Richard Wilton and Mary Robinson

St Mary, Sawston - East end
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/4970953

Richard Wilton (b. 1737), son of Henry Wilton and Martha Douse, married Mary Robinson on 30 Mar 1762 in Sawston, Cambridgeshire, where there are records of Wiltons, going back to the early 1600s, still to research. 

Richard & Mary had four children, all baptised at St Mary's Church, Sawston.

1. Elizabeth Wilton bap. 4 Jul 1762
2. Henry Wilton bap. 30 Oct 1768
3. Stephen Wilton bap. 25 Dec 1777
4. Hannah Wilton bap. 7 Jun 1779 (buried 17 Aug 1779)

They also had a daughter, Martha Wilton (for whom I found no baptism record), who I only know exists because Henry Wilton (b. 1868) mentioned her as his sister, Martha Root (Martha Wilton, who had married John Root, on 25 Jan 1791 in Sawston, Cambridgeshire) in his Will in 1839. 

Mary Wilton, wife of Richard, died and was buried on 10 Apr 1780.

Richard Wilton, Widower, was buried in Sawston, Cambridgeshire, in 1797.

Sawston, Cambridgeshire is notable as one of the very few industrial villages in the county that take advantage of the clean water supply, one of the principle industries being leather. There are two sites in Sawston which support or have formerly supported Tanning facilities and there may have been leather-workers in the parish in the Middle Ages. This very likely explains why Henry Wilton (1768) and his nephew, Henry Wilton (1809) became saddlers and my 3rd great-grandfather, Richard Wilton, a harness maker.

The River Cam (or Granta) near Sawston
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Sutton - geograph.org.uk/p/2860358

Henry Wilton and Mary Barton

The King's Head (closed), Great Dunmow. Photo © Robin Webster (cc-by-sa/2.0)

This pub and hotel on North Street has been closed and boarded up for some years, with signs of abandoned or postponed building work. It is grade II listed, the oldest parts from the 15th century. Conflicting reports suggest it has since been demolished or converted into flats.

Henry Wilton (bap. 30 Oct 1768 St Mary's, Sawston, Cambridgeshire), widower (not found previous marriage), son of Richard Wilton and Mary Robinson, married Mary Barton (b. ~ 1780 in Ruislip, Middlesex), spinster, both "Of This Parish" of St Mary's, Great Dunmow, on 20 Sep 1810.

In 1783 Henry had been apprenticed to Matthew Norris in Shelford, as a Collarmaker and, as with his brother, Stephen Wilton, this will have meant collars for horses. [Horse Collar Making, Draught Harness and Horse Collar Making] In Pigot's Directory of Essex 1823, under Taverns and Public Houses, is listed 'Henry Wilton, King's Head'. Also listed at the King's Head is William Cock, who was listed as the Licensee or Tavernkeeper from 1815 until at least 1829, so it isn't clear what role Henry Wilton played in this business.

Henry Wilton wrote his Will on 4 Apr 1839 and appointed his wife Mary and his friend Charles Prior, Basket Maker, Executor and Executrix. His bequests included: to his nephew Henry Wilton of Great Dunmow, Saddler and Harness Maker; to his wife Mary; to Elizabeth Wilton, widow of his late brother Stephen Wilton; to Charles Prior; to his niece Mary Prior, wife of Charles Prior; Henry Prior, son of Charles Prior; to Richard, Joseph, Elizabeth, Martha, Eleanor, Ann & Sarah, sons and daughters of his late brother, Stephen; and to his sister Martha Root (Martha Wilton, who had married John Root). Probate was not granted until 7 Nov 1854, for reasons I'm not yet aware.

In 1841, Henry Wilton (73) Ind [Independant means] and his wife Mary (61) were living alongside his nephew, Henry Wilton, saddler in the High Street, Great Dunmow. They were one side of Geo. Saich, ostler (most likely at the Saracen's Head Hotel), on the other was Robert Hockley, tailor and draper.

Henry Wilton died at 78 in 1846 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 49, and was buried on 8 May 1846 in Great Dunmow (England and Wales, Non-Conformist Record Indexes).

In 1861, Mary Wilton (80) with birthplace given as Ruislip, Middlesex, was a Lodger in the High Street, Great Dunmow.

Mary Wilton died, at 81, on 8 Nov 1861 (1861 D Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 214). Probate was granted to John Barnard, Grocer and Sole Executor. John Barnard (1799-1872), was a grocer (later wine & spirit merchant) in the High Street, Great Dunmow. It's not known if there was any familial link or what the reason was for appointing him.