Richard HUNT, [Parents?]

Other Events:

• Occupation: Carpenter

Notes:

Birth:
(assumed from baptism)

Baptised:
** I am not certain that I have the correct baptism and parents for Richard **

Richard appears not to have been baptised in Lenham, and unfortunately no age was given for him in the burial register, so working out which of a number of possible Richards he was is difficult.

So far I am relying on sources I can view from home, i.e. data transcribed on websites and on KFHS CDs, and in just a few cases images of PRs; there may well have been more Richard HUNTs at present unknown to me. Besides parishes for which no records are currently online, there is also the problem of legibility. Some baptisms in Wichling in the eighteenth century are illegible, at least in the images of the PRs available on the FindMyPast website, and I found I couldn't read all the entries when I looked at the microform in the Canterbury Cathedral Archives some years ago. There could well be other parishes whose registers pose similar difficulties and this Richard's entry may thus be obscured.   

Looking at the trees of others I have seen dobs ranging from 1693 to 1702. A number of trees show Egerton. Egerton is a parish neighbouring Lenham (one of no less than 9 to do so), and quite a number of events there involved Lenham folk, so at first glance it seems quite likely.

My preference would be for Richard's parents to be called Richard and Mary: his first two children named after his wife's parents, then a Mary, then 2 named after himself and his wife. Why the Mary? - in the absence of other evidence I'd guess his mother. So why not his father next? - I'd guess because he shared the name Richard. But things aren't always this neat so none of those attached or listed below can be ruled out. 

The Egerton 'Hunt' family
A Richard Hunt was baptised in Egerton in 1793. In some ways this one seems a good fit, but can almost certainly be ruled out. He had brothers John and Robert and a sister Ann, all names he gave to his children. The John is the right age to be the John who, like Richard, had a family in Lenham, and with whom Richard's family seem to have been connected. (It seems to be John's grandson William (son of William) who named a son Basil, a rare name but much used in Richard's family).
In addition Egerton is close to Lenham, and the Egerton registers show many entries of Lenham folk.
The only Hunt entries besides of those of Richard HUNT and Ann WILLIAMSON and what appears to be their immediate family are the marriage of Bethulah in 1691  - she was baptised in Lenham in 1671 and the baptism of a James in 1723; his siblings were all baptised in Lenham. As it can be easier to understand families with a diagram I have added this Egerton Richard and his family as I believe it to be - this is the Egerton Richard's page.
   
The trouble with this Richard being the one who was baptised in Egerton in 1693, is that
1. There were 2 marriages of 1 or 2 Richard Hunts in Egerton itself in the early 1720s.
2. While this Richard's marriage could be another marriage of the Egerton Richard, this Richard was shown as a bachelor on the marriage licence when he married.

While it is possible that the Egerton-baptised Richard moved to Lenham and another Richard moved to Egerton, it seems far more likely that the Richard baptised in Egerton was the one who married there, and that he married there twice. First wife Ann STEED to whom a Richard was married in 1721 to Ann STEED  died in childbirth the following year, with the baby dying a few months later.  Though this would have left Richard free to marry Isabella in 1726, a Richard, and again this one seems the best candidate,  married one Mary BREECHER in Egerton in 1723 . Richard and Mary had three children baptised in Egerton, a son George baptised Sep 1723  and then, after a gap when they may have had children elsewhere, two daughters, Mary baptised in 1730 and Elizabeth baptised in 1733. The Ann buried in Egerton in 1740/1 was probably Richard's mother; there is no sign of the family in Egerton PRs after this, no burial or (other) marriage for Richard, wife Mary or his children. With that gap between the baptisms it is possible that Mary also died fairly soon after the marriage, another Richard and Mary moving to Egerton and having daughters there, and that the Egerton-baptised Richard married Isabella after being widowed a second time, this seems highly improbable based on the Egerton events, and even more so given that the marriage licence described him as 'bachelor' (according to Cowper). A quick look using online resources and I haven't found Richard, Mary and family. Finding them elsewhere might give the evidence that would allow them to be definitely ruled out. Although there were children of a Richard and Mary(s) baptised in Biddenden soon after this, the first had been 1723/4 and looking at the Biddenden marriages it seems clear this was a different Richard - there were marriages of 1 or 2 Richards to a Mary in both 1723 and 1731 in Biddenden (KFHS CD 24) 

A Lenham family: William and Margaret
The first place to look for someone is clearly where the family subsequently lived. So could Richard have been a son of William who married Margaret Younge in Lenham on 21 Jan 1679? I guess this couple be the origin of the father William I have seen for Richard on some trees. They (William and Margaret) had a son Thomas bapt Lenham 26 May 1688 and a daughter Anna in 1689. Margaret "'the wife of William Hunt" was bur in Lenham 22 Jul 1694. So what happened between 1679 and 1688? It seemed probable they had children elsewhere and I have found 2 to partially fill the gap were baptised in East Peckham in 1679 and 1685; since there are no other signs of a William and Margaret and family in the East Peckham PRs it seems reasonable to suppose it was the Lenham Wm and Margaret, especially as these years when they had children in East Peckham fit with no entry for William in Lenham Churchwardens accounts. The datesof known children leave gaps when they could have had more children in another parish, or whose entries are illegible, so could have had a son Richard (I haven't seen the registers for East Peckham or Lenham so don't know if there are illegible entries at this time). However, I have not yet found any and the names used in the family Margaret and Thomas are not amongst those used by this Richard when naming his children, and William was not used until his fourth son. I suspect this couple were not the parents of this Richard. Again, I have added William and Margaret to my tree with their family so it can be seen easily: William's page.

A Leeds (Kent) family
Another possibility for this Richard is one born in Leeds in 1702.
Where did I get this info? - not on KFHS (CD 16)
KFHS CD 16 does show that there was a Wm & Mary who had children bapt there 1688-1694, incl a William and a John - 1692
However, there was a Richard marr in Leeds 1734, bach, no parish given for him or his bridge. If there was a Richard baptised there in 1702 I guess this was most likely his marriage.

A Cranbrook family
There was a Richard baptised in Cranbrook in 1695 - son of Thomas and Judith. There is no marriage of a Richard in Cranbrook, and no clear burial. A pauper Richard HUNT was buried in 1720, but thiscould be an older Richard HUNT. (It's clear there were earlier Richards; I have not tried to put the Cranbrook family together). Thomas and Judith had children Judith, Thomas, Richard and William - no sign of a John. My (this) Richard didn't give the names Thomas or Judith to his children; I don't think this is this Richard. (Info from KFHS CD02/07 and CD 12)

The Maidstone family: the one now shown on this website
This fits in having a son John as well as Richard. The names of the parents and siblings are amongst those given by this Richard to his children. The brother John is the right age as given by the burial register. Maidstone PRs have no entries which could be the families of Richard and John there, so it appears they probably left the town.
Unfortunately (for learning more about my ancestors) there is no marriage for the parents in Maidstone, neither is there a baptism for the father (two Johns who by the date could be him both appear to have died young). This though does point to this not being a well established Maidstone family, which probably increases the liklihood of two sons settling in Lenham.     

Elham
A Richard Hunt, son of Thomas and Mary in 1706, the year that Richard's wife was baptised. Could this be him? Possible, but unlikely given the distance (about 24 miles) from Lenham and that Richard did not name a son Thomas I think this one unlikely and haven't looked at the family in any detail.   

Is this a clue?
In 1688 in Wychling an Edward Hunt married Susanna Hope of Ulcombe.  In 1761 Richard's son Richard marr a Sarah Hope of Ulcombe - is there any connection here? It was probably the same Edward who married Ann Brisely of Stallesfeild in Jan 1689/90.

Will:
Ref PRC17/98/435, on microfilm in Canterbury Cathedral Archives
The will was proved in the Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury

Occupation:
According to his will and burial register entry

Died:
(assumed from burial)

Buried:
KFHS transcript (CD 25)
1771 Apr 24 Richard HUNT senr carpenter

Richard married Isabella BECON on 15 Feb 1724/25 in All Saints’ Church, Canterbury, Kent, England. Isabella (daughter of Basil BECON and Elizabeth FOX) was born about 1706 in Lenham, Kent, England; was christened on 4 Jun 1706 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; died about Feb 1771 in Lenham, Kent, England; was buried on 8 Feb 1771 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England. [Family Group Page] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
From PR entry (image on FMP, viewed 21 Feb 2013):
Under "Marriages" and "1724" - "Richard Hunt & Isabella Beacon both of Lenham _ _ } Feb: .5" - I think that the dot that appears before the 5 is all that remains of a '1', which agrees with information I was given regarding the marriage licence.

Marriage License:
Shows Richard HUNT of Lenham, bachelor and lsabella BEACON, of the same parish, spinster could marry at Lenham or All Saints, Canterbury. Licence issued Feb. 15, 1724.

1. Elizabeth HUNT was born in 1726 in Lenham, Kent, England; was christened on 27 Apr 1726 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; was buried on 15 Dec 1753 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England.
2. Basil HUNT was born in 1728; was christened on 15 Apr 1728 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; died in May 1801 in Lenham, Kent, England; was buried on 18 May 1801 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England.
3. Mary HUNT was born in 1730; was christened on 10 Apr 1730 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; was buried on 8 Nov 1795 in Lower Halstow, Kent, England.
4. Richard HUNT was born about 1732 in Lenham, Kent, England; was christened on 29 May 1732 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; died in May 1796 in Lenham, Kent, England; was buried on 9 May 1796 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England.
5. Isabella ("Sibella") HUNT was born in 1734; was christened on 6 Jun 1734 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; died on 8 Aug 1812; was buried on 12 Aug 1812 in All Saints’ Church, Maidstone, Kent, England.
6. Sarah HUNT was born in 1736; was christened on 16 May 1736 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; was buried on 25 Sep 1761 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England.
7. John HUNT was born in 1738; was christened on 16 Apr 1738 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; was buried on 27 Apr 1810 in St. Mary’s Church, Teynham, Kent, England.
8. Hester HUNT was born in 1740; was christened on 7 Mar 1739/40 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; was buried on 3 Nov 1775 in All Saints’ Church, Maidstone, Kent, England.
9. Martha HUNT was born in 1741; was christened on 17 Mar 1741/42 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; died in 1757; was buried on 2 Jan 1757 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England.
10. William HUNT was born in 1744 in Lenham, Kent, England; was christened on 4 May 1744 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; died in 1771 in Bredgar, Kent, England.
11. Robert HUNT was born in 1748; was christened on 1 Jan 1747/48 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; was buried on 28 Nov 1753 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England.
12. Ann HUNT was born in 1751; was christened on 18 Mar 1749/50 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England; died in 1772; was buried on 13 Aug 1772 in St. Mary’s Church, Lenham, Kent, England.

Notes:

Birth:
Estimate based on date of marriage

John married Elizabeth. Elizabeth was buried on 8 May 1709 in All Saints’ Church, Maidstone, Kent, England. [Family Group Page] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
No marriage of a John and Elizabeth in Maidstone to fit this couple prior to 1692. A John HUNT did marryan Elizabeth SPRINGAT in Maidstone in Jan 1695/96 (John was of Sutton Valence, Elizabeth 'otp'). Was John widowed and remarried another Elizabeth ? I suspect not, that it was simply another John and Elizabeth as there isn't a burial of an Elizabeth in Maidstone or Sutton Valence, 1692-1695/6. (I thought there might be baptisms of children of John and Elizabeth in Sutton Valence to confirm this, but there aren't)

A John and Mary had children in Maidstone at a similar time. This cannot be an earlier marriage of the same John as there was some overlap in the dates (the baptisms of the children of John and Mary were 1687 to 1695/6).