John Delbridge

Arms of Delbridge: Sable, a chevron argent between three swan's heads and necks couped proper. As seen on top of mural monument to Elizabeth Chichester (d.1628), first wife of Richard Delbridge, Merchant, son of John Delbridge (d.1639), in St Peter's Church, Barnstaple, (arms of Delbridge impaling Chichester of Hall, Bishop's Tawton)

John Delbridge (1564 – 24 June 1639) was an English merchant from Devon who was elected six times as a Member of Parliament.

Early life and education He was the second son of Richard Delbridge (d. post 1595), a merchant of Barnstaple, by his wife Alice.

Career He was elected to Parliament to represent his home town, the borough of Barnstaple, in the years 1614, 1621, 1624, 1625, 1626 and 1628. He served three times as mayor of Barnstaple, in 1600-1, 1615–16 and 1633–34. By 1596 he had been elected a Freeman of Barnstaple, and Capital Burgess by 1596; He was Captain of the militia of foot-infantry by 1629 and clerk of the market 1633–34. In trading activities he was a member of the East India Company (1611–21), the French Company (1611), the Virginia Company (1612-post 1623), the North West Passage Company (1612) and the Somers Island Company (1615-post1622). He was a member of the Council for Virginia in 1621. His skills and influence were noted by the great Sir Robert Cecil by whom he was employed from about 1602 to after 1606. "Covenant:(i) John Delbridge of Barnstaple in Devon, merchant (ii) Richard Delbridge his son and heir; to convey all lands of (i) in the Bermadoes alias Somer Islands in Somersett Tribe and Harryngton Tribe upon marriage of (ii)". Richard Delbridge married secondly in 1631 Elizabeth Speccot, daughter of Thomas Speccot of Speccot, in the parish of Merton, Devon although the pedigree recorded on the 1821 petition of Frances Delbridge in the North Devon Record Office states he married secondly Mary Bassett. His descendants failed to consolidate their place amongst the Devon gentry, and none served again as MP, although the office of Mayor of Barnstaple was held by Nicholas Delbridge in 1619 and by Joseph Delbridge in 1658. Richard's son was Richard II Delbridge (d.1729) who married in 1684 Mary Reed. Their son was Richard III Delbridge (1686–1745), yeoman and freeholder, buried at "Wonworthy" (Wembworthy in North Tawton hundred), who married at "Wonworthy" to Jane Holmes (1720–1804). They had children as follows: Richard IV, Mary, Jane, Elizabeth, Anne and Frances (b.1759), of "Kinsington Mall", whose 1821 petition including a diagram of the above pedigree exists at North Devon Record Office.