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John Swaffield Orton (1) was born on 13 September 1810 in Fitzroy Square, London, England and baptised on 4 November 1810 in St Pancras Old Church, London. He was the son of Charles Orton and Eliza Swaffield. [1] This record suggests birth was 7 October [2]
He married Eliza Frampton. She was his mother’s companion/servant and the daughter of Richard and Mary Frampton, a fisherman from Wyke Regis, Dorset. John and Elizabeth eloped to St Malo, Brittany, France to marry in 1836, later repeating a marriage ceremony in St George’s, Hanover Square, London. [3]
John's father died when he was only a few months old and his mother had returned with John and his sister, Eliza to live at her parents' house (Mr & Mrs John Swaffield)- Wyke House, Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorset, England, where John grew up. [18]
As a teenager John is said to have been given help with his schooling by the Reverend Israel Lewis DL JP MA (abt.1760-1841) at Long Ashton, Somerset. Israel having married Anne Orton (1771-1843), his great aunt. [19] John was then articled to William White of Yeovil, Somerset, an Attorney as his clerk on 23 November 1827 for 5 years. [20] John then qualifying as a lawyer and was admitted to Middle Temple, London on the King’s Bench in 1834 as a pupil to Richard White of Essex Street, Strand, London. [21]
A family story runs that the 'tyrant' and 'despotic' Eliza (John's mother) was against John and also his sister, Eliza Mary Josephina Orton (1805-1873) from getting married young and hence he eloped to St Malo, France; as did his sister later. [22]. The mother is said to have put pressure on them to use her family maiden name of Swaffield as their surname. Eliza and her husband Robert Hassell Swaffield DL JP (1797-1870) (Robert H Owen at the time) agreed to this to gain their inheritance, but John refused and this created a rift with his Swaffield relatives. [23] [24][25]
John and his sister, Eliza Mary Josephina Orton (1805-1873) inherited from their grandfather, John Swaffield (1732-1825); John received £10,000 on attaining 21 yrs, plus annuities. The will created trusts and there was a 2 June 1847 case of Swaffield v Orton in the High Court of Chancery before the Vice Chancellor to decide on aspects of the implementation of the will. [26]. Pursuant to this case several lots of property in the family estate in Wyke Regis were advertised to be sold by auction on 13 July 1876 [27]
John had residences successively at East Street in Newport, Isle of Wight; then at 6 Hill Road, St Johns Wood, London with 3 live in servants [28]; 28 Upper Hamilton Terrace, London [29] and in St Helier on Jersey before finally settling at Chelmsford Villa, 68 Church Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex with it noted on the census return at that address that his income was from dividends and Interest. [30][31]
On 14 March 1851, aged 40 yrs and whilst living in St John's Wood, he subscribed a guinea to fund the building of a new Dorset hospital at Dorchester, this would have served Wyke Regis. [32]
In 1865, he presented his son, Reverend John Swaffield Orton (1837-1895) at Norwich Cathedral to be instituted as Rector of Beeston-next-Mileham. [33]
His legal career was at the Lord Mayor's Court office at 7 Old Jewry, London with an office at 21 River Street, Myddelton Sq. He set up a firm, Gregory and Orton with Sam Gregory; at times their offices were at 7 Old Jewry, 2 Dalby Terrace and 84 Basinghall Street. tbc [34]
I have found John to be involved in property transfers on the Isle of Wight and in Vauxhall, London. He is listed in 1855 as a Director of the Landowners West of England and South Wales Drainage and Inclosure Company. [35]. He is also listed, in 1850 as a Director of the Western Gas Light Company. [36]
In 1868, he is listed as a partner of The Provincial Banking Corporation Ltd. (this bank eventually merged in to the present NatWest Bank in the 1970s) [37] [38]
John died on 24 May 1888 and is buried in Hastings Cemetery, Sussex. His grave is a white marble cross and with a kerb inscribed with lead letters; it originally had corner posts; since lost in storm damage. The memorial inscription is:
In loving memory of John Swaffield Orton. Born 13/9/1810 died 24/5/1888 also of Elizabeth born 28/10/1812 died 14/4/1890 (wife) and of Ellen their youngest daughter died 26/12/1920 RIP also Gertrude Mary Eaden, died 14/1/1935 RIP also of their daughter Laura Wyon died on All Saints' Day 1919 interred at Streatham.[39][40] Gertrude was Ellen's adopted daughter.
John's wife, Elizabeth died at St Leonards, Sussex in 1890 and is buried with John.
John Swaffield Orton (1810-1888)'s relationship with his second great grandson Nigel Orton is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between Nigel and three of his third cousins, and another third cousin once removed. John is their most-recent common ancestor. Of these four cousins, all are descendants of John and Elizabeth’s son, Reverend John Swaffield Orton whilst Nigel descends from their son Reverend Owen Orton. One cousin's match to Nigel Orton is based on sharing 25cM on 1 segment, another is 47cM across 4 segments, another 42cM across 5 segments and the other sharing 31cM across 3 segments.
The law practice in Jewry and Basinghall St. needs further verification. I have found another Charles James Orton was associated with this, a relative one presumes. His nephew or a cousin? Or, is there name confusion and just one Orton here? (His father CJO was long deceased and not a lawyer)
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John is 23 degrees from Herbert Adair, 8 degrees from Richard Adams, 23 degrees from Mel Blanc, 20 degrees from Dick Bruna, 23 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 27 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 19 degrees from Sam Edwards, 22 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 24 degrees from Marty Krofft, 20 degrees from Junius Matthews, 18 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 22 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.