Notes : Date of Francis's marriage to Dorothy Gifford comes from the International Genealogical Index (1992) for Somerset - refer IGI.doc from Susan Moore.

Francis Newman of North Cadbury was born in 1691 (or possibly 1693). He attended Queen's College Oxford from March 29, 1709, and was appointed, Sheriff of Somerset in 1738 [from Cliff Ranson] and 1745 [see http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives ref No DD\DP/73/4]. He died without issue and was buried in North Cadbury in April 1768.

Francis's Will

A summary of Francis's will has been prepared by Susan Moore, a copy of which can be downloaded in PDF format here. A scanned copy of the original codicil, drafted in May and witnessed in August 1767, can be seen by clicking here.

Susan Moore's summary of Francis's will shows that special bequests were made to Francis's relatives as follows:

• to his niece Anne Newman (presumably daughter of his brother Charles) an annuity of £25;
• to his nephew Charles Newman (presumably son of his brother Charles) “an annuity of £20 in equal quarterly payments for his lifetime provided that if he shall at any time assign the annuity to any one else he shall forfeit it”.
• to his sister Eleanor Baily widow, an annuity of £30;
• to his nephew William Baily £400 [presumably Eleanor's son].
• to his great neices Mary and Frances Baily, daughters of the said William Baily £100 each, to be paid to their father for their use;
• to his nephew Rev Henry Newman £400, to be used for the education of his eldest son (Francis Newman);

A codicil to the Will dated 13 Aug 1767 states that "All lands in the parishes of Horsington, Castle Cary, Lydford, Hornblotten and Lovington co. Somerset which descended to me upon the death of and as heir to my late nephew Richard Newman of Horsington, to be sold by the trustees for the best price, to speed up payment of legacies". [Note - this Richard of Horsington was the son of Francis's brother, also referred to as Richard of Horsington. The implication is that Richard, the son, died in 1767 shortly before the codicil was written.]

An undated newspaper cutting from the Bath Chronicle can be found in the Somerset Records Office advertising the sale of parcels of land, two in the parish of Castlecary and one in the parish of Horsington, from the estate of Francis Newman "late of North Cadbury". Based on other articles in the same paper, the Somerset Records Office has estimated the date of the sale notification as September 1776, some eight years after Francis's death. If this date is correct, then Francis's expectation that the sale would speed up the payment of legacies must have been a forelorn one.

Note: According to Phelps (1861): "The Manor and estate descended from father to son to Francis Newman, Esq. who died 1768 without issue, and by his will entailed the Manors of North and South Cadbury on Francis and Henry, the two sons of his brother Henry and their male issue in succession". In fact, Phelps was wrong since Francis left his estates in Cadbury, Sparkford and Queens Camel to his nephew Francis Newman, son of his brother Charles.

Francis's wife, Dorothy's, will.

A scanned copy of Francis's wife Dorothy's will, dated 1752, can be found by clicking here and an outline transcription of it by Susan Moore can be found here. Points of interest in the will are as follows:

• It describes Dorothy as "one of three sisters and heirs at law of John Hoskins Gifford late of Cucklington co. Somerset deceased".
• It refers to one 'Anthony Wickham of Shepton Mallett co. Somerset, clerk' as being a signatory to a 1744 agreement with Dorothy and her husband, presumably the same Anthony Wickham whose name appears in the Chancery Proceedings 23rd November 1742 where he is described as the late husband and administrator of Jane his late wife deceased, Jane apparently being previously married to Francis Newman's younger brother Henry Mompesson Newman.
• It refers to "certain manors messuages lands tenements and hereditaments with the appurtenances situate in the towns villages hamlets of Bishopstrow Horton Bishops Cannings Boreham Warminster and Corsely co. Wilts, and of Clingor otherwise Cleanger Cucklington, Cheriton South Cheriton Horsington otherwise Horsington, Horsington Marsh, the Marsh Grounds of Horsington and Babcary co. Somerset" with an implication that these came as part of her dowry to her marriage to Francis, because in her Will she leaves these lands to Francis during his lifetime, and then to her nephew William Buckler "forever" after Francis's death.
• She made special provision of £500 to be paid to "Susannah Bennett now resident with me at Cadbury", presumably to come from rents and other income from her lands. One wonders if Susannah Bennett was a member of the Bennett family that subsequently purchased the Cadbury and Sparkford estates and had all traces of the Newmans expunged from Cadbury church!

Other references to Francis Newman

Francis's name appears as a defendant in the Chancery Proceedings 23rd November 1742.

Campbell Newman's website makes the following reference to Francis:

"Francis [II] Newman, 2nd of Nth.Cadbury, born 5th May 1691, succeeded his father, and was created High Sheriff for Somerset in 1738 and 1744. He married Dorothy GIFFARD of Boreham, Wiltshire, but died without issue, buried at Nth.Cadbury, 26th August 1754. In 1747 he had inherited the investiture of Sparkford from his cousin Sir Samwell Newman."

An obscure reference to a Francis Newman of North Cadbury appears in Bibliotheca somersetensis: a catalogue of books, pamphlets, single sheets page 108 quoting from a collection of miscellany letters selected out of Mist's Weekly Journal, dedicated to Francis Newman of North Cadbury, esquire, "one who is free from every folly and impertinence of fops, coquets, prudes, pedants, and coxcombs of all sorts." Vol 3 12mo 1727. This description can only apply to this Francis Newman of North Cadbury, since his father Francis was dead in 1727 and his nephew Francis was still a boy.

Updated 17 Sep 2015 - page reorganised, and reference to Bath Chronicle newspaper cutting added.
Updated 30 May 2012 - quotation from Bibliotheca somersetensis added
Updated: 20 Oct 2011 - Further details of Francis's and Dorothy Newman's Wills added
Updated: 14 Jun 2008 - Copy Dorothy's Will and Francis's Codicil added to site.
Updated: 12 Jun 2005 - reference added to Chancery Proceedings 23rd November 1742 and sibling details corrected.