| The Havill Family | Whimple, South Molton and Bishop's Nympton | Back to Page Map |
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| The earliest Havell records for the parish are
to be found in the will of Robert Havell dated 1632; the surviving
parish records begin at 1653. Robert was a mill owner like his contemporary John Havell from Plymtree, but the will gives no clue as to the mill's function, i.e. tucking mill used to improve woollen cloth or corn milling. The will itself is a badly damaged single sheet but it is possible to identify members of the family and a neighbour, William Gayman, who with Anthony Havell appear to be witnesses to the will. As a wife is not listed it is presumed that at the date of the will Robert was a widower, and that Anthony Havell was possibly a younger brother, but more likely his son. Robert's main possessions, apart from the mill, are his pheasants, which he leaves to his "fair daughter Elizabeth Havell" who appears to be the named executor. The correlation of the parish records for the Havell`s of South Molton and Bishops Nympton with the family found in Robert's will, show that they were almost certainly one and the same family, as well as demonstrating the mobility of families at this time. Both Robert and John, son of John Havill of the parish of Withycombe Raleigh share links with Bovey Tracey, which is named in their wills, and the Peryam family; John Peryam being a signatory to Robert's will, whilst the younger John married Elizabeth Peryam in 1659. These linkages hint at a much closer family connection, and although only Anthony is mentioned in Robert's will, the possibility that John, senior, was Robert's son cannot be dismissed. By the same token the records for John and George Havell in the adjacent parish of Plymtree for this period suggest that George may also have been a son of Robert, whilst John was in all probability his brother. Certainly the family name associations of their descendants would support this theory. |
| Robert Havill | ||
| Elizabeth Crange |
| Robert Havill | -mother Agniss | m. 2 Mar 1607 South Molton | Will 1632 |
| Elizabeth Crange | |||
| Elizabeth | bap. 11 Aug 1607 South Molton | ||
| Agness | b. abt. 1609 | ||
| Margarette | bap. 5 Aug 1613 Bishop's Nympton | m. Thomas ?Potter | |
| Anthony | b. abt. 1615 | ---Anne b. abt. 1640 m. Simon Taylour 10 Sep 1666 Whimple | Will 1662 |
| John Havill | ||
| Ellinor |
| John Havill | b. abt 1685 Whimple | m. abt 1712 Whimple | bu. 29 Mar 1758 Whimple -Administration 1759 |
| Ellinor | bu. 22 June 1746 Whimple | ||
| George | bap. 13 Mar 1714 Whimple | m. Elizabeth Rogers 19
Apr 1742 Broadclyst ---Henry bap. 7 Jul 1745 Broadclyst |
bu. 21 Feb 1784 Broadclyst |
| Gilbert | bap. 29 Aug 1717 Whimple | m. Mary Halfyard 26 Aug 1744 Broadclyst | |
| Henry | bap. 20 Mar 1719 Whimple | m. Mary | bu. 27 Jun 1792 Heavitree Age 76 |
| Eleanor | bap. 23 Oct 1723 Whimple | ||
| Anthony | bap. 10 Jun 1726 Whimple | m. Ester Morrey 17 Feb 1750 Whimple | bu. 9 Feb 1786 Broadclyst |
| The Will of Robert Havill 1632 |
| Margarette the wife of
the........................................................................................... Insuatt (?) bying and (borning?) in Bovey Tracey in the................................................ death and (decease?) of Thomas(in?) Potter of the family farm house do....................... give and bequeath unto my daughter Agniss and her asssigned heirs of......................... the same {....} duringe her natural life and duringe her.................................................. Pastor and Margarette Potter his wife (that more is?) After the..................................... possessor in the summe, Provided allwains that my fair daughter.................................. shall in Consideration thereof (yield) and pay unto my Sonne on Law........................... wiffe {Th.....Eq........} or assigned, the somme of ten pounds....................................... Duringe the time of four years {....} After this time {....}............................................... Committment I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Havill............................. .................................in all {....} the appurtances to her heirs....................................... ...............................of my mother Agniss Havell, Item give and bequeath the............... ...................................fair daughter Elizabeth Havell her heirs and assignees................ ...................................Elizabeth Havell, and furthur my mill and pheasants................... .................................half of all the Couther? mortgages of........................................... .............................for and towards the payment of my (death?)................................... .......................................{....} mouvvables and unmouvable quick and (dead?) .......... ..............................{....} appointed discharged, not yet given....................................... unto my forfair daughter Elizabeth Havell whom I make my (whole?)............................. I ordayn to be my Witnesses? to it this my last will and testament................................... Anthony Havell and my neighbour William Gayman, and I so give.................................. payment two shillings sixpence. In witness whereof, I have hereunto putt (my name?)..... Twenty ninth day of November in the eighth quarter of the Reigne of Charles at Anno Dom c 1632 |
| Signed sealed and dated in the prescence of assigned John Peryam |
Signed Robert |