The Spettigue and Fortescue link
Sounding as though straight from Beachcomber's Daily Express column of three generations ago, this combination of names was not wholly without foundation in real life.
Bodley Spettigue Fortescue, son of John and Mary, was baptized at Saint Budeaux Parish Church on July 14th 1749.
Bodley Spettigue Fortescue married Miss Sarah Avent at Saint Budeaux Parish Church on April 22nd 1781.
Bodley Spettigue Fortescue was buried at Saint Budeaux Parish Church on July 3rd 1793.
3decks.pbworks.com/w/page/913222/British%20Officers%20F
He's also listed as an RN lieutenant as of 26 May 1795, so something's not quite right!
However, there is a great deal of relevance to the Fortescue side of Gueritz family history to be espied as a result, via the remarkable www.fortescue.org database – from which the following is transcribed without change of wording or format.
25th Generation
682. John FORTESCUE was born before 22 February 1706. He was christened on 22 February 1706/7 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. He was buried on 25 February 1783 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon.
John FORTESCUE and Mary SPETTIGUE were married on 6 May 1736 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. Mary SPETTIGUE was buried on 28 September 1782 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon.
John FORTESCUE and Mary SPETTIGUE had the following children:
| 807 | i. | Mary FORTESCUE (private). |
| 808 | ii. | Ann FORTESCUE (private). |
| 809 | iii. | John FORTESCUE (private). |
| +810 | iv. | Robert FORTESCUE. |
| 811 | v. | Thomas FORTESCUE was christened on 20 March 1743 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. He was buried on 20 March 1743 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. |
| +812 | vi. | Lieutenant Bodley Spettigue FORTESCUE RN. |
26th Generation
812. Lieutenant Bodley Spettigue FORTESCUE RN was christened on 14 July 1749 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. He died about 1796. Died at sea, Feb 1797.
Sarah (private).
Lieutenant Bodley Spettigue FORTESCUE RN and Sarah had the following children:
| 9561 | i. | Mary FORTESCUE was born in May 1782. |
| 9571 | ii. | Nancy FORTESCUE was born about 1784. She was christened on 24 October 1784 in St Budeaux. |
| 9581 | iii. | Lydia FORTESCUE was born in December 1786. She was christened on 22 December 1786 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. |
26th Generation
810. Robert FORTESCUE died in 1778. He was buried on 15 July 1778 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. Surgeon
Nancy DERBY was buried in 1833 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. She died on 18 January 1833 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon.
Robert FORTESCUE and Nancy DERBY had the following children:
| +951 | i. | John Derby FORTESCUE. |
| +952 | ii. | Robert FORTESCUE Surgeon. |
| +953 | iii. | Mary Spettigue FORTESCUE. |
| 954 | iv. | Nancy FORTESCUE was born in 1778. She was christened on 12 November 1778 in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. She died on 14 December 1853. Died unmarried |
| 955 | v. | Elizabeth FORTESCUE died on 6 July 1847. Died unmarried |
27th Generation
953. Mary Spettigue FORTESCUE was born about 1775.
George LAWRENCE RN (private)
In summary, there is a thoroughly convincing line of descent that completely invalidates my original surmise that the Fortescue name came via a benevolent godfather from the Fortescue family of Castle Hill, Filleigh.
| # | Individual | Spouse / Partner | Family |
| John Fortescue (bap 22 Feb 1706/7 – bur 25 Feb 1783) |
Mary Spettigue (bur 28 Sep 1782) (m 6 May 1736) |
Mary Fortescue
Anne Fortescue Robert Fortescue (ca 1739 – bur 15 Jul 1778) Thomas Fortescue (bap 20 Mar 1743 – bur 20 Mar 1743) Bodley Spettigue Fortescue (bap 14 Jul 1749 – bur 3 Jul 1793) = Sarah Avent (m 22 Apr 1781) | |
 | |||
| Robert Fortescue (ca 1739 – bur 15 Jul 1778) surgeon |
Nancy Derby (1747 – 18 Jan 1833) |
John Derby Fortescue (Oct 1769 – 25 Nov 1852) Robert Fortescue (6 Jun 1771 – 4 Jun 1845) surgeon Nancy Fortescue (bap 12 Nov 1778 – 14 Dec 1853, unm) Mary Spettigue Fortescue (ca 1781 – Apr 1851) Elizabeth Fortescue (d 6 Jul 1847, unm) | |
| |||
| Mary Spettigue Fortescue (ca 1781 – Apr 1851) |
Cdr George Lawrence RN (ca 1770 – 7 Nov 1843) (m 2 Nov 1811) |
Mary Fortescue Lawrence (ca 1814 – 1909) Elizabeth Lawrence (b ca 1818 – 19 Jul 1842) Anne Derby Lawrence (ca 1820 – 14 Aug 1902) | |
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| Anne Derby Lawrence (ca 1820 – 14 Aug 1902) |
Rev Mamerto Gueritz (31 Jan 1823 – 8 Feb 1912) (m 29 May 1849) |
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