Introduction
This page is about the various Mortimer families who lived in Plymouth. The first part covers the descendants of Richard Mortimer of Plymouth b.1625. The names used by this family bear a suspiciously similar resemblance to the Mortimers of Bristol (including Nicholas, Peter and Edward), though there is not enough evidence to connect the two families at present.
Richard Mortimer of Plymouth (1625-aft.1662)
Richard was presumably born in Slapton, the son of Richard Mortimer (c.1583-1637), and so belonged to the Mortimer family of Stokenham and Slapton. He was baptised 14 Mar 1624/5. Richard was a younger son, though nothing further is known of his elder brother Robert b. 1618. He presumably moved to Plymouth, where he was perhaps occupied as a mariner or sailor. He married Ann, whose surname is unknown, and they had the following children. Both Richard and his wife died at some date after 1662, when the youngest child was born.
1. Nicholas Mortimer
2. Edward Mortimer 1652, b. 11 Jul 1652 Plymouth Charles the Martyr.
3. John 1654-1656, b. 8 Dec 1654 Plymouth Charles the Martyr, (son of Wm Mortimer – presumably a mistake in the entry), bur. 28 Aug 1656 Plymouth St Andrew.
4. George? Mortimer c.1656-1690, a mariner, who may have been connected to the family,
5. Elizabeth 1659, b. 29 Mar 1659 Plymouth Charles the Martyr.
6. John Mortimer 1662-1690? A mariner, b. 12 Jan 1691/2 Plymouth Charles the Martyr, d. 1690.
Nicholas Mortimer of Plymouth (1649-1685)
Nicholas was born in Plymouth and bap. 9 Dec 1649 Plymouth Charles the Martyr, the son of Richard and Ann Mortimer. He married Ann before 1674, when their daughter Anna was born. Nicholas was bur. 19 Oct 1685, Plymouth St Andrew. His widow Ann was bur. 2 Mar 1689/90, in the same parish. Since the baptism records of any children are missing between 1674 and 1685, they may have had the following issue.
1. Anna 1674, b. 9 Sep 1674 Plymouth St Andrew.
2. Mary c.1677-1678, bur. 2 Apr 1678 Plymouth St Andrew, whose baptism record is missing.
3. Nicholas Mortimer II? (c.1680-1735), presumably born in Plymouth, was perhaps a son of the above Nicholas. He m. Mary Hooper 17 Jul 1704 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. They lived in Stoke Damerel and had the following children, who were all baptised in Stoke Damerel. Both Nicholas and Mary his wife were bur. 9 Aug 1735 Stoke Damerel. An abstract of his will exists in the College of Arms.
i. John Mortimer 1706-1756, bap. 25 Jul 1706 Stoke Damerel, bur. 1756.
ii. Mary 1707-1737, bap. 17 Dec 1707, m. John Heathman 29 Apr 1727 Plymouth. Mary was bur. _ 1737 Plymouth.
iii. Ann 1709-1776, bap. 4 Apr 1709, m. Richard Fishley 14 Apr 1728 Stoke Damerel. She died in 1776.
iv. Judith 1711, bap. 21 Sep 1711, m. Daniel Ekins 5 Jun 1728 Stoke Damerel.
v. Nicholas Mortimer (III), bap. 25 Oct 1713.
vi. Walter 1716, bap. 3 Feb 1715/16 Plymouth St Andrew.
vii. Elizabeth 1718, bap. 25 Apr 1718 Stoke Damerel, m. David Lallard 9 Feb 1741/2 Plymouth St Andrew.
viii. Edmund Mortimer 1719-1742, bap. 23 Dec 1719, a sailor aboard H.M.S. Hampshire, whose will was dated 1742.
ix. Sarah 1722, bap. 16 Feb 1721/2, m. Charles Carmichael 25 Apr 1743 Stoke Damerel.
x. Catherine 1724, bap. 10 Aug 1724, m. Arthur Hill 27 Jul 1748 Plymouth St Andrew.
4. Edward? Mortimer c. 1682-c.1740
5. William? Mortimer of Kingsbridge c. 1683, who may have been related to the Mortimers of Plymouth.
6. Sarah 1685, b. 21 Sep 1685 Plymouth St Andrew.
Edward Mortimer of Exeter/ Launceston (c.1682-c.1740)
Edward’s origins are unknown, though he may have been born in Plymouth, and shares the same name as Edward Mortimer b.1652. His descendants also happened to live in Plymouth, so his family is covered here. He married his wife Honor at an unknown date, and they had at least two children in Exeter between 1717-1723. Edward obviously died around the year 1740, but there is no obvious burial record. He may have been a sailor in which case he could have died at sea. Honour his widow lived in Launceston, and remarried to William Venn of Sandford, 13 Aug 1742, Exeter St Petrock. There was another Mortimer family who lived at Sandford, but there is no baptism record for Edward Mortimer there. Honour lived in Plymouth after her second marriage, and was bur. 24 Jun 1755 Plymouth St Andrew. William Venn died in 1782. Edward and Honour had two sons, and possibly several other children who lived in Plymouth.
1. Mary c.1713-, had an illegitimate son William Mortimer b.1734. She afterwards m. Roger Pearse 9 Feb 1735/6 Plymouth, and they had five children. She died at an unknown date, and her son stayed in Plymouth.
2. William Mortimer of South Pool (c.1715-1773), whose parentage is unknown, but who perhaps was related to either the Mortimers of Slapton or Plymouth.
3. Henry Mortimer 1717-1747, victualler, bap. 10 Apr 1717 Exeter St Paul, m. Judith Oliver 1 Jun 1743 Plymouth St Andrew. They had one son Thomas 1744-1745. Henry was bur. 8 Sep 1747 Plymouth St Andrew, he left a will dated 1747. Judith his widow died in 1761.
4. Peter Mortimer c.1720-1764, whose date of birth and parentage are unknown, but who could have been a brother of Henry and Thomas Mortimer of Plymouth. Another Peter Mortimer b.1710, Bristol was presumably a different person. He m.1. Sarah before 1754, and they had two children. An alternative interpretation is that he was the same as Peter Mortimer of Sandford, m. Grace Sowden 29 Sep 1737 Sandford.
i. James 1754
ii. Sally 1756-1760
Peter Mortimer m.2. Hannah Sergeant, 30 Dec 1759 Plymouth Charles the Martyr, and they had the following children. Peter was bur. 14 May 1764, Hannah died at an unknown date.
iv. Peter 1760-1760
v. William 1763
5. Thomas Mortimer 1723-1760, bap. 3 Oct 1723 Exeter St Paul, who may have died 1760, Plymouth.
William Mortimer of Plymouth (1734- )
William was born in Devon and bap. on the first day of Christmas, 1734 in Plymouth St Andrew. His mother Mary married to Roger Pearse while he was an infant. William m. Elizabeth Fox 12 Aug 1760 Plymouth St Andrew, and they had the following issue.
1. William 1761-1761, bap. 18 Aug 1761 Plymouth St Andrew, bur. 13 Oct 1761 Plymouth Charles the Martyr.
2. William 1762-1763, bap. 28 Dec 1762 Plymouth St Andrew, bur. 11 Nov 1763 Plymouth Charles the Martyr.
3. William Mortimer II 1768- , bap. 3 Jan 1768 Plymouth St Andrew, m. Charlotte Elstone 21 Dec 1791 Plymouth St Andrew, and they had the following children.
i. William Mortimer II 1794-1835, b. 10 Aug 1794, bap. 7 Sep 1794 Falmouth. He m. Mary Edwards (1805-1882), 10 Aug 1828 Bristol St James, and they had one daughter. Mary was born in Brixham, Devon. William was perhaps a mariner, and died about the year 1835. Mary remarried to John Yeats (1801-1850), 15 May 1839 Bristol, and had four John Albert Mortimer Yeats 1840, Mary Ann Yeats 1841, William Ebenezer Yeats 1844-1915, and Emmeline Jane Yeats 1845-1910.
1. Sarah 1832- , b. 11 Sep 1832, bap. 28 Oct 1832 Bristol Congregational chapel.
ii. Charlotte Sophia Fox Mortimer 1796, bap. 13 Nov 1796 Falmouth
iii. William James Mortimer, bapt. 1802.
4. John Mortimer 1771- , bap. 27 May 1771 Plymouth St Andrew, m. Margaret Hooper 1792 Plymouth St Andrew, they had the following children.
i. John Mortimer of Stoke Damerel, c.1793- , a mariner, b. c.1793 Plymstock, presumably a son of John and Margaret m. 1792. He m. Mary Vodden 13 Jun 1820 Stoke Damerel and they had the following children. Lived in Stoke Damerel, 1841/51/61.
1. Jane 1831, b. 12 Aug, bap. 30 Oct 1831 Stoke Damerel.
2. George Mortimer 1834-1915, bap. 12 Oct 1834 Stoke Damerel, lived in Stoke Damerel, 1841-61. He m. Sarah Anderson, on Christmas Day 1860, and they had the following children. Sarah his wife was the daughter of John Anderson.
i. George Mortimer II 1862
ii. Emily 1864
iii. Alice M. Mortimer 1866
iv. William Alfred Mortimer 1870
v. Charles Frederick Mortimer 1872
vi. Violet Mildred 1873
vii. Kate 1877
viii. Arthur Mortimer 1880-1964
ix. Reginald Cecil Mortimer 1881-1948
ii. William Peter Fox Mortimer 1800, bap. 19 Feb 1800 Plymouth St Andrew.
iii. Susan Hooper M. 1803, bap. 23 Mar 1803 Plymouth St Andrew.
5. Peter Fox Mortimer c.1777-1781, bur. 13 Apr 1781 Plymouth Charles the Martyr, presumably son of William Mortimer and Elizabeth Fox.
6. Richard Fox Mortimer 1780, bap. 29 Aug 1780 Plymouth St Andrew.
William Mortimer of South Pool
William’s parentage and place of birth are unknown, though he may have been related to the above family in some way. He m. Grace Edwards (1711-1793) 22 May 1746 South Pool, and they had the following children. William was bur. 10 Feb 1773 South Pool; Grace his widow was bur. 4 Aug 1793.
1. Mary 1747-1747, bap. 12 May bur. 17 Jun 1747 South Pool.
2. Grace 1749-1803, bap. 12 Mar 1748/9, m. Peter Kellond (1745-1821) 5 Jun 1774 South Pool, bur. 1803 South Pool.
3. William Mortimer II of East Portlemouth (1750-1830), bap. 9 Sep 1750 South Pool, m. Grace Gunn (1751-1810) Chivelstone, and had the following children. He lived in Horse Pool Cottage, 1830. William was bur. 2 Jul 1830 East Portlemouth, aged 79. Grace his wife was bur. 25 Nov 1810.
i. John Mortimer 1777-aft.1811, bap. 12 Oct 1777 E. Portlemouth, m. Rosanna Cumming (1777-1850) 6 Jul 1801 South Pool, and they had the following children.
1. John Nicholas Mortimer 1801-1805, bap. 6 Jun 1801, bur. 5 Feb 1805 South Pool.
2. Eleanor 1805-1807, bap. 22 Sep 1805, bur. 4 Jan 1807
3. Mary 1808, bap. 31 Dec 1808
4. John Mortimer II 1811, bap. 18 Aug 1811 South Pool.
ii. Grace 1782, bap. 1 Dec 1782 Chivelstone, m. William Adams 5 Aug 1808 East Portlemouth, presumably died either 1818 or 1835 Chivelstone.
iii. William Mortimer III 1789-1852, bap. 22 Nov 1789 E. Portlemouth, m. 1. Mary Randle (c.1793-1822) 25 Mar 1817 E. Portlemouth and they had one daughter. Mary died aged (29) and was bur. 16 Sep 1822 E. Portlemouth. William m. 2. Mary Ann Edwards 2 Jan 1825 E. Portlemouth. They lived in E. Portlemouth in 1841/51, where he was an ag lab. William was bur. 27 Oct 1852 E. Portlemouth, aged 52; Mary his widow was bur. 4 Jul 1861 aged 70. William and his first wife Mary had one daughter:
1. Grace bap. 27 Sep 1818 E. Portlemouth, m. William Podger 1845 Stoke Damerel reg. district. In 1871 she lived in Rochdale, Lancashire.
William and his second wife Mary Ann had two children:
2. John Mortimer 1826-, b. 1826 East Portlemouth, fl. 1841.
3. Sarah Jane 1831-1839, b. 1831, bur. 17 Nov 1839 E. Portlemouth, aged 8.
iv. Ann 1792-1829, bap. 22 Apr 1792 E. Portlemouth, m. Roger Cranch 6 Aug 1823 East Portlemouth, died 23 Oct 1829 E. Portlemouth.
4. Robert Mortimer of East Allington (1752-1821), bap. 5 Jul 1752 South Pool, bur. 28 Feb 1821 Chivelstone aged 68.
William Mortimer of Kingsbridge (c.1683- )
William’s background and year of birth are unascertained. He married in 1715 and presumably lived in or near Kingsbridge, Devon, but no other details of his life are currently known. He may have formed a link between several Mortimers of unknown origins and the documented Mortimer families of Slapton and Plymouth. William married Elizabeth Chadder (1688- ), 6 May 1715 West Alvington, a village near Kingsbridge. They may have lived nearby, though no record of any children or their later life has yet come to light. They could have been the parents of William Mortimer of Thurlestone and South Milton, who lived near where William and Elizabeth married in 1715. Elizabeth Chadder was bap. 16 Mar 1687/8 Malborough, and William may have been born at a similar time. They are here suggested as speculative parents of the following Mortimer family members.
1. William Mortimer
2. Petronell c.1726, m. Nicholas Ryder 20 Jul 1748 Blackawton.
3. Elizabeth c.1728, had an illegitimate son William Mortimer. She perhaps married Thomas Farr in 1762 Halwell.
i. William Mortimer of Kingsbridge (1752-1829), bap. 26 Apr 1752 Kingsbridge, m. Mary Philips (c.1752-1815) 17 Aug 1777 West Alvington, and they had the following children. Mary his wife was bur. 1815 Kingsbridge, William died aged 77 and was bur. 16 Aug 1829 West Alvington.
1. Mary 1778-1779, bap. 12 Jun 1778, bur. 1779 West Alvington.
2. William Mortimer II 1780-1817, bap. 15 Jan 1780 Dodbrooke, m. Jane Cole 26 Oct 1802 West Alvington, performed military service in Canada, 1807, bur. 1817 West Alvington. They had two children:
i. William Mortimer 1804
ii. William Cole Mortimer 1816-1817
3. John Mortimer 1781, bap. 15 Jan 1781 Dodbrooke.
4. Mary 1783-1783, bap. 18 Apr 1783, bur. 1783 Dodbrooke.
5. Henry 1784- , bap. 12 Dec 1784 Kingsbridge.
6. Thomas Mortimer 1786-1864, bap. 13 Aug 1786 Kingsbridge, performed military service in Canada, bur. 14 Aug 1864 Dodbrooke.
7. Ann 1788, bap. 10 Sep 1788 Kingsbridge, had an illegitimate daughter with Thomas New of Stourpaine, militiaman, b. 31 Oct 1807 Kingsbridge. Ann had an illegitimate son with Thomas Ash of Kingsbridge, tailor (1786-1856): Edward Ash Mortimer, b. 25 Jul 1810 Kingsbridge, bap. 18 Aug 1810, bur. 30 Sep 1814 Kingsbridge. She may have been the mother of William Ash Mortimer, who was convicted of larceny in 1825 and transported to the New South Wales penal colony, Australia in 1826.
8. Mary 1790, bap. 17 Jan 1790 Kingsbridge.
9. Robert Mortimer 1792-1845, bap. 1 Jul 1792 Kingsbridge, m. Jane (c.1788-1866), died in 1845, Kingsbridge.
10. Honor 1794-1868, bap. 31 Aug 1794 Kingsbridge, m. William Youlden (c.1792-1840), 28 Mar 1818 Stoke Damerel, d. 8 Mar 1868.
4. Grace c.1730-1793, m. Matthew Maddock of Halwell (c.1733-1807), 17 Oct 1759 Diptford, bur. 7 Jun 1793 Halwell.
William Mortimer of South Milton (c.1717-1767)
William was born c.1717, and was perhaps a son of William and Elizabeth m. 1715 West Alvington, above. He m. Elizabeth Hardy 6 Sep 1746 Dartmouth, and they had the following children. No children were Elizabeth his wife was bur. 22 Aug 1760 South Milton, William was bur. 12 Aug 1767 South Milton.
1. William Mortimer III
2. Elizabeth 1755-1793?, twin of Nicholas Mortimer below, bap. 2 Dec 1755 Thurlestone, m. Samuel Doke 21 Jul 1776 (1751-1793) Kingsbridge. She was bur. 1793 Highweek.
3. Nicholas 1755-1755, twin of Elizabeth Mortimer above, bap. 2 Dec 1755 Thurlestone, bur. 9 Dec 1755 Thurlestone.
4. Joanna 1761-1767, bap. 24 Feb 1761, bur. 29 Sep 1767 Thurlestone.
William Mortimer III of Thurlestone (1746-1780)
William was born in Dec 1746 and bap. 1 Jan 1746/7 South Huish. His mother died in 1760 when he was 13 years old, and his father William died in 1767 when he was 20. William m. Mary Underhay (1746-1815), 2 Apr 1772 Plymouth Charles the Martyr, and they had one son, William b. 1774. William senior was bur. 23 Mar 1780 Thurlestone; Mary his widow remarried to Thomas Pearce (1734-1820) 11 Oct 1785 Stoke Damerel. She was bur. 24 Dec 1815, Plymouth Batter Street Presbyterian Chapel. Mary and Thomas Pearce had two daughters; Jane (b. 27 Aug, bap. 22 Sep 1786 Plymouth) and Ann (b. 11 Oct 1788, bap. 19 Jan 1789 Plymouth).
William Mortimer IV of Plymouth (1774-1857)
William was bap. 29 May 1774 Plymouth Charles the Martyr, m. Jane Warren Walton (1773-1857), daughter of Francis Walton and Jane Weeks, 22 Feb 1800 Plymouth St Andrew, and they had the following children. William worked as a shipwright in Plymouth dockyard, and the family continued to live in Plymouth in 1841/51. William died in Plymouth, Hampton St., aged 83, and was bur. 2 Dec 1857 Ford Park Cemetery, Plymouth. Jane his wife also died in 1857.
1. William Mortimer V 1801-1885, Accountant, b. 25 Jan 1801, bap. 25 Feb 1801 Plymouth, Batter St. Presbyterian chapel, and bap. secondly 24 Aug 1821, Plymouth. He m. Mary Philippa Cole, widow, 17 Jun 1835 Plymouth St Andrew, they lived in Plymouth in 1851. Mary his wife died in 1857. William never remarried and remained a widower. He died in 1885, Plymouth, aged 84.
2. Jane Pearce M., 1802-1879, (named after mother Jane Walton and aunt Jane Pearce) bap. 2 Sep 1802 Plymouth, lived in Plymouth with her siblings William, Thomas and Ann. She died in 1879, Plymouth, aged 76.
3. Francis Weeks Mortimer, who was named after his maternal grandparents; Francis Walton and Jane Weeks, b. 16 Nov 1804, and bap. 13 Jan 1805 Batter St. Presbyterian chapel, either he was christened as James or this was a mistake in the parish register. He m. Dinah (c.1806-aft.1871), and died in 1882, Plymouth.
4. Thomas Mortimer 1806-1888, bap. 2 Feb 1806 Plymouth, lived in Plymouth with his siblings William, Jane and Ann. He d. 20 Oct 1888, and was bur. Ford Park Cty., Plymouth.
5. Ann 1808-1874, bap. 23 Oct 1808 Plymouth, lived in Plymouth with her siblings William, Jane and Thomas. Ann died in 1874 and was bur. in Ford Park Cty., Plymouth.
6. John Ellis Mortimer 1810- , (named after John Ellis m. aunt Ann Walton 1795) bap. 30 Dec 1810 Plymouth, m. Elizabeth (c.1812- ), lived in Soho St Anne, London, 1851.
7. Mary 1814-1817, bap. 22 Sep 1814, bur. 24 Aug 1817 Plymouth Batter St. Presb. chapel.
