The Newports and the Earl – 4 ‘Elizabeth Mitchell, wife of John Newport’

Elizabeth Mitchell has been attached as a partner to John Newport formerly John Harrison, the illegitimate son of Henry Newport the 3rd Earl Of Bradford.

I have the single purpose here of showing the facts, as they are available to us. The wonder of modern genealogy is that there is so much information at our fingertips.

According to wikitree.com, John Harrison Newport married Elizabeth Mitchell on 11 Jan 1745 at Stock, Grayland, Dorset, England. (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Newport-572). The site goes on to ascribe two children, Samuel Newport (1751, St Martins, Buckinghamshire , 1774 and Alice Newport (1774, unknown location) to this relationship. Many other sites across the published net reproduce this assertion, all without verifiable sources.

This seems unlikely on the face of it. By 1745 John Harrison, now Newport was committed and apparently residing under the guardianship of William Pulteney, the Earl of Bath, following the death of his apparent natural mother Ann Smyth in 1743.

I looked in Dorset for some primary records. Occam’s Razor has been my friend for many years.

Starting with the known, let’s analyse the source:

John Newport of Winterborne, Strickland married Elizabeth Mitchel of Hollwall, married with licence 11 Jan 1745 at Stock Gaylard, Dorset, England. [1]

I note that transcribed records sometimes indicate Stock-Gaylard and sometimes Stock-Gayland (or Stock Grayland on wikitree). I believe Stock Gaylard is correct. It is in north of Dorset close to the Somerset border. Stock Gaylard is about 11 miles from Stickland by road.

I believe they lived together until their deaths in Winterborne, Elizabeth in 1761 [2] and John in 1772 [3]. Both were buried in the village of Stickland, Winterborne.

John and Elizabeth had children to add to the family group record, Mary Newport , 1748 at Stickland, Winterborne [4] and Edward Newport 1749 at Stickland, Winterborne. [5]

Regrettably Edward died as an infant and was buried Jul 1750 at Stickland, Winterborne [6]

It seems clear that Elizabeth died before the second of the two children attributed to her on other sites were conceived!

I have not extended my search further. Elizabeth Mitchel was married to a John Newport, but not the son of Henry Newport, the 3rd Earl of Bradford.

I welcome comment and feedback. I would especially welcome those who posit Elizabeth Mitchell of Dorset as being a partner of John Newport, the son of Henry Newport, the 3rd Earl of Bradford either to produce evidence or “break the link” in their published trees.

References follow on page 2