{"id":8441,"date":"2022-01-28T13:49:45","date_gmt":"2022-01-28T02:49:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.michelledennis.com.au\/?page_id=8441"},"modified":"2022-02-17T14:12:00","modified_gmt":"2022-02-17T03:12:00","slug":"adam-pierce-and-elizabeth-kendall","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.michelledennis.com.au\/?page_id=8441","title":{"rendered":"Adam Pierce and Elizabeth Kendall"},"content":{"rendered":"

Adam Pierce<\/strong> was born in 1721 in Exeter, Devon, England to parents Samuel Pierce (1696-1765) and Elizabeth Guswell (1699-1739).<\/a><\/p>\n

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Holy Trinity Exeter Devon<\/p><\/div>\n

Adam was one of 15 children born to Samuel Pierce who married twice – firstly to Adam’s mother Elizabeth Guswell (9 children), and then again to Mary Foster with whom he had another six children.<\/p>\n

Samuel was a merchant and Sheriff of the city of Exeter<\/a> in 1757.<\/p>\n

Adam was baptised on 31 January 1722 at Holy Trinity, Exeter, Devon.<\/p>\n

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Holy Trinity Baptism Register, Exeter Devon England 1721<\/p><\/div>\n

Adam had a younger brother born the previous year baptised on 3 October 1721 and who was buried on 27 November 1722.<\/p>\n

Adam was a gentleman and merchant in the woollen trade in Exeter, like his father.<\/p>\n

At the age of 26 years, Adam Pierce married into the very wealthy, aristocratic Kendall family. On the 16th September 1747 he married Elizabeth Kendall<\/strong> at the parish of Lezant in nearby Cornwall. (last entry below)<\/p>\n

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Marriage Register 1754 Lazant Cornwall<\/p><\/div>\n

Elizabeth was born in 1725 in Exeter to parents Rev Charles Kendall and Elizabeth Northmore.<\/strong><\/a> She was baptised on 30 September 1725 at St Stephens, Exeter, Devon, one of six children.<\/p>\n

\"\"A few years after his marriage on 12 February 1753 Adam Pierce was admitted as a Freeman of Exeter, by succession (by his father Samuel). His father’s occupation was described as a gentleman fuller. A fuller cleanses wool so it assume that Adam and his father Samuel were involved in the lucrative woollen trade.<\/p>\n

Exeter\u2019s woollen cloth trade generated great wealth and prestige for the city, its merchants, and the Guild. Trade output was at its highest during this time \u2013 exporting to countries such as Spain, Portugal, France and the Netherlands. From 1700 a quarter of all English cloth traded in Exeter.<\/p>\n

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City of London Swordbearer<\/p><\/div>\n

Adam was elected to the position of Swordbearer for the city of Exeter on 3 Nov 1760. A swordbearer at this time was defined as a British civic official who carries a sword before a municipal officer on ceremonial occasions.<\/p>\n

The more important mayors were treated with great respect, and processed publicly with attendants such as a sword-bearer or mace-bearer; from the 15th cent. those of London and York came to be called lord mayor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had married well, and Elizabeth Kendall bore him 8 children –<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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  1. Elizabeth Kendall Pierce b 1748 & d 1807* Exeter. Will 1807 estate bequeathed to brothers Charles and Samuel, and sisters Charlotte and Mary Pierce.<\/li>\n
  2. Mary Ann b & d 1749 Exeter<\/li>\n
  3. Adam b 1750 & d 1794* Exeter. Will.<\/li>\n
  4. Charles<\/strong> <\/a>b 1752 Exeter d 1823* Heavitree. Illeg. child by Martha Taylor, marr Arabella Neale. Merchant of Exeter. Will 1823. Estate to 3 siblings, son in law and four grandchildren.<\/li>\n
  5. Charlotte b 1754 Exeter d 1836 Ipplepen. Not married. Will estate to cousins.<\/li>\n
  6. Mary b 1756\u00a0 & d 1824* Exeter. Not married. Obituary. Will.<\/li>\n
  7. Samuel b 1758 d 1827* East Teignmouth. Married Mary Ann Walkey in 1799. Will. Plaque also in Teignmouth church. No children.<\/li>\n
  8. John Pierce b 1758 d 1759<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    *buried in the family vault in the church of the Holy Trinity, Exeter.<\/p>\n