John CROMPTON  (1611-1669)

John (born 1611), Abraham James CROMPTONs younger son, after taking his MA degree at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, became lecturer [sic] at All Saints Derby where he won great respect by fulfilling almost unassisted all the duties of his office during a visitation of the plague which killed so many of the inhabitants that grass grew in the market place. He escaped it and laid this "to the blessing of God on a plaister" applied to his stomach which was given him by a physician (so says Dr Calamy in his "Memorials of the Non Conformists" - ie of those 1700 ministers of the Church of England who were ejected from their livings on St Bartholomew's Day, 24 August 1662 on the passing of the Act of Uniformity.)

By this date John CROMPTON MA had been rector of Brailsford, a sequestered living near Derby. While he gave the profits of Osmaston Chapel which belonged to his rectory (reckoned at £40 per year) to a preaching minister that he might attend wholly to his own cure. He kept every Wednesday in the month as a fast at the church for most of the time King Charles was in exile when he was narrowly watched though not disturbed, by those in authority. On the rising of Sir George BOOTH in Lancashire and Colonel WHITE in Nottingham in order to bring about the King's Restoration, John CROMPTON went with his neighbours, with such arms as they could get, to assist at Derby. But the design failed and he and others suffered; five or six soldiers were quartered in his house. At the Restoration he was forced to give up his living though the former incumbent was dead and in spite of a certificate testifying to his loyalty signed by a good many ministers and by substantial inhabitants of Derby. He then removed to Arnold, a small vicarage near Nottingham, but was soon dispossessed by the Act of Uniformity. After the passing of the Five Mile Act, which made it illegal for nonconforming ministers to live within five miles of a corporate town, he removed to Mapperly in Derbyshire. He was much respected and made himself very useful there and usually attended the parish church.

He died 9 January 1669 and was buried at Westhallow. His funeral sermon was preached by Revd. John Horn, the Rector; and he, when dying six weeks later, desired to be buried in the same grave.

Source: "The Cromptons of Breightmet Genealogical and Biographical Notes ", supplied by Judy Bradwell. Author unknown.

Abraham CROMPTON  (1649-1724) of Chorley Hall, Lancashire It is understood that Abraham CROMPTON was a wool merchant and banker. He was christened 8 April 1649 in Brailsford. He married Elizabeth BOURNE who was born about 1653 and died 11 January 1690. Abraham died 13 February 1724 and is buried in All Saints, Derby. Note: The exact location of Chorley Hall is not known.

John CROMPTON  1690?-1750 of Chorley Hall, Lancashire, England

John was born about 1690 in Derby. He married Hannah MATHER 6 April 1719 in St Werburgh, Derby but she died in 1723. John later married Margaret RIGBY about 1731 in Chorley, Lancashire. John died about 1750.

John CROMPTON's will was written 24 March 1749 and proved 12 June 1750. He seems to have left his estate to be split equally between his children.

1611info2, sheet 2

A small miniature portrait, now stolen, had been passed down in the family of JJ Heath-Cadwell. This portrait was of a very distinguished looking gentleman dressed in costume possibly of the late 1600s but more likely of the early 1700s. It had an inscription on the back which stated that it was supposed to be of Abraham CROMPTON of Chorley Hall, Derbyshire who was the great grandfather of Ann Mary CALDWELL (presumably Ann Marsh-CALDWELL). Ann's mother was Elizabeth CALDWELL (nee STAMFORD) whose mother was Hannah Stamford (nee CROMPTON) daughter of John CROMPTON who was the son of Abraham CROMPTON. If the portrait is of Ann MARSH-CALDWELL's ancestor Abraham CROMPTON then it must be Abraham CROMPTON (1649?-1724. If the portrait is of Ann's great grandfather then it must be of John CROMPTON (1690?-1750?) and this would possibly be more in keeping with the possible date of the portrait. Burke's Peerage gives an overview of the CALDWELL family and the CROMPTON family. Under the CALDWELL section, it states that Hannah Stamford's father was a John CROMPTON of Chorley Hall, Lancaster, which property was acquired by that branch of the family soon after the rebellion in 1715.

Hannah was a descendent of the Rev John CROMPTON MA born in 1641 and cousin of Samuel CROMPTON of Derby, Esq., and a cousin of Henry COPE of Duffield Esq.: a share of whose personal estate came to Hannah's daughter Elizabeth CALDWELL (nee Stamford).

Source: Information supplied by Sheila Howells who has researched this from many sources including the CROMPTON Papers in the Derby Local History Library.

With thanks to JJ Heath-Cadwell, who can be contacted by his website.

This page was created by Richard Crompton and maintained by Chris Glass			Version A4 Updated 10 April 2020