Search 27/04/1998
Dear Kevin,
Once more thanks for the two letters and enclosures. Sadly after two days at the RO [still money enough for one more day]. I have not been able to find Edward the father of the bastard in Taunton St Mary. I couldn’t decide where to look next so resorted to all likely indices.
The first was compiled by a Dr Campbell now sadly dead without having finished his project. He hasn’t covered all the parishes near Taunton and he never actually did the two Taunton parishes. Also he indexed christenings and marriages only. He made mistakes, particularly in his later years, so his work can only be used as a guide. I enclose photo – copies of this index. See what you think. To me it seems either Robert had many more children when he reached Taunton or there was already a Percy/Pursey family in the area before Robert came from the north. I wish there were more dates on your tree. I feel James could have been too old to fight in the Civil War which was waged from 1642 – 1646.
In the past a clergy-man by the name of Dwelly also compiled an index. This is seriously flawed but can give indications. He put only one name on each card, so I hand copies these as follows.
Percy, Persey, Persie, Percye.
| 1621 | Ap. Christopher Christened and buried Tau. M |
| 1616 | Francis c. Tau. M |
| 1623 | John Curate of Durleigh |
| 1597 | Eliz b. Bridgewater |
| 1617 | James b. Bradford |
| 1629 | Allea m. Bridgewater |
| 1611 | Richard c. Nine Head |
| 1611 | Eliz c. Nine Head |
Pursey etc.
Most of these occur in C19 and C18. I'll list the earlier ones only).
| 1736 | Benjamin c 1st Aug Tau St James |
| 1613 | Dorothy wo Thos b 3 Ap Bradford |
| 1621 | Agnes m 2 Feb W Buckland |
| 1699 | Absalom so John and Joan 1 Nov |
| 1668 | Susan b 10 Jan Bradford |
| 1629 | Edward m Mary Hutchens 20 July Bradford |
| 1629 | Rebecca b 15 Ap Bradford |
| 1635 | John m Eliz Tatchell 24 Ap |
| 1611 | John m Mary |
| 1756 | Richard b 16 May W Buckland |
| 1725 | Hannah c 19 Dec |
| 1701 | Christopher of Hill Bishop at Tau. M. |
Tau jas
| 1601-1701 No Percys etc | |
| 1717 | Joseph m Hannah Langford |
| 1718 | Geo otp m Margeret Long of Tau M |
| 1741 | Richd m Eliz Brag |
| 1747 | John m Joan Cridland |
| Ben m Rachel Gillet | |
| Tau M | |
| 1638 | Roger England m Agnes Percy |
| 1666 | Thos Purcy m Joan Ewens |
| 1703 | Sam Foukes m Sarah Pursey |
| 1707 | Wm Common m Mary P |
| 1699 | Thos P m Eliz Spume of Bish Hull |
| 1709 | Wm P m Mary Hamlin |
I searched Tau M register for 1656 for every Percys. This book is very large and does not open properly, so on the micro fiche part of the name is lost, so I can never be sure if I really have a Percy. I have recorded those I am sure of and next week will see if the archivist will let me have the original.
| Christenings | |
| 1662 | Thomas so Thomas Percy 212 Nov |
| 1662 | Eleanor do Israel 14 Jan |
| 1668 | Israel so Israel |
| 1681 | Wm so Wm Pursey |
| 1682 | Sarah do |
| 1682 | Joseph so John |
| 1684 | Eliz do Wm |
| Marriages | |
| 1657 | Thos Purcie m Shusannah Butt |
| 1664 | John Persey m Joane Reade |
| 1667 | Thos Purcie m Joane Ewens |
| 1678 | Wm Pursse m Dorcas Gilbert |
| 1687 | - Purcy m Sarah Lucas |
| Burials | |
| 1657 | Daniel Pursy |
| No entries 1658 - 1662 (of anybody) | |
| 1666 | Susan Pursy |
| 1675 | Ambrose so John Purse |
| 1677 | Frances do John Purse |
| 2/2/32 Burials 1682-1780 | |
| 1683 | Joseph Pursy |
| 1684 | Israel Percy |
| 1690 | Francis Pursey |
| 1694 | Elinor Percey |
| 1700 | Eliz do Wm + Dorcas Purrsey |
| 1701 | Eliz wo Thomas |
| 1702 | Edward so Wm + Mary Persey Comber wool trade |
| 1707 | Jas c 10 Aug |
| 1675 | John c 15 Oct |
| A person by the name of Phillimore indexed names as follows | |
| 1744 | Joan 26 march W Buckland |
| 1639 | Agnes 22 Aug Tau M |
| 1702 | Christopher 10 Dec Bishops Hull |
| 1633 | Edward 2 May Cannington |
| 1655 | Kath Cannington |
| Pursey | |
| 1651 | Agnes of Trull at Pitminster |
| 1575 | Ambrose of Bradford |
| 1743 | Ann of W Buckland |
| 1704 | Ann of Ruishton by licence Tau M |
| 1731 | Ann og Bradford |
| 1718 | Ben of Cheddon Fitzpayne |
| 1640 | Kath of N Curry |
| 1756 | Dan of Tau M |
| 1719 | Dorothy of Staple F. P. |
| 1727 | Elizabeth of Bradford |
| 1726 | Elizabeth of W Buckland |
| 1675 | Eliz of Bradford |
| 1633 | Frances of Bradford |
| 1620 | James of Halse |
| 1727 | Joan of Bradford |
| 1706 | Joan of S. Milton (DorsetP |
| 1739 | John of Tau M |
| 1635 | John of Bradford |
| 1621 | Joan of Bradford |
| 1611 | John of Bradford |
| 1654 | John of Bradford |
| 1769 | Joseph of W Buckland |
| 1785 | Joseph of Tau M |
| 1737 | Lydia of Tau M |
| 1747 | Mary by licence Tau M |
| 1758 | Mary of Bish Hull at Tau M |
| 1707 | Mary of Tau M by licence |
| 1655 | Mary of Milverton |
| 1688 | Mary of Pitminster |
| 1739 | Richard of W Buckland |
| 1720 | Roger of Thurloxton |
| 1703 | Sarah of Fore St Gunsmith Tau M (her husband one supposes) |
| 1700 | Thos Tau M |
| 1709 | Wm shoemaker Tau M |
| 1620 | Wm of Bradford |
| 1578 | Wm of W Buckland |
| 1655 | Wm of Halse |
| 1647 | Henry - Bradford |
| 1655 | John - Bradford |
| 1702 | Henry Pussey lab of W Buckland at Wellington |
| 1701 | John Pussey lab of W Buckland |
| 1706 | Thos of W Buckland at Wellington |
| 1709 | Ann of W Buckland |
| 1732 | Kath of W Buckland |
| 1704 | John Pursey carpenter |
| (Daniel Pavier was a carpenter) | |
| to end of Aug 1708 |
I investigated the Quarter Sessions Returns and found QS 252/3
1711 Informant Christopher Pursey, Carpenter, of Bishops Hull stated that Ann the wife of John Clarke took up an axe and threw it at him. It wounded him very much in the foot.
I thought it interesting that he was a carpenter.
Also I found the will of Ralph Hopton, Lord of the Manor of Ditcheat. He leaves a tenement in Ditcheat to Eleanor Percye and also mentions Henry Precye.
I'm not sure what to do for the best now. Enclosed is a parish map so you can see how close all the parishes I have mentioned are to Taunton. In fcat Bishops Hull is now part of Taunton.
Normally I would try Taunton St James next, but there are no early marriages there so I think I will go for B. Hull and after that Bradford and W Buckland. Tell me what you think. Meanwhile I have 7 hours left, so I shall finish Taunton St Mary and continue to trawl through the indices.
Good luck with Dr. C.