Robert Hopton

Robert Hopton (c.1575-1638) was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in two parliaments between 1604 and 1622.[1]

Hopton was the eldest son of Sir Arthur Hopton of Witham Friary, Somerset and his wife Rachel Hall, daughter of Edmund Hall of Greatford, Lincolnshire. In 1604, he was elected Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury. Between about 1609 and 1617 he was engaged in the construction of Evercreech House. He was Sheriff of Somerset for the year 1618 to 1619. In 1621 he was elected MP for Somerset.[2]

Family

By his wife Jane Kemeys (daughter and heir of Rowland Keymis of the Vaudrey, or Faerdref, Monmouthshire), Robert Hopton had several children:[3]

• Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton, who married Elizabeth (died 1646), daughter of Arthur Capell of Little Hadham, Hertfordshire, and widow of Justinian Lewin of Otterden, Kent.[4][5]
• William Hopton (University of Oxford); died young.
• Mary Hopton, who married (1) Sir Henry Mackworth, 2nd Bt. (died 1640), son and heir of Sir Thomas Mackworth, Bart., of Normanton, Rutland,[4] and Sir Thomas Burton (died 1693) of Burton Lazars, Leicestershire.
• Margaret Hopton, who married Sir Baynham Throckmorton (1606-1664), 2nd Bart., MP, of Clearwell, Gloucestershire.
• Catherine Hopton (died 1663), married John Wyndham (died 1649) of Orchard Wyndham, Somerset.[4]
• Rachael Hopton, who married (1) David Kemys of Cefn Mably House, Glamorgan,[4] and (2) Thomas Morgan of Tredegar, Monmouthshire.
• Joan Hopton (1607-1609), buried at Ditcheat.

References

1. J.P. Ferris/S. Healy, 'Hopton, Robert (c.1575-1638), of Ditcheat, Som. and Llanthony Abbey, Mon.', in A. Thrush and J.P. Ferris (ed.), The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629, (from Cambridge University Press, 2010), History of Parliament Online.
2. W.L. Rutton, 'Pedigree of Hopton of Suffolk and Somerset', in J.J. Howard (ed.), Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, 3rd Series Vol. III (Mitchell and Hughes, London 1900), pp. 9-12, and notes pp. 81-86 (Internet Archive).
3. W.L. Rutton, 'Pedigree of Hopton of Suffolk and Somerset', in J.J. Howard (ed.), Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, 3rd Series Vol. III (Mitchell and Hughes, London 1900), pp. 9-12, and notes pp. 81-86 (Internet Archive).
4. 'Hopton', in F.T. Colby (ed.), The Visitation of the County of Somerset in the Year 1623, Harleian Society Vol. XI (1876), pp. 56-57 (Internet Archive). From Harleian MS 1141.
5. J.P. Ferris/S. Healy, 'Hopton, Ralph (1596-1652), of Witham Friary, Som.', in A. Thrush and J.P. Ferris (eds), The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629 (from Cambridge University Press, 2010), History of Parliament Online.