John Orton of Waitby (1614-1701) married Elizabeth, who was possibly Elizabeth Scaife (1616-1701). Unfortunately the marriage record has unfortunately failed to survive.
John's burial record was dated 9 Jan 1700/01, and says he was from "Watby" and aged 87, meaning he was born about 1614.
An Elizabeth from Waitby died only a few days later, on 24 March, aged 85, meaning she was born about 1615, and she is generally assumed to be the wife.
We know that an Elizabeth Scaife, sister to Lancelot Scaife, married an Orton, because mentioned in her brother's will of 1652 he mentions such a sister. There were other Orton families, including at least one other where the wife was named Elizabeth. But in Waitby an Elizabeth Orton was bracketed with Lancelot's brother, Major Scaife at one property in the Waitby enfranchisement list of 1686. Looking at other lists of Waitby residents from a similar period, her husband must have been John, because the other Orton living there appears separately in that list. Furthermore:
Nancy McLaughlin names the children as Robert, Reginold (Reinold), Peter and Lanclotte (Lancelot), appearing in the baptismal registers of Kirkby Stephen as follows...
In the hearth taxes around 1670, and in the church rate defaulters of 1669, John was the only Orton noted in Waitby, with one hearth. (Wharton was the main name in Waitby in those documents.) A few years later in 1674 we see Richard, William and John in Waitby, each with one hearth, and a William in Smardale. In the 1686 enfranchisement of Waitby land we find listed, William Orton senior, and Richard Orton, but not John, only his probable wife Elizabeth. On the other hand we find Elizabeth Orton mentioned concerning a property which also somehow involved "Major Scaife" and "Edward Winster". There is a special note in the DLONS/W5/1 which seems to indicate that in 1686 Sir John Lowther now owned the lands of John Orton, about 12 acres, and worth about 3 pounds, and that they were being held by John Blencarne. Where was John in 1674 and 1686, and indeed where were his older sons?
The registers show Ortons of Waitby who might be relatives, for example: Elizabeth wife of Wm Orton of Wateby who was buried Jan 1686/7, William Orton of Watbie buried 30 Nov 1692 (who left a will), Isabell Orton of Watby buried Mar 1694, Elizabeth Orton of Watby aged 91 who was buried 11 Mar 1695/6. (Notice the surfeit of Elizabeths!) Much earlier, Thomas Orton of Waitby was buried, 15 February 1659/60. Regnold was buried 21 December 1661.
In the protestation returns of the 1640s there was a Thomas and a William Orton in Waitby and Smardale (reported together). We can compare to the earliest parish registers.
Thomas Orton having children in Smardale in the 1650s is John Orton of Waitby's son-in-law. Thomas in the 1640s could be from Smardale or Waitby. A little older than him perhaps, William in the 1640s is more securely from Waitby and may have been having children before the gap in the registers. Nancy McLaughlin pointed out to Andrew Lancaster that the older 1640 Thomas in Waitby may be the one who sold land in Waitby to William in 1646. It seems quite likely they are related. William might have been the son of Thomas.
So it is likely that the father of John Orton was named William.
It is also possible to speculate further using wills. Richard Orton of Waitby made a will 27 January 1619/20, and his heir was named Thomas. His wife's name was Agnes.
Attempting to go even further, in 1596 there is a will for a John Orton of Waitby, whose eldest son and heir was Richard. His other children were Thomas, John and Jaine, and he also had a brother named Thomas.
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