Ancestors

Martha Hayward

Martha Hayward was a spinster of Minchinhampton, a cloth-working parish near Stroud in Gloucestershire, when she married the surgeon Richard Browne in 1765.

The licence was sought on 12 August 1765. Richard swore the allegation, the sworn statement needed for a licence to marry without banns: "Richard Browne, of Minchinhampton, surgeon, bachelor, aged 25, and Martha Hayward of Minchinhampton, spinster, aged 25". He gave a bond the same day, with Abraham Wallbank, a gentleman of Minchinhampton. They were married at Minchinhampton on 17 August 1765.

She was very probably the Martha, daughter of Benjamin and Anne Hayward, who was christened at Minchinhampton on 27 June 1738. That would have made her 27 at the licence rather than 25, a usual sort of rounding. A sister, Anne, was christened there on 23 August 1749.

Her children were baptized at Minchinhampton. Anne came first, on 6 November 1766. A son, Benjamin, was baptized on 29 September 1767 and died four days later. Joseph followed on 10 September 1768. On 26 October 1774 she had twins, a second Benjamin and a daughter, Eleanor. Eleanor died on 2 December, five weeks later.

The surviving twin became Benjamin Hayward Browne, M.D., Physician to the Forces. Hayward, his middle name, was her surname. Benjamin was probably her father's name, and she gave it to two of her sons.

Her husband became a Doctor of Physic. He lived at Avening House, near Minchinhampton, and later at Hale End in Walthamstow, Essex. His will of 1805 does not name her, so she had probably died before then. Her death and burial have not been found. Only two of her children, Benjamin Hayward and Ann, were named in that will.

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Cite: Heirology, "Martha Hayward (b. 1738)", https://heirology.com/ancestors/martha-hayward-1738-a02309.