This page contains some notes on families in North Devon whose origins we are researching. Some families we know more about than others, but we hope that by publishing this information here we can make contact and exchange data with people who can help to complete the picture. These families belong to the early period of our family history, where there may be few surviving records and often a lack of detail. We summarise below what we do know about them and what we want to find out.
Some of the names below are linked to the corresponding record in the on-line family tree. When you click on a link, the linked record will be displayed in a separate window. There you can see the family relationships as we understand them, together with notes on what we have found in parish registers, census returns and other records.
Our ancestors include a Clarke family who lived in Kings Nympton in Devon, where we have traced the following generations. They do not appear to be related to the East Devon family listed on the Clarke surname page. We are interested in the following people who bore this surname:
George Clarke (buried 1742) and Susanna Hall (buried 1741/2)
Anthony Clarke (1717/8 - 1809) and Mary Lane (1724 - 1795)
Elizabeth Clarke (1753 - 1814) and William Hulland (1751 - 1821)
All of the information we have found so far on this family comes from Kings Nympton itself. Unfortunately our researches are limited by a gap in the Kings Nympton parish records before 1700. We do, however, know a lot about the related Hulland family and a little about the family of Mary Lane.
Please contact Chris Warren if you feel that the family listed here is connected with your own research.
The Govier family we are researching lived in the area around South Molton in Devon. We are interested in the following generations of people who bore this surname:
Richard Govier and Thomasin Mills (married 1657/8)
Hugh Govier (1670/1 - 1743) and Joan Huxtable (no details known)
Peter Govier (1708/9 - 1795) and Mary Mills (baptised 1714?)
Sarah Govier (1740 - 1789) and Henry Venn (1734 - 1808)
Most of the records we have found come from the parish of Warkleigh, near South Molton. Peter Govier also lived in the parish of George Nympton, where his daughter Sarah was baptised, and in South Molton itself. We know a lot about the related Venn family, but very little about the maternal lines.
Please contact Chris Warren if you feel that the family listed here is connected with your own research.
Our ancestors from the Selley family also lived in the area around South Molton in Devon. We are interested in the following generations of people who bore this surname:
Martin and Agnes Selley (no details known)
Hugh Selley (1659 - 1724/5) and Thomasin Morrish (buried 1741)
Richard Selley (1690 - 1780) and Joan (buried 1772)
Dorothy Selley (1722 - 1799) and Samuel Hulland (1723 - 1790)
The earliest records we have found come from the parish of Molland, east of South Molton. Richard Selley spent most of his adult life in Kings Nympton, but his daughter Dorothy was baptised in Mariansleigh. Unfortunately our research has been hampered by gaps in some of the parish records. We know a lot about the related Hulland family, but very little about the maternal lines.
Please contact Chris Warren if you feel that the family listed here is connected with your own research.