Richard Browne
Richard Browne was a Doctor of Physic at Minchinhampton, a cloth-working parish near Stroud in Gloucestershire. A doctor of physic was a physician with a university medical degree, the most senior kind of medical man of the time.
He and his wife Martha had their children 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 twins were baptized, 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.
Martha's maiden name is not proven. A Richard Brown married a Martha Snary at Bristol on 14 March 1766, eight months before the first Minchinhampton baptism. Whether that was this couple is not known.
In later life he left Gloucestershire for Hale End, in the parish of Walthamstow in Essex. There, on 13 August 1805, he signed his will "Rich'd Browne". It opens: "the last Will and Testament of me Richard Browne late of Minchinhampton in the County of Gloucester but now of Hale End in the Parish of Walthamstow in the County of Essex, Doctor [of Physic]". The register copy runs to fifteen pages.
One of his trustees was "Joseph Browne of Rodborough in the said County of Gloucester, clothier", very probably his son Joseph. A clothier was a master in the woollen trade who owned the cloth and put the work of spinning, weaving and finishing out to others. The other trustees were two gentlemen of Hale End. He left an annuity of eighty pounds to "my daughter Ann Browne, spinster", for as long as she stayed unmarried.
For his son Benjamin he set aside money and property to be held in trust. Benjamin was to have the income for life, and after his death the capital was to be divided among Benjamin's children. The words "and also my son Benjamin Hayward" were added to the will in the margin.
The witnesses were Elizabeth Higgons of Hale End, widow, a gentleman of the same name and place, and Charles Grey, a carpenter. The will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 26 November 1806. Nothing in the pages read explains the name Hayward, and his own birth and parents are not known.
Sources
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Cite: Heirology, "Richard Browne", https://heirology.com/ancestors/richard-browne-0d5cf1.