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5th Generation - James NEWTON (1747-1823)
James NEWTON was baptised on 27 September 1747, Branscombe, Devon. He was the second son of William NEWTON & Mary (BUSSELL).
When James was a 21 year old labourer he married on, 26 March 1769, in Branscombe, Martha TILLMAN. Martha was ten years the senior of James, having been born c.1737, Sidbury?, Devon, the daughter of Joseph & Joan TILLMAN .
Two years prior to her marriage, Martha had produced an illegitimate son. He was baptised in Branscombe on 28 August 1767, 'TILMAN, William, s. of Martha TILMAN'.
Whether William was the son of James has, so far, been unable to be proven. In records throughout William's life he used the surname of TILLMAN, although in the burial entries for himself and his wife the name NEWTON is used. His children and grandchildren mainly used the form 'TILLMAN alias NEWTON' but by the following generation they had consistently reverted to NEWTON.
The children of James & Martha (including William) were:
1. William TILLMAN baptised 28 August 1767, Branscombe.
2. Nanny/Ann Bussal NEWTON baptised 18 February 1770, Branscombe, buried 4 February 1787, Branscombe.
3. Samuel NEWTON baptised 12 January 1772, Branscombe.
4. Mary NEWTON born c.1780.
5. Rachel NEWTON baptised 29 February 1784, Branscombe, died 23 April 1805, Branscombe, buried 28 April 1805, Branscombe.
The first daughter of James & Martha was baptised as 'Nanny Bussal NEWTON', probably named after her 58 year old grandmother, Mary NEWTON (née BUSSELL). Sadly, she predeceased her grandmother, when she died 17 years later in 1787 (name in burial entry is 'Ann Bussel NEWTON').
The youngest daughter of James & Martha also died when a young woman, in 1805. The burial entry may give a clue as to why she died so young 'NEWTON, Rachel, idiot d. of James & Martha NEWTON, aged 21'.
1791, Vestry Minutes Book of Branscombe
Apprentice ............ to whom bound ........................ on what estate ........................................... date
Eliz HARDY ....... James NEWTON .... Farm? Cots?, Barnhill, Seller'swood, Owens ............. 1791
As noted previously, James was a labourer when he married at the age of 21, but he had progressed to be a farmer or husbandman by the time he had reached his forties. This is borne out by the fact that an apprentice was bound to him in 1791, in his working of the estates of Barnhill [Barnells], Sellerswood and Owens. Barnells is close to the central 'Bridge' area of the village, and Sellerswood a further ¾ of a mile to the Northeast. The whereabouts of the farm called Owens is unclear as the name has not been found on any maps, as yet. His rise in status is further corroborated by the parish register burial entry of his mother in 1795 (see below).
He may have taken over on the working of one or more estates on the death of his father in 1785?, as he was also a husbandman.
1795 Jan 19, Death of Mary NEWTON (Branscombe Burial Register)
1795 January 19 (died), January 25 (buried)
NEWTON, Mary, widow, aged 85, Relict of William NEWTON, Husbandman, she had been kept by the parish many years, and at last was buried by the parish; tho' she had two sons living in the parish, and either of them in a situation to support her. Her eldest son William NEWTON, rented two estates in the parish at the time - Rocknell and Elverway, each rented at £45 p ann, and both together at the yearly rent of £125. She had also left her by her Father a considerable sum of money; which no one can account for.
1795 May 25, Vestry Minutes Book of Branscombe
... it is ordered as follows. That the overseers do give notice for ... Israel NOAK ... Jas NEWTON, Wm NEWTON ... to attend at the next vestry meeting to be held at this place on Monday ye 8th day of June next, to take such apprentices as the parish shall appoint.
1817 Mar 23, Vestry Minutes Book of Branscombe
Account of clothing given to the poor 1817 23 March ... NEWTON Jams 79? (???) 2 shirts.
It would seem that the fortunes of James & Martha took a turn for the worse as they neared the end of their lives, as James was given two shirts by the parish vestry according to an 'Account of clothing given to the poor' in 1817. His age is given in this record as 79?, when he was actually only 69. By this time they may have moved on to Hooknell, a farmstead to the north of the main village, in the vicinity of Hole House.
Martha died in 1821, aged 84, while living at Hooknell, and was buried, 9 November 1821, in the parish churchyard. James lived for only a further˜˜€o
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