The First of Our Westovers
Taunton Castle
Where exactly the first Westover came from, I don't know. The name Westover comes from a location where the family lived: west of the village over a brook or river. There are Westovers all over the south of England, but our journey begins in Taunton, in the county Somerset.
Taunton began as a Saxon farm village, originally called Tone Tun---River Estate. It was a small fortified town by the 10th century and was given charter in 904. It had it's own mint, marketplace and was surrounded by a ditch and rampart.
When the Domesday Book was recorded in 1086, the population numbers about 1,500---ten times that of the average settlement. There were 3 watermills, only two less than London.
Taunton began as a Saxon farm village, originally called Tone Tun---River Estate. It was a small fortified town by the 10th century and was given charter in 904. It had it's own mint, marketplace and was surrounded by a ditch and rampart.
When the Domesday Book was recorded in 1086, the population numbers about 1,500---ten times that of the average settlement. There were 3 watermills, only two less than London.
St. Mary Magdalene Church
Throughout Medieval times Taunton continued to grow not only in population but in commerce. It was for centuries a major hub for the wool processing industry, exporting wool to France and Africa.
In the Middle Ages a priory was built. Then a leper hospital. There were 2 fairs, or large markets held once a year, catering to buyers and sellers from all over Southwest England and beyond. Two fairs indicates a very busy town. This helped fund the building of the Tower of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene from the year 1488 to 1514. A grammar school was built in 1522. This is the era we're going to find the first Westover noted in our tree: Gabriel.
In the Middle Ages a priory was built. Then a leper hospital. There were 2 fairs, or large markets held once a year, catering to buyers and sellers from all over Southwest England and beyond. Two fairs indicates a very busy town. This helped fund the building of the Tower of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene from the year 1488 to 1514. A grammar school was built in 1522. This is the era we're going to find the first Westover noted in our tree: Gabriel.
2 February 1567: Gabriel Westover is born in Taunton. He is noted as christened at St. Mary Magdalene Church, but at the time of this writing I have not come across parish records going back to this date. It is also noted he is the child of John and Johanna (Clapp) Westover, though these two are from Wedmore, Somerset, and a Gabriel does not appear in any records concerning John or Johanna. There is also another genealogy that lists his parentage as John and Alice (Hanson) Westover. I haven't been able to find anything at all on either of these people. In the Somerset Parish Registers there is a notation for a John Westover who married Julian Greedie 2 May 1595. Could this be his brother? It is unknown what he did for a living.
Gabriel and Elizabeth's marriage notation
29 May 1592: Gabriel marries Elizabeth Dawleigh (born 5 Feb 1573, christened 12 Feb 1573, Taunton).
I am unsure of Elizabeth's parentage at this time.
6 February 1593: Gabriel Westover II born in Taunton.
1597: Gabriel II christened in Taunton.
12 September 1599: Francis Westover born to Gabriel and Elizabeth
(Note on Francis: there is no other documentation of Francis, so it is unlikely that he lived past early childhood.)
June 1605: Elizabeth dies. No known gravesite at this time.
2 June 1606: Gabriel marries Luce (Lucy) Reson at Wilton.
1625: Gabriel dies. No known will or gravesite at this time.
15 Jan 1632: Luce Westover marries Milles Beviss in Taunton.
(All images on this page taken from Wikipedia, except the marriage notation. Clicking on the image takes you to the corresponding article.)