[From Manx Families, A.W.Moore, MS 1889]

Crellin's of Orrisdale

The first mention of this name in the Island is that of John Crellin, who in 1610 was appointed one of the Lieutenants in the Garrison at that time stationed in Peel Castle. He is supposed by his present representatives of Orrisdale to be connected with the noble French family of Crillon, but there does not seem to be sufficient foundation for this. Thomas, supposed to have been a son of the above John, was a Member of the House of Keys from 1629 to 1643. He had issue John (obit sans progeny), Thomas and Robert, who both married and had issue. Nothing is known of Robert's issue, but Thomas had issue John, Vicar of Arbory from 1650 to 1670. In 1662, he married Catherine Tyldesley (see Tyldesley's) and had issue 3 children of whom Thomas (born 1667) only survived. After his father's death in 1670, Thomas was taken by his mother to live at the family estate of Brackabroom in German, where after her death in 1762, he married Annie Crain and had issue 3 sons and one daughter: Thomas, William, Henry & Annie. Of these we are only able to trace the issue of Thomas (born 1703) who in 1734 married Elizabeth Fairbrother of Peel and had issue one son, John (born 1737, obit at Bath 1808). He married Margaret, second daughter of John Frissell, Attorney General (see Frissell's) and had issue one son, John (see below) and a daughter, Marjery, who married Richard Ambrose Stevenson of Balladoole (see Stevenson's) and had issue. The Rev. John was ordained chaplain of Ballure Chapel, Ramsey, in 1761. In 1770, Margaret died and was buried at Ballure. Her husband erected a monument to her which was removed by the Frisell's, who substituted another. John was in 1771 appointed Vicar of Michael and Episcopal Registrar, which office was at that time invariably attached to that living. His father Thomas, who lived with him, died in 1790 and was buried at Peel. The monument erected to him there has since been removed. In 1798, he became Rector of Bride and Vicar General, which he held till 1808 when he resigned owing to ill health. He died the same year at Orrisdale, which he had purchased. He was one of those who assisted in the translation of the Bible into Manx, his special work having been the Book of Esther. He was much respected for his uprightness and piety. By his wife Margaret Frissell, he had issue John Frissell, Margaret, and Betty. Margaret married John Llewellyn MHKⁿ¹ and had issue John, afterwards High Bailiff of Peel. Betty married Daniel Tellett MHK and had issue 4 sons and two daughters, of whom Frederick was High Bailiff of Ramsey and his son is now (1888) a doctor in Ramsey. John Frissell (born 1764, obit 1816) was a Member of the House of Keys, High Bailiff of Ramsey, and afterwards Northern Deemster from 1794 to 1814 (and Southern Deemster from 1814 to 1816). In the latter year [1814], he was appointed Southern Deemster and commenced to build Beech House, Castletown, with the intention of living there, but he died before its completion. He commanded the Northern Battalion of the Manx Volunteers. At the disbanding of this Corps after the Battle of Waterloo, his widow was presented with the Colours by the Duke of Athol. They are still at Orrisdale in very good condition. He married Charlotte, only daughter of Thomas Christian, Ballacurry, Andreas, and had issue two sons and one daughter: John Christian, Claude (obit sans progeny), and Charlotte Elizabeth Eunice. Charlotte married on January 11[?], 1812 William Leece Drinkwater MHK (uncle of the present Deemster Sir W Drinkwater, 1888) and had issue one child, Elinor, who married Colonel Cary and had issue two sons, George (now in 1888 living on the Calf of Man) and William (in US America). John Christian obtained a commission in the 6th Dragoon Guards, on account of his having provided 24 troopers whom he got in the Island. After serving for a short time only in this Regiment, he exchanged into the 4th 'King's own,' but soon owing to ill health was obliged to resign his commission. He returned to the Isle of Man in 1818 and was at once elected to Member of the House of Keys, to which body he continued to belong till his death in 1842. He married Catherine, only child of Robert Quayle of West Hill Castletown by Catherine, second daughter of Archdeacon Daniel Mylrea (see Mylrea's) and had numerous issue of whom we need only record: Lucy Mylrea, Robert Quayle and John Frissell, the eldest son. Lucy Mylrea married John Moore Jeffcott and has issue. (J.M. Jeffcott was an MHK and represented Castletown. He is at present High Bailiff of that town.) Robert Quayle, who inherited West Hill, married Sarah Anne Harrison and has issue two sons and three daughters, one of whom Adda married W.A.Stevenson of Ballacaigen (see Stevenson's). R.G. Crellin was Collector of H.M.S Custom's at Castletown. He died in …. John Frissell had intended taking Holy Orders, but he changed his mind and took up medicine. After studying at St Bartholomew's, London, he took his diploma at the Royal College of Surgeons. On the death of his father, he returned to the Island where he was elected to the House of Keys. He was a valuable Member both of the old and new House, for though he spoke seldom, his good judgement and his great independence of character gave him considerable influence. At the death of E.M. Gawne of Kentraugh, he would have been elected Speaker if his ill health had not prevented him from accepting that office. When the same cause afterwards caused his retirement from the House, he was much missed. He was a diligent antiquarian student, being one of the Commission appointed by the Tynwald Court to report upon the antiquities of the Island. He made a collection of the literature connected with the Island, also of Manx coins, which is remarkably complete. He died in January 1887, aged 70. He married Annie Margaret, second daughter of the Rev. George Stickler Parsons, Government Chaplain at Castletown and has issue one son, John Christian, and three daughters. John Christian, MA Oxford, was made C.P. of Ballaugh in 1883, and a Justice of the Peace in the same year. He was elected as Member for Michael Sheading in the House of Keys in 1887.