Family History ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT- “How the Other Half Lived” - Part 6 - Who was Ann Jesson (1734-1799)?

For many years a  rather regal portrait of a lady hung in my grandparent’s lounge room. Every  time I asked about her, I was told she was a Jesson ancestor. My grandmother had a copy made of  this rather ‘famous portrait’ as a gift to my grandfather (a Jesson  descendant).

So, who is this allusive ancestor? It is Ann Jesson (1734-1799). Ann was born in Warwickshire to Pudsey Jesson and Elizabeth Freeman. Her claim to fame was marrying Sir Charles Holte, 6th Baronet of Aston Hall in Birmingham UK. Sir Charles and Ann had one daughter, Mary Elizabeth Holte (1756-1819). As there were no sons, under the terms of the will, the estate was passed onto male relatives.

Aston Hall sits in a large park, part of which became Villa Park, the home ground of the Aston Villa Football Club. The Hall is now a community museum managed by the Birmingham Museums Trust. This same trust holds the original portrait of Ann Jesson, possibly on display in Aston Hall.

As for Ann Jesson being a direct descendant of our Jesson family, I am doubtful our family did descend from Ann:

1. Ann’s surname became Holte (the Jesson name is not passed down directly from her)

2. Ann had two brothers:

- William Jesson (1730-1786) who had two sons and three daughters. His sons both died at a young age with no known children

- Pudsey Jesson (1740-1753) who died at 22 with no known children

If we are related, it would have to be through an extended family member. The portrait at least looked great whilst it hung in my grandparents house.