The Siderfin Family of West Somerset - Blog Post #5

 The Siderfin Family of West Somerset © 2023 by Elizabeth (Blake) Kipp is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 

 

Fourth Generation (Great-Grandchildren) (continued)

Thomas-Line

8. Thomas 4 Siderfin (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) was born circa 1590 and died in 1675 aged 85 and was buried 16 Dec 1675 at Luxborough, Somerset England[1].

Thomas married Johan Waggatt. Johan Siderfin died in 1682 aged 82 and was buried 1 Jan 1682 at Luxborough, Somerset, England.[2]

Children from this marriage were:

+ 24 M ii. Thomas 5 Siderfin (Thomas 4, Robert 3, William 2, John 1) was born circa 1637 in Luxborough[3], Somerset, England and was buried 24 May 1681 in St Mary Lambeth, Lambeth, London, England.

+ 25 M iii. Robert 5 Siderfin (Thomas 4, Robert 3, William 2, John 1) was christened on 27 Nov 1645 in Luxborough, Somerset, England[4], and died in 1720 aged 75. He was buried 14 Jul 1720 in Luxborough Blessed Virgin Mary, Somerset, England[5].

Thomas 4 Siderfin was a local Justice of the Peace. (See Appendix 4)

Robert 4 and Thomas 4 (Robert 3, William 2, John 1), the two younger sons of Robert 3 (William 2, John 1) were surviving at the time of the Protestation Returns but Thomas 4, signs at Carhampton perhaps because he has property at South Wheddon, and he signs as Gent and it is generally accepted that he was regarded as of that status. The other Thomas Siderfin signing at Luxborough would be the son of William (Robert 3, William 2, John 1). He would be 23 years of age at that time. There are two entries for Thomas Siderfin on the 1642 Subsidy although only one has gent written beside it but they are likely the same person; the property at South Wheddon, Cutcombe would be the larger property.

According to Wikipedia, gentleman is the lowest level of the landed gentry (hence below an esquire and above a yeoman). The Siderfin family did appear to be part of the landed gentry at some times and disclaimed at others.[6]

There are a number of items on the Somerset Archive that pertain to Thomas 4 Siderfin (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) and his position as a Justice of the Peace (I have omitted the many court cases partly because they are numerous and do not pertain to his personal land dealings for the most part. As well marriages, etc which were performed by him are not included although this information is available, See Appendix 4):

1.                  Deeds, etc., relating to Luxborough. 1648-1801 (Repository:  Somerset Heritage Centre)[7]

Reference number: DD/MAL/14/1

Description

1. Oliver St John LCJ, Sir Benjamin Rudyer kt. and John Graunt of Westminster gent.

2. Thomas son of William Siderfin of Luxborough, yeoman and Robert Siderfin of Luxborough, yeoman.

3. Alexander Pym of Brymore, Esq.

4. Thomas Siderfin of Carhampton, Christopher Escott of Cutcombe, gent. and Robert Briant of Luxborough, tanner.

Bargain and sale in trust for several persons of two tenements, woodland between Church wood and Ridge ball, and Hunters Thorne (4a.), Luxborough; messuage at Kersham, Cutcombe; messuage at Poole, Luxborough; Westflorey (in two parts), mess. in occupation of Thomas Berrie, Collewell, mess. sometime part of the chief place and 25a. and common pasture on Brendon Hill adjoining Leather Burrough, Luxborough, all in manor of Langham and Poole, 30 Nov. 1648. Cons. £875 10s (1 document)

Date: 1648-1801 (the remainder of the document will appear at the generational level to which it belongs)

2.                  Baptisms, Burials 1653-1775; Marriages for Withypool 1655-1748. 1653-1775 (Repository: Somerset Heritage Centre)[8]

Reference number: D/P/hk/2/1/1

Description [Including Commonwealth marriages 1655-1658, Thomas Siderfin and William Sedgbery officiating Justices]. [On microfiche].

Date: 1653-1775

3.                  Final Concord. 3 Nov 1655 (Repository: Somerset Heritage Centre)[9]

Reference number: DD/BR/nr/2

Description    

For £100. Robert Siderfin versus Thomas Davys, gentleman.

Messuage with curtilage, garden, orchard, 60 acres [arable] land, 1 acre meadow and 10 acres past with appurtenances in Carhampton and Eastoctroe.

Date: 3 Nov 1655

4.                  Counterpart Final Concords. 1658 (Repository: Somerset Heritage Centre)[10]

Reference number: DD/BR/nr/4-5

Description

For £100. John Hurford versus Thomas and John Davye and Robert Siderfin.

Messuage with curtilage, garden, orchard, 60 acres [arable] land, 1 acre meadow with appurtenances in Carhampton and Eastoctroe. Trinity Term.

Date: 1658

5.                  Conveyance (Feoffment). 28 May 1658 (Repository: Somerset Heritage Centre)[11]

Reference number: DD/BR/nr/3

Description

For £118. Thomas Davye and his brother John of Cutcombe, yeomen, and Robert Siderfin of Cutcombe, yeoman, to John Hurford of Luxborough, husbandman. Messuage and tenemt with appurtenances called Eastoctroe in Carhampton in tenement of John Hayes of Luxborough or said John Hurford. (Also Appointment of Alex Harrison of Timberscombe tanner, and John Leigh of Carhampton, yeoman, as attornies to deliver seisin).

Witnesses: Thomas Siderfin, and the marks of:- Robert Laughwell, John Hayes, George Harrison, John Leigh, (and to livery of seisin), John Hayes, Robert Laughwell and George Harrison.

[Seals: (3): of TD - good impression; of JD and RS - fair impressions, identical].

Date: 28 May 1658

6.                  Treborough deed. 7 Mar 1663 (Repository: Somerset Heritage Centre)[12]

Reference number: DD/AH/56/7/5

Description

1. John Towill of Treborough, yeoman and mother Agnes, widow of John Towill.

2. Thomas Siderfin of Luxborough, gentleman

Bargain and sale of Buckham (22 acres) and Buckham meades (5 acres), Westfield (60 acres) and ditch lying open to Cowleaze, Hasworthye farm, Treborough.

7 Mar 1662/3

Date: 7 Mar 1663

7.                  Conveyance of two messuages in West Street. 20 Jun 1668 (Repository: Somerset Heritage Centre)[13]

Reference number: DD/L/1/23/3/7

Description

1 Thomas Siderfin the younger of the Middle Temple Esq. and William Bryant alias Bryan of Dunster tanner and wife Judith

2 Thomas Siderfin of Crowdon in Carhampton Esq. father of the said Thomas and Peter Horman of Dunster gent.

Autographs: Siderfin jnr and both Bryants. Seals: 1 & 2 concealed by paper, 3 missing.

Date: 20 Jun 1668

8.                  Counterpart lease of two closes of pasture known as Hiley Twenty acres being part of Barne tenement in Cutcombe. 10 May 1670 (Repository: held at the Somerset Heritage Centre)[14]

Reference number:  DD/BW/2/317

Description

1 Sir Charles Pym of Brymore to

2 Thomas Siderfin Gent of Luxborough.

Seal: missing. Autograph: Siderfin.

Date 10 May 1670

Couch-Siderfin-Line

9. Christian 4 Siderfin (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) was baptized on 14 Oct 1591[15] in Luxborough, Somerset, England.

Christian married William Couch on 3 Jun 1616[16] in Luxborough, Somerset, England.

+ 26 F i. Johane Couch (mentioned in her grandfather’s will (Robert 3, William 2, John 1))[17]

10. John 4 Siderfin (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) was baptized on 11 Sep 1594[18] in Luxborough, Somerset, England.[19] Not named in his father Robert’s will.

James-Line

11. James 4 Siderfin (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) was baptized on 24 Feb 1596 in Luxborough, Somerset, England.[20] Not named in his father Robert’s will.

Elizabeth-Siderfin-Line

12. Elizabeth 4 Siderfin (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) was baptized 25 Feb 1597[21] in Luxborough, Somerset, England and died in 1668 aged 71[22].

Webber-Siderfin-Line

13. Jane 4 Siderfin (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) was born in 1602 and was christened on 3 Oct 1602 in Luxborough, Somerset, England.[23]

Although James Sanders lists a marriage for this daughter to a William Webber of Luxborough I am unable to locate it checking Family Search, Find My Past, Ancestry and My Heritage[24].

Westeron-Siderfin-Line

14. Robert Western[25]

Establishing where the many different lines descending from Robert 3 (William 2, John 1) lived in Carhampton Hundred was aided by the use of the Protestation Returns for Somerset[26] 1641. James Sanders made an error on page 18 of his text which I shall mention at this point. Do find his reference to Cutcombe in the first paragraph on page 18 where he states “Cutcombe names as follows[27]”  I went back to both the original documents on the Parliamentary Library online archives site[28] as well as the CD of the Protestation Returns to check as I only located Siderfin names at Carhampton, Luxborough, Minehead and Selworthy. I believe I found the likelihood of why the discrepancy since the Curate at Cutcombe and the Curate at Luxborough are the same individual. Cutcombe Parish[29] names the Curate as Robert Winter, John Milton and George Baker as Churchwardens, Laurence Widlake and John Thorne as Overseers. Luxborough Parish[30] names Robert Winter as the Curate, with Edward Briant and John Winter as Churchwardens, and William Siderfin and William Welshe as Overseers. It appears that a section of text was lost showing that William Siderfin was at Luxborough not Cutcombe.

“In 1641 a Protestation was entered into all parishes before two of his Majesty's Justice of Peace ‘to support the Protestant religion against all Popery, etc.’ Among the parishes in the ‘Hundred of Carhampton’ was Cutcombe names as follows: Re winter clerk; George Baker and John Milton, churchwardens; Laurence Widlake, John Thorne, [[missing text[31],] and Luxborough Parish names the Curate as Robert Winter, Edward Briant and John Winter as Churchwardens and][32] William Syderfin, Willyam Welshe, overseers; and in Selworthy "there is none that refused and all have been willing to take it. John Sidderfin with the rest.

“Shewing there was a John Siderfin at Selworthy in 1641.”[33]

At this point James Sanders may have been realizing that he was descendant of John 5 Siderfin (Robert 4, Robert 3, William 2, John 1) at Selworthy so perhaps accounts for this line standing on its own. I should also mention that at Cutcombe two of the individuals signing the Protestation Return had the surname Safffin (namely Tho: Saffin and George Saffin) which I did find suspicious but I could not locate any members of this family in Carhampton other than Cutcombe where there were not any Siderfin families (although there should have been a Thomas Siderfin there). The Saffin/Saffyn family was located primarily in Williton hundred at Crocombe, Bickenaller, Stogumber and Nettlecombe for a total of 15 members on the Subsidy of 1641/42[34] (there was a George Saffin on both the Cutcombe Protestation Return 1641 and the Crocombe Subsidy 1642). I did find it curious that there was a Thomas Saffin at Cutcombe but not in Williton hundred and that the Somerset 1642 Subsidy at Cutcombe does have a Thomas Syderfyn. Perhaps a spelling error on the part of the clerk who wrote all the names down at the time of the Protestation Return being taken. It does confuse the issue somewhat though and at some point it could be resolved possibly with other records.

I believe Saffin to be a free-standing surname with 914 records on Free BMD[35] with this spelling and zero with the Saffyn spelling.[36]

Somerset Protestation Returns 1641

Hundred	Parish	Forename	Surname	Other
Carhampton	Carhampton	Thomas	Sidderfin	Gent
Carhampton	Luxborough	Robert	Sidderfin
Carhampton	Luxborough	Thomas	Sidderfin
Carhampton	Minehead	Robert	Sidderfin
Carhampton	Selworthy	John	Sidderfin
Carhampton	Luxborough	William	Siderfin	overseer

 

The three Siderfin members at Luxborough likely  belong to the William-Line with Robert, William and Thomas being the sons of William (their mother Christian is a widow in 1642 – I believe that the transcription listing Crispian Siderfin on the Somerset Subsidy 1642 is incorrect and this should be Christian Syderfin widow of William since she is listed as the property owner/occupier). The Robert-Line has son Robert at Minehead and son John at Selworthy. James Sanders, in his Pedigree Chart, does have Robert 4 (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) dying in 1636 but this is incorrect as he and his wife Ursula are the defendants in the Answer document mentioned earlier in this particular generation. In that document Robert 4 was living at Old Knowle which is near Wootton Courtney. The Thomas-line would be Thomas 4 Sidderfin son of Robert 3 (William 2, John 1) with sons Thomas and Robert and Thomas being too young to sign the Protestation Returns and Robert was baptized 27 Nov 1645 at Luxborough.[37] On the Protestation Returns Thomas signs at Carhampton and he pays the 1642 Subsidy at Cutcombe because the property which he was given by his father Robert 3 (William 2, John 1) South Wheddon is in Cutcombe.

 

Somerset Subsidy 1642[38]

Tax	Hundred	Parish	Forename	Surname	Other	Amount
1642	Carhampton	Luxborow Everhard	Crispian[39]	Syderfin		6 s 8 d
1642	Carhampton	Luxborow Everhard	William	Syderfin		4 s 8 d
1642	Carhampton	Timberscombe	Rob	Syderfyn	sen	4 s
1642	Carhampton	Timberscombe	Rob	Syderfyn	jun	3 s
1642	Carhampton	Browne in Treborough	Wm	Syderfyn		8 x 1 d
1642	Carhampton	Wootton Courtney	Robert	Syderfyn		13 s 6 d
1642	Carhampton	Cutcombe	Thomas	Syderfyn		11 s
1642	Carhampton	Carhampton	Thos	Syderfyn	gent	5 s 6 d
1642	Carhampton	Mynehead	Thomas	Syderfyn		4 s 6 d
1642	Carhampton	Mynehead	Robert	Syderfyn		4 s 7 d

 

As mentioned above I believe that Crispian is actually Christian (widow of William 4 (Robert 3, William 2, John 1)) and this does appear to indicate that William is deceased by 1642 so it is either William (husband of Christian) in 1641 on the Protestation Return or his son William.

Looking at the remaining lines which includes the Siderfin-Couche Line, the James-Line, the Nurcombe-Siderfin-Line and the Webber-Siderfin Line, Robert 3’s (William 2, John 1) will mentions his granddaughter Johane Couch but locating this family using the Protestation Returns produced several possibilities. There is a William Couch at Watchet, St Decumans, and a William Couch at Old Cleve and a third William Cooche at Sampford Brett (all three are in the Williton and Freemanors Hundred). The Elizabeth-Siderfin-Line will need more research. Since one-name studies do not generally follow a female line I am content for the moment to leave the three lines including the James-Line (Robert 3 William 2, John 1). Robert does not mention his son James in his will.

Continuing to look at the Somerset Subsidy 1642 and there are several individuals not yet assigned to a family. Robert at Minehead would be the grandson of Robert 3 (William 2, John 1) and son of Robert 4 (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) and with Robert 4 at Wootton Courtney. Christian would be the widow of William son of Robert (William 2, John 1) and William the son of William (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) and Christian. Is William also at Browne in Treborough although we do see this property belonging to Thomas 4 (Robert 3, William 2, John 1)[40]? Thomas at Cutcombe is Thomas son of Robert 3 (William 2, John 1) living at South Wheddon which is in Cutcombe parish. The Robert Siderfins in Timberscombe at East Linch are interesting and are likely Robert son of William 4 (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) and Christian and Robert junior a son of this Robert (Robert senior was baptized 27 Nov 1611 at Luxborough), The Thomas Siderfin at Carhampton and Minehead would likely be Thomas 4 son of Robert 3 (William 2, John 1). 

James Sanders recorded the interesting information from the Carhampton Hundred Benevolence granted, Charles II, 1662:

Robert Syderfin	Minehead	2s	6d
Robert Syderfin	Timberscombe	5s	0d
Wm. Syderfin	Luxborough	10s	0d
Thos. Syderfin	Luxborough	10s	0d

 

Eastern Division. - Thomas Syderfin, of Luxborough, Esq., Barrister of Law, do the present to his Magestie 20s in hand paid.[41]

 

 

---

[1] Priest, Luxborough Parish Register, accessed on Ancestry 1 Feb 2023

[2] Priest Luxborough Parish Register, accessed at Family Search 1 Feb 2023

[3] Baptism not located

[4] Ibid, accessed on Ancestry 1 Feb 2023

[5] Ibid

[6] Added to make the point that James Sanders was making that the Thomas-Line does appear to have moved socially ahead in the Siderfin Family both becoming armigerous and considered gentlemen

[7] https://somerset-cat.swheritage.org.uk/ accessed 21 Mar 2023

[8] Ibid

[9] Ibid

[10] Ibid

[11] Ibid

[12] Ibid

[13] Ibid

[14] Ibid

[15] Priest, Luxborough Parish Records, accessed at ancestry 21 Mar 2023

[16] Ibid

[17] Page 33, this text

[18] Priest, Luxborough Parish Records, accessed at ancestry 21 Mar 2023

[19] Not mentioned in his father’s will Robert (William 2, John 1)

[20] Ibid

[21] Priest, Luxborough Parish Registers, accessed at ancestry 21 Mar 2023

[22] This was on the original chart and I have not yet been able to verify her death

[23] Mention in her father Robert’s will (William 2, John 1)

[24] Reviewed databases 1 Jun 2023

[25] It is traditional in surname research not to research the children of daughters beyond the first generation and I have for the most part maintained that in these early years

[26] The Somerset Protestation Returns and Lay Subsidy Rolls 1641-42, transcribed by A.J. Howard; Edited and first published by T.L. Stoate and republished in CD form 2004 B.D. Welchman (owned by the author, Elizabeth Kipp)

[27] James Sanders, History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, 1912, page 18

[28] https://archives.parliament.uk/research-guides/protestation-returns/ accessed 21 Mar 2023

[29] UK Parliament, Parliamentary Archives, https://archives.parliament.uk/collections/getrecord/GB61_HL_PO_PB_1_1797_37G3n55 ,  accessed 30 Jan 2023

[30] UK Parliament, Parliamentary Archives,  https://archives.parliament.uk/collections/getrecord/GB61_HL_PO_JO_10_1_103_27 ,  accessed 30 Jan 2023

[31] As follows in bold and italic, the author (Elizabeth (Blake) Kipp, 9 Dec 2023

[32] Likely missing text inserted by the author, Elizabeth (Blake) Kipp, 9 Sep 2023

[33] James Sanders, History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, 1912, page 18

[34] The Somerset Protestation Returns and Lay Subsidy Rolls 1641-42, transcribed by A.J. Howard; Edited and first published by T.L. Stoate and republished in CD form 2004 B.D. Welchman

[35] https://www.freebmd.org.uk/search accessed 21 Mar 2023

[36] Note by Elizabeth Kipp, author, 22 Jul 2023

[37] Parish Priest, Luxborough Parish Register, accessed at Ancestry, 21 Mar 2023

[38] The Somerset Protestation Returns and Lay Subsidy Rolls 1641-42, transcribed by A.J. Howard; Edited and first published by T.L. Stoate and republished in CD form 2004 B.D. Welchman

[39] I have copied the spelling used by the transcriber on the CD that I purchased but I believe it to be Christian.

[40] There is a record pertaining to Treborough on page 50 of this text that involved Thomas 4 (Robert 3, William 2, John 1) so not really clear on the ownership/occupancy

[41] James Sanders, History of the Siderfin Family of West Somerset, 1912, page 20