Ancestors of Mandy Willard

John COBBY (c1670-?)

and Mary WILLARD (1682-?)

John Cobby and Mary Willard may have been my 7x Great Grandparents, but this very speculative.  (Click here to see their possible place in my pedigree chart.)  They married by licence on 10 June 1711 in Fittleworth, Sussex.  John was then a carpenter of West Chiltington and she was Mary Overington, a widow of Petworth.  As Mary Willard she had married Richard Overington on 12 February 1701/2 in West Chiltington, Sussex.  John had previously married Mary Woolveridge on 15 December 1698 in Stopham, Sussex.  She was then of West Chiltington.

John Cobby's date and place of birth/baptism are unknown, to me.  Might he have been the son of Samuel Cobbie and Mary Tayler who married on 6 June 1671 in South Bersted, Sussex?  John seems to have named 3 sons Samuel.

Mary Woolveridge was baptised on 12 July 1670 in West Chiltington.  She was the daughter of John Woolveridge and Mary Symons.

Mary Willard may have been baptised on 5 February 1681/2 in Petworth, Sussex and have been the youngest child and daughter of Edward Willard.  A Mary Willard was buried in Petworth on 22 March 1682/3, but no further details were recorded in the burial register.  Or, she may have been a daughter of Richard Willard who had children baptised in West Chiltington between 1676 and 1696.

Richard Overington may have been baptised on 8 September 1674 in Wisborough Green, Sussex, the son of Robert Overington and Joan Bridger, or on 24 April 1677 in Kirdford, Sussex, the son of Richard Overington.

On 28 June 1703 a settlement certificate was issued to Richard Overington, wife Mary and son William, by Petworth to West Chiltington, or vice versa.

John Cobby and Mary Willard may have had the following children:

1. Samuel Cobby was baptised on 9 October 1711 in Parham.  He may have married Mary Young by banns on 20 September 1739 in West Grinstead, Sussex, at which time they were both of West Grinstead.  Or he may have married Esther Mew on 27 April 1746 in Arundel, Sussex.

2. Daniel Cobby was baptised on 18 December 1712 in Parham.

3. Mary Cobby was baptised on 7 May 1714 in Parham.

4. Mary Cobby, my possible 6x Great Grandmother, was baptised on 8 May 1715 in Woolavington, Sussex.  She married Daniel Wild in 1736.  (They have their own page).  I'm very uncertain about this connection.  As you can see, the baptism dates and places don't really fit.  When Mary married Daniel she was of Woolavington, so the baptism would seem to fit the marriage.  The Woolavington baptism register records that her parents were John and Mary, but she seems to have been their only child baptised in Woolavington.  There were other Cobby families in Woolavington at the time.  Is it reasonable to think John and Mary went to Woolavington in between the 1714 and 1716 baptisms in Parham?  I don't think so.  But for the moment I can only see there was one couple named John and Mary in Sussex at that time.

5. Jane Cobby was baptised on 6 May 1716 in Parham.

   She had an illegitimate daughter:

   1. Sarah Cobby was baptised on 30 July 1738 in West Chiltington.  She may have married William Dusney by banns on 25 January 1762 in West Grinstead, at which time they were both of that parish.

6. Edmund Cobby was baptised on 4 March 1717/8 in Parham.  He may have married Elizabeth Batcup on 2 November 1749 in West Grinstead.

7. Christian Cobby was baptised on 24 October 1719 in West Chiltington.  She may have married Richard Greenfield on 10 January 1750/1 in West Grinstead.

John Cobby and Mary Woolveridge may have had the following children:

1. John Cobby was baptised on 30 September 1699 in West Chiltington.

2. Mary Cobby was baptised on 17 October 1701 in West Chiltington and buried there on 12 April 1702.

3. Elizabeth Cobby was baptised on 16 February 1702/3 in West Chiltington.

4. Samuel Cobby was baptised on 6 June 1704 in West Chiltington.

5. Samuel Cobby was baptised on 22 January 1705/6 in West Chiltington.

6. Richard Cobby was baptised on 22 January 1705/6 in West Chiltington.

7. James Cobby was baptised on 27 October 1707 in West Chiltington.

8. Charles Cobby was baptised on 12 June 1710 in Parham, Sussex.

Richard Overington and Mary Willard had 3 known sons:

1. William Overington was baptised on 2 July 1702 in West Chiltington.

   William may have married Mary Hearsy on 23 November 1732 in Fittleworth.  He was then a sojourner, late of Storrington.  Mary was of Fittleworth.  (I'm not sure if

   On 1 March 1735 a removal order was issued by the overseers of Pulborough removing the couple and their 2 children to Fittleworth, or vice versa.

   William and Mary had the following known children:

   1. William Overington was baptised on 28 October 1733 in Stopham.  He was 2 years old when his parents were issued with a removal order.  He may have married Elizabeth Hobbs on 14 October 1751 and/or Joan White on 8 October 1752.  Both marriages took place in Pulborough.

   2. Mary Overington was baptised on 4 December 1735 in Fittleworth.  She was 10 weeks old when the removal order was issued to her parents.

   3. Elizabeth Overington was baptised on 14 April 1740 in Fittleworth.

   4. Jane Overington was baptised on 4 April 1743 in Fittleworth.

2. Richard Overington was baptised on 26 October 1704 in West Chiltington and buried there on 26 January 1707/8.

3. Thomas Overington was baptised on 26 April 1709 in West Chiltington.

COBBY          WILLARD