Harriet Fraunceis  "Louisa" Griffith

Louisa Pursey 1780 - should read as born circa 1780 (actually 1783).  Drawn c. 1808 -around her marriage to Richard Pursey e - Louisa Matilda Percy - nee Gwynne - 1780 e2 - Forde Abbey e1 - Forde Abbey e1 - Louisa Percy 1780 Baptism Register - Harriet Fraunceis Griffith 20-8-1799.. Gittisham Village, Devon

Harriet was born on February 11th, 1783 and her christening took place on August 20th, 1799 in St. Martin, Elworthy, Somerset.¹   Harriet's father was John Griffith and her mother was Joanna-Phillippa Fraunceis.  Her maternal grandparents were John Fraunceis - Created Gwyn of Forde Abbey 1780 and Jane Towill. She had four brothers named John, Franceis, Thomas and Charles.  She was the oldest of the five children.  She died at the age of 68 in February 1851.

• General Notes

  Niece of Squire John Gwyn of Forde Abbey, Dorset. 
  Different family documents name her as either Louisa Griffiths or as Harriet Griffiths.
  Family tradition says that after the death of her husband Richard Percy of Deer Park Devon in 1842, she returned to her family home at Forde Abbey with her children, and they lived there with her uncle John Gwyn Esquire until his death in 1846.  After his death Forde Abbey was sold to Mr. Miles - a slavetrader from Bristol, who evicted Mrs. Percy and her children and sold off most of the furnishings in a major sale in 1846.
  
  According to another family tradition told by Edwin Gwynne Moore, her name was Louisa Gwyn and was married to Richard Percy of Deer Park, Devon.  When Richard fought a duel and wounded his opponent (and who later died), he and Louisa went to America with their children.  Richard later died and Louisa went to Australia in the company of her daughter Louisa Matilda Percy and her husband Thomas Webber Moore.
  
  Edwin Gwynne Moore had a portrait titled "Louisa Pursey 1780", and he was told that there were two Louisa Percy's.
  This drawing is now in the possession of Beverley Moore of Elmhurst.   It hung at "Huntindon" Elmhurst for many years, and by family tradition it portrays "the grandmater's mother". 
  The significance of the name and date on this picture is uncertain, and needs to be corroborated against other records.  The portrait is reproduced here.
  If the quote "the grandmater's mother" comes from Thomas Edwin Moore (as is likely), then this portrait could indeed be of Harriet Fraunceis Griffith - who in some family writings is known as Louisa Pursey (her married name).  If so then the date on the picture of 1780 is wrong, but the name is right.
  Alternatively if the quote "the grandmater's mother" comes from Thomas Fraunceis Moore then the portrait is of Johanna Phillippa Moore - therefore correct date of c.1780 but wrong name.
  A reasonable hypothesis is that this portrait is indeed of Harriet "Louisa" Fraunceis Griffith, and that the inscription in full should read "Louisa Pursey born circa 1780, drawn circa 1808 around the time of her marriage to Richard Pursey".
  The proposed date of 1808 is based on the observation that the woman in the picture appears to be in her mid-twenties, and Harriet did marry in 1808 at the age of 25.
  
  
  ***From recent information kindly supplied by Mr. John Criddle of Queensland, Australia, who is a descendant of John Griffith by his second marriage; Harriett Fraunceis Griffith, was the daughter of John Griffith Esq. of Stogumber and Joanna-Phillippa Fraunceis. 
  Harriett was possibly born on 11 February 1783, and parish records show that she was baptised on 20 August 1799 at St. Martin's Church, Elworthy, Somerset, along with her brothers.
  Harriett married Richard Percy / Purssey in Stogumber on 9 September 1808 at the Church of St. Mary The Virgin (source - parish records).
  They had possibly 5 children:
  1 - Ophelia Philippa Purssey  (born 19/6/1810 - parish register.  Christened 22/7/1810 - St. Mary's, Stogumber - parish register)
  2 - Charles Blicke Purssey (christened 14/10/1813 - St. Mary's Stogumber - parish register.  Father listed as Richard, farmer, living in town)
  3 - Louisa Matilda Pursey  (From tombstone - born 1818.  Died 29/1/1888 aged 70 years. Buried at Elmhurst cemetary, Victoria, Australia)
  4 - Harriet Percy
  5 - Richard Percy  (Moore family tradition says died 1852 in America)
  6 - William Percy  (Moore family tradition says he died 1849)
  
  Two years before her death, Harriett made the following affidavit:
  "I Harriett Fraunceis Pursey of Porway(?) in the county of Devon widow so solemnly and sincerely declare that I am the widow of Richard Pursey late of Gettisham(?) in the county of Devon deceased, that his Grandfather William Pursey died, as I have heard and believe, at Stogumber in the county of Somerset in or about the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six leaving two sons only (unintelligible) William Pursey, his eldest son, and George Pursey.
  And I further solemnly and sincerely declare, that the said William Pursey (the son) had three sons only (unintelligible) George Pursey, who died a minor and unmarried, and William Pursey, and my said husband Richard Pursey, that the said last mentioned William Pursey died a bachelor leaving my said husband his only Brother and Heir at Law. And I further solemnly and sincerely declare that my said husband died on or about the ninth day of July one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight leaving two sons only him surviving (unintelligible) William Charles Pursey and Richard Fraunceis Pursey which said William Charles Pursey died on or about the first day of may one thousand eight hundred and thirty two a Bachelor and intestate at Henrietta Street Covent Garden London and was buried in Covent Garden Churchyard on the sixth day of the same month leaving the said Richard Fraunceis Pursey his only Brother and Heir at Law him surviving.
  And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the Provisions of an act made and (unintelligible) in the fifth and sixth years of the Reign of His late majesty King William the fourth intitled “an act to repeal an act of the present session of Parliament intitled “an act for the more effectual abolition of oaths and affirmations taken and made in various departments of the state and to declarations in lieu thereof and for the more entire suppression of voluntary and extra judicial oaths and affidavits and to make other provisions of the abolition of unnecessary oaths”
  
  Harriet Franceis Pursey
  
  Declared at Honiton in the county of Devon
  The twenty ninth day of august 1849
  Before me
  William Alder(?)
  A Minister & (unintelligible) in Chancery"
  
  Harriett died in February 1851.
  Her will was proved on 23 April 1851 (available online at The National Archives), and shows that she was resident at Wellington Street, Hoxton Old Town, Middlesex - at that time an outer suburb of London.
  In the will Harriett left 200 pounds to her brother Thomas, then resident in Honiton, and the remainder of her estate to her grand-daughter Georgiana Joanna Potts who was stated to be living with Harriett at the time of making the will.  Harriett appointed her brother Thomas as executor of her will.
  
  
  
  
  

Details of Harriet's family with Richard Percy of Deer Park, Devon