The Letters of Sir Samuel Hellier (1736–1784)

The Harris and Hellier Families

Sir Samuel’s paternal grandfather had married the heiress Penelope Harris in 1698. The Harris family connections remained important throughout the lives of subsequent Hellier generations. The Harrises appear to have acted as the entry point for the Helliers into the Staffordshire Gentry and a means to elevate their wealth acquired in the capital within the rural areas. Penelope’s grandfather, John Harris, who passed away in 1706, left a substantial amount of land and estates in Bradford, Belbroughton, and Wombourne. Following the demise of Penelope's brother, William Harris, a portion of these properties was inherited by the Helliers. Penelope’s two brothers, Samuel and William, both passed away at a young age without leaving any heirs. Consequently, a significant share of these estates came Penelope and her heir, Samuel Hellier senior (1699–1751). However, a point of contention arose because Penelope’s father had remarried and had a second, much younger family. John Harris (baptized on January 17, 1708) and Charles Harris (baptized on December 8, 1709) were born nearly forty years later than their half-sisters.

John Harris (1708–86) pursued a career as an attorney and became deeply entangled in the disputed will of Samuel Hellier in 1751. He was referred to as the half-blood uncle and, as part of his responsibilities, he drafted codicils for the dying Samuel's will, which were ultimately declared invalid.[1]

Sir Samuel’s father was High Sheriff of Staffordshire 1744 (referred to as Samuel Hellier of Seawall)

The Huntbach and Hellier Families

Sir Samuel Hellier mother was a member of the Huntsbach family.

John Huntbach (1639–1705) married Mary Gough (b. 27 Sept 1636) sister of John Gough who purchased Perry Hall north of Birmingham. Of their eight children, only Rupert Huntbach (b. 1668) married: Sarah Huntbach née Cooke.[1] Sarah was Sir Samuel’s maternal grandmother who he refers to throughout his letters as the ‘old Lady’. Rupert and Sarah’s daughter, also Sarah (1710-45) married Samuel Hellier senior of Wombourne. Sir Samuel’s mother, Sarah, died in 1745 and his father died 1751[2]

but his grandmother, the ‘old Lady’ was just shy of 100 before passing in 1783, almost outliving Sir Samuel.

Although Sir Samuel controlled the income from his Wombourn estate (bought by his father by 1708), Mrs Huntsbach senior controlled other family incomes and lived at the Featherstone estate, leaving Samuel with insufficient money to match his life-style, especially towards the end of life when he had very heavy doctor's bills.

Sir Samuel Hellier’s Early Years

Samuel junior had not come of age when his father died, so he did not immediately inherit the family wealth; it’s likely that he didn’t fully receive all his dues, as it was common for debtors to use the death of a creditor to conceal their debt with the hope that it would be forgotten.

The Creditors of Samuel Hellier, late of the Woodhouses, in the County of Stafford, Esq; deceased, are desired to send forthwith (Post paid) an Account of their respective Demands to Mr. Dovey of Stourbridge, Mr. Eykin of Wolverhampton, Mr. Caldwal, or Mr. Crump, of Bewdley, or Mr. Blashfield of Bellbroughton.[1]

The will continued to be disputed and the following year the matter came before the court:

Last Week came on before Sir George Lee, Knt. Judge of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, the great Cause in Relation to the Will of Samuel Hellier, late of the Wood-Houses, in the County of Stafford, Esq; deceased, depending in that Court between Samuel Hellier, Esq; a Minor, the only Son of the Deceased, against the late Dame Elizabeth Cooks Windford, the Deceased’s Relict; when after a long Hearing, the Will, which was in Favour of the Minor, and found cancelled at the Deceased’s Death, was pronounced to be a good Will, and uncancelled by the Deceased. It seems the Joy on this Occasion was so great, that the Bells in above ten Parishes in the neighbouring County were set a ringing.[2]

The matter had not been fully closed the following year, when another advert appeared:

All Persons indebted to the Estate of Samuel Hellier, late of the Wood-Houses, in the County of Stafford, Esq; deceased, are required forthwith to pay their respective Debts to Mrs. Sarah Huntbach, of Featherstone, near Wolverhampton, in the said County of Stafford, the Administratrix they will be sued for the same. And all Persons who have Demands on the said Mr. Hellier’s Estate, (who have not already given an Account of the same to the said Mrs. Huntbach, Mr. Chester, at his Chambers in New-Court in the Temple, London ; or to Mr. Dovey, at Stourbridge in Worcestershire.[3]

Oxford and Coming of Age

Samuel went to Exeter College, Oxford in November 1753, where he got into bad company, attending race-meetings when he should have been going to lectures. He was no more distinguished as a suitor than he had been as a student, being horse-whipped by another Staffordshire squire, Sir Edward Littleton, of Teddesley Hall, for failing to honour a promise of marriage made to one of Sir Edward’s relatives, to whom Sir Edward had introduced.

When Samuel junior came of age, his subsequent actions were newsworthy: ‘We hear from Wolverhampton, that on Monday last Samuel Hellier, Esq; a Gentleman near that Place, came to Age, who order’d to be distributed on the same Day among Poor of that Town, and the neighbouring Parishes, the Sum of Thirty Guineas. — An Example worth of Notice among the Gentlemen of Fortune in these Times of Scarcity.’[1] So unusual this act must have been that the story was taken up by other newspapers; the Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal ran a shortened report the following week.[2]

However, he evidently had not inherited what was owed, as there were still outstanding debts to his father:

Whereas the Persons who took upon them the Management of the real and personal Estate of Samuel Hellier, Esq; deceas’d, have not paid his Debts, tho’ several of his Creditors were very necessrous, and notwithstanding those Persons had more than sufficient in the Hands to pay, and ought to have paid the Creditors : Notice is hereby given to such Creditors, to meet at Mr. Hassal’s, at the Swan Inn in Wolverhampton, on the 28^th Day of February next, in order that they may be paid the Debts due to them : and, to make Amends to such Creditors whose Demands are just, and do not carry Interest, and who have been unfairly delayed Payment, it is proposed to pay them a reasonable Interest for their Debts, from the End of one Year after the Death of the said Mr. Hellier : an Account of the Debts due to them to Mr. Harris, at Bradford, in the County of Worcester.[3]

High Sheriff of Worcestershire

In 1762 he was made High Sheriff of Worcestershire. His first main duty, the Assizes was reported in Aris’s Birmingham Gazette:

Saturday se’nnight being Commission-Day for holding the Assizes for the County of Worcester, Samuel Hellier, Esq; of the Wood-Houses, being High Sheriff, was, on his Entrance into Worcester, and in his Return with the Judges, accompany’d by a great Number of Gentlemen of Distinction, amoungst whom were the Mayor, Sheriff, and the rest of the Corporation, who were most elegantly entertained that Evening. On Monday Evening the High Sheriff gave a Ball to the Ladies, where was a most numerous and brilliant Appearance, and every Thing conducted with the greatest Order and Decorum ; and on Tuesday Evening next, at the Desire of the High Sheriff, will be performed, at the New Theatre there, a Comedy call’d, The CONSIOUS LOVERS, with an Entertainment. The Assizes ended on Wednesday, at which Ann Nott, late Servant in a Gentleman’s Family in Worcester, was capitally convicted, and order’d to be hang’d on Thursday, and her Body afterwards to be dissected and anatomiz’d, for the Murder of her Bastard Child, which was founf in the Necessary-House, and taken out alive, but soon after died. The Six following were ordered to be transported, the Three first for fourteen Years, and the others for Seven Years, viz. Thomas Wile, and William Jackson, condemn’d last Summer Assizes, but afterwards repriev’d ; Elizabeth Smith, for receiving Goods stolen out of the House of Mr. Waters, of Pinvin ; John Brasier, for stealing several Slips of Yard out of the Garden of Mr. Hinton, of the Chapelry of Little Witley ; John Young ; for robbing the House of Mr. Wester, of Brainsford ; and William Dobbins, for robbing his Master, Mr. James Bowyer, Apothecary, of Worcester.