Hannah Longhurst

From NEHGR Fall 2016 Vol 170 The Wife and Descendants of Revolutionary War Traitor Dr. Benjamin Church, Jr., of Boston, by Michael J. Leclerc. (American Ancestors membership needed to view)

4.  Hannah6 Church (Benjamin5–4, Edward3, Benjamin2, Richard1), daughter of Dr. Benjamin5 and Sarah (Miller) Church, was born in Boston, and baptized there at the Hollis Street Church 8 July 1764. She died in Boston 7 April 1836, “ae. 68” Originally buried in the Tucker family tomb in Trinity Church, she was reinterred with other family members in Mount Auburn Cemetery in 1872.

Hannah Church married first in the parish of St. Marylebone, Westminster, England, 31 August 1786, William Kirkby of the parish of Saint Helen, London. Their licence was issued three days earlier. He was baptized at St Andrew, Holborn, London, 18 July 1753, son of John and Emm[ott] (Broomhead) (Kirkby) Kirkby. He died in Boston 19 October 1804.

Hannah married second at the New South Church, Boston, 22 February 1807, William Longhurst. William was born in England ca. 1759 (aged 73 at death). He died in Boston 23 December 1832, and is buried there in Tomb 36 in the Granary Burial Ground.

Children of William and Hannah6 (Church) Kirkby:

• 6. i. Mary Ann Kirkby, bp. St. Mary, Whitechapel, London, 16 Nov. 1788; m.William Tucker.
• ii. William James Kirkby, b. U.S. or England ca. 1789; d. probably Boston 21 April 1837; bur. Trinity Church, reinterred in Mt. Auburn Cemetery 18 May 1872.
• iii. Sarah Church Kirkby, bp. St. Mary, Whitechapel, 27 Jan. 1790.[85]
• iv. John Kirkby, b. 24 Jan. 1791, bp. St. Clement Danes, Westminster, 27 March 1791; d. Boston in June 1833.[87] John was a printer. He likely married by 1820, as he appeared as a head of household in Boston, age 26–44, in the 1820 census with a woman the same age; both were “foreigners not naturalized.”
• v. James Church Kirkby, b. London 23 Nov. 1794, bp. Christ Church,Southwark, 31 Jan. 1795.
• 7. vi. Robert Kirkby, b. probably Boston ca. 1797; m. Submission Jane Cowan.

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In the Fall 2016 edition of the NEHG Register (Volume 170), a major piece of research by Michael Leclerc demonstrates that Benj. Church was actually married to Sarah Miller, dau. of James and Mary Miller, in London on January 18, 1759, and that this was his only wife. She was baptized in Ross, Herefordshire 18 Marc 1727/8 and died in England 8 August 1788. Their three children were James Miller, Sarah Weld, and Hannah Kirkby/Longhurst. Sarah's marriage to Benjamin Weld was later dissolved by the Supreme Judicial Court in Boston in 1790 for her misbehavior. This research clears up longstanding confusion among historians about Benjamin Church's wife.

From Descendants of Richard Church of Plymouth, Mass. page 99

Children of Benjamin Church and Hannah:

482. Hannah, b 1764; m William Kirby, a merchant of London and had sixteen children.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 20 2017, 0:54:30 UTC