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Digory Martin and wife Anne

Posted by David Murrian on 24/3/2024, 9:40 am

Mr Digory Martin married Mrs Ann Rowse on 8 April 1716 at Hatherleigh. Both being a "Mr" and "Mrs" would suggest they were both notable in the community, and also, in the case of Ann (sometimes Anne), that she was a widow.

Digory believed to be born 1694 and died 1762 Hatherleigh. Ann(e) buried Hathleigh 28 May 1743.

Digory was apprenticed by his father, John (a gentleman), in 1712 to John Fortescue (also a gentleman, and who I found to be an Attorney) of Hatherleigh, Digory being one of several individuals who John Fortescue took on as apprentices over the years.

I am interested in the wife Ann(e), who the use of "Mrs" would suggest she was a widow, but who was her husband and when and where did they marry. There is no indication in the Hatherleigh burial register of her age when she died, and I have searched the Hatherleigh Registers back to 1690 without success, so might she have been older - ?and rich - widow. There was a John Rowse (Rouse) who was a Vicar of Hatherleigh from 1701 but he didn't die until 1721, so Ann(e) couldn't have been his widow. Perhaps her former husband was a relative of his?

Would anyone have any suggestions as to how I might take my research further, to answer some of my questions about her previous marriage.

David

Re: Digory Martin and wife Anne

Posted by Deborah on 24/3/2024, 4:42 pm, in reply to "Digory Martin and wife Anne"

The Mrs abbreviation could also mean Mistress as in singular but of some social stature. There was a baptism for an Ann ROWSE at Hatherleigh 14 Jul 1692, dau of Oliver ROWSE.

Re: Digory Martin and wife Anne

Posted by Judith on 25/3/2024, 10:55 am, in reply to "Re: Digory Martin and wife Anne"

I agree with Deborah, they appear to have had quite a few children, so must have been of child bearing age, and if she was from family with status would have been addressed as Miss/mistress, if she had been a widow, I think that would have been recorded by the vicar, given the social status.
Any children/grandchildren names after Oliver?or his wife? or named after respective grandparents?

Re: Digory Martin and wife Anne

Posted by David Murrian on 26/3/2024, 9:24 am, in reply to "Re: Digory Martin and wife Anne"

Thank you both for your comments. Very helpful and have now "mugged" up on older use of Mistress/Miss/Mrs in not simply indicating a marital status - and Master/Mr in doing so.

Hatherleigh Registers at that time are not easy to read, bottom of some pages are virtually unreadable and Vicars seems to water down the ink at times. Also they don't indicate a wife's name at baptisms and don't show ages at death/burial. None of this is, of course, not uncommon but it doesn't help. Will have to get at the old IGI fiches in Birmingham Library to get a bit more confidence in what I'm finding.

So, Oliver appears to have been born about 1643 at Hatherleigh and married in 1675 at Meeth (though this is from a transcript of a Boyds Index which doesn't say who the wife was!).

I do have a bit more confidence in who Oliver had married as the entry in the composite Hatherleigh Register for her burial in 1709/10 reads "Elizabeth wife of Oliver Rowse". Interesting it also notes she was buried on the same date as her grandson Ezekiel was baptised 1708/09 and their first son was a baptised with that same christian name at Merton 28 Feb 1677/8, so perhaps it might have been a case of Ezekiel, son of Ezekiel.

Finally, yes, I had also realised, initially when thinking Digory might have married a widow, that she cannot have been much older that him, as they had 7 children between 1717 and 1731/2.

Thanks again, David

Re: Digory Martin and wife Anne

Posted by David Murian on 28/3/2024, 9:51 am, in reply to "Re: Digory Martin and wife Anne"

Have managed to do some more research, including, but not exclusively, the old IGI fiches and Family Search. Started with wiondering if there was a relationship with Ann and John the Vicar of Hatherleigh (1701-1721) so did a google search which opened up a "magic door" by finding quite a detailed WikiTree site which shows John was a first child of Oliver and Elizabeth, so John was the eldest brother of Ann(e). Have gone through the details and they all "stand up" to comparison with the rest of my research, apart from 2 items. It says Oliver and Elizabeth (who they say was Yeo) were married at Meeth, whereas the WikiTree details say Exeter. Also, as you can click on the other members of the family, it says that Ann and Digory (they don't know his parents) only had 1 child - so they haven't looked for the rest! so thanks for where your information has led me.
David

Re: Digory Martin and wife Anne

Posted by Judith on 29/3/2024, 8:55 am, in reply to "Re: Digory Martin and wife Anne"

Its always a good idea to double check any information you find on line, as sometimes it is completely wrong.
Not uncommon to have a family member who was a vicar to "do" the wedding. My husbands family in Ireland had a member who became a priest and travelled from England to Ireland to officiate at family weddings. He signed the register and put his parish details on as well.

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