Reputation

AI Generated image of records
to represent my research

The prompt for this post is “Legal Troubles” and I have decided to look at a civil matter, rather than a criminal one (and yes, I had a choice).

One Saturday, way back in 1590, in Winstone, Gloucestershire, England, a Hugh Coles allegedly announced to around 20 parishioners that he would “spur” the priest, Mr John Haviland*, my ancestor.  Hugh Coles had also at some point called John Haviland a blood sucker and had shaken fists at him. Consequently, John Haviland sued Hugh Coles and a Thomas Combes for defamation.  A witness statement from Richard Daffy of Winstone, age 23, survives. I do not know the outcome of the case and it was only the beginning of John’s legal problems.

John Haviland was born around 1550 in Poole, Dorset.  He was the son of Matthew Haviland and Joan or Jane Webbe. The Haviland’s were a prominent family from Guernsey. Jane Webbe was the daughter of William Webbe, a politician from Salisbury.  When William Webbe died in 1553, his will mentioned his son-in-law Matthew Haviland and Matthew’s two sons, Christopher and John.  John Haviland had at least two younger brothers, William (born about 1562) and Jonas (born about 1565), and at least two sisters, one of whom married a Mr Bishopp and another a Mr Daffie. This last point suggests that witness Richard Daffy might have been related to John.

John Haviland was appointed Rector of the Parish of Winstone in Gloucestershire on 22 September 1573.  John’s connection to Winstone was that his cousin Henry Hungerford lived there.  John was ordained as a priest on 4 September 1575.  This seems to be the wrong way around but those are the dates I have.  As to what sort of a priest he was, assessments of his performance in 1593 say “Slender scholar & of life suspected. Presented for incontinency” and “Sufficient scholar but no preacher”.  However, perhaps he was good at raising funds for the church, given the “blood sucker” accusation.

Cousin Henry Hungerford died around 1586.  In his will he mentioned Parson Haviland and the Parson’s brother Jonas Haviland.  John inherited Henry’s best heifer.

Before 1585, John Haviland married Alice.  I have not found their marriage record; records are very patchy for that period.

John Haviland and Alice had 9 children that I know of: Elinor (b. 1585), Susanna (b. 1586), Anthony (b.1587), John (b. 1589), Joan (b. 1591), Thomas (b. 1593), Anne (b.1596), Katherine, and William (my ancestor, b. 1604).

Returning to John Haviland’s legal troubles, his cousin Anthony Hungerford (the son of Henry) alleged that John was the father of his (Anthony’s) servant’s child.  The servant, Elizabeth Gibbs, allegedly claimed while in labour that John Haviland was the father of her child and between six and eight women were witnesses to this (the number varies between witness statements).  There was only one John Haviland known to them and to Anthony.  However, Anthony had relocated Elizabeth Gibbs and her child to Oxfordshire or Berkshire, so Elizabeth was not available as a witness.

On a Sunday not long before Christmas 1591, John Haviland went to Anthony Hungerford’s house to discuss a business matter, where several other local men were present.  Anthony refused to speak to him or asked him to leave (depending on the witness).  The two men appear to have then gotten into an argument where John Haviland was accused of fathering the servant’s child in front of witnesses; the end result was that Anthony hit John in the face, also observed.  This resulted in a defamation case and an assault case.  Again, I do not know the outcome or if the allegations were true, I have just read various witness statements from the men who were present.  However, you can see from the dates of his legitimate children’s births, the allegations did not have an obvious impact on his marriage, and he continued as Rector of Winstone despite the 1593 questions about his competence, so there is no evidence of lasting damage to his reputation.

John Haviland continued in his role as Rector until his death in 1619, aged about 67.  His son John and several members of their extended family moved to London and got involved in the printing trade.  When son John died in 1638, he mentioned his mother Alice in his will, by then 80 or older. She outlived her husband John Haviland by at least 20 years.

I am impressed at how much a bit of Legal trouble adds to my distant ancestor’s story.

*Alternative spellings include Havyland, Havelland, Haveland.

 

Notes on lineage: Me > Dad > Helen Akeroyd > Florence Ruth Kirby > Oscar John Kirby & Harriet Partridge > Margaret Partridge & Thomas Partridge > Mary Abel > Robert Abel > Thomas Abel > Jane Haviland > John Haviland > William Haviland > John Haviland