Benjamin was a member of the Merchant Taylors’ Company. He was city councilman for Coleman Street in 1671-2. He is recorded as a merchant trading to Aleppo in 1680/1, and he held stock in the Royal Africa Company and the East Indian Company. (Woodhead).
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: between 17 April and 7 June 1684.
Place of Death: unknown.
Benjamin made his will on 17 April and it was proved 7 June 1684.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Hannah Kiffin. Married 22 January 1656/7.
This relationship is made plain in Benjamin’s will, and appears in the marriage certificate.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. See the Commentary section below for the Pearson connection.)
(Probably) a daughter married someone surnamed Pearson. Their granddaughter was Hannah Webb.
Hannah Hewling (born 2 April 1661 - died 23 March 1731/2) married Major Henry Cromwell in 1686 at All Hallows, Staining. Henry was a grandson of the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell.
Benjamin Hewling (born 11 June 1663 - executed 30 September 1685 at Taunton for his participation in the Monmouth Rebellion.)
William Hewling (baptized 28 October 1665 in Islington - executed 12 September 1685 at Lyme for his participation in the Monmouth Rebellion).
Rebecca Hewling (died 1752) married Richard Martin 30 June 1691 at St Nicholas Cole Abbey.
Elizabeth Hewling (born 27 July 1670) married William Luson of Great Yarmouth in September 1691.
Priscilla Hewling (born 25 April 1672) married John Heron 5 May 1692 at St Nicholas Cole Abbey.
Henrietta Hewling (1676 - 15 August 1698) married John Catchar 22 January 1697 in All Hallows London Wall.
Evidence
from the Huntingdonshire Archives:
731/140
Marriage certificate of Benjamin Hewlinge and and Hannah Kyffen of James Dyke Place, London.
22 Jan. 1656/7
from the St Stephen Coleman Street parish register:
Hanna the daughter of Benjamin Hewling borne the 2d of aprill 1661 [Interlined. It does not state that she was baptized there.]
Benjamin the sonne of Benjamin Hewlinge borne the 11th of June 1663 [Interlined. It does not state that he was baptized there.]
Elizabeth the daughter of Benjamin & Hanna Hewling born the 27th of July 1670 [In the bottom margin. All the other records give baptisms, not births.]
April the 25 Priscillah Daughter of Benjamine Huling borne the 1672 [Interlined. It does not state that she was baptized there. All the interlineations are in the same hand as the rest of the register.]
from the parish register of St Mary Islington:
1665: William the sone of Benjamin Hewling was Bap: the 28th day of Octo
from the National Archives catalogue:
IOR/E/3/85 f. 76
East India Company Letter Books
Launcelot Stavely, William Hewling and the other Factors at Fort Cormantine
13 Sep 1658
from the East India Company Court Minutes:
9 July 1658
…Directions are given for finishing the letter to be sent by the Surat Frigate to Guinea. William Hewlinge, residing there, is entertained at a salary of 40l. a year on condition that his friends provide security for him, and order is given for the goods now sent out be consigned to him. Hewlinge, Humphrey Tabor (lately sent out by the Company), Captain Henry Tyrrell, Daniel Clutterbucke, John Godfrey and Joseph Cooke (all to take passage in the Surat Frigate) are joined in commission together to dispose of the said ship and stock according to directions.
5 October 1658
The owners of the Coast Frigate to make the Company a certain allowance for pepper missing, and be granted an abatement of 20l. for damaged calicoes, and the freight of the said ship to be made up. Benjamin Hewling and William Kiffin accepted as security for calicoes….
24 December 1658
…Order is given for all those residing at Guinea who are not entertained by the Company to return home. Roger Chappell, James Congett, Ralph Johnson, William Hewling, Humphrey Tabor and William Vickers to be of council, in the order they are here named…
9 September 1569
Benjamin Hewling and William Kiffin accepted as securities for calicoes….
7 December 1659
…at Guinea, and appoints…William Hewling, … to be of council there…
13 November 1663
…A parcel of calicoes bought by Mr. Hewling falling short of the number sold to him, his bargain is to be made good from some of the same kind now returned in the Coronation….
Transfers of Stock
16 May 1660 John Peirson to Benjamin Hewling, 500l.
4 July 1660 William Kiffen to Sir William Thomson, 1,000l.
4 July 1660 Benjamin Hewling to Sir William Thomson, 1,000l.
from The Little London Directory of 1677:
Benj. Hewling Coleman Street.
from the National Archives catalogue:
ACC/0332/001-004
Hendon Manor. Copies of Court Roll, Admissions and Surrenders.
Personal Names. Thomas Nicoll and wife Elizabeth, Edward Nicoll and wife Mary, Daniel Nicoll, Benjamin Hewling, John Heron.
1679-1693.
C 10/419/26
Davy v Kyffin.
Plaintiffs: George Davy and Margaret Davy his wife.
Defendants: William Kyffin, Benjamin Hewling, Nicholas Roberts, Henry Gouge.
Anne Deyman and William Skinner and others.
Subject: property in Tiverton, Devon.
Document type: bill and answer
1682
from Parliamentary Papers:
16 September 1685
A letter to Mrs. Hannah Moreley, relative to (inter alia) Mr. Hewling and his brother Benjamin Hewling, executed in the Duke of Monmouth’s rebellion.
Benjamin’s will:
In the name of God Amen I Benjamin Hewling of London Merchant being infirme and weake of body but of sound minde (through the goodnesse of God unto mee Doe make this my last will and testament and dispose of that worldly estate wherewith God hath bin pleased to blesse mee as followeth/ Imprimis I give and bequeath unto my sonne Beniamin Hewling the sum[m]e of one thousand foure hundred pounds to be paid him assoone as it can be raised Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne William Hewling the summe of one Thousand pounds to be paid unto him when hee shall attaine to the age of one and Twenty yeares. Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Hannah the summe of twelve hundred pounds to be paid unto her when and assoone as the same can be raised and gotten in out of my estate/ Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Rebecca the summe of eight hundred pounds when shee shall attaine to the age of one and twenty yeares or bee married which shall first happen Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth the summe of six hundred pounds when shee shall attaine the like age of one and twenty yeares or day of marriage which shall first happen Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Priscilla the summe of Five hundred pounds at her age of one and twenty yeares or day of marriage first happening Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Henrietta the summe of Five hundred pounds at her age of one and twenty yeares or day of marriage which shall first happen And if it shall happen that my said sonne William shall die before hee attaine his age of one and twenty yeares or that any of my said daughters Rebecca Elizabeth Priscilla or Henrietta shall dye before they shall attaine their respective ages of one and Twenty yeares or bee married which shall first happen. Then I give the legacy and portion or legacies and porc’ons of him her or them soe dieing to and amongst all the rest of my surviveing Children as well those of full age or married as those under age of not married equally to bee divided amongest them and to come and be paid unto them respectivelie at the respective times and in manner before appointed for payment of their respective portions or legacies herein before perticulerly bequeathed to them. And my will and meaning is that the severall legacies and portions herein before given and bequeathed unto my said sonne William and unto my daughters Rebecca Elizabeth Priscilla and Henrietta shall be disposed of and laid out by my Executrix herein after named either in purchasing of Lands or put out at interest by her or in any otherwise improved by my Executrix for the benefitt of my said sonne and daughters respectivelie untill they shall respectively attaine their respective ages of one and twenty yeares or be married as aforesaid but my minde is that such disposition putting out or improvement shall not bee at the hazard or losse of my executrix hereafter named but at my childrens respective hazards as to their respective portions And my further will and minde is that out of the improvemt. increase and profitt of each of my said Childrens porc’ons they shall bee in the first place respectively maintained and educated by my executrix and the residue of the improvement thereof shall goe towards the increasing of the said respective portions Item I give and devise unto my deare and beloved wife Hannah Hewling and her heires the house wherein I now live and inhabitt scituate in Coleman Streete London and my two houses or tenements adioymeing thereunto one of which two Tenements is scituate on the one side of the Gateway of my said dwelling house in Coleman Streete aforesaid and the other of the said two houses is scituate on the other side of the said Gate of my said house, and also all other my houses Lands and Tenements whatsoever and wheresoever To have and to hold the said Three messuages or dwelling houses with thappurtenances and all other my lands and tenements unto my said deare wife her heires and assignes forever and to noe other use whatsoever Item I leave unto Mr Maurice King the summe of Tenne pounds by him to be disposed to and amongst such poore christians and in such manner as hee shall see cause Item I give unto my nephew John Pearson the summe of Tenne pounds to be paid into the hands of some friend for his use. Item I give unto my Neece Hannah Pearson the summe of Tenne pounds as a token of my love and to buy mourning if shee please Item I also give and bequeath unto my said deare wife all my householdgoods plate jewells and all and singuler my Leases and revertions Item I likewise give my said wife all the rest and residue of my goods chattells and other my personall estate whatsoever the porc’ons and legacies before bequeathed being satisfied And I doe hereby make ordaine and appoint my said wife my sole Executrix of this my last will and testament and my express will and desire is that my wife and children all of them acquiesse and be satisfied in this my will without insisting upon any right or custome whatsoever and my further expresse will is that if my wife or any my children shall not be satisfied herein but endeavour to alter the same The respective legacies or gifts of such dissatisfied person or persons hereby willed shall not goe to him her or them respectively soe dissatisfied And I desire my most honnoured father in law Willm Kiffin Esq.r Mr John Smith merchant and my brother in law Mr Henry Kiffin to be overseers of this my last will and to assist my deare wife in the execution thereof which I know they will readily take upon themselves the trouble to doe And lastly I doe hereby revoke all former wills by mee at any time heretofore made Declareing this to be my last will and Testament In witnesse whereof I have to this my last will and testament contained in three sheetes of paper viz.t to each sheete thereof sett my hand and seale this sixteenth day of Aprill Anno Domini one thousand six hundred eighty foure Benj.a Hewling Signed Sealed published and declared (the words) and her heires) in the second sheete being first interlined by the said Beniamin Hewling to be his last will and testament in the presence of Jo: Greene Tho: Prince Georg Winder Letitia Jaque.
[Proved 7 June 1684]
Commentary
It is likely that “my nephew John Pearson” and “my Neece Hannah Pearson” in Benjamin’s will are his grandchildren. The third definition of “nephew” in the Oxford English Dictionary is “A grandson. Obs. (Common in 17th c.)” A cite given suggests that in 1632, grandson was considered, at least by some, to be the ‘correct’ meaning of “nephew”, and other cites show that “nephew” continued to be used in this sense until at least the end of the century. The first definition of niece is “A grand-daughter, or more remote female descendant.” A note states: In older use, down to c. 1600, the sense of ‘grand-daughter’ appears to have been common, but it is often difficult or impossible to make out which relationship is expressed by the word.” A number of pieces of evidence suggest that grandson and granddaughter are the intended meanings here:
No other reference is made to Benjamin’s siblings or their children in this will.
Benjamin Hewling and Hannah Kiffin were married in early 1657 and the first attested baptism of a child is in April 1661. It would be unusual if they did not have one or two children before 1661.
Descendants of the Katherine Pearson who married William Webb in Knightsbridge in 1697 show a number of connections with the descendants of Benjamin:
In 1750, Benjamin’s grandson John Heron, (the son of his daughter Priscilla), left all his personal estate to his “cousin Mary Webb”.
In 1752, William and Katherine Webb’s daughter Hannah Nugent was called to witness that the holograph will of Benjamin’s daughter Rebecca was in her handwriting.
The Hannah Nugent above had a son named “Henry Hewling Nugent” in 1761.
In 1768, Henry and Hannah Nugent were called to witness that the holograph will of Benjamin’s grandson William Martyn (son of his daughter Rebecca) was in his handwriting.
In 1770, Benjamin’s granddaughter Henrietta Martyn (daughter of Rebecca) left Henry and Hannah Nugent’s daughter Harriot a bequest in her will. Their relationship is not stated, but everyone else in the will is known to be a relative of Henrietta.
In 1802, Harriot’s daughter married William Martin Luson, a great-great grandson of Benjamin Hewling, descended from his daughter Elizabeth.
However, there is a piece of evidence that one could use to argue for the other possibility. Hewling Luson, a son of Benjamin Hewling’s daughter Elizabeth, wrote this in a 1773 letter, setting up the description of the actions of Benjamin’s daughter Hannah during the 1685 trials of her brothers:
The father of this unfortunate family was dead; the mother, from her distress, incapable of acting: some of the near friends of the family were themselves too obnoxious to act, and many more too timid; and as the other sisters were hardly out of their childhood, it fell upon this young lady alone to conduct the whole affair, in the prison, for their comfort, and, with the court, for their pardon.
This account suggests that Hewling Luson believed that Hannah Hewling was Benjamin’s eldest daughter in 1685. If Hannah Hewling had never had an elder sister, then John and Hannah Pearson were likely Benjamin Hewling’s nephew and niece in the modern sense, as John and Hannah Pearson’s mother was likely older than Hannah Hewling. However, it is also possible that John and Hannah Pearson’s mother had died before 1685. This seems likely, since in his 1684 will, Benjamin Hewling did not name their mother and asked that his bequest to John Pearson be paid “into the hands of some friend for his use.”
On the whole, it seems impossible to be sure whether “nephew” and “niece” in Benjamin’s will, referring to John and Hannah Pearson, are being used in the older or the modern sense, but it seems to me the sum of the evidence above leans somewhat in favour of the older sense.
References
Letters by John Hughes, esq. and several other eminent persons deceased. Vol. 1 (London, 1773).
The Little London Directory of 1677. (London, 1863).
Noble, Mark. Memoirs of the Protectorate-house of Cromwell (1784).
'Parishes: Thorley', in A History of the County of Hertford: Volume 3. (London, 1912).
Parish registers of St Mary Islington. Digital images on Ancestry.com.
Parish registers of St Stephen Coleman Street. Digital images on Ancestry.com.
Sainsbury, Ethel Bruce. A Calendar of the Court Minutes, etc. of the East India Company (Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1907-1916).
Will of Benjamin Hewling. Proved 1684 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
Woodhead, J.R. Rulers of London 1660-1689. A Biographical Record of the Aldermen and Common Councilment of the City of London. (London, 1966).