1. Thomas Parker, Esq. of Holbeton, 9 miles south east of Plymouth, Devon. (Wotten). The pedigree given in the Harl. MS, which is given addition ‘by a later hand’, is accepted as unreliable; and, if connecting this family to to the Parkers of Molton, an additional generation is needed, connecting them to Holbeton, and, perhaps to the Seymours; see concluding genealogical table.

1.1. William Parker, of Holbeton, and of Shoreditch, in Middlesex, m. Dorothy, dau. of … Muttlebury, of Jordans, near Ilminster, Somerset, by whom he had numerous issue. Thomas Gerard recorded, in ‘The Particular Description of the County of Somerset’, for the location of Jordans, that it: ‘Deserves remembrance also, for that it gave the same name unto the ancient Lords of it, of which William de Jordan who lived in Edward the third’s time left by his wife, daughter and heire of John de Lourney, two daughters, ye eldest married to … Muttlebury whose posterity remaine owners of and reside at this place untill this day where they have built a new house. He then describes the relevant arms: ‘Jordan: Asure crusele and a Lyon rampant or. – Lourney: Cheque or and asure, on a chefe asure 2 mulletts – or. Muttlebury: On a bend gules 3 round buckles arg., a – border of the second’. 1594: Memorandum that I Thomas Muttlebury of Jordines in the parishe of Aishill in the countie of Somerset, gentleman, have paid to Christopher Foxe, servaunte to George Lutterell of Dunster in the countie aforesaid, esquire, to the use of his said maister, the full some of five pounds of lawfull monie of England as due to the said George Lutterell for a releif of a whole knightes fee for my manners of Elworthie and Willette in the said countie whiche I doe acknowledge to be holdene of him the said George Luttrell as of his castell of Dunster by knightes service. In witnes wherof I have hereunto putte my hande and seale the ixth daie of November in the xxxvj th yere of the Queenes majesties raigne that now is.Thomas Muttelbery.Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of John Muttelbery, Thomas Searle. Seal affixed. (H. C. Maxwell-Lyte, Documents and Extracts Illustrating the History of the Honour of Dunster, 1917/18).

1.1.1. Hugh Parker, of Taunton, Somerset, and Shoreditch, sixth son, fl. 1623, m. (in Over Stowey, Somerset, in 1605) Mary, dau. of Thomas Hutchins, alias Lawrence, of Holway, St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Taunton; his Will pr. Jan. 1576; br. of John Lawrence alias Hutchins; his Will pr. 12 Sept. 1579, naming his son-in-law Thomas Trowbridge, Mayor of Taunton, d. 1619, his wife Alice (perhaps a Stone), Robert Stone and George Stone being overseers of his Will.

In 1732, William Powell gave a deed of gift of 70 ac. to his dau-in-law, Elizabeth Speight, the wife of John Speight,in the Lower Parish of IOW (B. 4, p. 200). In 1733, he also gifted to ‘my loving kinsman John Speight’ (br. of William), and his wife, Elizabeth, 50 acres adj. Richard Hutchins & Jacob Powell. (ibid., p. 230). William Powell Was the son of William Powell, whose Will, dated 11 December 1695, was witnessed by Richard Hutchins. (B. 1., P. 192). On 20 Nov. 1679, William Powell, of IOW, was granted 257 acres on the Western Branch of the Nansemond River adjacent Thomas Pitt (B. 7, p. 16). This William Powell was the son of Thomas Powell, a neighbour of Francis Hutchins, who was granted ‘200 ac. in Nansemond Co., adjoining Thomas Powell’ (Nugent, p. 327, 26 March 1656).

Thomas Pitt was the son of Henry Pitt: ‘Marriage settlement by deed to lead the uses of a recovery: 1. Henry Pitt, merchant 2. Thomas Dale of Wrington, Somerset, gent., Walter Stephens, mercer, John Price and William Shute, gent. Premises: One messuage in Redcliffe Street, St.Thomas’ (Bristol Record Office, 9 June 1635); who was Captain Henry Pitt, of Pagan Creek, who m. 2. Ann, widow of Robert Watson. His son, Thomas, m. Col. Athur Smith’s dau., Mary. Henry Pitt was the br. of Col. Robert Pitt, d. bef. 9 January 1674, in IOW. He was Captain of the Thunder, a merchant ship out of Bristol, and a Colonel in the Virginia Militia. His son, John Pitt, m. Olive, dau. of John Hardy and Alice Bennett. She m. 1. Giles Driver; 2.John Bromfield, and 3. Lt. Col. John Pitt. The Pitts held land in Portbury, Somerset, through Henry and Robert Pitt’s grandmother, Mary Owen, dau. of Robert Owen, of Bristol, Merchant; see his Will dated Sep. 5, 1614, Codicil Sep. 4, 1615, pr. Feb. 16, 1615-16 (8 Cope). Hugh Parker’s brother, Thomas, was a resident at Portbury, see certificate of residence (E 115/312/28), 1628; it was probably he who m. Margaret Cooke, as follows, and, if so, became a kinsman of the Pitt family, who came to prominence through inheritance from a Cooke ancestress.

The Hutchins family were pivotal members of a kinship group which encompassed such as the Counsell, Hodges, and Lancaster families of Virginia, originating from Wedmore, Somerset. A brief excerpt from parish registers reveals a densely-knit web of associations: Edward Cooke & Diana Hutchins, 1 Aug 1594/ n.b. Elenor Hayward & George Counsell, 20 May 1600/ Alice Counsell & Thomas Huchins, 14 Oct 1605/ Thomas Parker & Margaret Cooke, 9 March 1611/William Turner & Jane Rodney* 28 May 1612/Joan Hayward & John Gibbs, 15 Jul 1612/Grace Stone & Richard Haine 26 Nov 1627/Jane Cook & Thomas Haine 17 Apr 1634/ Susan Lancaster & William Hodges 5 Apr 1638, etc.; this kinship group including a Harris family of Wedmore. *Their son was John Turner, bapt. 20 June 1613.

William Pitt, Merchant of Bristol, was the br.-in-law of Rice Davies, who m. 1. Dorothy, dau. of Maurice Rodney, Esq., of Stoke Rodney, Somerset. Dorothy Rodney’ br., George, was the father of Agnes, who m. Thomas Hodges, Esq.; they being the parents of George Hodges of Wedmore, father of the said William Hodges (See N&Q, Som. and Dors., vols. 20-21, p. 226, 1932). It would seem certain that the Turners of Wedmore were kin of the Pitts. William Pitt, Merchant of Bristol, was the father of Col. Robert Pitt, d. bef. 9 January 1674, IOW. He was Captain of the Thunder, a merchant ship out of Bristol and a Colonel in the Virginia Militia. His son was John Pitt, who married Olive, dau. of John Hardy and Alice Bennett. She married 1. Giles Driver; 2.John Bromfield, and 3. Lt. Col. John Pitt.
Joan Hayward & John Gibbs, 15 July 1612.

The Hutchins family were associated with the Ednys (cousins of the Harris and Bennett families of Wivelscombe, Somerset, and Virginia; the Owsleys of Stoke-Coursey, Somerset, and Virginia (Thomas Owsley b. 11 June 1658, in Stoke-Coursey, m. Ann Harris, dau. of William Harris); the Sellecks of Over Stowey (cousins of the Harris family of that place, thus, also, of the Harris family of Wivelscombe and Wedmore); and the Symes/Simms family of Pitminster (home of the Fulgham family of Virginia), who were associated with the descendants of Thomas Harris, who d. 1688, in Virginia: Hutchins v Edny. Plaintiffs: John Hutchins alias John Laurence. Defendants: William Edny. Subject: money matters, Somerset. (Nat. Arch. ref. C 3/274/96. 1607). Hutchins v Owsley. Plaintiffs: Richard Hutchins. Defendants: William Owsley. Place or subject: money, Somerset. (Nat. Arch. ref. C 7/173/54. 1619). Sellecke v Hutchins. Plaintiffs: William Sellecke. Defendants: Joseph Hutchins and Susan Hutchins his wife. Subject: property in Bridgwater, etc, Somerset. (Nat. Arch. ref. C 5/30/119. 1652). Hutchins v Symes.Plaintiffs: John Hutchins and Elizabeth Hutchins his wife. Defendants: William Symes, Henry Symes and Thomas Symes. Subject: personal estate of the deceased John Symes of Poundisford etc, Somerset and Gloucestershire. (Nat. Arch. ref. C 5/410/167. 1664).

1.1.1.1. Hugh Parker, b. 1607, ‘his third son (his two elder brothers dec.) was heir to his father, and was an alderman of the city of London and paid his fine for sheriff of the said city. He was advanced to the title of Baronet, 12, Car. II. and had the patent limited to himself, and the heirs male of his body, with remainder to his nephew, Henry Parker, Esq., of Honington. Hugh m. Rachel, dau. of … Brown, of Louth, in Lincolnshire, by whom he had no issue; and dying 5 March 1696, aged eighty-nine, was bur. in the chancel, at St. Bride’s church, in Fleet-street, London; and was succeeded in the title, and part of the estate by his said nephew, Sir Henry Parker,* son of his brother, Henry** (who d. 1670), by Margaret, dau. of John White, of London’ (Mr. Betham). *Educ. Merchant Taylors 1650; I. Temple 1658, called 1666. m. 29 Mar. 1665 (with £1,500), Mary (d. 1729), da. of Alexander Hyde, bp. of Salisbury 1665–7, sis. of Robert Hyde, 5s. (3 d.v.p.) 5da. (3 d.v.p.). suc. fa. 1670, uncle Sir Hugh Parker as 2nd Bt. Mar. 1697. Clerk of assize, Oxford circuit Nov. 1660–74; recorder, Evesham 1672–Feb. 1688, Oct. 1688–d.; commr. recusants, Worcs. 1675. Clerk of assize, Oxford circuit Nov. 1660–74; recorder, Evesham 1672–Feb. 1688, Oct. 1688–d.; commr. recusants, Worcs. 1675′ (The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690-1715, ed. D. Hayton, E. Cruickshanks, S. Handley, 2002). **’Henry Parker, Painter-Stainer, of Fleet Street, London and Little Grove, East Barnet, Herts.’ (ibid.)

1.1.1.2. Henry Parker.

1.1.1.2.1. Sir Henry Parker, b. 1641, m. Margaret, dau. of Dr. Alexander Hyde, bishop of Salisbury, son of Sir Lawrance Hyde, of Dynton, in Wiltshire. He purchased the manor of Honington, and rebuilt the church there, and died Oct. 25, 1713, aged 74.

1.1.1.2.1.1. Hugh Parker Esq., b. 1673, eldest son, died in his father’s lifetime, obit. 2 Feb. 1712, aged 39. He and his father were commemorated by a large monument in Honington church. He m. Anne Smith; her tomb is in Westminster Abbey:

‘Here lies the Right Hon. Anne, Countess Dowager of Clanrickard, eldest Daughter of John Smith, Esq, who is interred near this place: She married first, Hugh Parker, Esq. eldest Son of Sir Henry Parker, of Honnington, in the County of Warwick, Baronet, by whom she had Sir Henry-John Parker, Baronet; three other Sons, and three Daughters.

By her second Husband, Michael, Earl of Clanrickard, of the Kingdom of I reland, the Head of the ancient and noble family of the Burke’s, she had Smith, now Earl of Clanrickard, and two Daughters, Lady Anne, and Lady Mary. She died the
first of January, 1732, in the forty-ninth Year of her Age’.

1.1.1.2.1.1.1. Sir Henry John Parker, d. 1771, eldest son, m., 23 October 1728, Anne, dau. and heiress of Simon Barwell, Esq., of Leicester, who died, at the age of nineteen, in 1733, leaving two daus, Margaret, died single, and Anne. Sir Henry afterwards married Catharine, dau. of John Page, Esq. of Wandsworth, Surry, by whom he had Margaret-Sophia, the wife of John Strode, Esq. of South Hill, Somerset, son of Edward Strode and Mary Simpson, of Cumberland.

Sir Henry John Parker sold Honington manor (1737) to Joseph Townsend, husband of Judith Gore, dau. of John Gore, Esq., of  Bush-hill, Edmonton, Middlesex.

This document shows various families connected to Honington:

Mortgage from William Mellish of Albemarle Street in the parish of St. George, Hanover Square, and Thomas Carter of Cork Street, Burlington Gardens, London, esq. (surviving executors of the will of John Baker late of London, deceased, who survived Sir Thomas Drury, deceased) to Judith Townsend of Stanhope Street near Hyde Park, London, widow of Joseph Townsend, deceased (reciting no. ER 3/2041 and that Joseph Townsend died in 1763 leaving Judith his wife, Gore Townsend his only son and heir, and Ann Townsend, now wife of John Tempest of Winyard, co. Durham, him surviving, and reciting that Joseph Townsend made no appointment concerning the sum of £12,000 charged upon his estate in Honington for portions for his younger children and reciting the death of John Gore who was survived by Sir Thomas Drury and John Baker his co-trustees of the marriage settlement) in consideration of £12,000 by Judith Townsend advanced to John Tempest on his marriage with Ann Townsend (which sum had been invested in the purchase of hereditaments at Barmston, co. Durham, and was the sum charged upon the estate of Joseph Townsend at Honington by no. ER 3/2041 to provide portions for the younger children of Joseph Townsend) of the hereditaments at Honington described in no. ER 3/2041 by assignment to her of the term of 300 years, limited by no. ER 3/2041 to the trustees of the settlement to secure the said sum of £12,000. (Honington Hall estate. Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, ref. ER 3/2048. 14 September 1775).

These families include that of ‘Mary Stafford, widow‘: Tempest v Stafford. Plaintiffs: Spurstow Henry Tempest (only son and heir of Spurstow Henry Tempest, gent deceased of Edmonton, Middlesex, and a grandson and heir of John Tempest, gent deceased of Edmonton), infant (by Joseph Richmond). Defendants: Mary Stafford, widow, John Richards, John Jackson and Eleanor Jackson his wife, and John Snee. (Nat. Arch. ref. C 11/813/27. 1744).

As stated, Honington was purchased by John Gore, Esq., of Bush-hill, Edmonton, Middlesex, where, on the floor of All Saints, is the tomb of Lawrence Parker, Esq., who was connected to this London family of Stafford:

1. John Stafford. Appointment to heirs, pursuant to surrender. Sarah wife of Robert Burgess of Barnes, husbandman, daughter of John Stafford late of Barnes, deceased. 3 customary cottages, malting house and 80r. land, 3½ acres in Norton Feild and 2 acres in Westfield, held of manor of Barnes. (London Met. Arch. ref. ACC/0566/019. 1695).

1.1. John Stafford. Assignment of Lease. John Bartlett of Ratcliff Ropemaker to John Stafford the younger of London, merchant. (London Met, Arch., ref. ACC/0349/309 17 Feb. 1696). Shippen v Mead. Plaintiffs: John Shippen, merchant of London and John Stafford, merchant of London and Mary Roberts (executrix of Nicholas Roberts, merchant deceased late of New England, America). Defendants: John Mead, Francis Wyatt, Thomas Brooke, John Hellier, George Brandsford, Robert May, William Brookin and Samuel Bucke. (Nat. Arch. ref. C 11/1797/38. 1714). Will of John Stafford, Merchant of London, PROB 11/584/219. 4 April 1722.

1.1.1. John Stafford. Stafford v Desbrowe. Plaintiffs: Mary Stafford, spinster of Edmonton, Middlesex (daughter of John Stafford, merchant deceased of London and Mary Stafford his wife). Defendants: Platt Disbrowe, gent, Laurence Parker, Esq of Bush Hill, Middlesex, Mary Stafford, widow, and Ellen Player widow. Nat. Arch. ref. C 11/1496/22. 1731. *Bush Hill, Middlesex, three quarters of a mile S. W. from Enfield, in the parish of Edmonton, London.

Will of Laurence Parker of Edmonton, Middlesex, PROB 11/768/4. 1 February 1749. He was considerably wealthy, leaving his wife, Marie, a life interest on £16,000, at 5% p.a.; similar bequests to his daus., Sarah and Susanah, bequests to the 5 children of Charles Hawkins; a bequest to his niece, Mary Stafford, dau. of his sister, Mary Stafford, wife of ‘John Stafford, merchant’. Will of John Stafford, Merchant of Edmonton, Middlesex, PROB 11/645/153. 23 June 1731. Laurence Parker stipulated a contingency to his bequest to his dau. Susanah; one of ‘if she dies before marriage’, suggesting Lawrence to be b. circa 1705-1710, contemporary with Sir Henry John Parker, of Honington, to whom he was very likely a younger brother.

1.1.1.1. John Stafford, nephew of Lawrence Parker: Edge. Co (Halifax) D.B. 3, p. 350, deed dated 17 May 1748, recorded May Ct 1749. William Speight, Edge. Co in the Parish of Edgecombe to William Taylor, parish & county aforesaid, for 28 pds, 10 shillings VA, a tract of 100 acres which was conveyed to said Speight by Anthony Stafford being true and lawful attorney to of John Stafford of London (PA dated 29 May 1746), which said land was bequeathed by the Last Will and Testament of Wm. Murphey, late of Edge. Co aforesaid to Wm. Hurst and was formerly laid out and surveyed for Wm. Opie, signed William Speight, wit. Saml Williams, Jr,, John Bradford, Thomas Parker; whose dau., Rachel, m. Jacob Powell, exec. of his father-in-law’s Will.

Thomas Parker was probably a son of a br. of Hugh Parker Esq., b. 1673 (who probably emigrated to Virginia, in the manner of a younger son seeking his fortune), thus a cousin of Laurence Parker of Edmonton, Middlesex, whose nephew was ‘John Stafford of London’, who sold land to William Speight, whose br., John, was the son-in-law of William Powell, whose family had a long (and probably familial) association with the Hutchins.

Essentially, Thomas Parker was a ‘Hutchins’. All pivotal associations, to the Powells, etc., were likely to have stemmed from this. Other associations (Highsmith/Speight) were peripheral, and likely to have been the result of the Parker family’s intermarriages with families from the North of England. The Powells were most likely of the branch residing in Taunton, Somerset, neighbours of the Hutchins.

Thus:

1. Thomas Parker, Esq. of Holbeton, Devon, b. circa 1525. In the Hundred Roll, temp. Edw. I., the manor of Holbeton is said to have belonged to William Probus (Prous/Prowse). Agnes Prowse, born 14 April 1576, in Tiverton, Devon; d. 6 June 1622, in Taunton, Somerset, was the dau. of John Prowse and Elizabeth Colwick. She m. (1) John Trowbridge, 31 July 1597, in St. Peter’s, Tiverton, Devon, son of Thomas Trowbridge and Joan Lawrence, alias HutchinS, dau. of John Lawrence, alias Hutchins, br. of Thomas Hutchins, alias Lawrence. Thomas Trowbridge was the son of George Trowbridge of Colyton, Devon, and Willmot Parker, who, on chronological grounds, can be assumed a sister of the said Thomas Parker.
1.1. William Parker (b. circa 1550; d. 1628, in Taunton, Somerset), of Holbeton, Devon, and of Shoreditch, Middlesex, m. Dorothy, dau. of … Muttlebury, of Jordans, near Ilminster, Somerset.
1.1.1. Hugh Parker, of Taunton and Shoreditch, m. (in 1605, in Over Stowey, Somerset) Mary, dau. of Thomas Hutchins, alias Lawrence, of Holway, St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Taunton.
1.1.2. Henry Parker. Painter-Stainer, of Fleet Street, London and Little Grove, East Barnet, Herts.
1.1.2.1. Sir Henry Parker, b. 1641, m. Margaret, dau. of Dr. Alexander Hyde, bishop of Salisbury, son of Sir Lawrance Hyde, of Dynton, Wiltshire (and Barbara Castillion, dau. of John Baptista Castillion (i.e. Giovanni Battista Castiglione) of Benham, Berkshire); son of Lawrence Hyde (d. 1590) of West Hatch, Wiltshire, MP for Heytesbury in 1584, by his second wife, Anne Sibell, dau. of Nicholas Sibell of Farningham, Kent, and widow of Matthew Colthurst of Claverton, Somerset.* He was the brother of Henry Hyde, MP, and Sir Nicholas Hyde, d. 1631, Lord Chief Justice. *Born by 1517, s. of Henry Colthurst of Edisford, nr. Clitheroe, Lancs.; Auditor for Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford and Duke of Somerset; mentioned in July 1538 when he had a lease of the tithes of Tywardreath rectory, Cornwall. He obtained the manors of Claverton and Monkton Combe, Somerset. His will shows that he also had properties in Lancashire. Because of this connection to the Seymours, it is possible that the Parkers of Holbeton were of the same stock as those of Molton, who intermarried with the Seymours; in that case, the said Thomas Parker, Esq. of Holbeton, would be a younger son (not grandson) of Thomas Parker of North Molton, b. circa 1495, who m. Elizabeth Frye, dau. of John Frye, of Devon. (Frye: Vert three horses courant argent proper, holding a stag’s horn gules).
1.1.2.1.1. … Parker, br. of Hugh Parker Esq., b. 1673, father of Lawrence Parker, whose nephew was John Stafford, who sold land to William Speight, witnessed by:
1.1.2.1.1.1. Thomas Parker, d. 1782.

The level of inbreeding among these families was of a stupendous nature, rendering exact ancestor determination through analysis of DNA an unsound proposition.
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