COMINS from Witheridge

[Eyesee]

William Willoughby COMINS was baptised in 1826 in Witheridge, son of William and Mary.

WWC's first wife was Mary Ann Comins STEVENS, a daughter of Thomas Howell STEVENS and Mary COMINS.

His second wife was Catherine Ann CLAPHAM, daughter of Henry Charles CLAPHAM and Ellen Ann SKELTON. They had one daughter.

His third wife was Margaretta Arscott STEVENS, a younger sister of his first wife.

Mary COMINS who married TH STEVENS was the daughter of Thomas COMINS and Elizabeth DEAN, who was also baptised at Witheridge.

Mary COMINS had a sister Elizabeth who married William Henry CLAPHAM at Witheridge on 1 Jan 1835. William Henry CLAPHAM was a brother of Henry Charles CLAPHAM.

William Henry CLAPHAM and William Willoughby COMINS were partners in a law firm in London. Most of the male members of the COMINS family seem to have been solicitors.

Can anyone tell me the relationship between WW COMINS and his first and third wife. Were they cousins. Am guessing they were related somehow because all the COMINS were from Witheridge.

There do not appear to be any trees online anywhere that covers all of them.

Thanks
Ian C

[athel_cb]

I have a Rev. John Comyns (spelt with a y), one of my great^3-grandfathers, 1774–1856,  married Maria Hallett in 1802, vicar of Bishopsteignton. Probably not closely related to your Comins, but I mention him anyway.

[ciderdrinker]

Good Morning
This goes quite a long way back but yes they are related.Here is the simple tree starting with their common Ancestors.

William Comins or Chillcott married Joan Downey 1702 at Witheridge

Children Elizabeth 1.1.1702,Thomas 31.1.1705,Thomas Cor C 1.8.1711,Elizabeth 13.2.1713,William 1716 ,Ancilla 1722 ,Sarah 1725 and Andrew Cor C 28.2.1727


Thomas m Mary Melluish 26.2.1745 Cruwys Morchard
son Thomas Melluish Comins bapt 8.3.1747 m Anne Crispen 29.11.1773 Nymet Rowland (PCC Will1815)
grandson Thomas bapt 8.1.1777  m.Elizabeth Deane 10.2.1810 Barnstaple (PCC Will 1850)
great grand daughter Mary bapt 7.10.1813  married Thomas Howell Stevens 29.11.1834
gt gt grd d Mary Ann Comins Stevens  bapt 13.9.1837 St Pancras


On the other side
Andrew Cor c woolcomber  m Mary Bidgood 13.11.1748 Witheridge
Thomas Comins bapt 24.10 .1764 married Joan Webber 2.2.1786
grandson William Comins Solicitor   bapt 1.7.1789 married Mary Burgess widow at West Anstey 15.2.1822
great grandson William Willoughby Comins bapt 9.9.1826 marries Mary Ann Comins Stevens

They are something like 4th cousins once removed.

Of course I haven't included their siblings and burials etc ,but that does connect them all up.

Hope that hepls

Ciderdrinker

[Eyesee]

Thanks ciderdrinker.

Things get a bit confusing when names get repeated.

Thomas Mellhuish COMINS and Anne CRISPEN had a son William who has been confused with William the son of Thomas and Joan.

Thomas and Joan also had a son Thomas born 1786 which has also been confused with the Thomas who married Elizabeth DEAN. Both Thomas' deaths were registered Sep qtr 1850.

Various online trees have repeated these 'confusions'.

Will go to the library and sift through the Devon PRs on FindMyPast I think to fill in the siblings and burials.

Ian C

[Vance Mead]

With regard to Comins or Chillcott, there was an earlier William Comyn alias Chilcott. This was in the court of Kings Bench, Hilary term (Jan-Feb) 1641. Thomas Thomas alias Dunne and Johanna or Joan his wife were suing William Comyn alias Chilcott for defamation. It doesn't say where William was from, but the alleged defamation occurred in Exeter. The defamatory quote: "Johanna/Joan is a theevish slutt & did steale Mistress Blundells coate & wastecoate." Mistress Blundell was Priscilla Blundell of Tiverton, about 10 miles from Witheridge.
Index
https://waalt.uh.edu/index.php/KB27/1664-6
Original
http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT3/C1/KB27no1664/aKB27no1664fronts/IMG_0578.htm

Still earlier, in 1615, William Tytherleigh of Tiverton, schoolmaster, was a plaintiff in Chancery concerning the will of Robert Comyn alias Chilcott, merchant of London. Six years earlier Robert Comyn alias Chilcott in his will had made a bequest to endow a free school in Tiverton.

https://waalt.uh.edu/index.php/C78_1615
http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT7/C78/C78no535/IMG_0191.htm

In British History Online:
In 1609 Robert Comyn alias Chilcote gave 400l. to build an English free school at Tiverton.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/magna-britannia/vol6/pp496-520

[Eyesee]

ciderdrinker,

I believe William COMINS 1789-1863 married Mary STAWELL, or was she that before she married a BURGESS.

William Willoughby COMINS and his first wife had a daughter Mary Stawell COMINS born 1862 and died 1863.

Mary COMINS was born in Withel Florey in Somerset, and she was older than William. Baptised there 25 Apr 1786, d/o Thomas and Amelia.

Can't find a marriage anywhere to a BURGESS, or her marriage to William. Will have to have a look on FindMyPast I think.

Ian C

[Eyesee]

Did find a marriage allegation for May 1809 for William Henry BURGESS of Dulverton Somerset and Mary STAWELL of South Molton.

Ian C