JOHN LOCKE.
I shall be much obliged if any gentleman who has the power of access to the registers of Wrington, Somerset, or who may otherwise take an interest in the descent of John Locke the philosopher, will kindly assist me to prove that the parents of that eminent man were as supposed to be in the accompanying pedigree.
Edmund Keene of Wrington, = Mary, daughter of ... described as a widow,
county Somerset. | October 15, 1631. (Court Roll.)
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| | | : |
Edmund Keene of = Frances, daughter John. Richard (?). Agnes Keene, married = John Locke ... = ... Morris.
Wrington. Yeoman.| of ... at Wrington, July 15,: /|\
Will dated | Locke(?). Executrix 1630. :
September 12, | of her ______________________________:
1667 (in which | husband's will. :
he mentions his | John Locke the philosopher, baptized August 29, 1632.
"loving brother |
Peter Locke." |
Who was he?) |
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| | | | |
Samuel Keene. John, baptized Peter. Sarah. Mary, baptized at Wrington, February 27, 1633, = John Darbie of
: October 8, Both baptized by her father's will had lands at Wrington Shirbourne,
: 1635. October 24, and Ley. Will dat. August 16, 1717. by co. Dorset,
: : 1639. which she devised her estate at Wrington Mercer.
: : to her niece Frances Watkins of Abingdon, (Deed, August
_:_________________: widow, remainder to her son Joseph. Died 16, 1676.)
| November 27, 1717.
Frances Keene. (Daughter of = Joseph Watkins of
Samuel or John?) | Abingdon.
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Joseph Watkins of Clapton, Middlesex, Esq. = Magdalen, daughter of ... Gibbes.
/|\
I observe that in Chalmers' Dictionary the mother of Locke is called Anne, whereas, in the Wrington register, I am informed that it appears as Agnes,—"1630, July 15, (married) John Locke and Agnes Keene." I believe, however, that in former days Anne and Agnes were not unfrequently confounded, so that the apparent discrepancy may not be material.
The best evidence that is at present within my reach, in support of the connexion here given, is a letter from Mrs. Frances Watkins, a daughter of either Samuel or John Keene, dated "Abingdon, January, 1754," addressed to her son "Joseph Watkins, Esq., at John's Coffee House, Cornhill, London," and from which I make the following extract for the information of those who may be disposed to look into this question. She says,—
"I am allied to Mr. Lock thus: His father and my grandmother were brother and sister, and his mother and my grandfather were also sister and brother, consequently my father and the great Lock were doubly first cousins. My grandfather's sister and my grandmother's brother produced this wonder of the world. To make you more sensible of it, a Lock married a Keen, and a Keen married a Lock. My aunt Keen was a most beautiful woman, as was all the family; and my uncle Lock an extream wise man. So much for genealogy. My Lord Chancellor King was allied thus near. I forgett whether his mother was a Keen or Lock. I had this information from my aunt Darby. Mr. Lock had no advantage in his person, but was a very fine gentleman. From foreign Courts they used to write, 'For John Lock, Esq., in England.'"
C. J.