1. ISAAC SELFE THE¹ ELDER¹ was born Abt. 1573 in Beanacre², and died 1656³. He married (1) UNKNOWN⁴. He married (2) MARY FITCH Abt. 1608. She was born Abt. 1580 and was the daughter. of Thomas Fitch, Alderman of Bath.'

Isaac was a 'wealthy clothier' .  He had 4 sons according to his MI.

There is a M.I. in Melksham church, on which the name Margaret appears 'as the mother of his eldest surviving son, born in 1620. A pedigree printed by the late Sir Thomas Phillips, described her as Mary, daughter of Thomas Fitch, Alderman of Bath. Nine of his elder daughters are enumerated in the will as having married and received portions; to two others, as yet unmarried, he makes a bequest of £840 each, in lieu of legacies etc given them by their late grandmother Edith Power, whilst a young daughter, apparently under age at the time of his death, is provided for by the use and profits of a house in Melksham .... thus indicating that they were not all the children of one and the same wife.

 Sources* cite the following land deals:

1641 From William Brooke, a tenement at Woodrew, plus two Closes there called Collerings (8 acres), 2 acres in Queen Moore, part of the lands of Melksham Forest, (including a property on the boundary of the Forest called Rotteridge), leased from the Crown at a yearly rent of 6d.

Isaac's Will is dated Jan 24 1654, proved ?May 21 1664, Melksham.

It is likely Isaac the Elder married more than once, from clues in his will eg the grandmother of some of the children was Edith Power. I have no idea who was the mother of most of his children though.

I have attached all Isaac's boys to Mary Fitch as their mother, and all the girls to the Unknown wife, but I have no reason beyond convenience for this, I do not know which children belong to which mother, except that Mary (or Margaret) is the mother of Jacob.

Children of ISAAC ELDER and UNKNOWN are:

i. MARGARET² SELFE⁵.

Grandaughter of Edith Power, deceased, who had given her a legacy (Will of Isaac Elder)

Sources* say in a note to the Will that the Power family were of Stanton St. Quintin, where they held the farm on lease for 3 centuries.

ii. JANE SELFE⁵.

Grandaughter of Edith Power, deceased, who had given her a legacy (Will of Isaac Elder)

iii. MARY SELFE⁵, m. UNKNOWN SADLER.

iv. ELIZABETH SELFE⁵, m. FERDINANDO HUGHES⁵.

v. FRANCIS SELFE⁵, m. UNKNOWN THRESHER⁵.

vi. ALICE OR OLLIFFE SELFE⁵, m. JOHN GALE⁵.

vii. ROBERTA SELFE⁵, m. UNKNOWN BARNARD⁵.

viii. SARAH SELFE⁵.

2. ix. JOAN SELFE.

x. GRACE SELFE⁵, m. UNKNOWN FORMAN⁵.

xi. CICELY SELFE⁵, m. UNKNOWN STEPHENS⁵.

Children of ISAAC ELDER and MARY FITCH are:

3. xii. ISAAC² SELFE, b. Abt. 1609; d. 1640.

xiii. ROBERT SELFE, b. Bef. 1620; d. Bef. 1656.

Robert is described as the eldest (surviving) son (Isaac's Will)4. xiv. 

4. JACOB SELFE, b. Abt. 1620, Beanacre; d. 15 Jan 1702.

5. xv. ISAAC SELFE THE YOUNGER, b. Abt. 1634; d. 14 Mar 1682.

 

2. JOAN² SELFE (ISAAC SELFE THE¹ ELDER)⁵. She married UNKNOWN BRIDGES⁵.

Child of JOAN SELFE and UNKNOWN BRIDGES is:

i. RICHARD³ BRIDGES⁵.

 

3. ISAAC² SELFE (ISAAC SELFE THE¹ ELDER)⁶ was born Abt. 1609⁷, and died 1640⁸. 

At the age of 22, described as a gentleman, he married (1) ANN LONG⁹ 15 Nov 1631^10,. Ann was then aged 20, residing at Little Cheverell, WIL,  the daughter of Edward LONG.   

He married (2) ANN FIRMAN OR FOREMAN¹¹ Jan 22, 1635¹².  She was the 21 year old daughter of a clothier from Calne.  Isaac's occupation is 'gent', a widower residing at Melksham (Beanacre), WIL. 

 He married for the 3rd time Jan 14 1640 'Mary, aged 22, daughter of Richard Goddard, gent, from Preshute, Wilts.   Isaac was living at Melksham.'  Bondsmen SELF John, Bromham 

 Child of ISAAC SELFE and ANN LONG is:

i. ANN³ SELFE¹³, b. Abt. 1633; d. Jul 1639.

Child of ISAAC SELFE and ANN FOREMAN is:

ii. JUDITH³ SELFE¹³, b. Abt. 1635; d. Nov 1639.

 

4. JACOB² SELFE (ISAAC SELFE THE¹ ELDER) was born Abt. 1620 in Beanacre¹⁴, and died 15 Jan 1702¹⁵. He married (1) RUTH RUMMING OR ROMEN, daughter of JOHN RUMMING OR ROMEN. She was born Abt. 1630, and died 1657 in Hilmarton¹⁶.  The Burials index accessed via familyhistoryonline gives Jacob Selfe, Ruth's husband the death date of 1657 at the age of 25 but other sources are quite defininte that Ruth is the one who dies that year; her husband lived till a ripe old age and remarried.

 Ruth is noted as John Romen or Rumming's sole heir. Her portrait is still preserved at Shaw House.

He married (2) MARY ASHE¹⁷, the daughter of John Ashe of Freshford, Som. She was born Abt. 1637¹⁸, and died 01 Jun 1701¹⁹. 

 Jacob is described as the eldest surviving son and heir of Isaac the Elder, having administration of his father's effects in 1664.

Children of JACOB SELFE and RUTH RUMMING are:

6. i. RUTH³ SELFE, b. 1658, Cliffe Pypard; d. 1713, Cliffe Pypard.

ii. MARY SELFE¹⁹, m. JOHN TUCK²⁰; b. Goatacre.

iii. JOHN SELFE²¹, d. 1668²¹.

7. iv. MARGARET SELFE, d. 1683.

Children of JACOB SELFE and MARY ASHE are:

8. v. ISAAC³ SELFE, b. 1663, Beanacre; d. Abt. 1733.

vi. SAMUEL SELFE²¹, d. Bef. 1733.

vii. ELIZABETH SELFE²¹, m. WILLIAM NORRIS OF NONSUCH HOUSE.

 

5. ISAAC SELFE THE² YOUNGER (ISAAC SELFE THE¹ ELDER)²² was born Abt. 1634²³, and died 14 Mar 1682²⁴ at the age of 48, at Melksham.  His brother (above) is also named Isaac but died at a relatively early age although he had managed to marry 3 times in his short lifetime.

This Isaac was a wealthy man and bought Place House, a small 'stately home' in Beanacre which was demolished in Victorian times.

He married ANNE JOHNSON 23 Mar 1669²⁵.  She was aged 20, from Bromham, Wilts. Bondsmen WYATT Thomas D.D.,rector,Bromham.  Isaac is described as a gent, from Melksham, and a widower so this is presumably his 2nd marriage.  Anne's parents were William Johnson of Bowden Park, and Elizabeth Hyde of Purton, widow of x Lowe. 

Notes for ISAAC SELFE THE YOUNGER:

Source: 'Isaac Selfe, ob 9 Mar 1640 (vita patris) seised of lands in benacre, Whitley and Melksham, purchased of Richard Horne and William Bronker. Inq. p.m. 2 June, 16 Chas I (1640). '

The same source says he was baptized 30 Sept 1635 and had lands settled on him by his father in 1647, 10 years later ie 1657 he bought Place House from the estate of the late Sir John Danvers, the regicide (the property had been owned by Elizabeth Dauntsey who died in 1636 - there is a Dauntsey Chapel at West Lavington).

The following land deals are cited:

1669: Isaac bought from Charles, 3rd Earl of Westmoreland, a farm 'Bessells' in parish of Melksham for £2000 (bequeathed to son Jacob).

His Will is dated 8th March 1682.

Children of ISAAC YOUNGER and ANNE JOHNSON are:

i. MARY³ SELFE²⁶, b. 1671; d. 1719; m. AMBROSE AWDRY, Clothier of Seend (Wilts Notes p 345)

ii. JACOB SELFE²⁷, b. 1672.

iii. THOMAS SELFE²⁷, b. 1674.   Rector of Bromham 1717-1741 

iv. ELIZABETH SELFE²⁷, b. Abt. 1680.

 

6. RUTH³ SELFE (JACOB², ISAAC SELFE THE¹ ELDER)²⁸ was born 1658 in Cliffe Pypard²⁸, and died 1713 in Cliffe Pypard²⁸. She married ROGER SPACKMAN 08 Jun 1676 in Cliffe Pypard²⁹. He was born 1654 in Bushton, Cliffe Pypard³⁰, and died 1741 in Cliffe Pypard³⁰.

1676: At the time of her marriage Ruth was noted to reside in Hilmarton

Notes for ROGER SPACKMAN:

1676: At the time of his marriage noted to be a yeoman residing at Avebury. Bondsman Thomas Biggs yeoman at Fisherton Anger.

Child of RUTH SELFE and ROGER SPACKMAN is:

9. i. ROGER⁴ SPACKMAN, b. Abt. 1680, Cliffe Pypard; d. 22 Jun 1751, Cliffe Pypard.

 

7. MARGARET³ SELFE (JACOB², ISAAC SELFE THE¹ ELDER)³¹ died 1683. She married DANIEL WEBB 1677³¹. He was born in Melksham, and died Bef. 1683.

Child of MARGARET SELFE and DANIEL WEBB is:

i. ELIZABETH⁴ WEBB, b. Abt. 1677; d. 1719³¹; m. THOMAS SMITH of Shaw House; b. Abt. 1673³¹; d. 1723³¹. Married at Melksham 4th June 1694. Ob 1723 aet 50. 

 

8. ISAAC³ SELFE (JACOB², ISAAC SELFE THE¹ ELDER) was born 1663 in Beanacre, and died Abt. 1733. He married (1) MARGARET³¹. He married (2) ANN SMITH 1685 in Melksham. He married (3) PENELOPE³¹ 1690.

Notes for ISAAC SELFE:

Source:  'Issac Selfe, of Benacre and the Middle Temple, son and heir, born 1663. Will 12 Feb 1733. Admon granted to Lucas Selfe 22 Mar 1735 (archd'y of Sarum No 1, a 1736). Ob. 1733 aet 70. M.I. 'Brother Selfe' of Smith's diary'.

Married 3 times:

1. Ann Smith, daughter of Thos, Smith of Frome Selwood, and sister of Thos, Smith of Shaw House, mar at Melksham 1685. Ob. s.p.viv (1st wife).  Ann died aged 21 without surviving children.

2 Penelope Lucas, by whom he had 3 sons and 3 daughters, only 1 daughter had issue.  (But isaac's MI (see below) cites Penelope as having had 10 children). 

'Penelope, daughter and co-heir of Chas., Lord Lucas, by Penelope, daughter of Francis, Earl of Scarsdale. Mar 1690 (2nd wife).'

 '1690 July 12 - Isaac Selfe, of the Middle Temple, Esq, widower, 25, and the Hon Penelope Lucas of Lexden, one of the daughters of the Rt. Hon. Charles Lord Lucas, lately deceased, about 22; with consent of Dame Penelope Lucas, at Lexden in Essex of (blank)' Marriage Licence in Ab'p of Canterbury's Faculty Office, London' 

3. 'Margaret, eldest dau. of Richard Guppy, of Sandridge Hill. Ob. 1734, s.p. aet 73. (3rd wife). No issue, she survived Isaac. Her M.I. (formerly in Melksham church and given by Sir Thomas Phillips is cited.

There is a MI in Marksham Church, put up by his son Captain Jacob Selfe of Bradford, describing him as of an 'amiable disposition and great integrity, and not less exemplary for piety, charity and hospitality'

FHOL Strays index: Name Isaac SELFE from Beanmer, WIL found at St Leonard Lexden, ESS Country ENG Type MI Date 10 Feb 1700** Information = Penelope SELFE who had 10 children Reference –

** Sounds like a mistranscription as he died over 30 years later and Penelope predeceased him

Children of ISAAC SELFE and PENELOPE are:

10. i. ANNE⁴ SELFE.

ii. JACOB SELFE CAPTAIN, d. 1757.

iii. LUCAS SELFE³².

iv. UNKNOWN SELFE³³.

 

9. ROGER⁴ SPACKMAN was born Abt. 1680 in Cliffe Pypard³⁵, and died 22 Jun 1751 in Cliffe Pypard³⁶. He married DOROTHY BROOME³⁷ May 1705 in Cliffe Pypard³⁸. She was born Abt. 1690 in Wiltshire.

Child of ROGER SPACKMAN and DOROTHY BROOME is:

11. i. THOMAS⁵ SPACKMAN, b. Abt. 1711, Bushton, Cliffe Pypard; d. 27 Nov 1775, Cliffe Pypard.

 

10. ANNE⁴ SELFE She married THOMAS METHUEN OF BRADFORD.  Anne was the only surviving heir to Place House, and thus the property passed to the Methuen family.

Child of ANNE SELFE and THOMAS BRADFORD is:

i. PAUL⁵ METHUEN³⁹.

 

11. THOMAS⁵ SPACKMAN  was born Abt. 1711 in Bushton, Cliffe Pypard⁴⁰, and died 27 Nov 1775 in Cliffe Pypard⁴⁰. He married ELIZABETH PINNEGAR⁴¹. She was born 1720 in Shan house, Wiltshire⁴², and died 03 Jun 1798 in Cliffe Pypard.

Child of THOMAS SPACKMAN and ELIZABETH PINNEGAR is:

12. i. MARY⁶ SPACKMAN, b. 1753, Bushton, Cliffe Pypard.

 

12. MARY⁶ SPACKMAN  was born 1753 in Bushton, Cliffe Pypard. She married JOHN RUMMING⁴² 23 Jun 1774 in Hilmarton⁴². He was born Abt. 31 Jul 1750 in Bremhill.

Child of MARY SPACKMAN and JOHN RUMMING is:

13. i. ROBERT⁷ RUMMING, b. 1775, St Lawrence's, Hilmarton; d. Bef. 1851.

 

13. ROBERT⁷ RUMMING was born 1775 in St Lawrence's, Hilmarton⁴³, and died Bef. 1851⁴⁴. He married BETTY BALL⁴⁵ Abt. 1795⁴⁶. She was born Abt. 1775⁴⁷, and died Bef. 1851⁴⁸.

Child of ROBERT RUMMING and BETTY BALL is:

14. i. ANNE⁸ RUMMING, b. 06 Jun 1804, Highway; d. Aft. 1871.

 

14. ANNE⁸ RUMMING  was born 06 Jun 1804 in Highway⁴⁹, and died Aft. 1871. She married JOSEPH WILKINS 29 May 1825 in Hilmarton⁵⁰. He was born 10 Feb 1805 in Compton Bassett, and died Aft. 1881.

1825 Anne Rumming married Joseph Wilkins. Many of their children are noted to have been born in Cowage (?Cowitch) Cottages, Compton Bassett. Thomas was born there and so was Elizabeth, born in 1836 (she died shortly afterwards). So they seem to have lived at the Cottages until at least the late 1830s.

1851 census: Living in Frog Lane, Calne. Joseph is a labourer. Next door is Ambrose and Jane Angel. ,

Child of ANNE RUMMING and JOSEPH WILKINS is:

15. i. THOMAS⁹ WILKINS, b. 1827.

 

15. THOMAS⁹ WILKINS  was born 1827.

Child of THOMAS WILKINS is:

16. i. THOMAS¹⁰ WILKINS, b. 1861.

 

16. THOMAS¹⁰ WILKINS was born 1861.

Child of THOMAS WILKINS is:

17. i. HENRY¹¹ WILKINS, b. 1894.

 

17. HENRY¹¹ WILKINS was born 1894.

Child of HENRY WILKINS is:

18. i. FREDERICK¹² WILKINS, b. 1924.

 

18. FREDERICK¹² WILKINS (HENRY¹¹, THOMAS¹⁰, THOMAS⁹, ANNE⁸ RUMMING, ROBERT⁷, MARY⁶ SPACKMAN, THOMAS⁵, ROGER⁴, RUTH³ SELFE, JACOB², ISAAC SELFE THE¹ ELDER) was born 1924.

Child of FREDERICK WILKINS is:

i. VALERIE¹³ WILKINS, b. 1946.

 

 

*  For sources please contact vallevy47@wanadoo.fr

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