William Underdown (1731-)

Baptism
William Underdown was born in 1731 and baptised on the 8th August 1731 in Northleigh to parents Thomas and Grace Underdown (nee Pennington).

He was their 11th child and 5th son. His elder siblings were James, Abraham, Mary, Thomas, Grace, Sarah, Phillip, Agnes, Joan and Ann.

William was the youngest of Thomas and Grace Underdown (nee Pennington’s) children.

Quarter Sessions
On the 26th September 1754, at the age of 21, William Underdown of Northleigh, labourer; Robert Rhode of Honiton, thatcher; Robert Hore of Honiton, labourer; and William Rhode of Honiton, cordwainer, were detained for breaking and entering the close of land of William Cross, junior, at Northleigh called the Orchard, and unlawfully taking away forty bags of apples, valued at 40 shillings. William, then referred to as a husbandman of Northleigh, was bound to appear at the next Devon Quarter Session, to enter his answer to the accusation against him.

On the 19th October 1754, he attended the Ephinay Quarter session at Netherton before Sir John Wilmot Prideaux, the local gentry who served as magistrate. He was fined £20, which he could not pay, so sureties were provided for him by his brothers: Abraham Underdown of Widworthy, yeoman, for the cost of £10 and Thomas Underdown of Northleigh, yeoman, for the cost of £10. This was on the condition that William appear at the next quarter session to be held at the Castle of Exon and pay the amount then or answer fully to the charges.

A note recorded on the bottom of the original charge (recorded at Michaelmas that year), states that William appeared as requested on 14th January 1755 and pleaded not guilty. On the 8th April 1755, his testimony was submitted and he was fined.

Later Life
Nothing more is known about William at this time. There is the marriage of a William Underdown to Jemima Radford in Farway, Devon in 1780, but it is unknown at this time if this was this William. He would have been 49 years old at the time if it is. Banns were read for this marriage on 29/10/1780, and 05/11/1780, and the marriage occurred on 05/11/1780.