LINK TO BLUNT

COUNSELL
1. John Counsell, m. (2). Joan Thurston, in Wedmore.
1.1. Mawde Counsell, m. John Weekes, June 7, 1585.
1.2. Marian Counsell, m. Richard Weekes, May 30, 1586, nephews of Edith Weekes (Wyke) who m. John Voules,* May 18, 1566.
1.2.1. Margery Weekes, bapt. Feb. 17, 1587, m. George Counsell, July 12, 1607.

1.3. Margery Counsell, m. Thomas Boulting, June 15, 1584, br. of Antonia Boulting, who m. John Turner,* May 6, 1574. (*1. John Turner . 1.1. William Turner, bapt. March 11, 1579 in Wedmore, m. (May 28, 1612), Jane Rodney. 1.1.1. John Turner, bapt. May 14, 1618 in Wedmore, was a headright of Richard Tye (in 1650), whose relict m. John Cogan. Thomas Harris, d. 1688, placed his son George with John Turner and his wife, a dau. of Mathew Tomlin. John Cogan witnessed the Will of the said Thomas Harris. 1.1.1.1. Mary Turner, m. Edward Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688. 1.1.1.1.1. James Harris, m. Elizabeth Norfleet, dau. of Marmaduke Norfleet, son of Thomas Norfleet, who bought adjoining land from Robert Counsell (NC. Edg. Co. D.B. 1., p. 204), and was mentioned as a neighbour of Robert Counsell and Thomas Turner (J. Bryan Grimes, Abstracts of North Carolina Wills, p. 17). 1.1.1.1.2. West Harris. 1.1.1.2. Joseph Turner. 1.1.1.2.1. Mary Turner, m. West Harris. 1.1.1.2.1.1. Turner Harris).

VOULES
*1. John Voules
1.1. Edith Voules, m. John Brook, Nov. 28, 1583.
1.1.1. Joan Brook, bapt. June 11, 1587, m. William Pittman, Aug. 5, 1611.
1.1.1.1. Thomas Pittman, of Virginia, bapt. Dec. 24, 1612 (a match to his deposed age); m. (2) Lydia Grey Judkins; being stepfather of Robert and Samuel Judkins.
1.2. Richard Voules, m. Alice Thurston, Jan. 23, 1597.
1.2.1. Richard Voules, m. Marian Sayard, Nov. 6, 1615. She may have been related to John Seward, who owned property adjacent to Wedmore: Exemplification of a common recovery Houses, lands etc, at Butcombe, Nempnett, Wrington, Blagdon and other places, Somerset John Pester and Richard Deane against John Seward. Sept. 29, 1647. (Brist. Arch., 5139/229). Thomas Harris (d. 1688) settled on land that had been John Sewards. April 27, 1686: Matthew Tomlin 1227 ac., lower par. IOW Co. on borders of Blackwater, 781 ac. being part of 1200 ac. granted to Mr. John Seward, April 16, 1648; 448 acres being waste adj.; beg. at a br. dividing land of John Turner and his daughter Marie’s, by William Westray, adj. Mary Turner, and Thomas Harris, to the bottom of Pig Neck; transp. of 9 persons. (B 7, p. 510).
1.3. John Voules, m. Isabell Millard (bapt. Oct. 16, 1575), on July 30, 1602; dau. of Thomas Millard and Amicia Counsell, who m. Jan. 10, 1574. Their younger dau., Penelope, bapt. Oct. 3, 1591, was the wife of John Harris, as given hereinafter.
1.4. Alice Voules, m. Richard House, Oct.20, 1603.
1.4.1. John House.

1.3. *Richard Counsell, bapt. Apr. 4, 1568, d. 1604. Held one third of the manor of Mudgley.
1.3.1. *Margery Counsell, m. John Hodges, 1610. (‘1590 Margeria f. Richardi Cownsell jun. de Muddeslei’, i.e. Mudgley.
1.3.2. George Counsell, m. Margery Weekes, July 12, 1607, as given.
1.4. John Counsell, bapt. Dec. 25, 1569
1.4.1. John Counsell, bapt Nov. 28, 1601, in Wedmore, ‘f. Joannis Counsell’, m. Mary Coomer, Nov. 26, 1631; aunt of Mary Coomer, who m. John Gardner,* on Oct. 24, 1664.
1.4.1.1. John Counsell, m. (1) Ann Jeffries, Oct. 10, 1654, sister of Richard Jeffries, who, “dying intestate, administration requested by John Counsell, who married the relict of the said Jeffries”, Aug. 9, 1666. Security, Mr. (Francis) England, and his son-in-law, George Branch (B. 2, p. 13). Deborah Joyner, wife of Bridgman Joyner (guardian of William Harris, orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688), gave ‘cozin’ (cousin of sister’s husband), John Counsell, a young heifer.

Francis England was the first husband of Joyce, niece of George Moore, father of Ann Moore, who m. Thomas White; their dau., Avis White, m. John Harris, grandson of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.

Francis England’s grandson, Francis Branch, m. Elizabeth Norwood, niece of Henry Norwood, son of Henry Norwood and Elizabeth Rodney, of Cheddar, granddau. of George Rodney. George Rodney’s dau., Agatha, m. Captain Thomas Hodges, of Wedmore, as follows.

1.4.2. Hodges Counsell Sr.
1.4.2.1. Hodges Counsell Jr. Daniel Boucher (of Bristol), Will rec. May 1, 1668. To Hodges Counsell the younger …. Friends John Hardy and Thomas Taberer overseers. Witnesses: Hodges Counsell, and William Bacon. John Hardy was the likely father of (1) Debora Hardy, wife of Bridgeman Joyner; (2) Lucy Hardy, wife of Hodges Counsell, Jr.
1.5. William Counsell.
1.5.1. Hannah Counsel, m. John Boulting.*

GARDNER
1. John Gardner, d. 1677.
1.1. John Gardner bapt. Nov. 1, 1621, in Cheddar.
1.1.1. *John Gardner, m. Mary Coomer, Oct. 24, 1664, in Cheddar. John Gardner, dying intestate admin. requested by relict, Mary. Security Thomas Joyner, James Gardner, 1684, p. 56. “Thomas Taberer assigned a bill to John Gardner against Rebecca Izard” (Mr. Boddie, p. 562); step-mother of Ann Izard, who m. (2) Michael Fulgham; their issue: Susannah Fulgham, who m. Hardy Counsell (son of Hodges Counsell Jr.); Ann Fulgham. who m. (Mr. Boddie conjectured), Robert Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.
1.1.2. Elizabeth Gardner, m. George Tibbits, May 1678, in Cheddar, br. of Hester Tibbits, who m. Thomas Harris (as second wife), Apr. 24, 1679, in Cheddar;
1.2. Joan Gardner, bapt Apr. 6, 1617, in Cheddar, m. Thomas Harris. Boultinge v Harris. Plaintiffs: *John Boultinge. Defendants: Joan Harris, Thomas Harris and Thomas Hill. Subject: property in Blackford, Somerset. 1658. (C 10/48/20. PROB 11/372/389). Will of John Boulting, Yeoman of Wedmore, March 24, 1683. John Boulting had m. Hannah Counsell dau. of William Counsell.
1.2.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. Dec. 31, 1637 (d. 1688, in Virginia), m. (1) unknown, (2) Hester Tibbits).

HARRIS
1. John Harris, of Blackforde, in Wedmore, bur. Jan 27, 1597, “servant” (probably estate steward) of Robert Sherwell, who m. (Oct. 6, 1578), Maria Beard/Berd/Berde (see N.A. C 3/8/108), dau. of John Beard. The Will of Maria Sherwell, widow of ‘Robert Sherwell, of Blackford, Somerset, gent.’, was proved Nov. 26, 1627: She requests burial at Wedmore, and named ‘cousin Richard Counsell’,* ‘cousin Margery Hodges’,* and ‘Mr. George Hodges, of Wedmore’ (son of Thomas Hodges, son of George Hodges Sr.).

The Hole family intermarried with the Fulghams were probably they of Wedmore (and adjacent Cheddar and Meare). Conveyance from Robert Hole, Wedmore, yeoman, son and heir of Marie Hole, sister and co-heir of Robert Sherwell, and Temperance his wife to Richard Counsell, Heathhouse, Wedmore, yeoman: ¼ part of free chapel. Reciting letters patent April 14, 1603, granting the free chapel to Michael Cole and John Rowdon who sold it to Robert Sherwell. April 15, 1625. (Bristol Arch. HA/D/357).

1.1. John Harris, d. 1625, m. Penelope Millard, Sept. 9, 1611, in Wedmore. He m. (2) Christiana Thurston, bapt. 28 Oct. 1591, on Oct. 8, 1618; the great-niece of Joan Thurston, who m. (2) John Counsell, on Aug. 13, 1573.
1.1.1. Thomas Harris, b. ca. 1615, m. Joan Gardner, bapt Apr. 6, 1617, in Cheddar
1.1.1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. Dec. 31, 1637 (d. 1688, in Virginia).
1.2. Robert Harris.
1.2.1. Edward Harris, bapt. Aug. 8, 1624, in Wedmore.
1.2.2. John Harris, bapt. Dec. 6, 1629.

HODGES
1. Thomas Hodges, gent., bur. Dec 27 1600 Will pr. Feb. 6, 1601. (per modern cal.). To be buried in the North Ile of Wedmore Church. George Hodges, my son’s son. Mary Godwin, my daughter’s daughter.My wife Margaret. My daughter Isabel, 6 oxen & 2 kyne. Residue to Cyllie & Jone Matthew. My wife Margaret, & George Hodges, Exors.
1.1. Captain Thomas Hodges. ‘At Wedmore is a monument Sacred to the memory of Captain Thomas Hodges of the County of Somerset, esq., who at the siege of Antwerpe, about 1583, with unconquered courage wonne two ensignes from the enemy, where receiving his last wound, he gave three legacies: his soule to his Lord Jesus, his body to be lodged in Flemish earth, his heart to be sent to his dear wife in England’ (Pettigrew’s ‘Tombs’, 1857). He m. Agatha Rodney, aunt of Dorothy, wife of Rice Davis of the Middle Temple, and of Tickenham, Esq.
1.2. Christian Hodges, m. John Mathew, June 13, 1584.
1.2.1. Jenkin Mathew, m. Joan Hamlin.
1.3. Joan Hodges, m. Laurence Jeforde, Feb. 3, 1587.
1.4. Richard Hodges (alias Brook).
1.5. William Hodges, bur. June 5, 1615, m. (1) Jane Fabian, Oct. 10, 1596, (2) Elizabeth Stevens, Nov. 29, 1610, in Bath Abbey, probable sister of Mary Stevens, who m. Robert Chambers, Oct. 13, 1605, in Bath Abbey. His sister, Jane Chambers, m. Thomas Blunt, of Bristol. (Jan. 10, 1610; Harl Soc. 27, Bath Abbey). Robert and Jane Chambers were children of Robert Chambers Sr., who is described thus: Robert Chambers gent of Bath and deputy-steward of the manor of Rodley (1606, STAC 8/94/10), from whence the Crumpes.

BLUNT
Ar., two bars az., over all an Escarbuncle of eight rays or, Blunt of Mangotsfield, Gloucestershire.

Edmund Blount and Margaret Seymour had issue, Margaret Blount, who m. Sir John Hungerford, of Down Ampney, Gloucestershire. Margaret Blount was the aunt of:
William Blount of Mangotsfield, who m. Agnes Brayne, of Gloucestershire, presumably of the family of Henry Brayne, formerly of London, who bought the manor of St James (Bristol) at the Dissolution.

He is noted thus: Award of Henry Brayne, Esq. and John White gent. arbitrators for David Harrys and Thomas Walter … David Harrys to have possession of lands and tenements as in lease of 1517. 1556. ( Brist. Arch., AC/WH/2/8). Bond in £100 to abide by the arbitration of William Chester and David Harris, aldermen, Henry Brayne, esquire, and George Jones, “gentelleman”, concerning St. Lawrence’s parsonage house. 1558. (Brist. Arch., P.St JB/D/2/210).

Deeds relating to Moorend, Mangotsfield and Barton Regis:

Agreement for sale and purchase – Richard Dennis and Robert Brayne and Nicholas Philpott – house in Moorend and land belonging to it. (Brist. Arch., 5138/5).
Feb 1, 1582. Exemplification of a recovery, John and Anthony Blount and William Aprice. Feb 1, 1582. Will of Anthony Blunte or Blunt, Yeoman of Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, probated May 22, 1618. Will of John Blunt or Blount, Yeoman of Down Ampney, probated Feb. 15, 1622. (B.A., 8015/94d).
March 2, 1587. (B.A., P.AS/D/NA/83 a,b). Lease; Thomas Colston, Langley and Cole now Aldermen to James Blunt, Baker.
Dec. 30, 1622. (B.A., 26166/206). Deed (1) Edward Auflett and Mary his wife and Thomas Burkett, baker; (2) Henry Yate, soapmaker, Robert Smythe, hooper, Thomas Blounte and John Bilbye, gentlemen … 3 messuages in Temple parish.
Sept. 5, 1648. (B.A., 12276/1). Henry Brayne to his son Robert Brayne … to the use of Elizabeth, wife of Henry Brayne: all that little mansion next to the gate of the capital dwelling house of St. James … Witnesses: Walter Chester, John Hollester, Thomas Lloyd, Thomas Blount. (Father of John Blunt).
Articles of agreement concerning a future exemplification. John Cruso, Doctor of Civil Law, and John Blount. Aug. 7, 1653. (Brist. Arch., 8015/94f1).
John Blunt’s dau., Bridget, m. William Chester, of Bristol and Barton Regis (d. 1659), father-in-law of Thomas Harris (as given elsewhere). William Chester was the son of Walter Chester, of Bristol and Barton Regis, whose Will was witnessed by Thomas Blunt, Bridget Blunt, Thomas Harris. (C.P.C. Oct. 12, 1661,127 Evelyn).

Walter Chester was the nephew of Thomas Chester, of Almondsbury, Sheriff then Mayor of Bristol, d. 1583. He purchased the manor of Barton Regis, formerly owned by Sir Maurice Dennys, of Pucklechurch, who left no issue, and, subject to the life estate of his widow, he made his nephew Richard Dennys, the eldest son of his brother Sir Walter, his principal heir.

His son, William Chester, of Almondsbury, Sheriff of Gloucestershire (d. 1607), m. Catherine, dau. of Richard Dennys of Dyrham; sister of Frances Dennys, wife of John Gilliam, father of Captain John Gilliam, Jr.; father of Hinchea Gilliam, husband of Fortune Flood, sister of John Flood, who m. Mary Blunt, sister of … Blunt, wife of Joel Barker; their son, Hinchea Gilliam Jr., m. Faith Briggs (dau. of Samuel); parents of Elizabeth Gilliam, wife of John Barker (son of Joel).

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