If an aspiring yeoman family could not intermarry with with their lords, an alternative was to intermarry into the families of their lord’s cousins. From shaddow to the desired summit.

1.
1.1. Roger Hill, of Taunton, Somerset, Merchant. Will proved Apr. 8, 1546, by Margery the relict. (7 Alen). To the High Awter in Mawdelyn Church, 20/. Bequest for divers religious services. To an honest priest to sing for my soul for 20 years, for every year L5. In alms, L100. To Alice my daughter, L100 at 21 or marriage. My sons William & Robert. My daughter Margaret. My daughter Jone, that was at Buckland, 40/. My eldest son, John Hill. Alexander Togwell, my son in law, a pack of wre cloths. Residue to Margery my wife. William Portman, Exq’r, & Alexander Togwell, Overseers, L4 each. My wife to be Extrix, & if she refuse, then William, Robert, Marg’t, & Alexander, my four children, to be Exors, & my wife then to have L500.

Margaretv Hill, of Taunton, Somerset, widow. Will proved Feb. 14, 1550, by the Exors. [5 Bucke.] To be buried in S’t Mary Magdalen, Taunton, near my husband. My son William Hill’s three children. The three children of Alex. Togwell. My god-daughter Mary Portman, & to Henry Portman, L3. 6. 8 each. To my son in law, John Whyt, L3. 6. 8. To Sir John Hill & his sister Joan Hill, 10/ each. My apparell between my four daughters. My late husband, Roger Hill, “whose soul Jesu pardon,” by his last will constituted me his Extrix. Residue to my son Robert Hill, Exor. Sir William Portman, kn’t, my son William Hill, & Alexander Togwell, my son in law, Overseers. To John Cuffe & Will. Halley, 20/ each.

1.1.1. William Hill, of Poundsford, Somerset, Esq’r. Will proved Apr. 20, 1594, by Roger Hill. [31 Dixy.] My daughter Ellinor Hill, 200 marks. My daughter Luce Lawrence, L100. My son Gabriel Hill, 100 marks. My son John Hill, L100. Tho’s Hill, L20. Benjamin Hill, L40. My son Alexander2. Residue to my son Roger Hill, Exor. M’r John Colles, & my son Alexander, Overseers.
1.1.1.1. Roger Hill, of Poundsford, Somerset, gent. Will proved May 24, 1609, by W’m Hill. [42 Dorset.] To be buried at Pitminster. My father, William Hill, dec’d. My wife Mary, an annuity of L30, & to have rooms in my dwelling house at Poundsford. My son Roger Hill. My son John Hill, under 21. My daughters, Ann Shute, Frances Shaplin [Chaplin], & Elizabeth Sampson, three angells each, for three rings. My son William Hill, Exor. My friend John Pyne, esq’r, & my brother Alexander Hill, gent., Overseers.

1.1.1.1.1. John Hill.
1.1.1.1.1.1. William Hill.
1.1.1.1.1.1.1. Roger Hill. Cart. of Roger Hill of Poundisford Park, compiled 1653-57; p. 6: “Lease for 21 yrs. by Bp. of Winchester to Hugh Portman of Orchard Portman, esq., of capital messuage and 120a. in Pitminster called Poundisford als. Old Poundisford als. The Lodge and Lodge Close, and moiety of West Close als. Pearses Lawne, formerly held in common by Wm. Symmes of Chard, merchant, in common with Sir Henry Portman, father of Hugh, 1590″.

Of a highly significant nature (I suggest) to understanding a connection between the Bland/Symes/Fulgham/Harris families of England and Virginia and the Chard area of Somerset – p. 28 (ibid.): “Appointment by William Hill Of Anne widow of Robert Hassard to assign the 1597 lease to Giles Greene, Walter Yonge, John Hill and Gyfford Bale in trust for William Hill and then his son Roger, 1640”. (Som. Her. Cent., DD\X\VNL/1). That is: Giles Green married Elizabeth Hill of Poundsford Park, Somerset. Their son became clerk of the New River Company. A daughter, Sarah, married John Bland of London, naming her son Giles Bland after her father. He was a participant in Bacon’s Rebellion, for which he was executed. (See Browne Willis, Notitia Parliamentaria, pt. II, 1750. Warren M. Billings, Encyclopedia Virginia).
1.1.1.1.2. William Hill, m. Joan Collins, Nov. 2, 1563, in Pitminster. His family would have been well acquainted with the Fulghams.
1.1.1.1.2.1. Robert Hill, bapt, Sept. 6, 1566.
1.1.1.1.2.2. Thomas Hill, bapt. Oct. 28, 1567
1.1.1.1.2.3. John Hill, bapt. March 20, 1569.
1.1.1.1.3. Roger Hill.
1.1.1.2. Thomas Hill.
1.1.1.3. Alexander Hill, of Taunton, Somerset, Gent. Will proved Jan. 28, 1613-14, by Robert Hill. [3 Lawe.] My wife Alice. My daughter Elizabeth Hill. My daughter Godsall. My son Robert, Exor. Overseers, John Symes, esq., & Thomas Strowde, gent, both of Pitminster.
1.1.2. Robert Hill. , M.P, of Taunton, d. bef. June 2, 1581, in Charde.
1.1.2.1. Elizabeth Hill, (maritagium in Chard), m. William Symes, of Poundisford Park.
1.1.2.1.1. Robert Symes, b. 1567.
1.1.2.1.2. Joan Symes (half sister), m. *John Cogan, of Chard, named as a cousin in the Will of John Cogan, Merchant of Chard, proved February 10, 1593. The former John Cogan was described as sometime of Chard and now of London. The latter’s heir was his nephew, John Pittard, tailor, son of John Pittard and his sister of ‘Bowre Heanton’ in Martock. Cogan’s Will refers to his merchandise, including ‘kersies’, a coarse woollen cloth and a staple of the west country cloth trade (the Cogans were merchant clothiers, entitled to bear arms); and also to a furnace at his home. Chard was well-known for iron production.

*Cogan v Stegge. Plaintiffs: John Cogan of Chard, Somerset. Defendants: Nicholas Stegge. Subject: Failure to repay loan; detention of bond. Before 1579. (C 2/Eliz/C16/26).

‘Cogans Charity’ was described in the Borough Records of 1648 as ‘secured on the burgage of Mr Barcroft’.* That is, (1. …  1.1. John Barcroft, died in Virginia. 1.1.1. *John Barcroft, noted in an assignment of interest in 1652 as John Barcroft, late of Chard, Somerset. 1.2. Charles Barcroft, d. Sept. 23, 1661. Administration on Charles Barcroft’s estate granted to his son-in-law George Moore. (Anthony Fulgham transported Charles Barcroft, Isle of Wight, 1650).

1.1.2.1.2.1. John Coggan
1.1.2.1.2.1.1. John Coggan, m. Frances Bland.
1.1.2.1.2.1.1.1. “John Coggins”, of Bristol. Witness of the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.
1.1.2.1.2.1.1.1.1. Robert Coggan, m. Sara Greene, da. of John Green. The Will of George Green, dated Oct. 8, 1705 named legatees: wife Anne; brother John Green, the Red Point Plantation on which Sarah Bradshaw now lives; sons of Thomas Greene (br. of Martha Fulgham, wife of Anthony Fulgham, and mother of Michael Fulgham, whose da. m. a son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688), and Mary Moone. Indenture, Mar. 4, 1694, between George Green and Richard Wilkinson, Jr. for 5000 lbs. tbco., 159 ac. now in possession of the said George Green, containing 200 acres granted to Capt. John Moon, Nov. 20, 1642, and by Moon given in his will to his dau., Mary Moon, afterwards by marriage, Mary Green, from whom it did descend to her son, Thomas Green, and from said Thomas to the said George Green, land called Poplar Neck on Nansemond Path. Wit: Geo. Moore.

Frances Bland was the second cousin of (1) Theodorick Bland, born 1628, m. Anne Bennett, da. of Governor Richard Bennett; the cousin of the Thomas Harris who m. Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623, in Wivelsicombe, Somerset, who almost certainly died in Virginia in 1672. Richard Bennett, bapt. Aug. 6, 1609, in Wiveliscombe, d. 1675, in Virginia; his Will bequesting: “To William Yearret of Pagan Creek and to the wife of *Mr. Thomas Taberer, to each of them two thousand pounds of tobacco”. *His da. Ruth m. John Numan, br-in-law of Thomas Harris, d. 1672. (2) John Bland, of “Lime Street”, London, who m. Sarah Greene.

SHADDOW HILL

1.
1.1. Joan Hill, m. David Edney, 30 Jan 1574. (Thus, cousin of the Bennetts).
1.2. John Hill, b. 19 Oct. 1564, m. Agnes Forte, 26 Apr 1585.
1.2.1. Margaret Hill, m. John Harrys; uncle of Thomas, d. 1672.
1.3. Edward Hill, b. 16 Jan. 1572.
1.3.1. Elizabeth Hill, b. 30 May 1593, m. 2. Lawrence Comer, 3 Feb. 1620.
1.2. Thomas Hill.
1.2.1. Elizabeth Hill, m. John Upham, 28 Apr. 1588.
1.2.2. Robert Hill, b. 21 Oct 1562, m. Grace Stoke, 12 Apr. 1589.
1.2.2.1. James (Jacobus) Hill, m. Katherine Holcombe, Oct. 17, 1625, da. of John Holcombe and Tomasin Herringe, who m. July 4, 1607 (he m. (2). Tomasin Bull, Apr. 27, 1617), son of Nicholas Holcombe, and br. of Christian Holcombe, who m. John Hawkes, May 9 1614.
1.2.2.1.1. Nicholas Hill, bapt. Feb. 2, 1626; d. Mar. 26, 1674, Virginia. He m. Sylvestra Bennett, da. of Edward Bennett, and was granted 670 ac. on Blackwater”, begining near Parsons bridge on the Beverdam branch at a pine in George More’s line. Robert Flake sells George Moore (his br.-in-law) land on Blackwater adj. John Oliver and Thos. Wombell (the Lancaster connection), part of 2700 ac. granted Aug. 20, 1666, p. 558. George Moore’s da. Ann Moore, m. Thomas White. Their son was John White; his Will probated May 2, 1754 (Chapman, Wills, p. 177); great-grandfather of Avis White, who m. John Harris, the son of Robert Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.

Out of the shadows.

copyright m stanhope 2018