Sommerwill - a Devon Family: Group C4

Group C4 (Bishop's Tawton/Parracombe)

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JOHN: Probably son of George and Mary (nee Dee) baptised Swimbridge 28 Dec 1743. See Group C3. Mason. Married ELIZABETH STUKELY (born about 1746) at Swimbridge 3 Aug 1768. Elizabeth buried Bishop’s Tawton 8 Oct 1821, age 75. John buried Bishop’s Tawton 31 Jan 1810, age 67.

BARTHOLOMEW: Baptised Swimbridge 23 Mar 1769. Married JULIAN BRAILEY at Parracombe 8 Feb 1795. Julian born Ilfracombe about 1773. Together at Parracombe Mill in 1841 and 1851 censuses, master-mason and wife. Listed in White’s 1850 Devon Directory as a mechanic. Julian died 15 Oct 1857, age 84; buried 18 Oct 1857. Bartholomew died 28 Nov 1858, age 90; buried 2 Dec 1858. Gravestone at St Petrock’s, Parracombe.

WILLIAM: Baptised Parracombe 15 Feb 1796; buried Parracombe 22 Jan 1804.
JOHN: Born about 1797. Died 1807, age 10. Buried with parents.
LEWIS: Born 25 Mar 1800; baptised at Bishop’s Tawton 18 May 1800. Married AGNES CUTCLIFFE, Combe Martin 17 Aug 1831 (IGI) (Agnes born Combe Martin c.1801). At Combe Martin in 1841 and 1851 censuses. Lewis listed as a mason in White’s Directory 1850 and Morris’s Directory 1870. Lewis died Combe Martin 19 Jun 1870. Agnes died 8 Nov 1877; buried Combe Martin (gravestone) but death registered at St Olave, Exeter.

JANE CUTCLIFFE: Born Combe Martin; birth regd Barnstaple Mar 1840. At home with parents in 1841 and 1851 censuses. Marriage regd Barnstaple Dec 1866

WILLIAM (Somerville): Born Parracombe probably c.1804 (despite census entry below) after death of previous William, son of Bartholomew. Nothing known of him before 1851 census, but no other family was having children at Parracombe at this time, so probably child of Bartholomew and Julian. Married BETSY HANFORD, Barnstaple, 2 Jan 1825. Together in 1851 census at 2 Lower Belle Vue, Clifton, Somerset: William age 49, plasterer; Betsy age 49, shoe binder, born Parracombe. Not in 1861 census. Betsy (Sommerwill) 's death regd Dorking, Mar 1866, age 64
- SAMUEL: Born Bristol Castle Precincts c.1838. At home in 1851 census, age 13, laborer
- SARAH: Born Bristol St Phillips c.1841. At home in 1851 census, age 10, scholar
GEORGE: Baptised Parracombe 11 Mar 1806. Stonemason. Married JANE RODGEMENT at East Down 13 Aug 1833 (IGI). See Group C5 for details
JOHN: Born Parracombe 1808-9. Married CHARLOTTE HARRIS at Parracombe 20 Apr 1833. See Group C6 for details
ELIZABETH: Baptised Parracombe 9 Jun 1813. At home in 1841 census. Married her cousin, John, son of George (see below)
THOMAS: Baptised Parracombe 10 Aug 1818. At home in 1841, 1851 censuses. In 1851 pauper, mason (blind). Buried Parracombe 29 Mar 1855, age 37

JOHANNA: Baptised Swimbridge 25 Sep 1774. Buried Bishop’s Tawton 11 Feb 1809, age 35.
MOLLY: Baptised Swimbridge 15 Nov 1778.
JOHN: Baptised Swimbridge 23 Feb 1788, age 7
GRACE: Born 1784/5. Baptised Swimbridge 23 Feb 1788, age 3.
GEORGE: Baptised Swimbridge 23 Feb 1788. Married ELEANOR SHADDICK at Bishop’s Tawton 10 Apr 1819. Eleanor born Bishop’s Tawton about 1796. In 1841 at Longram’s Row, Bishop’s Tawton, shoemaker. In 1851 census at Tawton Road, Bishop’s Tawton, aged 62 and 55 respectively, cordwainer (pauper). George Somervill of Newport buried Bishop's Tawton, 15 Nov 1852, age 65

JOHN: Baptised Bishop’s Tawton 14 Sep 1820. In 1841 census at home of John Brealey, Bishop’s Tawton, age 20, apprentice tailor. On 15 Oct 1842 at Bishop's Tawton, John, a tailor, married his cousin ELIZABETH SOMMERWILL of Newport, daughter of Bartholomew (see above); regd Barnstaple Dec 1842. Lived together at Newport. John died about 1850. In 1851 census Elizabeth is at Parracombe Mill, widow, age 37, pauper. In 1871 census is at 30 Princes St, Barnstaple, head, widow, 57, staymaker. In 1881 census she is at 1 Princes St, Barnstaple, age 66. Her unmarried daughter Elizabeth is with her in both 1871 and 1881.

MARY JANE: Born Tawton, baptised Parracombe 2 Aug 1843. In 1851 census at home, age 7, scholar. On 16 Jan 1865 at Barnstaple Holy Trinity, as a spinster of Hardsway Head, Barnstaple, married John
ELLEN: Born Tawton about 1845. In 1851 census at home, age 6, scholar. In 1881 census at Blagdon, Somerset, unmarried, age 35, cook, born Barnstaple
JOHN: Baptised Bishop's Tawton 18 Feb 1847; birth regd Barnstaple March 1847. In 1851 census at home, age 4, scholar. On 3 Jan 1870 at St Mary Magdalene, Barnstaple, John, tailor in the Merchant Navy, of Princes St, Barnstaple, married ELIZA CHINA of Union St, Barnstaple; marriage regd Barnstaple Mar 1870. Eliza born Barnstaple c.1851, daughter of William & Susan China, cordwainer (William born Tiverton c.1806; Susan born Barnstaple c.1810). In 1871 Eliza is with her parents, married, age 22, lace mender, at 27 Union St, Barnstaple. Husband not present. In 1881 census married, age 30, servant cook at Devon County School, East Buckland. On 25 Dec 1882 at Barnstaple Holy Trinity, as a widow, age 34, of Litchdon St, Barnstaple, she married George French, 38, bachelor, baker, of Litchdon St, son of George French, baker.

LUCY ELLEN: Birth regd Barnstaple Dec 1870. With mother and maternal grandparents in 1871 census, age 5 months. In 1881 census at Barnstaple, age 10, scholar, lodger with Philip Cockram

ELIZABETH: Born Parracombe; birth regd Barnstaple June 1850; baptised 14 Apr 1850. In 1851 census at home, age 1. In 1871 unmarried, age 21, bobbin winder, living with widowed mother in Barnstaple. In 1881 census with her mother, unmarried, age 28 (sic), lace worker

ELEANOUR: Baptised Bishop’s Tawton 14 Sep 1820. Buried 21 Mar 1821, age 6 mths.
GEORGE: Baptised Bishop’s Tawton 3 Nov 1822.
ELIZABETH: Baptised Bishop’s Tawton 23 Oct 1825. At home, age 15, in 1841 census. On 26 Jul 1842 at Bishop's Tawton married Thomas Bishop, bachelor, labourer, son of Thomas Bishop, [illegible] maker. Thomas born Exeter c1812; in 1851 census at Rumsum, Bishop's Tawton, gardener, with Elizabeth and two children.
WILLIAM: Baptised Bishop’s Tawton 4 Apr 1830. In 1841 census at home of Wm Powell, Downsough, Bishop’s Tawton, age 12, man servant. In 1851 census at home, age 21, labourer.
THOMAS: Baptised Bishop’s Tawton 27 Oct 1833.
ROBERT: Baptised Bishop’s Tawton 28 Apr 1838 (?). Birth regd Barnstaple June 1839. At home, age 2, in 1841 census. Buried Bishop's Tawton 10 Oct 1841, age 2

THOMAS STRUCKLEY: Baptised Swimbridge 1 Apr 1792. Buried 21 May 1792, age 6 mths.
ELEANOR: Baptised Swimbridge 1 Jun 1794. Buried Swimbridge 18 May 1802, age 9.

Memorial Inscription at Parracombe (St Petrock's)

In memory of Bartholomew Somerwill
& Julia his wife of this parish.
Julia died Oct. XV, MDCCCLXVII,
aged LXXXIV years. Bartholomew died
Nov XXVIII MDCCCLVIII aged XC years.
Also two sons of the above, John
Somerwill, died MDCCCVII, aged X years,
and Thomas Somerwill, died Mar XXV,
MDCCCLV, aged XXXVII years.

Memorial Inscription at Combe Martin

This stone is erected in memory of
LEWIS SOMERWILL
of this parish (MASON) born March XXV MDCCC
died JUNE XIX MDXXXLXX
also Agnes Somerwill wife of the above
born OCT XXV MDCCCI died Nov VIII MDCCCLXXVII

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