Scope and Content
These deeds and documents mainly concern the descent of the Manor of Colmworth and other property in the parish, including Lordship, Channels End and Netherstead farms.
They were bought in 1796 by the Reverend Leonard Towne of Bottesford, Lincolnshire, the Manor having previously been held by the Hillersdon and Astry families [see Bs531]. On Leonard Towne's death in 1827, the Manor descended to his daughter, Sarah Elye, wife of the Reverend Thomas Norris of Little Gonerby, Grantham, Lincolnshire; his elder son, the Reverend Leonard Elye apparently having died without children.
Sarah Elye Norris' heirs were her six children: Thomas (a clergyman), Charles (army officer), Sarah, John (a clergyman), Frances and William (a solicitor). On her death, they would each be able to claim equal shares in the Manor, and in other family property which by that time had descended to her. An agreement of 1861 sorted out the matter: the Manor went to the three younger unmarried children - Sarah, Frances and John - the others having already been provided for in various ways. However, John later married and his third share in the Manor passed to trustees for sale. The two third parts inherited by his sisters went, by their wills, to their brothers' heirs.
However, the family also held Lincolnshire and Leicestershire property, including another Manor - that of Utterby in Lincolnshire. This, by the will of the Reverend Leonard Towne in 1827, passed to trustees for the benefit of his second son, the Reverend John Elye Towne. The trustees were to use the money for his maintenance and support, as they thought fit, but were not to use it to pay off his debts. The Reverend Leonard Towne also provided that anyone who came into the possession of the Utterby property, should take the surname of Elye, and apply for the use of the Elye arms. Probably not long after his father's death, John went to the USA - to Philadelphia - and married out there, and took the name of Robert Potter. However, in 1840, he was signing receipts in his correct name for some money arising from the sale of property comprised in his parents' marriage settlement. By his own marriage, John had two children: a son, Robert, born on 25th August 1834; and a daughter, Ellen, who by 1854 was married to William Longshore of Philadelphia. In that year (1854), these two children of John's claimed the Utterby estates from their aunt Sarah, now (in accordance with her father's will) Sarah Elye Elye. Their father being dead, they also disputed her claim to use the Elye arms. Sarah, in her turn, disputed their legitimacy and claimed that they were not natural born British subjects and therefore could not hold lands in England. However, "to avoid litigation which would lead to public discussion painful to the relatives of John Elye Towne", an agreement was reached by which the family in England would retain the estates, but would pay the Americans compensation for them.
When Sarah, by now Sarah Elye Norris again, died in 1861, she left the Manor outright to her son the Reverend Thomas Elye Norris.
It would be interesting to speculate what the Reverend John Elye Towne did which could be regarded as "painful" to his family. As a clergyman at that date, he must have had a degree, yet neither the "Alumni" of Oxford or Cambridge claim him. His father and brother were at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, but nowhere is John mentioned.