Sommerwill - a Devon Family: Group C12

Group C12 (Swimbridge)

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It is possible that the children assigned here to Robert and Mary Bendle were the children of Robert and Mary Courtis. The Swimbridge Parish Register gives the parents only as Robert and Mary Sommerwille

ROBERT: Son of Robert and Mary (Kinning). See Group C8. Married MARY BENDLE (dau of Paul Bendell?), Swimbridge 23 Apr 1753

WILLIAM: Baptised Swimbridge 17 Mar 1754. Married SUSANNA BURNE, Swimbridge 3 Sep 1788. Susanna born c.1758 and died 8 Dec 1808, age 50. William died 24 Mar 1825, age 72. Buried together at Swimbridge along with granddaughter, Susan Gaydon, daughter of Alexander and Susannah, died 28 Mar 1825, age 2, and also Elizabeth, their own daughter, who died 19 Jan 1844, age 55. In the Land Tax Assessments of 1788 Wm. Sommerwill of Swimbridge, carpenter, was granted a lease on Furse Moor, Chittlehampton. The property went to someone else in 1792. The Apprenticeship Lists at the P.R.O. indicate that on 5 Nov 1796 ‘Wm. Somervill, Parish of Swimbridge, carpenter, took on Henry Venney as an apprentice for 7 years from 29 Sept last - £4 (duty 2/-)’. Will made 18 Mar 1825, proved 21 Jul 1825: effects under £200. Left land, tenements, rents and goods to his three daughters. Gravestone

ELIZABETH: Baptised Swimbridge 27 Jan 1789. In 1841 census she is an independent person living at Somerset Place, Barnstaple, with 7 children, presumably those of her sister, Susannah Gaydon (deceased?). Died 19 Jan 1844. Buried with parents, Swimbridge 27 Jan 1844 Gravestone
MARY: Baptised Swimbridge 26 Jun 1791. Devon Marriage Licence issued 24 Apr 1810 to John Burgess of Swimbridge and Mary Sommerwill of same, spinster. Married to John Burgess (cordwainer) at Swimbridge 26 Apr 1810
SUSANNAH: Baptised Swimbridge 14 Jul 1795. Married Alexander Gaydon at Swimbridge 15 Oct 1818. Child Susannah buried with grandparents (see above) Gravestone 7 other children are with Susannah’s sister, Elizabeth, in 1841 census See pictures below

ROBERT: Baptised Swimbridge 2 Mar 1757. Buried Swimbridge 25 Jul 1830, age 73. In 1788-1793 Land Tax Assessments Robert pays £1/5/1 for Bestridge. In 1795 he pays for Stoopelove and Sandpark (Bestridge owned by John Berry). Will made 28 Mar 1828, proved 30 Mar 1839(1?); effects under £20. 100 sheaves of reed to be bought to repair his tenement, £2 to his wife, and remainder of funeral money from the Club for his son and daughter Robert and Ann (Nancy).
Married (1) SUSAN CHEVERALL, Barnstaple 2 Feb 1785. She is Susannah in children's baptisms at Swimbridge. Born c. 1755 and buried Swimbridge 28 May 1800, age 45

MARY: Baptised Swimbridge 12 Nov 1786; married Henry Rudd, Swimbridge 4 May 1809
CATHARINE: Baptised Swimbridge 14 Jul 1788; buried Swimbridge 9 Apr 1789
CHRISTAIN: Baptised Swimbridge 27 Mar 1791
GRACE: Baptised Swimbridge 13 Nov 1791 (or 1792 check)
SUSANNAH: Baptised Swimbridge 3 Dec 1794. (According to World Family Tree pedigree, married Richard Penrose c.1815 (son of Thomas & Elizabeth (nee Harris) Penrose, married St Agnes, 20 Jan 1794). Marriage not found in parish register.). Descendants in USA.)
ROBERT: Baptised Swimbridge 21 Oct 1798; buried Swimbridge 31 Mar 1799
(2) ANN YEO, Swimbridge 26 May 1801 (‘Ann Yeo of Bishop’s Tawton married Robert Sommerwill, butcher’). Ann buried Swimbridge 30 Sep 1802. No issue
(3) MARY JEWELL, Swimbridge 10 Oct 1803. Mary born East Buckland c.1776. In 1841 census she is in Swimbridge Town, age 60, with son Robert. In 1851 census still with son Robert, widow aged 74. Buried Swimbridge 7 Mar 1858 (‘of Barnstaple’), aged 83
BETTY: Baptised Swimbridge 27 Dec 1803; buried Swimbridge 16 Dec 1805
NANCY: Baptised Swimbridge 30 Mar 1806; married Philip Symons, bachelor, on Jul 1829 at Barnstaple St Peter's by banns. In 1851 census they are at Boutport Street, Barnstaple: Philip age 45, cabinet maker employing 7 men, born Atherington; Nancy is called Anne, age 44; children Susan (21), James (19, carver), Mary (17), Frederick (14, cabinet maker), Dinah (12), Ellen (6), Louisa (4); with them is Robert Sommerwill, apprentice, 18, who is actually their nephew, son of Nancy's brother Robert (see Group C13). See pictures below
WILLIAM: Baptised Swimbridge 7 Feb 1809; buried 16 Mar 1813, age 5
ROBERT: Baptised Swimbridge 3 Oct 1811; married CATHERINE BUCKINGHAM 1832. See Group C13
WILLIAM: Buried Swimbridge 5 Dec 1819, age 3 (unbaptised)
JANE: Baptised Swimbridge 29 Apr 1821; married (1) Jacob Chapple, wainwright, Swimbridge 14 Mar 1840 (regd Barnstaple Mar 1840). According to Phil Mustoe, Jacob, son of William Chapple (1786-1859) and Jane (nee Watts) ( 1781-1858) was born Swimbridge 1818; in the marriage entry Jacob is a wheelwright, son of William Chapple, a carpenter; Jane and Jacob emigrated to America and had four children; Jacob died Stafford, New York, 12 Oct 1849; Jane married (2) Quartley Warner (born c. 1826), Stafford, New York, 27 Aug 1853; Jane died Stafford, New York, 1889. See Phil Mustoe's site for more details

MARY: Baptised Swimbridge 1 May 1759, ‘daughter of Robert (late deceased) and Mary’. Married William Dyer, Swimbridge 26 Feb 1781?


Nancy		Susannah
Click on a picture to enlarge it [Thanks to Alistair Gaydon for supplying these]

Memorial Inscription in Swimbridge Churchyard

Sacred to the memory of SUSANNA SOMMERWILL
the wife of Wm Sommerwill of this Parish who
departed this Life the 8th day of Decr in the year
of our Lord 1808 Aged 50 years.
Also of WILLIAM SOMMERWILL, Husband of
the above Susanna Sommerwill, who departed this
Life the 24th day of March in the year of our Lord
1825 Aged 72 years.
Also of SUSAN GAYDON, Daughter of Alexander &
Susanna Gaydon, Granddaughter of the above
who departed this Life, the 28th day of March
in the year of our Lord 1825 Aged 2 years.
etc etc
Also of ELIZABETH SOMMERWILL, Daughter of
the above Wm & Susanna Sommerwill who
departed this Life the 19th day of Janry in the
Year of our Lord 1844 Aged 55 years.

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