Robbins, Mary

Other Events:

• Baptism: 16 Jan 1656/57

Notes:

Mary Peeke nâee Robbins was a member of a family which had resided at Ashprington since at least the first half of the sixteenth century. The first mention found was that of a William Robyns on the subsidy roll for 1545/46. Until the seventeenth century, however, many members used the alternative surnames 'Johns' and 'Jones', and there are numerous examples at Ashprington of "Robyns als Johns" or "Jones alias Robins". The family became particularly prominent in Ashprington with the emergence of Edward Robbins, senior, Richard Robbins and John Robbins, senior, during the first half of the seventeenth century. The most important member was seemingly Henry Robbins (probably a brother of the three just mentioned) who married Elizabeth Parrett, belonging to another large and well-known Cornworthy and Ashprington family, by licence at Exeter St Martin on 23 August 1636. He had extensive interests in Dartmouth and also in Cornworthy through his wife's family. One of their sons, Thomas Robbins, was baptised at Dartmouth on 12 June 1648. In 1647 Henry Robbins was assessed for subsidy in the parish of Townstall, Dartmouth St Clement, in 1674 he paid tax for three hearths in the same parish, and in January 1677/78 he was defendant in a lawsuit heard at Dartmouth. In 1659 Allaleigh Wood (45 acres) and parts of the manor of Cornworthy Priory came into the market and were leased to a Totnes man and his partner, while on 15 November of the same year John Parrett sold Gitcombe, an estate adjoining Allaleigh in the parish of Cornworthy. Around this time Henry Robbins and his wife Elizabeth purchased Allaleigh Wood and kept it until 4 September 1679, when they sold it for ¹300 to James Andrews, mariner, of Dartmouth. On 12 March 1684 James Andrews sold a tenement, etc, "late of Henry Robbins of Cornworthy." Henry and Elizabeth Robbins were almost certainly grandparents of Mary Peeke.

Of the other members of the Robbins family both Edward, senior, and Richard remained at Ashprington, Edward being buried there on 15 May 1648. Edward Robbins, junior, was assessed in 1674 for tax on three hearths at Ashprington and two hearths at Cornworthy. One of his daughters, Elizabeth, was born at Ashprington on 8 October 1656. As for John Robbins, he is to be found assessed for tax on two hearths in the parish of Dartmouth St Petrox in 1674, while the baptismal register of that church records the birth on 16 January 1656/57 of a daughter Mary to John Robbins and his wife Lucrece and the baptism on 6 May 1669 of another daughter, Katharine.

Mary Peeke nâee Robbins is likely to have been born between 1656 and 1658. Her husband John was born 1 November 1657, but she could have been slightly older. She could therefore have been the Mary Robbins mentioned above who was born at Dartmouth in January 1656/57, or she could have been a daughter of Edward Robbins, junior, who, as shown above, had a property in Cornworthy at the time of Mary's marriage. On the other hand Edward Robbins had a daughter Elizabeth born at Ashprington on 8 October 1656, and there is no evidence that he had a daughter Mary born either before or after that date. Because of Henry and John Robbins' connections first with Dartmouth and later on with Cornworthy it would seem that Mary Peeke is more likely to have been the daughter of John and Lucrece Robbins born 16 January 1656/57.

Mary Peeke was buried at Cornworthy 24 August 1690

Mary married Peeke, John on 22 Apr 1680 in Devon, Harberton. John (son of Peeke, Richard and Anne) was born on 1 Nov 1657 in Devon, Halwell; died in 1725/26; was buried on 11 Jan 1725/26 in Devon, Cornworthy. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Peeke, Susanna
2. Peeke, John was buried in 1767 in Devon, Cornworthy.
3. Peeke, Margaret
4. (Pike), Richard Peeke was born in 1689/90 in Devon, Cornworthy, Allaleigh; died on 14 Oct 1763 in Devon, Modbury; was buried in Devon, Modbury.