*                                                               The Knott family                                                                  *
Many thanks to Gloria Knott Schurman for her contributions to this page.

William Nott, sojourner, married Ann Soper at Ashburton in January 1783. Ann was of the parish.

Parish records

William was possibly the William Nat, son of Phillip and Eliz., who was baptized at Ilsington in March 1755.
Gloria Knott Schurman says that maritime records located in Newfoundland place William's year of birth circa 1757.

Philip Nat had married Elizabeth Soper in April 1754 at Ilsington.
Other children born to Phillip and Eliz. and baptized at Ilsington were:

Mary, December 1757 (Philip and Eliz. Natt)
Susanna, April 1760 (Philip and Elizabeth Natt)
Philip, February 1764 (Philip and Elizabeth Nat)
Betty, March 1766 (Philip and Elizabeth Natt) Died June 1771.
John, September 1770 
(Philip and Elizabeth Nat) 
Transcription of Ilsington parish records

John baptised 1770 may be the John who married a Sarah unknown. John and Sarah had a son, John, baptised at Ashburton in May 1806, and this child may be the John who is John Knott junior on the tithe map apportionments (see below), and, in turn, had various connections with the Caunter family.
Parish records

Susan Knott, the daughter of John and Sarah, was born in October 1814, and baptised in November.
England and Wales Non-Conformist births and baptisms

John baptized 1770 may be the John, 68, in the household of Ann Knott in the 1841 census. Ann, aged approximately 35, was 'Independent', as was Susan Knott, 25. Elizabeth, 15, Sarah 5 and Emma, 4 months, were also in the property in North Street, as was George, aged approximately 70. John was an agricultural labourer.
1841 census HO107, piece no. 253, folio 11, p17

Emma may be the Emma that died in the December quarter of 1842, aged 1.
https://www.gro.gov.uk/

John Knott was buried aged 76 in December 1846
Parish records

Children of William and Ann
William, the son of Wm and Anne Knot, was baptized on December 3rd 1784, at Ashburton
Mary, the daughter of William and Anne Natt, was baptized on October 20th 1790, at Ashburton
Anne, the daughter of William and Anne Natt, was baptized on October 24th 1792, at Ashburton
William, the son of William and Anne Nott, was baptized on December 14th 1796, at Ashburton
Ann, the daughter of William and Anne Knot, was baptized on March 29th 1799, at Ashburton
John, the son of William and Ann Knot, was baptized on June 20th 1800, at Ashburton
Parish records

William Knott was assessed for tax on the Duke's Head inn and Greylands at various dates between 1801 and 1807 - in 1807 the assessment says Greylands and Leys, and Dukes Head and Bovey. In addition he was assessed for part of Torrings in 1806. In 1812 William was assesed for 'his house and garden'.
Many thanks to Gloria for this information

William names four children in his will of 1809: Mary, Wm, Ann and John, leaving them under the care of trustees until they reach the age of 21. William was at Mr. Liscomb's boarding school at Newton; both sons were expected to take up a trade, and Ann was to learn what Mary thought proper 'in the sowing line'. Mary and Ann were to have half shares in the 'great house'. William was to inherit various property including drying lofts with a great stable under; John was left 'all the publick house Brew house two stables and dung Pit the frunt part of the premefses'.
The will was proved in Devon in June 1815. Family tradition indicates that William Knott was a sea captain and was lost at sea off the coast of Newfoundland shortly before the will was proved.
Records located at the Maritime History Archive in Newfoundland confirm this:
'1787 - muster rolls Knott, Wm capt Mary bkr (ashburton crewman)'
'1789 oct -dec muster rolls Knott Wm age 32 ashburton at NFLD MATE POLLY Jas rich (ex bros own rope)'
Many thanks to Gloria for this information

The Batten family
Mary Knott, William and Ann's eldest daughter, married William Batten at Ashburton in February 1814.
Parish records

Caroline Soper Batten was born in August 1821, and baptized in December. She was the daughter of William and Mary Batten.
She was buried at Ashburton in 1823, aged 2
England and Wales Non-Conformist births and baptisms, Ashburton, available from https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
Parish records

Ann Batten, of 30, Barrack Street, married Richard Halls, of the same address, at Stoke Damerel in September 1840. Ann's father was William Batten, a currier.
By 1851 the couple were living in East Street, Ashburton, with four children. Ann was 36, and like her husband and the rest of their family, had been born in Ashburton. Richard was a cabinet maker.
Parish records
1851 census HO107, piece no. 1871, folio 265, p13

In 1841 the stock in trade of Batten, a currier of Ashburton, was insured for the duration of a voyage to Newfoundland. Mr Batten was emigrating.
Devon Heritage Centre ref 924B/B/9/2 https://devon-cat.swheritage.org.uk/records/924B/B/9/2 - Accessed 7-10-2018

William and Mary Batten, aged 61 and 60, were living in Kingsbridge Lane at the time of the 1851 census. With them on census night were two unmarried daughters, Mary, and Caroline Soper Batten; a married daughter, Eliza Eames; and one year old Wm Rd Eames, their grandson. William was a currier who had been born in Ashburton.
William Knott Batten, also a currier aged 31, was living in the next property, with his wife Mary and two young children.
1851 census HO107, piece no. 1871, folio 334, p42

Mary Batten, aged 61, was buried at Ashburton on February 20th, 1852
Parish records
A memorial in St Andrew's churchyard says, 'In affectionate remembrance of William Batten who died January 27th 1856 aged 66 years, also of Mary his wife who died February 16th 1852 aged 61.'
Harriet the wife of Joseph Batten is also commemorated: she died on November 1st 1879, aged 48
https://ashburtonarchive.org.uk - accessed 20-01-2025

The Smerdon family
Anne Knott, daughter of William and Ann, married Thomas Pope Smerdon in May 1827, at Ashburton. William Batten and Sarah Smerdon were the witnesses.
Parish records

The couple were living in North Street at the time of the 1851 census, with two adult unmarried children, Charlotte and Charles. Thomas was a farmer of 20 acres, and a butcher.
1851 census HO107, piece no. 1871, folio 319, p13

Several people from Ashburton were fined in 1855 for having defective weights, although most had been unaware of the fact. Thomas Pope Smerdon argued that the weight that was supposedly defective might not be the one seized from his premises, but he could not definitively say that this was the case. Fines and expenses added up to 14s 2d for each person.
Western Times 8 Sept 1855, p7 col2

Mr Thomas P Smerdon died on October 7th, 1871, aged 72 
Western Times, 13 October 1871, p8 col1

The memorial in Ashburton churchyard says that Thomas was 73, and that Ann died in May 1879, aged 81. 'Five infant children' are also commemorated.
https://ashburtonarchive.org.uk/

William baptised 1796, the son of William and Ann, died in February 1826 in Boston, Massachusetts. Gloria believes William arrived in America about 1816-1817, probably entering the country at Boston or Portland.
Many thanks to Gloria for this information

John the son of William and Anne may have become a tailor.
John Knott, a 51 year old tailor, was lodging with William and Elizabeth Piper in North Street at the time of the 1851 census. John, who had been born in Ashburton, was unmarried.
1851 census HO107m piece no. 1871, folio 321, p17

He was lodging in Browses Building, Bowling Green, in 1861. A widower, he was 61.
1861 census RG09, piece no. 1405, folio 80, p32

Back in North Street, he was a former tailor in 1871. He was a widower.
1871 census RG10, piece no.2080, folio 36, p24

This is probably the same John Knott who was buried at Ashburton in June 1875, aged 75
Parish records

There is another John Knott, who married Sarah Duscombe at Ashburton in April 1829. Both were of the parish.
Parish records

John may have been the son of William and Ann, but it is perhaps more likely that he was the son of John and Sarah, who was baptised in 1806. The following records seem to all relate to one family, and the tithe map apportionment says that John Knott is John Knott junior, which is usually done to distinguish a son from his father.

Martha Duscombe Knott was born in April 1830 and baptized in May 1830 in Ashburton. John and Sarah were her parents, and John was a labourer.
Parish records

In 1835 John Knott of Ashburton, was on the game keepers list (assessed as a servant), working for John Caunter at Way.
Western Times 19 September 1835, p1 col2

John Knott was one of several persons living in property owned by the Mssrs. Caunter, who wrote to the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette in 1837 to explicitly declare that they had not been coerced by the Messrs. Caunter in the matter of their voting.
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 19 August 1837, p2, col3

A trial was held at the criminal court, Castle of Exeter in July 1838, which the Western Times headlined as 'Ashburton Riots!!'' Henry Caunter, Gilbert Hearder, John Knott and Richard Knapman were prosecuted for riot and assault, a few days before an election. The alleged assault was upon one Robert Bowden, and the four were accused of assembling unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously with more than 50 others, with the purpose of disturbing the peace. The Golden Lion Inn was at the centre of the disturbance.
Knott was described as working for Mr George Caunter, brother of the defendant. The prosecution alleged that John 'threw a stone with great violence through the glass of the Lion Inn'. Several people said that they had witnessed Knott throwing the stone - at least one said they had seen John take off his coat and roll up his shirt sleeves.
William Barron, landlord of the Golden Lion, said in his testimony that his house was the principal house for the Conservative party. The defence questioned why, in a town that was peaceable for an election town, Mr Barron thought it was necessary to have one hundred 'watchmen' parading through the town.
The defendants were acquitted.
Supplement to the Western Times 4 August 1838, p5 col1ff

On the tithe map apportionments, approximately 1840, John Knott junior is occupying a house owned by George Caunter. The property is no. 1348 on the tithe map.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/historicenvironment/tithe-mam/ashburton - accessed 26-01-2025

On the 1841 census John and Sarah Knott were living in East Street with their three children: Martha 11, Mary, 4 and Sarah, one month old. John was approximately 35 years old.
1841 census HO107, piece no. 253, folio 20, p34