SOMERSET PARISH REGISTERS

SOMERSET PARISH REGISTERS

There was a branch of the family in Somerset for much of the 17th Century, but its origin is unknown, and no earlier family references have been found in surviving Timsbury Parish Registers or Bishop's Transcripts, which date back (with gaps) to around 1600. No male child survived and the branch consequently died out. County archives are held by the Somerset Record Office at Taunton, who have microform copies of parish registers and Bishop's Transcripts. They also have quite a number of typed transcripts of many of the PRs, including both Timsbury and Bath St.James, though names and dates have not always been extracted correctly. Timbsury is six miles south-west of the cathedral city of Bath. No family entries have been found in the registers for the following parishes in the Timsbury area - Camerton, Dunkerton, Farmborough & Radstock; nor in the Bishop's Transcripts for High Littleton, Marksbury and Priston.

Bath St.James Parish Registers

1 May 1637	Thomas Fisher m Abigall Sturdivant .
28 Jul 1642	Allexander Stevens married Anne Sturtivant .
18 Jul 1659	John Sturdivant of Timsborough buried.

Timsbury Parish Registers
Baptisms

29 Jan 1608/9	John son of John Sturdevant .
5 Aug 1610	Jone daughter of John Sturdevant .
17 Jan 1612/3	Abigail daughter of John Sturdevante .
20 Nov 1615	An daughter of John Sturdevant .
1 Feb 1617/8	Rhode daughter of John Sturdevant .
7 May 1620	John son of John Sturdevant .
19 Oct 1623	Marie daughter of John Sturdevant .
15 Jun 1649	Hester the base child of Mary Sturdevant deceased.

Timsbury Parish Registers
Marriages

31 Oct 1608	John Sturdevant & Jone Wright .
26 Jan 1639/40	William Heale & Rode Stuarduvant .
6 May 1643	John Vincent & Joan Stuarduvant .

Timsbury Parish Registers
Burials

30 Jan 1608/9	John son of John Studevant buried.
4 May 1655	Joane the wife of John Sturdevant buried.
10 May 1658	Joan the wife of John Stodivant died.
12 May 1658	Joane Sturdevant the wife of John Sturdivant buried.
16 Jul 1659	John Sturdevant buried.
3 Jun 1662	Mary Sturdevant buried.
24 Mar 1699/1700	Hester Sturdevant buried.

Timsbury Bishop's Transcripts

19 Oct 1623	Marie daughter of John Sturdevant baptised.
26 Jan 1639/40	William Heale married Rhode Stewanduvant .
3 Jun 1662	Marie Sturdevant buried.

Bath & Wells Marriage Licences 1583-1623
Wells Book 19L. 1608 p.1. Entry No.8

20 Oct 1608

Jn Sturdivant , Timberscombe, juvenis & Joan Wrighte , same ancilla. Ib. Bnd. Thos Jones , vicar of High Littleton, Jn Brookings , Wells, Innholder.

Footnote Simon Sturdevant , formerly of Middle Rasen, Lincolnshire, was a teacher at Martock, near Yeovil, Somerset in 1604. In that year he became rector of Compton Martin, Somerset, where his name appears in the church on a list of incumbents. In 1613 he was dispossessed of his living, probably for neglecting his parish and the rectory. He was by then living in Islington, London, and undertaking waterworks including Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. [Compton Martin is only 10 miles from Timsbury. Could John Sturdevant there have been a relative who also came from Lincolnshire?]

updated 5th May 2007