Richard, the son of Robert and Sarah Duke was baptised in May 1627 at Otterton and in 1645 at the age of 18 was admitted to the Inner Temple. He married Frances, daughter of George Southcote of Buckland Tousants and after the birth of their first son Richard in 1652 other siblings followed, one of who died an infant.  His name appears on the List of Justices around 1650-54 and as Sheriff of Devon in 1677/8.  In 1681 he purchased the Ashburton Estate in order to try to give his son and heir Richard a 'safe seat' but the Duke influence was not strong enough and his son had to fight numerous elections.  In 1697 at the age of 70, he made over the Otterton Estates to his son and heir, but lived for a further 19 years. He was buried in October 1716 at Otterton and his Will dated March 1716 was proven in Exeter. 

His son Richard was baptised on 13th March 1652 at Otterton, and we are fortunate that he left a “Notebook” that highlighted the significant dates and events in his life.  In January 1660 he attended at Collaton School and after six years he went onto Powderham, Martock, Exon and Ottery schools.  He matriculated from Exeter College, Oxford, in May 1669 and then spent a year at the Inns of Court in London.  In August 1671 he went to Paris, returning to London in May 1672.  In May 1673 he married Isabella, daughter of Sir Walter Yonge of Puslinch near Plymouth, and in September that year he and his bride went to Montpelier returning in April 1675.  The Notebook records numerous visits that he and his wife made to Bath, Tunbridge Wells as well as a 6-month visit to the Continent. His political career started with an election win at Ashburton in September 1679 with his cousin Thomas Reynell and he held this seat until February 1681.  He regained the seat in October 1695 and held it through to May 1701 when he gave up his role as an MP to concentrate on the Otterton Estates that were yielded to him in 1697.  Later he was sworn in as a JP. 

His wife Isabella died in November 1703 and was buried at Otterton, and in March 1704 their daughter Elizabeth [who had been born in London in 1679] married Robert Rolle of Bicton.  He remarried in February 1705 to Elizabeth Cholwich and the two children that ensued both died as infants. His daughter Elizabeth Rolle died aged 37 in September 1716 and the following day his father died.  On his own death in February 1732 he was buried in the chancel of Otterton Church in his great grandfather’s vault near to his first wife and children.  As there was no male successor the Otterton Estates passed to his cousin Richard ... the third son of Thomas Duke and Anne Walrond ... one suspects this was to preserve the Richard inheritance trail? 

This is one of a series of related articles on the Duke family. Click forward or back to jump to the next. 

Compiled and researched © Harry Lane, 2009 

Reference Documents 

1. Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica. Pedigree of the Devonshire Branch of the Family of Duke to Illustrate the Descent of Poerhayes and Otterton Estates.

2. An Otterton Notebook [Diary of Richard Duke],J.J.Alexander,TDA 50, 1918.

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