1. Thomas Hodges.
1.1. Thomas Hodges, d. 1583, of Wedmore, Somerset. The Will of Giles Hodges, of Middle Chinnocke, Somerset, gent, was proved Aug. 7, 1591, by Alice the relict. (61 Barber), mentions “Thomas, son of Thomas Hodges, my brother, decd.”. He m. Agatha Rodney: (1. George Rodney. 1.1. Maurice Rodney, Esq., m. Joan, dau. of Sir Thomas Dyer of Somerford, Co., Wilts (landlord of the Harris family). 1.1.1. Dorothy wife of Rees Davis of the Middle Temple, and of Tickenham, Esq. 1.2. Agatha Rodney). Robert Owen, of Bristol, Merchant; his Will pr. Feb. 16, 1615. mentions “my cousin Rees Davies, esq. My brother-in-law William Pitt, overseer”. Rees Davis married ist, Dorothy, dau. of Maurice Rodney, Esq., and sister of Sir George Rodney. William Pitt’s son, Robert Pitt, born March 16, 1605, a Bristol privateer, was captain of the ship “Thunder,” which aided the Huguenots in their persecution by Catholic France in 1628 (Bristol Privateers, Powell, p. 84). He d. bef. January 9, 1674, in IOW; his will stipulating that a house for poor woman was to be built on his land.

The Pitt and Seaward families were intermarried. Book 3, p 290: Lt. Col. Rob. Pitt, 1200 acs. Isle of Wight Co., 7 June 1654, p. 271. Beg. At branch o f Newtowne Haven Riv. &c. to Mr. Prestwoods corner tree, &c., to Mr. Seawards land & adj. his own land. 600 acs. Granted to Thomas Davis, 19 Apr. 1648 & assigned unto Rob. Sharpe, who assigned same to sd. Pitt; 300 acs. by vertue of the rights of a patent granted unto him 3 July 1648 & by him relinquished, & 300 acs. by patent Apr. 19, 1648.

His son, John Pitt, born c. 1630, m. (1) … Moone; (2), after 1677, Olive Hardy, wife of John Hardy, who m. (2) Alice Tucker Allen, widow of Arthur Allen, d. 1669, the Bristol sea captain and merchant. John Hardy and Olive were the parents of Lucy Hardy, who m. Hodges Counsell; their dau., Lucy, m. Richard Wooten, whose ancestry is confounded with a namesake. He was very likely of Bruton, 20 miles distant from Wedmore; his ancestry being:

1.
1.1. Richard Wootton, m. Edith.
1.1.1. Susanna Wootton, bapt Jan. 28, 1626.
1.1.2. Sarah Wootton, bapt. Dec. 22, 1629.
1.1.3. Richard Wootton, bapt. Oct. 17, 1634.
1.1.3.1. Richard Wootton, m. Lucy Counsell.
1.1.4. Thomas Wootton, bapt. Jan. 9, 1636.
1.1.5. John Wootton, bapt. Oct. 25, 1641.

1.1.1.1. Thomas Hodges. Will of Thomas Hodges, Gentleman of Wedmore, Somerset, prob. Feb. 6, 1601. He m. Eleanor, dau. of John Rosse (Rose) of Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset.
1.1.1.1.1. Suzanna Hodges, bapt. Aug, 12, 1583.
1.1.1.1.2. Hanibal Hodges, bapt. Sept. 20, 1584.

1.1.1.2. (of half-blood) “Richard Hodges de Muddesley alias Brooke”. His mother was probably of the Wedmore family of Brookes, which included Joan Brooke, who m. William Pittman, Aug. 5, 1611.
1.1.1.2.1. Johanna Hodges, bapt. June 3, 1599.
1.1.1.2.1. Susanna Hodges, bapt. May 6, 1602.

1.1.1.3. (of half-blood) John Hodges, m. (1) Alice.
1.1.1.3.1. Richard Hodges, “of Heathouse”, 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. 1648. Sale: 15a. land occ. by Thos. Brooke, 2a. land occ. by (n.b.) Hy. Symes, etc. Richard Counsell was the br.-in-law of Susan Lancaster, and Hodges Counsell may have received his Christian name after her husband, William Hodges, a member of the very influential Hodges family, squires of Wedmore, who was probably his Godfather.
1.1.1.3.1.1. Sara Hodges, bapt. June 8, 1634, m. Andrew Richards, June 20, 1653.
1.1.1.3.1.2. John Hodges, bapt. May 22, 1636.

1.1.1.3. John Hodges, m. (2) Gertrude.
1.1.1.3.1. Frances Hodges, bapt. Nov. 11. 1638.
1.1.1.3.2. Agatha Hodges, bapt. Oct. 13, 1644.
1.1.1.3.3. Margaret Hodges, bapt. Sept. 11, 1647.
1.1.1.3.4. John Hodges, bapt. March 3, 1649.

1.1.3.2. William Hodges, of Blackford, m. Susanna (Lancastle) Lancaster, April 5, 1638; her br. John, m. (1) Jane Counsell Oct. 21, 1647; (2) Christian Counsell Oct. 8, 1649, sisters of (1) Richard Counsell, (2) Isabel Counsell, who m. (n.b.) George Look (Lucke), May 10, 1651.

1. John Counsell, bapt. 1573.
1.1. John Counsell, bapt Nov. 28, 1601, m. Mary Coomer, Nov. 26, 1631; the sister of Agnes Coomer, who m. John Harris in the adj. parish of Cheddar, Feb. 4, 1635; their son being John Harris.
1.2. Richard Counsell, bapt. Sept. 3, 1613 (Blackford vill. par. Wedmore), m. Joan Taylor, Aug. 12, 1640.

Old beliefs, the calm waters of the albatross.

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