The Mortimers of Silverton

Origin of the Mortimers of Silverton

The Mortimers of Silverton begin with Gilbert Mortimer (c.1624-c.1680). He was born before the start of the Silverton parish records, but may have been born outside Silverton. He married Wilmot before 1653, when they appeared in a Chancery record Jerman v. Jerman.

Philip Jerman brought a case against a group of defendants; Robert Jerman, Richard Jerman, Thomas Jerman, William Sellacke and Mary Sellacke his wife and Gilbert Mortimer and Wilmott Mortimer his wife. The association with the Jerman family suggests a connection with Thomasin Mortimer m. Richard Jerman, 9 Nov 1617 Exeter St Mary Major. The record suggests Gilbert and Wilmot Mortimer were living in Bradninch in 1653, but there is no clear connection to the previous Mortimer family at Bradninch, who had lived there since c.1500.

Family

In 1674 Gilbert Mortimer paid tax on one hearth in Silverton, though there is no further record of him. He presumably died some time after this date, and was perhaps buried in Bradninch. He married around 1651 to Wilmot, and they had the following children:

1. Gilbert Mortimer

2. Michael Mortimer 1656-1697, who had the following children:

i. Mary 1691-1692

ii. Agnes 1692

iii. Mary 1697, who m. Edward Martin, 22 Oct 1722 Silverton.

3. John Mortimer 1657-1694, who married Rebecca Chowne (1670-1712), and had a son. John died in 1694. in 1699 Rebecca remarried to Robert Pasmore of Cullompton, husbandman (d.1707) and had two daughters, Mary and Rebecca Pasmore.

i. John Mortimer 1693-1737 of Silverton, bapt. 1 Jun 1693, bur. 28 Aug 1737. He married Mary and had a daughter Joan 1715-1715, and possibly a son, John Mortimer of Cullompton c.1717.

4. Mary 1659-1701, married Samuel Chowne (1657-1705), 13 Jun 1687 Silverton and had children.

5. Elizabeth 1661, married Roger Tucker, 14 Jun 1692 Silverton.

6. Sarah 1663

7. William 1665

Gilbert Mortimer II 1654-1701

Gilbert was bapt. 28 Feb 1653/4 and was the earliest known son of Gilbert senior. He lived in a time of intermittent parish records. While he had children, their baptism dates are unknown. Mary, the wife of Gilbert Mortimer died in Jul 1689, and may have been the wife of the younger Gilbert, if Gilbert senior had already died by then. Gilbert II was presumably father of the following. It is possible all of the following sons were born in Bradninch, which would explain why their baptism dates have eluded research.

1. Gilbert Mortimer III c.1677, who married Elizabeth Mogford (c.1675-1746), 30 Apr 1697 Silverton. Their daughter Mary was born in December and sadly died the following January, at which point Gilbert was described as Gilbert Mortimer, junior in the burial record. It is possible that generations here are duplicated and that this Gilbert has been confused with Gilbert b. 1653, but that would not adequately explain the appearance of Philemon and Henry Mortimer [below] in the following generation. Gilbert and Elizabeth had the following children, of whom at least three died in infancy. The burial records for both Gilbert senior and his youngest son Gilbert are missing. Elizabeth his wife was buried 26 Apr 1746 Silverton. 

i. Mary 1697-1698, bapt Dec 1697, bur. 9 Jan 1698/9.

ii. William Mortimer 1698-1698

iii. William Mortimer 1699-1729

iv. John Mortimer 1704-1707

v. John Mortimer 1708-1710

vi. Gilbert Mortimer (IV) 1711- ?

2. Philemon? Mortimer c.1681-1733, probably a younger son, married Joan Bussell, 20 Sep 1706 Exeter St Sidwell. In 1723 he took the loyalty oath in Silverton, but died sometime afterwards. Both Philemon and his brother Henry may have been sons of a currently unknown Mortimer who lived in Bradninch.

3. Henry? Mortimer, of whom next

Henry Mortimer of Silverton (c.1684-1748)

Henry Mortimer’s birth year remains unknown, and though his parentage is uncertain, he was presumably the brother of Philemon Mortimer, and both may have been sons of Gilbert Mortimer II (above). He married Rebecca Horden (c.1687-1745), 28 Aug 1710 Silverton. He died in 1748, was buried the 11 Feb 1747/8, Silverton. Henry and Rebecca had the following children:

1. William? Mortimer 
2. Philemon Mortimer 1715-1779, who was named after Philemon Mortimer m.1706. On 17 May 1737, William Mortimer of Bradninch, yeoman and Philemon Mortimer of Silverton were bound over to appear at the assizes to answer a charge of assault. They were later acquitted. On 10 Apr 1771, Philemon witnessed the marriage of Thomas Hodge to Mary Furser. On 13 Mar 1772, Philemon made his will, mentioning his brother Richard Mortimer, and Richard’s children William, Thomas, John, Betty and Ann. Also his sister Joan wife of Thomas Heard, Mary Parser, nephew Richard Mortimer, and Jenny daughter of brother Henry Mortimer, deceased. Mary Purser was sole exor.
3. John? Mortimer of Cullompton c.1717- who possibly relates to this family. See Mortimer of Cullompton and Exeter under Miscellaneous branches.
4. Joan c.1719, who m. Thomas Heard.
5. Henry Mortimer II c.1720-1760, of Silverton, who was perhaps a younger son. On 25 Jan 1751, he was convicted at the assizes for swearing. He married Joan Channon 26 Feb 1759 Silverton, and had an only daughter, Jenny (1761-1774). He died in 1760, and was bur. 4 Dec 1760. His daughter Jenny was mentioned as a niece in the will of his brother Philemon, 1772.
6. Richard Mortimer c.1722-c.1780 of Silverton, who was presumably the younger brother. in 1757 he stood surety for Zachariah Maine, and in 1764 was described as yeoman, of Bradninch. In 1774 he was a party in a lease concerning land in Bradninch. He died sometime after this date, perhaps around 1780. He married Mary Heard, 5 Apr 1749, and had the following children:

i. Richard Mortimer (II) 1752-1789, who was a nephew of Philemon Mortimer. He was probably the elder son, as he was mentioned apart from his siblings in the will of Philemon Mortimer in 1772. Richard II married Susanna Reynolds (1759-1820) 5 Jun 1781 Broadclyst, and had the following children. He died intestate, in 1789. Administration was granted to his widow Susanna Mortimer. Bondsmen were William Mortimer and John Reynolds of Pinhoe, presumably his brother and brother in law.

1. 1. 1. Mary Reynolds Mortimer 1782, m. Edward Moggridge
      2. Susanna 1784
      3. Salome 1786-1859
      4. Richard Mortimer III of Cullompton, 1788, whose father died when he was an infant. Richard was born 16 Oct 1788, and bapt. 30 Dec 1789 at Silverton. By 1819, he had moved to Cullompton, a centre of growth and industry. He married Harriet Anning, 16 Feb 1819 Cullompton, and had children:

i. Harriet R Mortimer 1825

ii. Richard Mortimer IV 1827-1875

iii. Salome R Mortimer 1829-1916

ii. William Mortimer c.1755-1821, who married Mary Row (1757-1830), 19 Sep 1780, at which point he was living in Bradninch. In 1784, William Mortimer made an undertaking to indemnify Hugh Pullem from rent and other expenses in Bradninch. He also acted as bondsman in the administration of Richard Mortimer’s estate, in 1789. William was a freeholder of Silverton in 1798. He died in 1821, Silverton. William and his wife Mary had an only daughter, Mary Ann Mortimer b.1780.

iii. Elizabeth 1758

iv. Mary 1760

v. Thomas Mortimer 1762-1831

vi. John Mortimer 1764

vii. Ann 1765

William Mortimer, (c.1712- ), of Bradninch

William Mortimer’s baptism record is also missing. He named one of his sons Philemon, and was related to the above family. He may have been either a son of Philemon the elder or a brother of Philemon the younger, although was not mentioned in his will. On 17 May 1737, both William Mortimer of Bradninch and Philemon Mortimer were bound over at the assizes. William perhaps he died before Philemon Mortimer’s will in 1772. He married Mary, in the late 1730s. They were probably parents of the following children:

1. Thomas Mortimer
2. Joan c.1742, m. Henry Hayman
3. Henry c.1744-1806, m. Elizabeth Drew, Elizabeth Linsey and Ann Moggridge.
4. Philemon c.1746-1748
5. John Mortimer c.1747, m. Sarah Hayman
6. Sarah c.1750, m. Henry Chown

Thomas Mortimer 1739-1779

Thomas was bapt. 5 Dec 1739 Silverton, and was probably the eldest son of William and Mary. He married Elizabeth Waters (c.1741-1779), 14 May 1768 Alphington, and they had the following children.

1. Thomas Mortimer 
2. William Mortimer of Plymtree (1773-1821), who m. firstly Betty Dilling, 25 Mar 1801 Silverton, and secondly, Maria Linley, 1812 Cullompton. He was bur. 28 Jan 1821 Plymtree, aged 48. The children by his second marriage were:

i. Maria 1815-1833

ii. William II 1820-

3. Elizabeth 1776

Thomas Mortimer II of Silverton (1769-1831)

Thomas was bapt. 26 May 1769, the eldest son of Thomas and Elizabeth. He married Mary Comer, 9 Apr 1792 Newton St Cyres, and together they had the following children:

1. Thomas Mortimer III 1793, who lived in Silverton as a yeoman. As a farmer of 400 acres, he farmed the largest amount of land of any Mortimer in 1851, and represented perhaps the most prosperous branch of the family in Devon after the Mortimer family of Bideford.
2. Richard Mortimer 1794
3. Mary Comer Mortimer 1796-1850
4. Elizabeth 1799
5. William Mortimer, of Camberwell (1800-1857), not closely related to the other William Mortimer of Camberwell (c.1799- ), b. in Barnstaple.
6. Jane 1802
7. Ann 1807
8. John Mortimer 1809
9. Thomas Mortimer 1810