Individual Details
Richard Templer
(Bef 5 Jan 1580 - Bef 14 Dec 1626)
We do not know when Richard was born or baptised. The first record of a Richard Templer being baptised at North Petherton is as late as 1629, though there was a burial of a Richard there in 1615, This latter may be the same Richard who married an Elizabeth Mortymer at N. Petherton on 13 January 1596/97. He would be a little too young to be the son of Alexander but might have been his brother. In any case we know from wills that our Richard married an Ann, surname Jakes, the marriage taking place at St Thomas Exeter in 1604.
John and Elizabeth Templer, baptised at North Petherton in 1624 and 1625 as the children of Alexander, could have been Richard's brother and sister. No other baptisms 'of Alexander' are recorded there after 1625 and we know our Alexander also had his will proved in 1626, the same year as his son Richard, but at Taunton. If that was the case then Richard must have been substantially older than John and Elizabeth, perhaps the son of an earlier marriage.
Richard died in 1625 or 1626 and his will was proved at Exeter in that year. He therefore was the first direct ancestor to cross the Somerset border into Devon. As his descendants were almost entirely in trade, it would seem that the attraction of the big Cathedral City, even in those days, was the beckoning force.
There were six of his children living at the time of his death, namely Richard, Alexander, Anne, Margerie, Elizabeth and Joane. In 1632 Anne married Nicholas Hooper and their son John was left £17 by his grandmother Anne to be paid on marriage or at the age of 21.
An, Richard's widow, outlived him some 23 years, her will being proved in 1649. It is particularly interesting in revealing some of the small family possessions.
Luckily, research by an earlier Templer in the 1930's shed much light on the Templers in Exeter, though again the Exeter registers, like those at North Petherton, are brief and confusing. Further, notwithstanding the destruction of all Devon wills housed in Exeter by enemy action during the Second World War, we are fortunate in having copies of those of both Richard and Anne thanks to the pre - 1939 efforts of Brig. Cecil Robert Templer in copying them and depositing in the Devon Record Office.
Ron Lewin - 1983
15th January 1625 – Will Executed
1st September 1626 – Grant of probate to Ann Templar (Wife) and Richard (Son)
Sick in body but of perfect remembrance etc.
Legacies:
To my daughter Anne £40
To my daughter Margerie £40
To my daughter Elizabeth £40
to be paid to each daughter on attaining 21 [or marrying earlier]
My executors to maintain these daughters till they attain the age of 21 [or earlier marrying]
If any of the same die before attaining 21 or [earlier] marrying, the share of the deceased to go to survivors [equally]
To my son Alexander £20
To Henry Templar, son of Thomas Templar of Bradford 4/s
To Nowell Pearse (?) 10/s
To my father Alexander Templar 20/s
To Julyan Breyley 10/s
To Grace Jesson my Servant 10/s
To the poor of the Parish of St John's 20/s
The residue to my wife Anne Templar
Appointment of my wife and son Richard Templar as joint Executors
Testator ordained that his loving friend John Jakes (?) and his brother Thomas Jakes of the Parish of St Thomas the Apostle to be Overseers of his Will. Five shillings a year for their trouble.
Signature of Richard Templer
Witnesses: George Fox: the mark of ? Searle: John Glide
Detailed Inventory by Richard Youngeton(?) and John and Thomas Jakes
16 Sept 1625 and 8 Aug 1626
Amount of goods in Inventory £300.5s.0d
This is worth approximately £38,502.74 based on the retail price index for 1626-2006
John and Elizabeth Templer, baptised at North Petherton in 1624 and 1625 as the children of Alexander, could have been Richard's brother and sister. No other baptisms 'of Alexander' are recorded there after 1625 and we know our Alexander also had his will proved in 1626, the same year as his son Richard, but at Taunton. If that was the case then Richard must have been substantially older than John and Elizabeth, perhaps the son of an earlier marriage.
Richard died in 1625 or 1626 and his will was proved at Exeter in that year. He therefore was the first direct ancestor to cross the Somerset border into Devon. As his descendants were almost entirely in trade, it would seem that the attraction of the big Cathedral City, even in those days, was the beckoning force.
There were six of his children living at the time of his death, namely Richard, Alexander, Anne, Margerie, Elizabeth and Joane. In 1632 Anne married Nicholas Hooper and their son John was left £17 by his grandmother Anne to be paid on marriage or at the age of 21.
An, Richard's widow, outlived him some 23 years, her will being proved in 1649. It is particularly interesting in revealing some of the small family possessions.
Luckily, research by an earlier Templer in the 1930's shed much light on the Templers in Exeter, though again the Exeter registers, like those at North Petherton, are brief and confusing. Further, notwithstanding the destruction of all Devon wills housed in Exeter by enemy action during the Second World War, we are fortunate in having copies of those of both Richard and Anne thanks to the pre - 1939 efforts of Brig. Cecil Robert Templer in copying them and depositing in the Devon Record Office.
Ron Lewin - 1983
15th January 1625 – Will Executed
1st September 1626 – Grant of probate to Ann Templar (Wife) and Richard (Son)
Sick in body but of perfect remembrance etc.
Legacies:
To my daughter Anne £40
To my daughter Margerie £40
To my daughter Elizabeth £40
to be paid to each daughter on attaining 21 [or marrying earlier]
My executors to maintain these daughters till they attain the age of 21 [or earlier marrying]
If any of the same die before attaining 21 or [earlier] marrying, the share of the deceased to go to survivors [equally]
To my son Alexander £20
To Henry Templar, son of Thomas Templar of Bradford 4/s
To Nowell Pearse (?) 10/s
To my father Alexander Templar 20/s
To Julyan Breyley 10/s
To Grace Jesson my Servant 10/s
To the poor of the Parish of St John's 20/s
The residue to my wife Anne Templar
Appointment of my wife and son Richard Templar as joint Executors
Testator ordained that his loving friend John Jakes (?) and his brother Thomas Jakes of the Parish of St Thomas the Apostle to be Overseers of his Will. Five shillings a year for their trouble.
Signature of Richard Templer
Witnesses: George Fox: the mark of ? Searle: John Glide
Detailed Inventory by Richard Youngeton(?) and John and Thomas Jakes
16 Sept 1625 and 8 Aug 1626
Amount of goods in Inventory £300.5s.0d
This is worth approximately £38,502.74 based on the retail price index for 1626-2006
Events
| Birth | Bef 5 Jan 1580 | ||||
| Christen | 5 Jan 1580 | Bradford-on-Tone, Somerset, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Marriage | 24 Jun 1604 | St. Thomas the Apostle, Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom - Ann Jakes | |||
| Will Exon | 15 Jan 1625 | Exeter, Devon |  | ||
| Will Proved | 1 Sep 1626 | Exeter Archdeaconary | |||
| Death | Bef 14 Dec 1626 | Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Burial | 14 Dec 1626 | Exeter, Devon, England | |||
| Occupation | Cordwainer | |
Families
| Spouse | Ann Jakes ( - 1648) |
| Child | Alexander Templer ( - ) |
| Child | Joan Templer ( - ) |
| Child | Mary Templer ( - ) |
| Child | Richard Templer ( - 1653) |
| Child | Grace Templer (1604 - ) |
| Child | Anne Templer (1605 - ) |
| Child | Margerie Templer (1607 - ) |
| Child | Elizabeth Templer (1609 - ) |
| Father | Alexander Templer (1548 - ) |
| Mother | Agnes Symons (1552 - ) |
| Sibling | Girl Templer ( - ) |
| Sibling | Alexander Templer (1579 - 1625) |
Notes
Will Exon
Date of Will – 15th January 1625Grant of Probate to Ann Templer (wife) and Richard Templer (son)
Sick in body but of perfect remembrance etc.
Lagacies:
To my daughter Anne £40
To my daughter Margerie £40
To my daughter Elizabeth £40
to be paid to each daughter on attaining 21 [or marrying earlier]
My executors to maintain these daughters till they attain the age of 21 [or earlier marrying]
If any of the same die before attaining 21 or [earlier] marrying, the share of the deceased to go to survivors [equally]
To my son Alexander £20
To Henry Templar, son of Thomas Templar of Bradford 4/s
To Nowell Pearse (?) 10/s
To my father Alexander Templar 20/s
To Julyan Breyley 10/s
To Grace Jeson my Servant 10/s
To the poor of the Parish of St John’s 20/s
The residue to my wife Anne Templar
Appointment of my wife and son Richard Templar as joint Executors
Testator ordained that his loving friend John Jakes and his brother Thomas Jakes of the Parish of St Thomas the Apostle to be Overseers of his Will. Five shillings a year for their trouble.
Signature of Richard Templer
Witnesses: George Fox: the mark of ? Searle: John Glide
Detailed Inventory by Richard Youngeton(?) and John and Thomas Jakes
16 Sept 1625 and 8 Aug 1626
Amount of goods in Inventory £300.5s.0d