John 1718 Flann & Grace White

Now comes John³ Flann the second son of Richard and Elizabeth who married Grace White in 1742 and died in 1789 and left no will. Grace had died earlier in 1786.

They too had a large family, Sarah, Grace, John⁴, William, Richard (1761) and Robert¹ (1764). Of them we need concern ourselves directly only with Robert¹ who was to become our great, great, great grandfather.

As to the times in which these predecessors lived, after 1763 the British became masters of India; Captain Cook made his three great voyages of exploration in 1768, 1772 and 1776 and America gained its independence through the Revolutionary War of 1775-1783. Whilst all this and other things were going on the world outside Portland family life on Portland continued.

Older brother William settled in Chesil as an Under-Hill Flann occupying himself in sea faring and fishing. Richard and brother Robert¹ became quarrymen and became Top-Hill Flanns.

The terms Under-Hill and Top-Hill were and are commonly used to distinguish between those families with common surnames who live in the principally fishing village of Chesil under the steep north face of the Island and at sea level, and those who farmed and quarried and lived in the villages like Easton on top of the Island