William Pinsent: 1622 – 1677 DRO0191
Mary Burrington: xxxx – xxxx
Married: 1658: Colebrook, Devon
Children by Mary Burrington:
Elizabeth Pinsent: 1658 – xxxx (Married William Berry, Exeter, 1678)
Ann Pinsent: 1660 – xxxx (Married Thomas Dyer, Exeter, 1687)
William Pinsent: 1662 – 1663
William Pinsent: 1663 – xxxx
Mary Pinsent: 1663 – xxxx (Married John Tremlett, Exeter, 1686)
Deborah Pinsent: 1666 – xxxx (Married John Berry, Exeter, 1676)
John Pinsent: 1668 – 1725 (Married Dorothy Delmas, London, 1701)
Family Branch: Combe
PinsentID: DRO0191
William was the only son of William Pinsent or “Pinson” of Colebrooke, a relatively wealthy farmer, by his wife “Deuns” (?). William married a widow, Mary Burrington, in 1658 and she brought two daughters by her first husband, John Burrington, into the marriage. William and Mary then added at least five children of their own. One, named William, seems to have only lived for a few months and been replaced by another of the same name a few months later. When or where their son John was born, I am not sure, but his parentage is not in doubt. He was said to be the 17-years-old son of “William Pinsent (deceased) of Colebrooke” when he matriculated at St. John’s College, Cambridge at the age of 17 in 1685.
Mary Pinsent (née Burrington) had received rights to land Sandford Courtney through her marriage to John Burrington and, perhaps predictably, when she remarried his family wanted them back. By 1661, the dispute had made its way to the Chancery Court. There, Gilbert and Thomas Burrington claimed that they had made a deal with William and Mary Pinsent (as she now was) that they would discharge her erstwhile husband’s debts – if she would release her title of to the lands in question (C6/70/62&63). William and Mary presumably hoped to hold onto the rights and they disputed the claim.
William meanwhile, inherited his father’s land in 1664 and bought the lease of a property called Yeo in Crediton from Christopher Lethbridge. In doing so, he negotiated a deal that enabled Philip and Margaret Marley to remain as the sitting tenants of at least part of it. Philip died a short time later and left Margaret as his executrix and she duly proved his will. According to William, she agreed to give him a small amount of cash and other goods, including a horse and cow, to cover her husband’s back rent. However, it seems that she later changed her mind and in 1667 she attempted to recover the horse and cow – claiming that she had sold them to William for £9 3s 0d (C10/491/131).
William also acquired Great Heale, a farm north of the Troney river southwest of Colebrook. He paid 1s in church rate for it in 1670 (Fursdon Vol I: Devon Parishes Church Rates: Devon Records Office). It remained in the family and passed from his son John to his son – another John. It is mentioned in the latter’s will. Five years later, in 1675, William either bought or leased Combeshead in Colebrook from Henry and Emlyn Vinnicombe (Trist Family: Harberton: DRO 2779 M/7/20, 21, 22 1675). He was clearly a wealthy man with a large house. He paid for four heaths when taxed in 1674.
Sometime that year, 1674, William served as executor for a man named Peter Smart and, at the request of William Vicary, one of his creditors, he produced an inventory and financial account in support of the administration of the estate. (Bundle 104A: Moger Abstracts, Series I: 1674).
Mr. Pynsent died in Colebrook in 1677. According to E. A. Fry (Lost Devon Wills and Administrations 1540-1800), he left a will which was, however, destroyed along with so many others, during the Second World War.
His widow, Mary, had relatively young children and she may have been the woman who married Joel Weekes in Tedburn St. Mary in 1681. Her daughters, “Deborah Pinsent of Tedburn St. Mary” married John Berry of Tiverton in Exeter in 1686 and “Elizabeth Pinsent of Colebrooke” married William Berry of Tiverton in Exeter the following year. Perhaps they married two brothers. I do not know what happened to their brother William; however, their brother John went into the church. His life is described elsewhere.
Family Tree
Grandparents
Grandfather: Hugh Pinsent: 1540 – 1626
Grandmother: Johanna Woodley: xxxx – xxxx
Parents
Father: William Pinsent: 1580 – 1664
Mother: Deuns (?) Noseworthy: xxxx – 1653
Father’s Siblings (Aunts, Uncles)
Jonas Pinsent: 1575 – 1637
Peter Pinsent: 1576 – 1597
Rechord Pinsent: 1578 – xxxx
John Pinsent: xxxx – xxxx
William Pinsent: 1580 – xxxx
Margaret Pinsent: 1582 – xxxx
Mary Pinsent: xxxx – 1584
Thomas Pinsent: 1586 – xxxx
Agnes Pinsent: 1589 – xxxx
Hugh Pinsent: 1591 – xxxx
George Pinsent: 1593 – xxxx
Jane Pinsent: 1594 – xxxx
Matthew Pinsent: 1596 – 1616
Male Siblings (Brothers)
William Pinsent: 1622 – 1677
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