Pym Family of Pitminster and Upottery

PYM FAMILY OF PITMINSTER AND UPOTTERY

With thanks to Geoff Whitton, a descendent of Robert and Hannah Pym

(?) William Pym ( -1699) and Joane ( -1705)

of Otterford

(?) James Pym or Pim

Husbandman of Pitminster

Robert Pym (1701-1787) and Hannah Snook

of Pitminster and Upottery

Hannah Pym (1740c-1818) and Robert Dommett (1740-)

of Churchstanton

William Dommett (1766-) and Mary Trood

of Churchstanton

Mary Dommett (1789-1870) and William Barton I (1784-1842)

Farmer and Butcher of Churchstanton, Woodford, Easton-in-Gordano

John Barton III (1818-1878) and Sarah Perrott (1820c-1909)

William Barton II (1854-1936) and Ellen Pick (1857-1930)

Edward Percy Barton (1891-1977) and Florence Noad (1891-1969)

ROBERT PYM, Great VI Grandfather of Richard Barton

(?) Son of James Pym

Husband of Hannah Snook

Father of Hannah Dommett

Also Father of William Pym, James Pym and Rachel Mockeridge

Robert Pym was born in about 1701 at Pitminster.

Geoff Whitton:

I have attempted to find the ancestry of Robert Pym (1701 – 1787) and the first clue is a Pitminster birth record for a Robert Pim which says:

Pim Robert 27 Dec 1701 s James, husbandman.

Again, I have made a leap of faith to take this as the Robert Pym I am seeking and that his father is therefore James Pym (Pim). I can find nothing further on this James Pym, no marriage and no other children. Also, unfortunately, the death record of Robert Pym at Upottery on the 11 Dec 1787 does not record the age at death. Not very convincing, but it is the best I have and I can find no other contender. There is the death of a James Pym at Pitminster on 6 Apr 1726.

Moving on to the birth of a James Pym, again the only contender I have found is in the Otterford and Churchstanton records

Churchstanton Records

Pim Humfry 01 Sep 1663 s William/Joane, Oterforde

Pim James 12 May 1667 s William/Joane, Oterford

Pym Grace 12 Oct 1671 d William, Oterford

Pym * 05 Oct 1673 d William, Otterford, ?fname=Mary

Otterford Records

Pim Anstice 14 Feb 1667 d William (Note. Should this be James?)

Pym Joan 14 Aug 1669 d William

Pym Marie 31 Jan 1674 d William

It would be nice to see the originals of these records but it looks as though there is a James Pym (Pim) born Otterford/Churchstanton in 1667. Date wise this would tie in nicely to have a son Robert Pym bn 1701.

Robert Pym of Pitminster married Hannah Snook at Churchstanton on 1^st April 1731 and they had four children.

From Geoff Whitton:

I have always thought of this family as being of Pitminster and the 4 children I have were all born at Pitminster. The record of the birth of these 4 children is in the Fulwood Independent Church at Pitminster records. You can access the Fulwood Independent records via the familysearch site

https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%20batch_number%3AC08387-1&offset=840

Robert Pym also left a will and I have made a transcript – see attached.

From this will and the Fulwood records I am confident of the 4 children of Robert & Hannah

William Pym bn 9 May 1733

James Pym bn 27 Feb 1734

Rachel Pym bn 8 Apr 1737

Hannah Pym bn 28 Sep 1740

There is a lot of information in this will. Firstly, only the 2 children James and Hannah are beneficiaries and therefore survived their father. The other 2, William and Rachel, are not beneficiaries and can be assumed to have pre-deceased their father.

Robert Pym was buried at Upottery on the 11^th December 1787.

152M Box 53 Will of Robert Pym 25^th April 1784 (From Geoff Whitton)

Be it remembered that this is the last will and testament of I Robert Pym of the parish of Upottery in the County of Devon being of a perfect and sound mind and memory as followeth.

First I give and bequeath unto my grandson Robert Pym son of my son William Pym the sum of Thirty pounds of lawful British money to be paid him by my executrix hereinafter named out of my lands lying in the Parish of Upottery in manner following (that is to say) Ten Pounds at the expiration of One Year next after my decease Ten Pounds at the expiration of Two Years next after my decease and the remainder Ten Pounds at the expiration of three years next after my decease.

I give and bequeath unto my daughter Hannah Dommett my little cheese pan and my largest pewter dish – also I give or otherwise forgive unto my daughter Hannah Dommett all interest due to me at the time of my death my daughter Hannah Dommett paying to each of her children the sum of Three Pounds as they shall severally attain the age of twenty two years.

I give and bequeath unto my son in law Anthony Mogridge the sum of Ten Shillings I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter Hannah Warren the sum of Twenty Shillings. I give and bequeath unto my granddaughter Mary Mogridge the sum of Two Pounds and the sum of Two shillings Twenty shillings and Two pounds before given to be paid by my executor hereinafter named at the expiration of one year next after my decease.

I give and bequeath unto my grandson John Mogridge the sum of Four Pounds to be paid to him by my executors herinafter named when he attains the age of twenty one years. I give and bequeath unto my grandsons James Mogridge and William Mogridge to each of them the sum of Two Pounds to be paid them by my executor herinafter named when they shall severally attain the age of twenty two years

I give devise and bequeath unto my son James Pym all my freehold estate lying in the Parish of Upottery with all and singular appurtenances thereto belonging and to his assignees forever my son James Pym paying out of the said estate unto each of his children born or unborn of the body of Betty Pym his now wife the sum of Ten Pounds as they shall severally attain the age of twenty two years of age.

All the rest residue and remainder of my Goods Chattels, Credits and Effects whatsoever after my just debts and funeral expenses are satisfied and I give and bequeath unto my son James Pym and the said James Pym my son I make and order my whole and sole executrix of this my last will and testament set my hand this 25 th day of April 1784.

Document sealed and signed in the presence of

Joel Hayman

Samuel Heltier

Noah Quant

Will was proved 7 th May 1788

Additional words on that document as follows:

Received of James Pym the sum of £2 in full for a legacy given to me by my grandfather

Witnessed Mary Woftorm? And Robert Pym

Their children were Great VI Aunts and Uncles:

WILLIAM PYM, Great VI Uncle

According to the Fulwood records William Pym was born (or baptised) on 9^th May 1733.

Geoff Whitton:

The first child, William Pym (1733), is proving elusive. I have been unable to find a marriage or a death for him, however, the will refers to “Robert Pym son of my son William Pym”. I have also been unable to find the birth of this son Robert Pym. What I have done, however, is to make a leap of faith to the Robert Pym who married Elizabeth (Betty) Wyatt on the 6 Jul 1773 at Buckland St Mary. This then links directly to many of the later Pym families at Buckland St Mary.

His child was a cousin of William Dommett, Great IV Grandfather

ROBERT PYM

He is a beneficiary in his grandfather’s will

He probably married Elizabeth (Betty) Wyatt. Their son, Robert, married Betty Middleton and, in the next generation, their son, Samuel Pym, was baptised on 7^th July 1816.

In the 1851 census return we find a probable reference to my Great Great Great Grandmother, Mary Barton, working as a widow and servant, at Blindmore, Buckland St Mary, Somerset. She was described as fifty-eight-years-old and born in Church Stanton, Devon. Her employer was this Samuel Pym, aged thirty-eight-years, who was described as farming sixty-eight acres. This would make Mary Dommett and Samuel Pym second cousins, once removed.

JAMES PYM, Great VI Uncle

According to the Fulwood records James Pym was born (or baptised) on 27^th February 1734. He married Betty Vincent on 29^th May 1765 at Yarcombe and had at least nine children. He may have died at Upottery in March 1816 aged eighty-two-years.

Geoff Whitton:

The second child, James Pym (1734), is my 4G Grandfather; and he did, as you say, marry Betty Vincent at Yarcombe on the 29 May 1765. I have 9 children for James Pym (1734 – 1816), you have it as 10, either way this led to very many descendants living at Upottery, and a lot of gravestones in the churchyard.

Much of my research over the years has been into the descendants of James Pym & Betty Vincent and it is only in recent years that I made progress to earlier generations.

The will of Betty Pym of Upottery in the County of Devon, Yeoman, being of sound mind memory and understanding:

I give unto Robert Pym my son the sum of five pounds

I give unto Robert Pym, my grandson, son of the above the sum of five pounds

I give unto James Pym, my grandson, son of the above Robert Pym my son, the sum of five pounds together with items – arm chair (?)

I give unto John Pym, my grandson, son of the above Robert Pym my son the sum of five pounds with items – bed and chair (?)

I give to the four eldest children of John and Alice Farmer ten pounds in equal share and twenty pounds to four youngest children in equal share

I give unto James Pym my son one large brass cheese pan

I give unto Hannah Pym, wife of James Pym my son, other items

I give to William Pym, my son, Hannah Burrough my daughter, Betty Farmer my daughter, Martha Coles my daughter

Signed with mark of Hannah Pym 22^nd November 1823

Proved at London 5^th July 1823. Hannah Burrough widow (?), Betty Farmer wife of Christopher Farmer and Martha Coles, wife of Henry Coles.

Their children were cousins of William Dommett, Great IV Grandfather

ROBERT PYM

Robert was born in about 1766 at Upottery and died in 1853 at Chard. He married Eleanor Farmer at Cotleigh, Devon, on 26^th May 1795. His wife Eleanor was born in Offwell, Devon in 1772 and was buried at Weston, Devon in 1880 aged 108. He was mentioned in his mother’s will of 1822 and three of his children were beneficiaries.

Their children were second cousins of Mary Barton, Great III Grandmother

James Pym lived from 1795 until 1853. He married Amy Dimond (1803-1901)

Robert Pym lived from 1797 until 1858

John Pym lived from 1797

Joseph Pym lived and died in 1800

HANNAH BURROUGH

Joint Executrix of her mother’s will in 1823

JAMES PYM

James lived from 1769 to 1837. He married Hannah who was a beneficiary in her mother-in-law’s will of 1822.

WILLIAM PYM

William lived from 1773 to 1850. He was mentioned in his mother’s will of 1822.

ALICE AKEY FARMER

Alice lived from 1774. Her mother’s will of 1822 refers to the eight children of John and Alice Farmer

ELIZABETH FARMER

Elizabeth lived from 1776 until 1836. Betty Farmer, wife of Christopher Farmer, was joint executrix of her mother’s will in 1823.

JOSEPH PYM

Joseph lived from 1779

JOHN PYM

MARTHA COLES

Martha Coles, wife of Henry Coles, was joint executrix of her mother’s will in 1823.

From Denis Allan Coles of New Zealand:

Henry Coles & Martha Pym had 2 sons: William in 1813 and Thomas in 1814?

William married Elizabeth Loosemore and they had 4 children:

Francis Harriet in 1842, Gauis in 1844, Hannah in 1848 and Henry in 1854

Henry came to New Zealand in 1874 and married Martha Hayden in N Z

Henry had 3 children Elizabeth in 1883, Ada in 1888 and William Henry in 1886

William married Dorothy Gayton & had 3 children Henry Albert Coles in 1911 (my dad) – Iris in 1915 Ken in 1917

We have always lived in the Palmerston North area.

RACHEL MOCKERIDGE, Great VI Aunt

According to the Fulwood records Rachel was born (or baptised) on 8^th April 1737. She married Anthony Mockeridge at Pitminster on 6thAugust 1758.

Geoff Whitton:

The third child is Rachel Pym (1737). I have her as marrying Anthony Mockridge at Pitminster on the 6 Aug 1758. In the will 5 children are mentioned, Hannah, Mary, John, James & William. I have not researched this further. Research is not helped by the many different spellings of Mockridge.

HANNAH DOMMETT, Great V Grandmother of Richard Barton

Daughter of Robert Pym and Hannah (nee Snook)

Wife of Robert Dommett

Mother of William Dommett

Also Mother of Betty and Robert

According to the Fulwood records Hannah was born (or baptised) on 28^th September 1740 the daughter of Robert Pym and his wife Hannah Snook who were married on 10^th April 1731 at Churchstanton.

Her husband Robert Dommett was baptised on 11^th May 1740. He married Hannah Pym on 5^th May 1762 at Churchstanton.

Robert may have been Churchwarden of Churchstanton in 1761 and in 1769-70.

Robert was possibly buried on 31^st March 1775 or 28^th October 1779.

Hannah, his widow, was buried from Buckland St Mary at Churchstanton on 28^th April 1818 aged seventy-seven-years.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS FAMILY CONTACT: btsarnia@gmail.com

btsarnia

Pym Family of Pitminster and Upottery