Elinor (UNKNOWN) Mortimore (abt. 1565 - bef. 1637)

Born about 1565 in Devon, England [uncertain]

Wife of Robert Hatherly — married 1585 in Devon, England

Wife of William Tanner — married about 1591 in Devon, England

Descendants

Died before 30 Aug 1637 before about age 72 in Fremington, Devon, England

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chase Ashley [send private message]

Biography

This is the profile for Elinor, wife of Robert Hatherly of Winkleigh, Devon and William Mortimore alias Tanner of Fremington, Devon.

First Name

Elinor's name was variously spelt Elinor, Ellynor, Ellyner, Elyn and Ellen.

Parentage; Maiden Name; Date and Place of Birth

Elinor's parentage and maiden name are unknown. Based on the date of birth of her first known child (1586), Elinor was probably born before 1568, while based on the date of birth of her last known child (1607), she was probably born after 1563. Elinor was therefore most likely born sometime in 1563-1568, with about 1565 being a reasonable midpoint estimate.

First Marriage and Children

Elinor married, first, Robert Hatherly. Her marriage to Robert Hatherly is established by (i) her will, in which she mentions son "Tymoty Hatherley and daughter Eylin Hanver,"^[1] (ii) the baptismal records in Winkleigh, Devonshire for a Timothy and Eglin Hatherly, children of a Robert Hatherly, and (iii) the fact that Eglin Hatherly married Jeffrey Hanford.^[2][3] No record of Elinor's marriage to Robert has been found and the date and place of their marriage is unknown. Based on the date of baptism of their first-known child (1586), they were probably married about 1585.

Robert and Elinor had the following children, both baptized in Winkleigh, Devon:

1. Eglin, bpt. 8 Jun 1586, m. 1st about 1609 _______ Downe presumably in Devon, m. 2d 31 Mar 1611 Jeffrey Hanford in Fremington, Devon, d. after 17 Jan 1653 in Scituate, Plymouth Colony. (See discussion and sources in Eglin's profile.)
2. Timothy, bpt. September 29, 1588, m. 1642 Lydia Huckstep in Scituate, Plymouth Colony, d. 24 Oct 1666 in Scituate, Plymouth Colony. (See discussion and sources in Timothy's profile.)

Some family genealogies show that Robert and Ellinor also had children named John and Elizabeth. That proposition is apparently based on the will of a Nicholas Mortimore of Winkleigh, Devonshire, proved in 1613, which makes bequests to an Elizabeth Hatherleigh and a John Hatherleigh.^[4][3] However, since Elizabeth and John Hatherleigh were not mentioned in Ellinor Mortimore's will, and there is no other evidence indicating that they were children of Robert and Ellinor, it seems unlikely that they were their children.

Second Marriage and Children

After her first husband died, Elinor married, second, William Mortimore alias Tanner of Fremington, Devon. Her marriage to him is established by her will. The date of death of her first husband and date of marriage to her second husband are uncertain. Based on the birth of Timothy Hatherly in September 1588 and a lack of evidence of a subsequent child, Robert Hatherly probably died sometime in 1588-1590. Based on the estimated dates of birth of Elinor's children by William Mortimore alias Tanner, Elinor and William were probably married no later than the late 1590s. It is therefore likely that Elinor and William were married sometime in 1588-1595, no doubt somewhere in north Devon in the Winkleigh/Fremington area.

William Mortimore alias Tanner's will mentions sons William, Matthew and James, as well as daughter Ellynore,^[4] while Elinor's will mentions sons Matthew and Henry and daughter Elinor Friend. Based on the foregoing, and baptism and burial records found for Alexander Tanner son of William Tanner, it is likely that Elinor and William had the following children:

1. William, b. say 1596,^[5] d. after 1615 but perhaps before 1635^[6]
2. Matthew, b.say 1598,^[5] bur. 1654^[7]
3. James, b. say 1600,^[5] d. after 1615 but perhaps before 1635^[6]
4. Henry, bpt. 3 Feb 1602/3,^[8] d. after 1635^[9]
5. Alexander, bpt. 25 Feb 1604/5,^[10] bur. 29 Jan 1624/5^[11]
6. Elinor, bpt. 12 Jul 1607,^[12] m. 22 Oct 1627 William Friend in Fremington, Devon^[13]

It should be noted, however, that son William may have been a son of William Mortimer alias Tanner by an earlier marriage, though no evidence of such a prior marriage has been found.

The family was variously called either Mortimer or Tanner.

Elinor's husband, William, made his will in 1614. In his will, he granted "wife Ellynor" the residue of his estate and made her sole executrix.^[4] William died and was buried in Fremington on 27 Jul 1615.^[14]

Death; Last Will and Testament

Elinor made her will in 1635. Set forth below is an abstract:

1637. The last Will of Elinor Mortimore, otherwise Tanner, of Fremington, Widow. She desires to be buried in the parish churchyard, just by the chancel door, near to the "sepulchre" of husband William Mortimore, alias Tanner, and leaves 10s. to the poor of the parish. Mentions sons Matthew and Henry Mortimore, alias Tanner, and daughter Elinor Friend; also son Tymothy Hatherley and daughter Eylin Hanver. Residue to said daughter Elinore Friend, who is Sole Executrix. Witnesses -- William Blanchard, minister; John Barwicke.^[15]

Elinor died sometime before 30 Aug 1637, when her will was proved.^[15]

^{[9] [5] [6] [14] [11] [10] [7] [4] [3] [8] [13] [12] [15]}

Sources

1. ↑ See transcription of Elinor's will in this profile.
2. ↑ See the profile of Eglin Hatherly.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Foster, F. Apthorp. "Mortimore, alias Tanner and Hatherley." New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Vol 52 (1895). p 76. Link to page at americanancestors.org.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Worthy, Charles. Devonshire Wills: A Collection of Annotated Testamentary Abstracts, Together with the Family History and Genealogy of Many of the Most Ancient Gentle Houses of the West of England. 1896. p 252. Link to page at archive.org.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} No baptism records have been found for William, Matthew and James, which suggests that they were probably born before about 1600, when the Fremington parish register begins. Their estimated dates of birth of 1596, 1598 and 1600 are based on the order in which they were mentioned in their father's will, the typical two year gap between births, and brother Henry's baptism in Feb 1602/3.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Sons William and James died sometime after 1614, based on being mentioned as living persons in their father's 1614 will, but perhaps before 1635, based on not being mentioned in Elinor's 1635 will.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} "Findmypast; Devon burials; Winkleigh 1654; South West Heritage Trust; "Matthew Tanner bur. ""
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J3XS-CYB : 30 December 2014, Henrie Tanner, 03 Feb 1602); citing FREMINGTON,DEVON,ENGLAND, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 916,846.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Son Henry died sometime after 1635, based on being mentioned as a living person in Elinor's 1635 will.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N5W1-RYX : 18 September 2020), Alexander Tanner, 1604
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} "Findmypast; Devon burials; Fremington 1625; South West Heritage Trust; "Alexander son of William Tanner bur.""
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JMR7-SXB : 30 December 2014, Ellyner Mortymer Or Tanner, 12 Jul 1607); citing FREMINGTON,DEVON,ENGLAND, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 916,846.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2V4-J6L : 10 December 2014), Willm Frend and Elinor Mortimer, 22 Oct 1627; citing Fremington,Devon,England, reference , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 916,846.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Fremington, Devon Parish Register, Burials, South West Heritage Trust, Archive reference 520A/PR/1/1. Link to transcript and image at findmypast.com.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} Worthy, Charles. Devonshire Wills: A Collection of Annotated Testamentary Abstracts, Together with the Family History and Genealogy of Many of the Most Ancient Gentle Houses of the West of England. 1896. pp 253-4. Link to pages at archive.org.