Dorothy Hawkins

Personal and Family Information

Dorothy was born on 3 DEC 1679, the daughter of Nicholas Hawkins and Anne Manning. The place is not known.

Pedigree Chart (3 generations)

Events

Notes

Note 1

!Source: Plymouth Armada heroes: The Hawkins Family with Original Portraits, Coats of Arms, and other Illustrations by Mary W.S. Hawkins, WILLIAM BRENDON AND SON, GEORGE STREET., MDCCCLXXXVIII. https://www.seekingmyroots.com/members/files/G003259.pdf

A Genealogical Table of the Family of Hawkins of Devon.

First Line: William Amadas, Sergeant-at-Arms to Henry VIII married to Margaret, dau. of …. Hawkins. [Harl. 3288, Vis. Davon, 1564]

Second Line: John Hawkins, Esq., Living at Tavistock married Joan, dau. and heiress of William Amadas, Esquir, of Launceston.

[Center]

Third Line: Captain William Hawkins, R.N., Lord of the manor of Sutton Valletort; Mayor of Plymouth, 1532; M.P. for Plymouth, 1553. He established trade with the South Seas. Made three famous voyages to Brazil, and brought a native king to see Henry VIII. at Whitehall.

and wife Joan, only child and heiress, by …. Towne, of Roger Trelawny, third son of Sir John Trelawny by Blanche Pownde.

Fourth Line: [CENTER RIGHT] Admiral Sir John Hawkins b. 1532. Treasurer and Comptroller of the Navy and of Marine Causes. Port Admiral of Plymouth. Admiral in the Victory against the Armadad. M.p. for Plymouth, 1571-72. After 43 years’ service he died at sea, off Porto Rico, Nov. 12 1595. Married:

1st Wife: Katherine, dau. of Benjamin Gonson, Treasurer of the Navy, by Ursula, dau. of Anthony Hussey, Judge of the Admiralty. ob. 1591.

Fifth Line [RIGHT] Admiral Sir Richard [the Complete Seaman.] Captain of the Swallow against the Armada. After fighting a gallant action, was taken prisoner, and dishonourably detained nine years, by the Spaniards; ransomed for £12,000. Vice-Admiral of Devon, and Privy Councillor. M.P. for Plymouth, 1602-3; Mayer of Plymouth, 1604. Lived at Poole, in Slapton. ob. 1622 of a fit while attending the Privy Council. Married Judith, dau. of …. Hele. ob. May 30, 1629. Tomb in Slapton Church.

Sixth Line: [FROM LEFT-3] John Hawkins b. 1604 at St Andrew’s Plymouth. At sea in 1629. Of Poole, in Slapton, which he sold. The Plymouth estates were sold in 1637-8. ob. at Stokefleming, bur. at Slapton 1678. Admin. to dau. Hester. married, dau. of …. Richards, of Dartmouth, M.P. mar. lic. Oct 27, 1636. bur. at Slapton July 23, 1660.

Seventh Line: [LEFT OF SEVENTH LINE IS SIBLINGS OF EIGHTH]

Eighth Line: [LEFT-5] Nicholas Hawkins of Fremington. Married Anne Manning. mar. May 24, 1676, at Frmington. ob. July 25, 1690. [SON BELOW]

Ninth Line: [CENTER-1] Dorothy. b. Dec. 3, 1679. Patron of the living of Fremington. Vicar, the Rev. Charles Hill.

!Note: In this context, “Patron of the living” means that Dorothy had the advowson — the legal right to present a clergyman [in this case, Rev. Charles Hill] to a benefice [i.e., the living or vicarage of Fremington]. This didn’t always mean she personally paid the vicar’s salary, but she controlled the appointment.

To clarify:

“Living” refers to the benefice — the church office that came with income [usually from tithes, glebe lands, or endowments].

“Patron” [or holder of the advowson] could be a noble, gentry, or even a private individual with legal rights to nominate the vicar.

The income came from the benefice’s own assets — not from Dorothy’s pocket [unless the living was poorly endowed and she supported it privately].

So, while she didn’t necessarily cut him a check, she got to choose him, and that often made her a very powerful figure in the parish’s religious life.

Wouldn’t you like to be the person who hires the local clergyman? Dorothy clearly thought so.