Genealogy
Rotheram of Dronfield
The descent of the Manor of Dronfield can be traced through the families of Barley, Seliock, Blyth, Burton, Rossington, Rotheram and Cecil.
John Rotheram, Esq., who purchased the estate was Sheriff of the county in 1750: his family had been settled at Rotherham about a century before. His son, Samuel Rotheram, Esq., who was sheriff in 1772, died without issue in 1785.
John Rotheram the younger of Dronfield, was described as a lead merchant, in 1693.
John Rotheram the younger, mentioned above, besides being a lead merchant, improved this estate by getting millstones, a business carried on by his son Samuel, who was the father of John Rotheram the purchaser of the Manor. The latter was Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1750 and in 1749 had married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of John Fenton of Little Sheffield, by which marriage he acquired the Fenton property in Little Sheffield and Gleadless.
Both John Rotheram, esquire's, sons died without issue and the estate came to their unmarried sister Elizabeth in May 1795. Before her death in April 1797 she had conveyed the Little Sheffield estates to one Joseph Cecil, whose connection with her or her family has not been established, and made a will in his favour, by which he inherited Dronfield manor and estates and was named her sole executor.
Cecil had several children by his first wife Elizabeth Heald of Sheffield, who died in 1796 aged 45 years (buried in St. Paul's churchyard, Sheffield). In 1809 he married secondly Jane Catherine Hollings by whom he had a son Samuel Hollings Cecil, to whom he left the property inherited from Miss Rotheram. The estates were heavily mortgaged.
Will of John Rotheram of Eckington date: 1624
1624(-5) January 28th. Probate of the Will of John Rotheram
of Eckington co Derby yeoman, with grant from Oliver Lord Protector
of the Commonwealth annexed, dated 9th April 1657 (sic) ; whereby, after
directing that he should be buried in the church or church yard of
Eckington, he bequeathed unto Alice Rotheram his mother £10; to his
brother in law Thomas Rent of Povye a sum of twenty nobles, then owing
to the testator on bond of Francis Leigh of Caldwell Hall ; to his
god-daughter Mary Rent £5 ; to six of his brother Rent's children 20s
each ; to his niece Sara Tayler (then a minor)£20, which money was in
Mrs Wigfall's hands of Curtare (Carter ?) Hall ; and a further £20, then
owing to testator by John Tayler her brother, " which was bestowed about
the getting of his Wardshippe " ; to Joseph Tayler £10, to Ellin
Rotheram daughter of testator's brother William Rotheram £15 to Mary
Rotheram £5 ; to his servant Mary Bolsover 20s ; residue to his brother
William Rotheram, whom he made sole executor. Included in the grant
of probate is an undated memorandum (presumably of later date, but
attested by the same three witnesses as the will), which directed that his
brother in law the said Thomas Rent, and his brother the said William
Rotheram, should have " full power and right of the wardshipp, custody of
the body, lands and marriage of John Tayler in as ample manner " as
testator might have had " by virtue of his maties Grant thereof." Further
provisions as to a misunderstanding of the will of William Tayler. Then
follows a list of debts owing to testator " without specialty " namely,
John Howsdon £10 3s 0d; George Stones younger 11s; widdow Treeton
20s; John Stones 50s; William Wood 10s; Richard Shawe of Sheffield 9s;
Richard Ottinvell or Ottuwell 8s ; William Rent 40s ; Richard Thompson
13s; Robert Cowley for rent 16s; Robert Finder; George Lee; Thomas
Newbold; William Rent; James Cowley; John Turner; Philipp Hobson
James Hobson and the executors of Thomas Hobson 20s. The grant of
administration with the will annexed is in special form, it was " given at
London under the scale of the Court for Probate of Wills and granting
administrations." It states that William Rotheram the executor and
brother of the testator died (presumably after the testator) " before he had
taken upon him" by authority of that Court, the execution of the will;
that Anne Rotheram a minor was "cozen" and next of kin of the testator
and the Court granted administration with the will annexed, to Alice
Rotheram the mother and guardian of Anne.
Witnesses:Robert
Turner, Henry Williamson, John Turner.
Will of John Rotheram of Dronfield date: 17 Nov 1766
Funeral to be conducted as his signed paper writing shall direct. To his wife Elizabeth £20 within a month of his decease, his chaise and pair, 30 books of her choice out of his library, silver tea kettle, lamp and coffee pot, half his household linen and the use of all his household goods, for her life if unmarried.
£20 to Mr. Eleazer Heywood, clerk. £10 to cousin Samuel Holland (and other small legacies).
To daughter Elizabeth Rotheram £2,500 at 21 years of age to be paid out of estate not settled in jointure.
He leaves all his estates in Derbyshire not settled in jointure to trustees John Fenton apothecary and John Burton gentleman, to raise money for paying debts and then to his eldest son Samuel Rotheram and his heirs male, with remainder to other sons in order, with remainder to daughters. All his real estates not disposed of to his wife for life and then to his cousin Mr. Eleazer Heywood for life and (after some other life interests) to Heywood's heirs male and in default to the heirs male of Samuel Holland, with reversion to Isaac Wyld. The Sheffield estate to his wife's use, subject to payment of £600 to Elizabeth.
Executors: wife Elizabeth, son Samuel and cousin Heywood.
Charles Carver, son of Rev. Marmaduke Carver, Rector of Harthill, Derbyshire, was Rector of Eyam, he graduated Christ College, Cambridge, married a Miss Rotheram, an heiress of Eckington.