The Early Years

Charles Pontin and Sarah Scott

Some researchers have suggested that Charles Pontin was the son of Henry Ponitnge of Syston (Born 1605. Died 1655) and Alice Dymocke of Deynton (Born 1610. Died 1666) who married on 10 April 1629 at St Anne's, Syston, Gloucestershire. Their son Charles Ponting was baptised on 9 July 1637 at St Anne's, Syston. He was the youngest of their four known children. 

Syston (or Siston as is now) is about 13 miles from Cromhall and over 20 miles from Berkeley. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siston). 

Charles Ponting had first married Mary Hume on 10 November 1672 at Cromhall, Gloucestershire. This was during the reign of Charles II, just 13 years after Cromwell had died and 11 years after the restoration. Mary died in 1673

Cromhall is a village in South Gloucestershire in the union of Thornbury, the Upper division of the hundred of Berkeley and about 3 1/2 miles east of Thornbury and 7 miles from Berkeley. (ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cromhall)

Charles Ponting and Sarah Scott of Barkley married on 27 April 1674 at St Mary de Crypt, Gloucester. 

They had a son Charles who was baptised in Berkeley on 11 May 1679 (see below).

Sarah, wife of Charles Pontin of Ham was buried 3 October 1691 at Berkeley.

Charles Pontin, yeoman of Ham, died on 22 July 1706 and was buried at Berkeley. If he was born in 1637 he would have been 69 when he died.  His burial is recorded in "Calendar Of Gloucester wills provided in the Court of the Bishop of Gloucester".

I had noted that Charles shares a memorial stone with his grandson Thomas, but I am now unclear as to where I got this information from. perhaps the website "Scribes Alcove", but this no longer exists for me to check.  

Charles left a will made in June 1705. In this he:

• Appoints his son Charles Pontin as his sole executor and trustee of his estate
• Leaves his grandson Thomas Pontin, on reaching the age of 21 years
• Land in Ham acquired from Elizabeth, the wife of John Somers of Berkeley and Walter Beavan, her son of Hamfallow
• Parcel of land purchased from John Jobings and Mary Jobings, his mother, both of Stinchcombe.
• Two pasture grounds called the Iban Marshes with 5 acres of arable lands leased from the Earl of Berkeley
• Six gold rings, and one silver bowl, five largest dishes of pewter and brass candlesticks and two large brass pots all in his house.
• Leaves his grandson William Pontin, on reaching the age of 21 years
• Land in Wanswell purchased from Charles Withers of Newport.
• Four messauges in Thornbury purchased from Charles Withers.
• Boorall pasture grounds situate in Ham and leased from the Earl of Berkeley.
• Land at Codrington purchased in division with the Earl of Berkeley.
• Various items of parlour furniture
• He also leaves
• his "kinsman" Henry Smyth of Chippenham. Wilts the sum of £10.00
• his neighbour Thomas Organ 10 shillings.
• his neighbour's son John Organ, 10 shillings
• his neighbour William Turner, 10 shillings
• Joan Coock of Ham, the sum of 30 shillings.
• John Bayly and Thomas Hooper of Clapton,  the sum of 40 shillings each. Both are asked to administer his estate should his son die before his grandsons reach 21 years old. His two eldest grandsons were over 21 by the time that their father died so this provision was never bought into effect. 

Despite being a man of some means, Charles Pontin could only sign his will with his mark. This will would seem to confirm that Charles only had the one son Charles. 

There is also an inventory, details of which are as follows:

• £5.0s.0d - Wearing apparel
• £6.0s.0d - Goods in parlour
• £3.0s.0d - Goods in hall
• £1.10s.od - Kitchen
• £1.6s.8d - Hall chamber
• £0.18s.0d - Kitchen chamber
• £2.0s.0d - Parlour chamber
• £60.0s.0d - Ground being leasehold
• £50.0s.0d - Ground being leasehold to Peter Mischols
• £3.0s.0d - Other goods
• Total - £132. 14s. 8d

The inventory was approved by Ralph R Pierce, Thomas Smith and Henry Heathfield. 

Charles Pontin

Charles Pontin was baptised on 11 May 1679 in Berkeley, son of Charles Pontin and his wife Sarah.

Charles was the executor of his father's will when he died in July 1706.

On 26 June 1709 Charles Pontin of Ham, Berkeley, yeoman, along with Walter Abevan of Berkeley, yeoman, his wife Jane, Thomas Hopper of Berkeley, yeoman and James Bevan of Berkeley, yeoman were party to a deed declaring the uses of a fine on 3 Cottages, Lugdowne, the homes (7 acres) in Westfield, Berkeley (Gloucestershire archives D2957/41/60)

A further document at Gloucestershire record office (GDR/B4/2/P71) may relate to our Charles.

I have been unable to trace Charles's marriage, but he may also have been married to a Sarah. Sarah Pontin, wife of Charles Pontin of Ham was buried at Berkeley on 11 September 1727. Was this Charles's wife? 

Charles Pontin of Ham died on 10 July 1728 and was buried at Berkeley.

Charles had the four children

• Thomas Pontin.

Thomas was baptised on 11 March 1703 at Berkeley, the son of Charles Pontin, yeoman from Ham.

He was a beneficiary in his grandfather's will when he died in July 1706. His Inheritence was held in trust until Thomas reached 21 in 1724. 

 Thomas married Jane Taylor of Berkeley on 10 November 1731  at Berkeley. 

Some researchers suggest that they had two sons, both baptised in Wiltshire.  

Thomas Pontin of Ham died 29 January 1739 and was buried in Berkeley.

William was baptised on 27 March 1705 at Berkeley, the son of Charles Pontin, yeoman from Ham. (see below)

• Charles Pontin.

Charles was baptised on 12 December 1707 at Berkeley, the son of Charles Pontin of Ham.

Charles Pontin of Ham was buried in Berkeley on 29 October 1738.

Sarah was baptised 18 January 1711 at Berkeley, the daughter of Charles Pontin of Ham.

Sarah Pontin and Samuel Cherington married on 22 June 1735 at Berkeley.

The couple had five children

• Thomas Cherington. Baptised 24 May 1736 at Berkeley son of Samuel Cherington of Wanswell.
  
• Sarah Cherington. Baptised 18 November 1738 at Berkeley, daughter of Samuel Cherington, of Wanswell Court. 
  
• Sarah Cherington. Born 15 September 1740, Baptised 15 November 1740 at Berkeley, daughter of Samuel Cherington of Wanswell Court. 
  
• Samuel Cherington. Baptised 9 January 1741 at Berkeley, son of Samuel Cherington of Wanswell Court. Samuel Cherington died on 28 February 1741 at Berkeley
  
• Charles Cherington. Baptised 9 January 1741 at Berkeley, son of Samuel Cherington of Wanswell Court. Were they twins?
  

Only the one son, Thomas Cherington, is believed to have survived into adulthood.

Samuel Cherington of Hamsfield died on 4 February 1768 and was buried at Berkeley on 7 February 1768.

His widow, Sarah Cherington of Hamsfield, died 23 October 1768 and was buried at Berkeley on 26 October 1768

Samuel and Sarah's son Thomas Cherington had a daughter with Mary Herd. Their daughter Mary was baptised on 7 January 1761 at Berkeley. Her parents marriage has not been traced.  

Thomas Cherington died on 26 June 1764.

Thomas's daughter Mary Heard is believed to have married Robert Ponting on 7 April 1785 in Tortworth,    

Robert Ponting had been baptised on 31 December 1740 at Wootton Under Edge. He was the son of Samuel Pontin and Eliz. It is not immediately obvious if or how they are related to our main Ponting line. 

Robert and Mary Ponting had seven children: 

• William Ponting. Baptised  13 November 1785 at Tortworth. Other researchers have suggested that William was the "John" who married Maria Workman on 3 November 1811. They had seven children. William Ponting died in 1843 in Thornbury. 
• Robert Ponting. Baptised 13 April 1788 in Tortworth. Robert Pontin died 13 July 1801. 
• Job Pontin. Baptised 3 June 1790 in Tortworth
• George Pontin. Baptised 22 February 1792 in Tortworth
• Thomas Pontin. Baptised 5 January 1794 in Tortworth. Thomas married Ann Allun on 25 December 1817 in North Nibley. The had two children. In 1841 through to 1861 they were living in Oxford where Thomas was a stone mason. Thomas Ponting of Church Street died aged 68 and was buried on 18 March 1864 at St James, Cowley. Ann Ponting of Church Street, St Ebbs died aged 71 and was buried on 20 April 1871 at Cowley. 
• John Pontin. Baptised 19 June 1796 in Tortworth. John Ponting married Rebecca Purnell on 1 October 1821 in Tortworth. They had six children. Rebecca Ponting died in 1840. John Ponting died in 1868 in Charfield. 
• Joseph Pontin. Baptised 27 April 1798 in Tortworth. Joseph Ponting married Elizabeth Flight on 18 January 1836 at St Mary-De-Lode church, Gloucester. Joseph died in 1844 in Stroud. Elizabeth died in 1864 in Stroud.  
• Mary Ponting. Born 4 October 1799. Baptised 5 November 1799 in Tortworth. Mary married Joseph Brown in 1827 in Tortworth. They had 2 children. Mary was widowed by 19 September 1840 when she married John Lewis at Tortworth, Gloucestershire. Both were of full age. John was a sawyer, son of John Lewis, sawyer. Mary Brown was the daughter of Robert Ponting, labourer. The  witnesses included John Ponting, who was only able to make his mark.  

Robert Ponting died aged 80 and was buried on 10 June 1840 in Tortworth. Mary Ponting died aged 84 and was buried on 18 May 1841 in Tortworth. 

William Pontin and Sarah Watts

William was baptised on 27 March 1705, in Berkeley, the son of Charles Pontin, yeoman from Ham.

Gulielmus (Latin for William) Ponton of Ham married Sara Watts of Berkeley on 3 October 1726 in the diocese of Gloucester. 

Sarah Watts may have been baptised 19 November 1703 at Berkeley, daughter of George Watts, husbandman of Wanswell.

William was a beneficiary of his grandfather's will when he died in July 1706. His Inheritence was held in trust until William reached 21. which would have been in 1726, the year of his marriage.

William Pontin of Ham died on 18 August 1744 and is buried at Berkeley. His widow Sarah (of Ham) died on 14 March 1748 and is buried in Berkeley.

William and Sarah had at least two children

• Betty Pontin.

Betty was baptised on 26 December 1727, daughter of William Pontin of Pedington, at Berkeley.

• William Ponting.

William was baptised on 15 May 1740 son of William Ponting of Ham.

On 24 August 1766 William married Mary Pearce. Details of the couple and their children can be found at Chapter 2.

This seems to be the point at which the spelling of the surname changed permanently.

Click here to go to "Chapter 2 - William Ponting and Mary Pearce"