The Mortimers of Tiverton

Account of the Mortimer family of Tiverton, Devon.

Mortimers in Tiverton

Many members of the Mortimer family made Tiverton their home. In the 16th century, several records relate to Mortimers in the parish:

  • John Mortimer (c.1552-c.1577), m. Margery Webber 8 Feb 1774/5 Tiverton, who may have been the same John Mortimer recorded in Crediton in the 1569 Military Survey. Either John Mortimer m.1575 or a son of the same name died intestate c.1618 Tiverton, when administration of his estate was granted to Silvester Parkhouse, a small sum of £10 5s. 6d.

Note the name Parkhouse may suggest a connection with Nicholas Mortimer d.1556*, who gave a small bequest to Margaret Parkhouse in his will, who may have been a servant or godchild. This link is distant, as Silvester Parkhouse was born in 1585 and was at least a generation younger than Margaret. Interestingly, Silvester was the son of William Parkhouse (c.1556-1594) and Margaret (c.1554-1598), who were married c.1580. John Mortimer could have been a half brother of Silvester Parkhouse, if he was born c.1575 by a previous husband, which may have been John Mortimer m.1575. However, it is unclear if the names Margaret and Margery were close enough to be interchangeable.

  • Robert Mortimer of Tiverton (c.1556-1593), was perhaps a younger brother of John m. 1575. He left a will dated 1593, but unfortunately no abstract survives of this document. His wife may have been Joan Mortimer, who married Richard Dunn in 1593/4 Tiverton.

John or Robert Mortimer presumably had two sisters:

  • Mary m. Robert Beddle 11 Apr 1577 Tiverton
  • Agnes m. Thomas Dunn, 14 Jul 1582 Tiverton, presumably related to the Joan Mortimer who married Richard Dunn nearly ten years later in 1593/4.

Nicholas Mortimer of Tiverton (c.1558-1624)

Nicholas was a brother of John Mortimer of Priorton d.1605 (presumably son of John Mortimer of Priorton d.1559). Nicholas Mortimer lived in Tiverton, and as such was perhaps a younger son. He married Elizabeth Duder (c.1556-1615), 5 Nov 1582 Tiverton, and they had the following children:

i. Bridget, c.1586, was mentioned in the will of her uncle John Mortimer in 1605. She had a natural son, Bennet Mortimer, b. 11 Jan 1602/3 Tiverton.

ii. A daughter, who married John Basterd before 1624, may have been the same daughter as Bridget, above.

ii. Hugh Mortimer, (d.1605), who was mentioned as a son of Nicholas Mortimer in the will of his uncle John Mortimer of Priorton, d. 1605. He was bur. 30 Dec 1605, Tiverton.

Bennet Mortimer of Tiverton (1603-aft.1643)

Bennet was bap. 11 Jan 1602/3, the illegitimate son of Bridget Mortimer, the daughter of Nicholas Mortimer of Tiverton. He married firstly Elizabeth Flood (1610-1640), 1 Oct 1632 Loxbeare, and they had two children:

1. Alexander Mortimer, as detailed below.

2. Nathaniel Mortimer 1640, whose mother died the same year.

He married secondly Temperance Southwood, 31 Oct 1641 Tiverton, with whom he had one son:

3. John Mortimer 1643, perhaps the same John Mortimer of Cadbury, who married Rebecca, had two children born

Alexander Mortimer of Tiverton (1632- )

Alexander was bap. 31 Dec 1632, he married around 1660 and had the following children:

1. Elizabeth 1662

(3). Agnes 1668

2. Alexander Mortimer II (1665-1741)

Alexander was bap. May 1665, and married Sarah Holcombe, 16 Sep 1693 Tiverton, and had the following children. He survived his eldest son Alexander Mortimer, and was bur. 19 Jul 1741, a month after Alexander the son.

1. Sarah 1694-1695

2. Elizabeth 1696

(4). George Mortimer c.1703, who had a daughter Elizabeth 1738-1739 Tiverton.

3. Alexander Mortimer III (c.1700-1741), whose baptism record is missing due to a gap in the parish records, but he was presumably a son of Alexander Mortimer b. 1665. He died and was bur. 29 Jun 1741, Tiverton, a month before his father, in which burial record he was described as Alexander Mortimer jnr. He married Elizabeth Blackwell (c.1700-1752), 5 Nov 1728 Tiverton, and they had the following children:

1. Mary 1729-1739

2. Thomas Mortimer 1732

3. Sarah 1734

4. Alexander Mortimer IV, was b. 30 Dec 1736, and baptised 13 Jan 1736/7. He married firstly c. 1758, Frances (c.1734-1761), and they had a son:

Alexander Mortimer V b. 1758, the fifth and perhaps last of a long line of Alexander Mortimers. His wife Frances died in about 1760. He married secondly, Elizabeth Rowland 28 Jun 1762 Tiverton. Alexander was buried 5 Dec 1765 Tiverton. His widow Elizabeth remarried 22 Feb 1767 to Joseph Hagley. Alexander Mortimer b.1758 may have moved away from Devon and become a soldier, later living in Bath, but had no issue.

5. Joseph 1738-1739

6. John Mortimer (1740-1787), m. Mary Bidgood, 31 Aug 1762 Stoke Canon, when John was described as of Dunsford. They lived in Tiverton and had the following daughters. John was bur. Apr 1787 Tiverton.

i. Mary 1764

ii. Sarah 1769

iii. Frances 1771

iv. Jane 1774