John Pinsent: 1704 – 1776 DRO0180 (Rector of Great Easton, Essex)
Family Branch: Combe
PinsentID: DRO0180
John Pinsent, “son of John, Clerk of Hertfordshire,” was born at Digswell and received his early educated there from a Mr. Hassell. He went up to St. John’s College, Cambridge, in March 1720/1, when he was 16 years old. He matriculated in 1721, obtained a B.A. in 1724/5 and an M.A. 1728. John was Ordained a Deacon (Norwich) in June 1731 and sequentially became the Vicar of Great Caufield (1740-1753), Rector of Little Easton (1753-1758) and Rector of Great Easton (1758-1776) (Alumni Cantabrigiensis Vol. 1-3). As far as I know, he ever married.
There is not much known about his early life; however, he bought four books after graduation that provide some insight into his interests: The first, ordered while he was still at Cambridge in 1727, was for poems by Walter Harte. The next (that I know off) was a subscribed to “A Critical Commentary upon the Book of the Wisdom of Solomon” by Richard Arnald in 1744 – clearly, he still had religion on his mind. That same year, he also subscribed for “Six setts of lessons for the harpsicord or organ” by John Christian Mantel. Perhaps he was musical – or maybe he thought that his organist needed to improve his technique. John, like so many other local clergy had a broad interested in science and technology and he subscribed to “A System of Natural Philosophy, being a course of lectures in mechanics, optics, hydrostatics and astronomy”: (Vol 1) by Thomas Rutherford in 1748. It seems heavy going.
Reverend John Pinsent served as the Rector of Great Easton, in Essex, for almost twenty years before dying there in 1776. He signed his Last Will and Testament on 13th December 1759. He left any personal estate that remained after the payment of his debts and expenses split equally between his “much esteemed friend” James Wyatt of Little Caufield, in Essex, and Elizabeth Simpson of Great Caufield, in Essex. He then appointed them to be his executor and executrix. The same day, he added a codicil leaving bequests of five pounds each to the poor of the parishes he had served: Great Easton and Takely in Essex and Lilly, Codicote and Digswell, in Hertfordshire. His signature on the codicil was authenticated by Thomas Bridge and Mary Patton and his will was proved by Elizabeth Simson (sic) on 28th March 1776 (PCCWills Film 11/1017). The content of the Will suggests that Reverend John Pinsent had no immediate family.
Family Tree
Grandparents
Grandfather: William Pinsent: 1622 – 1677
Grandmother: Mary Burrington: xxxx – xxxx
Parents
Father: John Pinsent: 1668 – 1725
Mother: Dorothy Delmas: xxxx – 1705/6
Father’s Siblings (Aunts, Uncles)
Elizabeth Pinsent: 1658 – xxxx
Ann Pinsent: 1660 – xxxx
William Pinsent: 1662 – 1663
William Pinsent: 1663 – xxxx
Mary Pinsent: 1663 – xxxx
Deborah Pinsent: 1666 – xxxx
John Pinsent: 1668 – 1725
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