I. … Hodges.
1.1. Thomas Hodges.
1.1.1. Thomas Hodges.* The Will of Giles Hodges, of Middle Chinnocke, Somerset, gent, was proved Aug. 7, 1591, by Alice the relict. (61 Barber). ‘My friend Henry Compton,of Wigbeere, South Petherton. My son in law Walter Hodges, pf Podmore Milton, gent my Rectory of Charlton Adams & lands in Charlton Mackrell. Lands in Chilton Domer of the demise of Bartholomew Horsley, esq’. John & Thomas Hodges, my sons. William Hodges, son of Thomas Hodges, my brother, decd. My wife Alice. My daughters Susan, Ann, & Johan, all under 21. My son Giles Hodges. William, son of my son William. John, Giles, & *Thomas, sons of Thomas Hodges, my brother, decd. John Smythe, my son in law. Alice, my wife, Exix. Francis Clyfton, her brother, gent John Hodges, gent., my brother,an Overseer’.

Thomas Hodges married into the very well connected and influential family of Rodney:

1. George Rodney. 1.1. Maurice Rodney, Esq., m. Joan, dau. of Sir Thomas Dyer of Somerford, Co., Wilts. 1.1.1. Dorothy wife of Rice Davis* of the Middle Temple, and of Tickenham, Esq. 1.2. Agatha Rodney, m. Captain Thomas Hodges, d. 1583: ‘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).

1.1.1.1. Thomas Hodges was his only son by Agatha, dau. of George Rodney. He m. Eleanor, dau. of John Rosse (Rose) of Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset. Will of Thomas Hodges, Gentleman of Wedmore, Somerset, prob. 6 Feb. 1601.

The familial connection between the Hodge, Lancaster, and Rose families was long standing: Lease. By William Rose of Cheddar and Mary his wife one of the daughters and coheirs of John Lancaster of Milverton Esqr. deceased to Samuel Leonard of Wedmore, of One Cottage or House with a Garden and Orchard conteyninge one Yard of Ground with the appurtenances being below Cold Hill in Stoughton in the parish of Wedmore late in the possession of one John Paviour and now of the said Samuel Leonard. And 3 half-acres of arrable land in Stoughton fields (that is to say) one half-acre in Old Shillinge way, the land late John Paine on the West side and ½-acre in Stoneshill the land of William Counsell on the East side, and the other ½-acre in Suitbill acre the land of Edward Counsell in the West side, all which said premises were late in the possession of William Bush and now of the said Samuel Leonard. All which Cottage and premises are parcell of the Manor of Cheddar Fitzwaters. 10 May 1698.

*William Pitt m. Mary Owen: Robert Owen, of Bristol, Merchant. Will dated Sep. 5, 1614, Codicil Sep. 4, 1615, pr. Feb. 16, 1615-16. (8 Cope). My cousin Rice Davies, esq. My brother in law William Pitt, overseer. Rice Davies, Esq., of Tickenham, married ist, Dorothy, dau. of Maurice Rodney, Esq., and sister of Sir George Rodney, by whom (who died Jan. 2, 1604). William Pitt’s son, Col. Robert Pitt, d. bef. 9 January 1674, IOW, was the father of John Pitt, who m. Olive, dau. of John Hardy and Alice Bennett. She m. 1. Giles Driver; 2.John Bromfield, and 3. Lt. Col. John Pitt.

1.1.1.1.1. George Hodges: In the chancel (St Mary, Wedmore) against the north wall is a small stone monument with this inscription: ‘Neare to this place rest the bodies of George Hodges, Esq; and Ann his wife, since the wife of Jeremy Horler, clerk, in hope of a joyful resurrection. George Hodges d. Feb. 1, 1654. Ann d. July 26, 1684. On another plate, whereon is an effigy of ‘George Hodges, Esq; who lived many years at this place in a pious and religious manner, whose better part was wrapt into the best place, and his mortal lyeth heere interred in the sepulchre of his grandfather and father’. On a grave stone in the nave floor: ‘To the pious memory of William Counsel, of East-Stoughton in the parish of Wedmore, who died June 4, 1671’.

1.1.1.1.1.1. Mary Hodges, m. George Lyte.

1.1.1.1.1.2. Jane Hodges. Hodges v Lyte. Plaintiffs: Mary Hodges, and Jane Hodges. Defendants: George Lyte, Anne Lyte his wife, William Morgan, and others. Subject: rectory of Wedmore, Somerset. 1655. (Nat. Arch. ref. C 5/23/121). Jane m. John Strachey, of Sutton Court, Somerset, d. 1674, grandson of William Strachey, Secretary of the Colony of Virginia.

1.1.1.1.2. Thomas Hodges, M.P. for Ilchester, 1646. He was of Wedmore, Somerset. Will proved July 23, 1649. (PROB 11/208/751).

1.1.1.1.3. John Hodges: Lease: John Hodges, gent., to George Barber of Ashmore, Dorset, gent.: messuage etc., Wedmore, Somerset. (Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, ref. 2667/1/36/4). He m. Margery … : Lease: Margery Hodges of Heathhouse, Wedmore, widow, to Richard Counsell of Wedmore, husbandman and Joan his wife: Wedmore, Somerset. 1648. (Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, ref. 2667/1/36/2).

1.1.1.1.4. William Hodges: Counterpart of bargain and sale: George Barber of Ashmore, gent., to William Hodges, gent., messuage etc., Wedmore, Somerset. 1653. (Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, ref. 2667/1/36/5). Counterpart of release: Robert Barber of Ashcombe, Wiltshire, esq., to Edward Counsell of Wedmore, yeoman: Wedmore, Somerset. (Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, ref. 2667/1/36/22).

The Counsell and Hobbs families were intermarried from an early period, in Wedmore, Somerset: Thomas Hobbes & Amisiam Cowncell 15 April 1564, Wedmore, St Mary. This brought about a litigious relationship, concerning property in nearby Barrow Gurney, a Councell abode (see Nat. Arch., ref. C 3/275/51, 1596-1616).

Many of the intermarried families of Wedmore were tenants of the manor of Moore (Somerset), and were named in a deposition of 1622 ( (E 134/20Jas1/Hil8), including; Richd. Hobbs, John Fry, Wm. Councell, senr, Thomas Haine, Thos. Millard, Edwd. Vowles alias Cooke, and John Lancaster.

E. Jackson (Wedmore Parish Registers, 1890), gave a rare insight into densly intermarried nature of such parishes as Wedmore; ‘the earliest account of the population of Wedmore that I know of at present is in a Presentment of Jurors, November 26th, 1650. (Lambeth MSS., Vol. XV. 471.) It is there said that “the Parish of Wedmore consisteth of about 300 families. Whether that would bring the population up to 1000 1 know not. Judging from the high rate of mortality amongst infants, one would say that the average number to a family must have been smaller then than it is now’.

The parish registers show the same families intermarrying innumerable times.

W. Marston Acres F.R. (Hist, A Brief History of Wedmore, 1954) informed that: In 1612 Richard Counsell of Wedmore was granted a licence to buy butter and cheese within the county of Somerset and to sell the same in Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset. … On the 7th May 1655, Jeremy Horler married Ann, widow of George Hodges, who had died only two months earlier. This marriage, which seems to indicate that the Hodges family were on the Parliamentary side in the Civil War, was of considerable social advantage to Mr. Horler as he thereby gained a residence at the manor-house where he continued to live until his wife’s death in 1684’. Some of the Counsell family were tenants of their Hodges kinfolk: Lease: Margery Hodges of Heathhouse, Wedmore, widow, to Richard Counsell of Wedmore, husbandman and Joan his wife: Wedmore, Somerset. (Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, ref. 2667/1/36/2. 1655).

The central importance of the Rodneys:

The registers –

William Parker & Antonia Gibbs, 3 Jul. 1589; she bapt. 4 Jun 1564; issue:
1. Thomas Parker & Margaret Cooke, 9 Mar. 1611
2. Richardus Parker, bapt. 9 May 1592, d. inf
3. Thomas Parker, m. Margaretam Cooke, 9 March 1612, dau. of ‘Edvardus Cooke’ and ‘Dienam Hutchinges’, m. 1 Aug 1594.
Edward Cooke & Diana Hutchins, 1 Aug. 1594.
Elenor Hayward & Georgius Counsell, 20 May 1600.
Aliciam Counsell & Thomas Huchins, 14 Oct. 1605.
William Turner & Jane Rodney, 28 May 1612; issue:
John Turner: Johannes Turner, bapt. 14 May 1618, f. William.

William Pitt , Merchant of Bristol, was the br.-in-law of Rice Davies, who married ist, Dorothy, dau.of Maurice Rodney, Esq., of Stoke Rodney, Somerset, about whom it was said: ‘he was carelessly bred and married to a smith’s daughter, from whom he was afterwards divorced’ (Mr. Collins). Dorothy Rodney’ br., George, was the father of Agnes, who married Thomas Hodges, Esq.; they being the parents of George Hodges, aforementioned, of Wedmore. (See N&Q, Som. and Dors., vols. 20-21, p. 226, 1932).

John Turner, d. aft. 25 Mar 1705 in IOW Co., m. Mary Tomlin. Thomas Harris, d. 1688, placed his son George with John, whose spoken Will named named sons John, James, William, Joseph, Simon and grandd. Ann Everett; witnessed by Edward Harris, John Johnson, Jenkins Dorman, Wm Westray, and Mary Tomlin.

Joseph Turner, Will rec. 7 April 1737, in Brunswick County, m. Burchett Lundy, dau. of Elizabeth Burchett, who m. 2. Joseph Perry, and James Lundy. Rachel Wilkinson, Newport Parish: ‘to my kinswoman, the eldest daughter of Joseph Turner by his first wife’. Rachel Wilkinson m. 1. Thomas Parker, whose Will, dated 30 Jan. 1735, named legatees: eldest son William; son Elias; dau. Ann; son Thomas; son Wilkinson; dau. Sabra; dau. Priscilla; grandson Elisha Parker; daughter Rachel. Wife Executrix. Witnesses: Robert King, George Norsworthy, & James Bagnall. Recorded Apr. 26 1736.

Joan Hayward & John Gibbs, 15 Jul 1612.
Mariam Kirby & William Counsell, 27 Jan. 1615.
Elizabeth Comer & Thomas Powell, 7 Sep 1615; Wedmore (Perhaps he who settled in Virginia).
Joannam Counsell & Philippus Laurence, 20 Aug. 1618. Maud Bryan(t) & Henry Lawrence, 9 Sept. 1577; Over Stowey. On 6 August 1752, John Lawrence , Jacob Butler, and James Bryant appraised the estate of William Daughtry.
Georgius Harris & Joana Webb, 28 Apr. 1623.
Gregory Burnet & Agnes Cooke, 19 Jul. 1624.
Thomas Haine & Jane Cooke, 17 Apr. 1634.
Mariam Counsell & John Phippen, 25 May 1635.
Susannam Lancastle & Willielmus Hodges, 5 Apr. 1638 (surn. var. Lancaster, Lankester, Langcaster).
Janam Counsell & Johannes Langcastle, 21 Oct. 1647.
Thomas Haine & Mary Harris, 13 Oct. 1655.
Anstice Kirby & William Harris, 20 Jun. 1660.
Susannam Hayne & Guilielmus Counsell, 30 Apr. 1663.

Hodges Council d. bef. 9 Aug. 1699, named as husband of Lucy Hardy in the Will of John Hardy, (B. 2, p. 419). He m. Lucy Hardy, dau.of John Hardy and Alice Bennett. Hodges Council. Leg. eldest son Hodges land on Blackwater, son John the land I bought of Robert Lawrence … daughter Christian the wife of Edward Bryan. (ibid. p. 409). Robert Lawrence Sr. was very likely the son of Philip Lawrence: ‘Joannam Counsell & Philippus Laurence’, 20 Aug. 1618, Wedmore.

1. Hodges Council.
1.1. Hardy council, m Susannah Fulgham, dau. of Michael Fulgham, of Pitminster, Somerset.
1.2. Hodges Council. On 28 Oct 1690, Francis Nicholson granted to Hodges Council ‘the Younger’and Thomas Mann for the importation of 4 persons, 200 acres adjoiningJohn Brown at Kingsale Swamp. On 19 Sept. 1691, Hodges Council and Thomas Mann sold this same parcel to William Keell of the Lower Parish of IOW. (B. 1, p. 40).
1.2.1. Christina Council, d. 1743, m. Edward Bryan.

Their connection to the Rodneys gave much weight to the Turners.

copyright m stanhope 2016