1. …
2. Richard Counsell, bapt. Apr. 4, 1568, held one third of the manor of Mudgley, names as “cousin” in the will of Marie (Beard) Sherwell, widow of Robert Sherwell, of Blackford, Somerset. John Harris, d. 1625, m. Penelope Millard, Sept. 9, 1611, in Wedmore. John Harris was named as a ‘Servant’ of Robert Sherwell’ (gent). John Harris was the father of Thomas Harris, who m. Joan Gardner, bapt Apr. 6, 1617, in Cheddar, sister of John Gardner Jr.*, bapt. there on Nov. 1, 1621, issue of John Gardner, d. 1677.

Thomas Harris and Joan Gardner had issue: Thomas Harris , bapt. 1637, in Cheddar, who m. (2) Hester Tibbits, as follows. His son, George Harris, b. ca. 1671 (to live with John Turner 4 years), was the father of William Harris, of Halifax Co., NC., d. 1765, who sold to John Counsell (Oct. 11, 1764), 100 ac. on the north side of Black Creek, witnessed by William’s son, Simon Harris.

A br. of George Harris, Edward Harris, Will probated March 25, 1734; m. Mary Turner. (1. John Turner, m. Antonia Boultinge (May 6, 1574) in Wedmore. 2. William Turner, bapt. March 11, 1579 in Wedmore, m. (May 28, 1612), Jane Rodney. 3. John Turner, bapt. May 14, 1618 in Wedmore. Thomas Harris, d. 1688, placed his son, George, with John Turner and his wife, a dau. of Mathew Tomlin. 4. Mary Turner, m. Edward Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688. 4. Joseph Turner. 5. Mary Turner, m. West Harris, son of the said Edward.

Joan (Gardner) Harris and her son, Thomas, are witnessed here: Boultinge v Harris. Plaintiffs: John Boultinge. Defendants: Joan Harris, Thomas Harris and Thomas Hill. Subject: property in Blackford, Somerset. 1658. (C 10/48/20). John Boulting had m. Hannah Counsell, dau. of William Counsell, relict of Thomas Hardwitch, of Cheddar, d. 1646.

William Counsell was the br. of Richard Counsell (great-grandfather of Hodges Counsell Jr.); witnessed here: Counsell v Tibbett. Plaintiffs: Matilda Counsell widow and Elizabeth Norvell spinster. Defendants: Benjamin Tibbett, Magdalen Tibbett his wife and John Hellier. Subject: property in Barrow, Somerset, nr. Wedmore. (Nat. Arch. (N.A.) ref. C 6/110/17. 1650).

3. Margery Counsell (also designated “cousin” in said Will), m. John Hodges.
4. Hodges Counsell Sr.
5. Hodges Counsell Jr., m. Lucy Hardy, sister of Deborah Hardy, wife of Bridgeman Joyner.
2. John Counsell, bapt. Dec. 25, 1569.
3. John Counsell, bapt Nov. 28, 1601, in Wedmore, m. Mary Coomer, Nov. 26, 1631; the aunt of Mary Coomer, who m. John Gardner Jr.*, on Oct. 24, 1664, in Cheddar, the uncle of Elizabeth Gardner, who m. George Tibbits, May 1678, in Cheddar, br. of Hester Tibbits, who m. Thomas Harris (as second wife), Apr. 24, 1679, in Cheddar; Hester Harris d. 1680, probably in childbed. Thomas Harris, d. 1688 in Virginia, is not recorded there before 1681.

It is possible that Thomas may have firstly m. a Martin, a belief often suggested, a descendant of William Martin and Joan Counsell, who m. May 10, 1567, grandparents of John Martin, who m. Margery Coomer, Apr. 17, 1637 (in Cheddar), sister of Agnes Comer, who m. John Harris, Feb. 1635 (in Cheddar), uncle of the Thomas Harris, who d. 1688, in Virginia, I suggest. Whomever his first wife, she was the mother of his children.

*John Gardner, dying intestate admin. requested by relict, Mary. Security Thomas Joyner, James Gardner, 1684, p. 56

4. John Counsell, m. (1) Ann Jeffries, Oct. 10, 1654, sister of Richard Jeffries* (bapt. Oct. 8, 1637 in Cheddar, issue of Richard Jeffries and Ann …, (2) Alice, the relict of *Richard Jeffries. Richard Jeffries, dying intestate, administration requested by John Counsell, who married the relict of the said Jeffries, Aug. 9, 1666. Security, Mr. (Francis) England, and his son-in-law, George Branch (B. 2, p. 13). Deborah Joyner, wife of Bridgman Joyner (guardian of William Harris, orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688), gave ‘cozin’ (cousin of sister’s husband), John Counsell, a young heifer.

Francis England’s grandson, Francis Branch, m. Elizabeth Norwood, niece of Henry Norwood, son of Henry Norwood and Elizabeth Rodney, of Cheddar, granddau. of George Rodney. George Rodney’s dau., Agatha, m. Captain Thomas Hodges, d. 1583, of Wedmore, and was ancestress of Hodges Counsell (English register spelling), of Virginia. Agatha’s br. John, ‘bought the farm at Cheddar’, and by Jane (dau. of Sir Henry Seymour, brother of Edward, Duke of Somerset, Lord Protector in the reign of King Edward VI.), and of Jane, wife to King Henry VIII.), had seventeen children, seven only of whom survived him; viz. three daughters’ (Mr. Collins), inc. Elizabeth Rodney, wife of Henry Norwood.

These were connections of great political and social weight. Francis Branch was the br. of Ann Branch, who. m. Robert Hodges Jr. (undoubtedly of the Wedmore Hodges). The W&M Quarterly, p. 741, 1982, makes George Branch the brother of a Thomas Branch, who may have been he who witnessed the Will of John Bly in Virginia (proved May 16, 1664), with John Gardner.

Francis England was the first husband of Joyce, niece of George Moore, father of Ann Moore, who m. Thomas White; their dau., Avis White, m. John Harris, grandson of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.

1. Phillip Clarke.
1.1. Phillip Clarke, m. Rebecca Hill, Oct. 7, 1633.
1.1.1. Phillip Clarke, m. Joan Harris, Nov. 5, 1664. Her parentage can not be known, but she was almost certainly a descendant of John Harris* and Agnes White, who m. Sept. 1, 1560, in Taunton; their son, William, m. Alice Christmas, Oct. 3, 1598; their son, Christopher, m. Joan Parsons, Jan. 19, 1623. A John Christmas was bapt. Nov. 22, 1640, in Taunton; son of John. *John Harris was probably the brother of William Harris, who m. Dorothy Westbrooke, Aug. 31, 1562, in Wiveliscombe. Descendants of both were perfect Group 4 Harris, with no differences at all to the Harris Group 4 mode (ie. average STR result among 52 testees).
1.2. John Clarke, m. Elizabeth Gillett, Feb. 1638.
1.2.1. John Clarke, m. Elizabeth Herring (register spelling, Heringe), Dec. 25, 1663, she bapt. June 30, 1650, in Taunton (dau. of Henry Herring and Barbara Perrett), son of John Herring and Eleanor Parsons, who m. Nov. 25, 1626, in Bishops Hull, 1½ mile W. of Taunton. The said John Herring was probably the son of John Herring (“the elder”) and Tamsin Harris (dau. of John Harris and Agnes White), who m. April 11, 1608, in Bishops Hull. The said Henry Herring’s br., Edward, m. Joan Barber, Sept. 9, 1615, in Taunton; sister of Anstice Barber, who m. Francis England, May 5, 1614, in Taunton. Joan and Anstice Barber were almost certainly of the Barber family of Fitzhead and Halse (5-7 mls fr. Taunton), where Edward Barber m. Jane Cade, May 20, 1604, and Richard Barber m. Ann Cade, Jan. 28, 1605 (Fitzhead) and Ann Barber m. William Cade, May 1, 1619 (Halse, adj. Fitzhead).

The surname Kinchen hardly appears in any English legal or church documentation from 1500-1700, the reason being it is a corruption of of Kitchen/Kichen/Kytchen. John Kitchen, m. Grace Cade, Aug. 10, 1635, in Stoke Rodney, Somerset (3-4 mls fr. Cheddar/Wedmore). She was probably the dau. of “George Cade, Husbandman of Stoke Rodney”, his Will proved June 10, 1635; a tenant of Maurice Rodney, and sister of William Cade. Maurice Rodney’s sister, Agatha Rodney, m. Captain Thomas Hodges, d. 1583,* grandfather of John Hodges, who m. Margery Counsell, they the grandparents of Hodges Counsell Jr., of Virginia. (3-4 mls fr. Cheddar/Wedmore). A descendant, William (sic) Kinchen Sr., m. Elizabeth Joyner (dau. of Bridgman Joyner); their granddau. Elizabeth Kinchin, m. Lodwick Alford, son of James Alford and Lucy Cade. Nov. 1, 1752: William Pace was granted 425 acres “in Granville County and in Johnston County on the S side of crooked creek, joining Lodwick Alford”; surveyed Feb. 10, 1748, chain bearers Robert Cade and William Cade.

*”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).

FRANCIS ENGLAND

1. Francis England m. Anstice Barber, May 5, 1614, in Taunton.
2. Robert England, bapt. Jan. 27, 1621, in Taunton. Sessions. JPs. Taunton. Petition of the parishioners of Taunton. This petition concerns an alehouse, situated near the Castle in Taunton; which the parishioners consider is not fitting either for travellers or for the market. There is much disorder there. Ask that the alehouse should be suppressed. John Gardner* (uncle of Thomas Harris, 1637-1688, of Cheddar). Robert England, et al.
3. Sarah England, bapt. Apr. 1646, in Taunton.
3. John England,* bapt. Jan. 19, 1650, in Taunton. He became a Bristol merchant.
2. Rachel England, m. John Limbery, Feb. 2, 1635, in Taunton.
2. Francis England, b. ca. 1615, d. 1677 (not he who testified in James City, in 1629), m. (1) ca. 1642, Sarah … (2) Joyce …

George Moore, b. 1632 (Chapman, IOW Wills, p. 54), m. Jane Barcroft, da. of Charles Barcroft, whose family held land in Chard, 12 mls fr. Taunton. Jane was the sister of Elizabeth, wife of James Sampson, parents of Sarah, wife of Richard Braswell Sr.; their dau., Ann, m. (1) Mathew Strickland Jr., (2) John Edwards. George Moore and Jane Barcroft had issue: Ann Moore, who m. Thomas White; their dau., Avis White, m. John Harris, grandson of Thomas Harris, d. 1688. Richard Braswell Sr. had issue: (1) Robert Braswell Jr., who m. Susan Burgess, dau. of Katherine Moore (sister of George Moore), and 2nd husband, John Burgess. By her first husband, Katherine Moore had issue: Joyce, who m. (1) Francis England, (2) George Cripps. The Will of Joyce Cripps (1679) bequested “the lands and tenements given me by my former husband, Francis England; to *the son of Francis England’s brother, if he comes to Virginia to make a claim”.

“Francis England, George Cripps. William Jennings of Bristol, surgeon, appts. Thomas Moore of Pagan Creek his atty. (br. of George Moore), to collect from Arthur Skynner, Gyles Driver (headright of Thomas Harris, d. 1672), and Joseph Whitson, and by virtue of a letter of atty. from John Hardiman of Bristol, taylor, to collect from William Hudson in Nansemond”. June 29, 1667.

They all had a kinship context.

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