SHEPHERD OF MARHAMCHURCH

The forename of Hester, wife of Simon Shepherd, is given in the baptism entries of her children and in the 1663/64 will of her husband. Simon’s will also appoints his “brother in lawe James Pearce” as an overseer and it was witnessed by a John Pearce who also took the inventory along with John Shepherd. James Pearse took the inventory of Simon’s son John Shepherd in 1681. Hester seems to have come from Whitstone, where the early registers do not survive but where hearth tax records show a John Pearce and a James Pearse to have been living in 1664.

The 1690 will of Mary (Gayer) Cottle of Camelford includes, among many other legacies, “one pound to Simon Shepherd”. This is also relevant to the origin of Hester Pearce, as Mary had a sister Penelope (Gayer) Pearce. Mary and Penelope were daughters of Roger Gayer of Minster.[1] The exact connection is unclear but Hester may have been either a daughter of Penelope or a sister of Penelope’s husband.

Hester (Pearce) Shepherd may have been buried on 27 April 1699 at Marhamchurch, although the entry may relate to her daughter Hester.

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SHEPHERD

1 JOHN SHEPHERD of Marhamchurch, Cornwall, yeoman, was buried on 4 April 1636 at Marhamchurch.[2] He married first, on 10 May 1577 at Marhamchurch, MARGERY PRIST.[3] She was buried on 28 December 1615 at Marhamchurch.[4] John married second, on 9 December 1616 at Marhamchurch, MARGERY ( ) WILLS, widow of Simon Wills.[5] She was buried on 4 April 1636 at Marhamchurch.[6]

Children of John and Margery (Prist) Shepherd:

i THOMAS SHEPHERD, bur 14 Nov 1578, Marhamchurch.[7]

ii ABRAHAM SHEPHERD, bur 6 May 1584, Marhamchurch.[8]

iii THOMAS SHEPHERD, bap 9 May 1585, Marhamchurch,[9] bur 17 May 1585, Marhamchurch.[10]

iv FRANCES SHEPHERD, bap 22 Apr 1586, Marhamchurch.[11]

v JOHN SHEPHERD, bap 4 Jan 1588, Marhamchurch,[12] bur 12 Apr 1589, Marhamchurch.[13]

vi WILMOT SHEPHERD, bap 4 Jan 1588, Marhamchurch,[14] bur 26 Mar 1589, Marhamchurch.[15]

2 vii JOHN SHEPHERD (1590-1647); m MARTHA HARRY.

viii ROGER SHEPHERD, bap 15 Oct 1593, Marhamchurch.[16]

ix JOAN SHEPHERD, bap 15 Oct 1593, Marhamchurch,[17] bur 30 Apr 1605, Marhamchurch.[18]

2 JOHN SHEPHERD of Marhamchurch, yeoman, was baptised on 14 July 1590 at Marhamchurch[19] and buried on 28 September 1647 at Marhamchurch.[20] He married on 4 October 1617 at Marhamchurch, MARTHA HARRY.[21] She was buried on 4 June 1673 at Marhamchurch.[22]

Children of John and Martha (Harry) Shepherd:

3 i SIMON SHEPHERD (1618-1663/64); m HESTER PEARCE.

ii JOHN SHEPHERD, bap 15 Sep 1620, Poundstock,[23] bur 27 Jan 1669, Marhamchurch.[24]

iii MARGERY SHEPHERD, bap 9 Mar 1622, Marhamchurch,[25] bur 1 Dec 1631, Marhamchurch.[26]

iv ELIZABETH SHEPHERD, bap 17 Sep 1626, Marhamchurch,[27] bur 2 May 1643, Marhamchurch.[28]

v RICHARD SHEPHERD, bap 22 Mar 1628, Marhamchurch,[29] bur 3 Apr 1640, Marhamchurch.[30]

3 SIMON SHEPHERD of Marhamchurch, yeoman, was baptised on 30 August 1618 at Poundstock[31] and buried on 22 February 1663/64 at Marhamchurch.[32] He married HESTER PEARCE.[33]

Children of Simon and Hester (Pearce) Shepherd:

i JOHN SHEPHERD of Marhamchurch, bur 30 May 1681, Marhamchurch.[34]

ii MARTHA SHEPHERD, bap 14 Jan 1656, Marhamchurch,[35] bur 27 Jan 1735/36, Marhamchurch;[36] m(1) 8 May 1686, Tavistock, JOHN UGLOW[37] (see here); m(2) 22 Jun 1697, Marhamchurch, SAMUEL ROWLAND.[38]

iii HESTER SHEPHERD, bap 28 Jan 1660, Marhamchurch.[39]

iv SIMON SHEPHERD, bap 23 Apr 1663, Marhamchurch,[40] bur 7 Feb 1734, Marhamchurch;[41] m 30 Jul 1689, Marhamchurch, SUSANNA AUGER.[42]

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[1] Kresen Kernow, AP/C/2119; Kresen Kernow, AP/G/560; T.C. Wales and C.P. Hartley, The Visitation of London Begun in 1687 (2004), 89.

[2] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org); Kresen Kernow, AP/S/799.

[3] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org). She could perhaps be the Margery, daughter of John Prist, who was baptised on 2 Aug 1554 at Kilkhampton.

[4] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org); Kresen Kernow, AP/S/420.

[5] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org). Margery seems to have been the widow of Simon Wills of Kilkhampton, whose will, dated 9 Dec 1615, mentions his wife Margery (Kresen Kernow, AP/W/254). A Kilkhampton connection is supported by the grant of administration for Margery Shepherd of Marhamchurch in 1637, where one of the parties was Joseph Petherick of Kilkhampton (Kresen Kernow, AP/S/782).

[6] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org); Kresen Kernow, AP/S/782; Kresen Kernow, AP/S/800.

[7] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[8] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[9] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[10] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[11] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[12] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[13] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[14] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[15] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[16] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[17] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[18] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[19] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[20] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org); Kresen Kernow, AP/S/997. Along with his wife Martha and sons Simon and John, John Shepherd’s will mentions cousins Elizabeth Baker, Roger Shepherd and Phillip Slogett.

[21] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[22] Marhamchurch bishop’s transcripts.

[23] Poundstock bishop’s transcripts.

[24] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[25] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[26] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[27] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[28] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[29] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[30] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[31] Poundstock bishop’s transcripts.

[32] Marhamchurch bishop’s transcripts; Kresen Kernow, AP/S/1141.

[33] Hester’s forename is given in the baptism entries of her children and in the 1663/64 will of her husband Simon Shepherd. Simon’s will also appoints his “brother in lawe James Pearce” as an overseer. Hester (Pearce) Shepherd may have been buried on 27 Apr 1699 at Marhamchurch, although the entry may relate to her daughter Hester.

[34] Marhamchurch bishop’s transcripts; Kresen Kernow, AP/S/1578.

[35] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[36] Marhamchurch bishop’s transcripts.

[37] Tavistock parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk). The will of John Uglow names his wife Martha and his “Brother Law Simon Shepperd”.

[38] Marhamchurch bishop’s transcripts.

[39] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[40] Marhamchurch bishop’s transcripts.

[41] Cornwall OPC Database (www.cornwall-opc-database.org).

[42] Marhamchurch bishop’s transcripts.