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Hatton is by no means an uncommon name in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, and it is probable that the very ancient Shropshire family of the same name sent out branches into the adjacent counties. There are early wills of Hattons of Tewkesbury, Forthampton, and Eldersfield. In 1558 Edward King and Ellinor Hatton were married at Redmarley D'Abitot, a parish bounded on one side by Eldersfield, and on the other by Newent. Unfortunately the earlier church registers of Newent have been destroyed, and the earliest entry of the name now in existence is "1682, May 26, Edward Hatton, senior, dyer, buried." It is likely that he was a relation of William Hatton, "yeoman," who died 1730, having maried sometime before (1700) Elinor, great-granddaughter and heiress of John Coxe, "yeoman," whose will is dated February 20, 1638. As John Coxe mentions his "kinsman," William Coxe of Ashelworth, it may be assumed that he belonged to a family of Coxe alias Hayward, of the adjoining parish of Forthampton, which was of good position in the sixteenth century. Elinor Coxe, by her marriage, brought into the Hatton family a small property at Newent, which is now in the possession of Francis Hatton, London, the heir male. I have not discovered any particulars about Hannah Pace or Margaret Skynner, the wives of William Hatton's son and grandson. Three of his great-grandchildren married into the family of Child, which was of early standing at Newent. |
