1827- 

iv. Ann 1799

v. William 1801-1803

vi. William 1804-1807

vii. Samuel Mortimer 1806-1832, who died unmarried.

2. William Mortimer of Plymouth (1773-1822), who was a dyer like his brother John. Both William and John moved from Combeinteignhead to Plymouth. He married Mary Giles (1775-1816) and had two children:

i. William Mortimer II (1809-1877), Plymouth, who continued the family dying business.

ii. Mary Mortimer, 1811, who wrote a letter in around 1830/1 to her cousin John’s wife, Rachel.

iv. William Mortimer IV (1736-1812)

v. Frances 1737

vi. Jane 1740-1756

5. Joan 1701-1767, bapt. 4 Dec 1701, married firstly, John Lang (1699-1726), 26 Mar 1722/3 Exeter Cathedral, who was probably a distant relative of John Lang m. 1680 to Mary Mortimer. She married secondly, James Codnor (1701-1754), 22 Jun 1727 Exeter St Martin. In 1763 Joan Codnor was mentioned as a sister in the will of John Mortimer of Kingsteignton. She survived both her husbands and was bur. 29 Mar 1767 Wolborough.

John Mortimer of Kingsteignton, and Ringmore in Shaldon (1697-1763)

John was bapt. 10 Sep 1697 Kingsteignton, the eldest son of William Mortimer II of Kingsteignton (c.1671-1716). He married Mary Crabb (1699-1737), 17 Dec 1730 Kingsteignton. He made his will on 10 Sep 1763, and died the following year, aged 67. He was bur. 24 Jul 1764 and his will proved a month later, 22 Aug 1764. John was a yeoman and owned property in both his hometown Kingsteignton and Ringmore in Shaldon. John and Mary had the following children:

  1. Joseph Mortimer 
  2. John Mortimer II (1732-1796), an exact contemporary of John Mortimer of Combeinteignhead (above). In 1763 he was mentioned in his father’s will, with his children. He married Ann Way (1727-1817), 8 Feb 1755 Kingsteington, and had the following children:

i. John Mortimer III of Teignmouth, b.1756, who married Mary Gibson (1763-1826), 3 Jan 1790 Highweek, and had the following children in West Teignmouth:

      1. Elizabeth 1791-1865, who married John Orchard (1778-1827), 15 Dec 1818 Lustleigh. The marriage record states Elizabeth was residing in Lustleigh at the time. She was perhaps working there as a servant. The later 1851 and 1861 census records confirm Elizabeth was born in Teignmouth.
      2. George Mortimer of Teignmouth, 1792-1864, a thatcher by trade, married Ann.
      3. John Mortimer II 1795
      4. Mary 1797
      5. Susanna 1800
      6. Thomas Mortimer 1804-1879, a gardener.
      7. Ann 1808

ii. Ann 1758, who married William Langley.

iii. Mary 1759, who married John Langdon.

iv. William Mortimer 1761

v. James Mortimer 1764

vi. Catherine 1766

vii. Betty 1768-1791

3. Hannah 1735, who married John Drew

4. William Mortimer 1737-1784, bapt. 4 May 1737 Kingsteignton. He married firstly Grace Lang (1738-1762), 31 Jan 1761 Ringmore in Shaldon, but she died the following year. They had a daughter:

i. Elizabeth (1762-1838), who married her first cousin, John Mortimer of Ringmore in Shaldon (1763-1805) – see below.

William married secondly 11 Nov 1769 Kingsteignton, to Diana nee Watts (1734-1793), widow of Richard Langley (1724-1765). William died at the age of 46 and was bur. 27 Mar 1784 Ringmore in Shaldon. He was survived by his wife Diana, who died and was bur. 20 Nov 1793 Ringmore in Shaldon. They had two children:

ii. Mary 1773

iii. William Mortimer II 1774

Joseph Mortimer of Ringmore (1731-1777)

Joseph was bapt. in 1731 Kingsteignton, the eldest son of John Mortimer, yeoman, and Mary his wife. He married Elizabeth Lang (1732-1779), 17 Jan 1753 Exeter St Martin. He was bur. 10 Mar 1777, Ringmore in Shaldon. Joseph and Elizabeth had the following children:

  1. Joseph Mortimer II 1753-1816, bur. 9 Nov 1816, Ringmore in Shaldon, aged 62.
  2. John 1758-1759
  3. William 1760-1760
  4. Mary 1761-1761
  5. John Mortimer of Ringmore in Shaldon (1763-1805), was bapt. 1 May 1763 Ringmore in Shaldon. He married his cousin, Elizabeth Mortimer (1762-1838), 19 Dec 1784, at which point John Mortimer was living in Stokeinteignhead. They had the following children, the eldest son and daughter were presumably named after John’s parents:

i. Elizabeth 1786

ii. Joseph Mortimer 1791

iii. Mary 1794-1796

iv. John 1796-1796

v. Edward Mortimer of London (1798-1887)

6. Mary 1764

7. Thomas? Mortimer c.1766- , whose baptism record is missing, but presumably belongs in this family. He married Mary Harris (1763-1842), 29 Mar 1789 Ringmore in Shaldon, and they had the following children:

i. Thomas Mortimer II 1789

ii. William Mortimer of West Teignmouth (1791-1836), married Sophia Gilpin (1795-1854), 1821 Ringmore in Shaldon, and had the following children:

        1. William Mortimer II 1822
        2. Elizabeth 1823-1826
        3. John 1825-1827
        4. Elizabeth Susan 1827
        5. Sophia 1830-1914
        6. Mary Ann 1833

iii. Ann 1793

iv. George Mortimer of Ringmore in Shaldon, 1795-1844

v. Edward Mortimer of Ringmore in Shaldon, 1801-

8. Charlotte 1767

Related families

Read about the related Mortimer families in Devon

External Links

The Mortimer family of Plymouth – a blog which explores the Mortimers of Plymouth in more detail.

Comment