RECORDS OF THE RAWLE FAMILY 4tollrrtr'tl from Jr,lational ~rtbibt~. J)arissb RtgiGttr!!. MlillG an'tl otbrr ssourmi BY EDWIN JOHN RAWLE Member of tlu Soffll1'setslsire Archaological all4 Natural History Sociaty. Awtllor of" Annals of ElmlOOI' Forest." £amnon: PltlNTl!.D FOR. PRIVATE CIRCULATION BY BARNICOTT AND PEARCE, ATHEN/EUM PRESS 1898 JIARNICOTT AND PEARCE, PRINTERS. Preface. ONOURABLE ancestry has ever been held H in veneration by all civilized nations. Of this fact abundant testimony is found both in Holy Writ-which abounds in genealogies-and in the ancient classics. The Egyptians are known to have revered their progenitors, and to have paid particu­ lar attention to the bodies of their deceased kindred. The Arabs, Persians, Chinese, and all eastern na­ tions are proud of a long line of ancestors ; and throughout Europe in the middle ages the genealo­ gical tree was held in high repute. Indeed there is scarcely a nation or age which does not furnish proof of the respect paid to ancestry, and this feel­ ing is now strong amongst almost every existing people, irrespective of class. Everyone, whether gentle or simple, has a pedigree, and most persons evince some interest in those of their kith and kin that have gone before them. This feeling, born of a just and commendable instinct, is elevating in its influences. It inspires self-respect, and at the same time is conducive to the practice of those high principles which are rightly considered virtues. For a couple of centuries or so after the Norman Conquest, when the feudal system prevailed m b Vl Pre.face. England, military service was esteemed the only honourable calling; and all other vocations-hus­ bandry included-being considered ignoble, were left to villeins and serfs. But, with the decline of feudalism (which was shattered by the Wars of the Roses, and finally extinguished during the reigns of Richard III and Henry VII) land was much more generally brought into cultivation, and agriculture as well as commerce, took a higher place in the national economy and popular estimation. It was during this period of transition that the genus yeo­ man was evolved; a body of freemen whose ranks were subsequently largely recruited by the younger sons and cadets of the smaller nobility and gentry, who, having acquired copyhold or freehold estates, took to agriculture, and without any sense of de­ gradation tilled their· own lands and lived upon its produce. Numerous instances occur in the western counties of families of this class having retained their holdings, from generation to generation, through­ out several centuries ; and the parish registers not infrequently show that in many cases the wives were the daughters of men of ancient and honour­ able lineage, bearing names distinguished in the annals of our country. The following pages contain some information concerning such a family, whose connexion with the counties of Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall, dates back to a very early period. Of that particular class, which in bygone days were accounted the backbone of the nation, this family cannot of itself be considered important, though individual members Preface. Vil of it may have been more or less distinguished in their day; consequently the particulars herein given will be interesting only to those that belong to or are connected with it. For such they have been compiled, and to such are addressed, in the hope that they may be the means of preserving some me­ morials of the family, even after the records-many of them now in decay-from which they have been culled, shall have perished. For assistance received in the course of my re­ searches (made during such intervals of leisure as could be spared from more important work, but in­ terrupted by protracted illness and a subsequent voyage to Australia, New Zealand, and the South Sea Islands in search of health), I desire to express my acknowledgments to J. CHALLONER-SMITH, Esq., of the Principal Probate Registry, Somerset House; to the late R. A. K1NGLAKE, Esq., J.P., and his courteous staff at the District Probate Registry, Taunton; to various clergymen (named in the text), for access to their parish registers ; to THOMAS RAWLE, Esq., of Bedford Row, London, for revising proofs of those pages _relating to his branch of the family; and last, but by no means least, to WILLIAM BROOKE RAWLE, Esq., and to FRANCIS RAWLE, Esq., both of Philadelphia, U.S.A., to whom I am in­ debted for much serviceable information respecting · the American branch of the family. E.J. R. Chislehurst, Kent, 1897. List of Plates. PAGE. I. Portrait of Author Frontispiece. 2. 9tlap showing places in Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall, referred to in these Records I 3. Hennett, St. Ju!iot-Exterior View 143 4. Royal Arms, temp. Elizabeth, at Hennett I 5 I 5. Ancient Window and Gateway, at Hennett I 52 6. ·Chart Pedigree showing connection of the Rawles of St. Juliot, Rochester, London, and Philadelphia 154 7. Portrait-William Rawle, LL.D., of Phila- delphia 194 8. Portrai't-'l'be Rev. Richard Rawle, V.D., 'Bishop of 'l'rinidad . 203 Contents. PAGE. PREFACE V LIST OF PLATES Vlll LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS XI CHAP. I. The Surname Rawle, and general sketch of the family I CHAP. II. ~wle of Oare, co. Somerset, with extraclsfrom the Parish Registers of Oare and Exfard I 5 CHAP. III. :R..,awle of Se/worthy, co. Somerset, with extracls from the Parish Registers 41 CHAP. IV. :R..,awle of 9Jinehead, co. Somerset, with extracls from the Parish Registers . 49 CHAP. V. :R..,awle of Dunster, co. Somerset, with extracts from the Parish Registers . 56 CHAP. VI. :R..,awle of Wootton Courtenay, co. Somerset, with extracls from the Parish Registers 6 8 CHAP. VII. Rawle of Porlock, co. Somerset, with extracls from the Parish Registers . 7 3 CHAP. VIII. Rawle of '.Brendon, co. Devon, with extra8s from the Parish Registers . 98 X Contents. PAGE. CHAP. IX. Rawle of Countisbury, co. 'Devon 108 CHAP. X. Rawle of Lynton, co. 'Devon, wi'tb extracts from the Parish Registers 1 1 5 CHAP. XI. Rawle of Pilton, Barnstaple, and 'Bideford, co. 'Devon, with extracts from the Pi/ton and 'Barnstaple Registers 1 3o CHAP. XII. Rawle of St. Juliot, co. Cornwall, with extracts from the Parish Registers . 143 CHAP. XIII. Rawle of Philadelphia. U.S.A. 173 CHAP. XIV. 9rfemoir-William Rawle, LL.'D., of Philadelphia 194 CHAP. XV. 9rfemoir-Rev. Richard Rawle, D.D., 'Bishop of Trinidad 203 CHAP. XVI. 9rfemoir-John Rawle,of Wins- ford 212 CHAP. XVII. .fJ.femoir-William Rawle, of 'Boscastle, centenarian 220 CHAP. XVIII. Samuel Rawle, artt'st-engraver and his descendants 225 APPENDIX. List of Rawle Wt'lls from 153 1 to 1796 . 2 3 1 Copt'es or Abstracts of Rawle Wills t'n the Probate Registries at Somerset House, Wells, 'l'aunton, Exeter, and Bodmt'n . 234 Tombstone Inscriptions 311 INDEX to Surnames other than Rawle . 319 List of Subscribers. BLAGG, C. J.; Greenhill, Cheadle, Staffs. BRUSHFIELD, T. N ., M.D.; The Cliff, Budleigh Sal­ terton. CHADWYCK-HEALEY, C. E. H., ~c.; 119, Harley Street, London. CoATES, Henry T.; Philadelphia, Pa. CoxE, Eckley B., Junr.; Drifton, Pa. GEYELIN, Mrs. Henry Laussat (Alice Rawle) ; Villa Nova, Pa. HENSON, F. R.; Morebath, N. Devon. JoNES, Mrs. Cadwalader; 21, East Eleventh Street., New York. LEEDS, Mrs. Charles J. (Mary Josephine Rawle); New Orleans, Va. PATON, Mrs. Thomas (Marion Rawle); Villa Nova Pa. PEMBERTON, Henry; Philadelphia, Pa. PENNSYLVANIA, The Historical Society of. PHILADELPHIA, The Free Library of. PHILADELPHIA, The Library Company of. RAWLE, Charles ; Upper Dock, Padstow, Cornwall. RAWLE, Edward; Greenaleigh, Minehead. RAWLE, F. J. ; 2 3 1, Blackfriars Road, London. RAWLE, Francis; Philadelphia, Pa. RAWLE, Fred.; Lawn House,North Street,Crediton. XU List of Su6scri/Jers. RAWLE, Mrs. Henry; Villa Nova, Pa. RAWLE, Isabella; Newton St. Cyres, Exeter. RAWLE, Mrs. James, (Charlette C. Parker); Bryn Mawr, Pa. (two copies). RAWLE, James Henry; The Laurels, Porlock. RAWLE, James, Junr.; So. Bethlehem, Pa. RAWLE, John; Great Hele Barton, South Molton. RAWLE, John ; Natchez, Miss. , RAWLE, John S., F.s.A.; 2, Elm Villas, St. Mary's Road, Ealing. RAwLE,J. Vellacott; Wharfage House, lronbridge, Salop. RAWLE, Philip; Osborne Villa, Lynton. RAWLE, Richard ; Ash way, Dulverton. RAWLE, Richard; The Kennels, Great Berkhamp­ stead. RAWLE, Thomas ; Court· Place, Porlock. RAWLE, Thomas ; 6, Lancaster 9ate, Hyde Park. London. (three copies). RAWLE, Will.; High Street, Berkeley, Glos. RAWLE, Col. W. Brooke ; 2 I I, South Sixth Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (two copies). RAWLE, W. H.; Ellicombe, Dunster. SINGER, J. Sherborne; Philadelphia, Pa. SToATE, W.; Belmont, Burnham, Som. TITE, C. ; Taunton. V ALLACK, Edmund; Haroldstein, Crickleigh Hill, near Gloucester. WADLEIGH, Mrs. Albra (Emily Rawle); New York. WADLEIGH, Francis Rawle; Roanoke, Va. WHARTON, Mrs. Henry; Philadelphia, Pa. 1MAJP>I showing the Parishes in the Count,ea of SOMfflSET, DEVON &- COR,NWALL IN "•~•✓• A N N C n "~,__ or THI: J\AWLf FAMILY. P,.,, . '/ ··~.:.---~..:-"-.. .J..,...... ,., BEM IN . ~ ,~·~··••t \. 1 B•:,:J;f Po ,., . :. '• 0- ~ Y,,~etO~ EN./JLISfl 1: HANN EL ·,f)\ Scr:Jle J(} ~~s l~ ! J,ich ;J )-:-! : zj _J_~_J.t: ·.1-.:::: ___:..;_ __ ._;. _______ .___ ~~o l\tcorbs of tbt l\ab.llt jfamilp. Chapter I. T'he Surname RAWLE and a general slletch o.f the j'ami(y. T was not until some time after the Norman Conquest that surnames began to be used ; kings,I even, being distinguished by an appellation indicative of some personal characteristic or physical peculiarity, such as Rufus, 'Beauclerc, Cteur-de-Lion, Longshanlu; whilst titles of the nobles were generally taken from their territorial possessions. The only kind of surname known amongst the English at that period, appears to have been some epithet descrip­ tive of individual trait, or calling ; and the nearest approach to a family name was the assumption by a person of his father's baptismal cognomen in addi­ tion to his own, thus :-John, Stephen's son.