Events
Date of Birth: about 1615 or 1616.
According to her burial monument, Hannah was buried in the 67th year of her age.
Date of Death: 6 October 1682.
The date appears on Hannah’s burial monument.
Place of Burial: Bunhill Fields.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: William Kiffin. Married in 1638.
Hannah is named in a monumental inscription at Bunhill Fields. William Kiffin, in his memoirs, states that he had been married nearly 44 years when his wife died. Beathia Pitts, in her 1679 will, named her sister Hannah and Hannah’s husband William Kiffin.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Hannah Kiffin married Benjamin Hewling 22 January 1656/7.
Samuel Kiffin (buried 5 August 1644 in Stepney, Middlesex)
William Kiffin (about 1649 - 31 August 1669).
A son (born after 1649 - died in Venice after 1669). William believed this son had been poisoned by a Roman Catholic priest, although he notes in his memoirs that his son had been “but weakly” before he left on his journey.
Henry Kiffin (baptized 29 October 1653 at Shoreditch, Middlesex - died 8 December 1698) married Rachel Dashwood 11 March 1674/5 at All Hallows London Wall, London.
Priscilla Kiffin (about 1654 - 15 March 1679) married Robert Liddel 15 November 1677 at All Hallows London Wall.
Benjamin Kiffin (buried 6 July 1657 in Stepney).
Rebecca Kiffin (buried 20 November 1720 in St Lawrence Jewry, London) married Joseph Hayes, 14 September 1671 at All Hallows London Wall.
Evidence
The will of Hannah’s sister Beathia:
To all Xr’ian People To whom this present writing shall come I Beathia Pitts of London Gentlewoman send Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting Know ye That I the said Beathia Pitts Aswell for the naturall love good will and affect’on which I have and beare Towards my Loving sister Hannah Kiffin wife to William Kiffin of London Merchant As alsoe for divers other good causes and Considerac’ons me hereunto espeacially moveing Haue given and granted And by these presents I doe Freely thereby and absolutely giue and grant unto the said Hannah Kiffin her Executors Administrators and Assignes All and singuler my goods wares houshold stuffe wearing Apparell Plate Jewells Ready money Leases Chattells Implements debts Bills Bonds specialties And all other things alive or dead whatsoever aswell moveable as Immoveable both Reall and personall whatsoever they be and in whose hands Custody or possession soever the same or any of them or any part thereof can or may be found remaining and being As well in my owne Custody or possession as in the Custody or possession of any other person or persons whatsoever on this side or beyond the Seas To haue and to hold All and singuler the said Goods wares houshold stuffe wearing Apparell Plate Jewells ready money leases Chattells implements Debts Bills Bonds Specialties and all other the premisses unto the said Hannah Kiffin her executors Administrators and Assignes from and imediatly after the death of me the said Beathia Pitts to her and their owne proper use And as her and their owne proper goods for ever absolutely without any manner of Condic’on Chalenge or Conntradiction of me the said Beathia Pitts my Executors Administrators or Assignes or of any other person or persons by any means Title or procurement in any manner of wise whatsoever And I the said Beathia Pitts my Executors Administrators and Assignes All and singular the aboue menc’oned goods and Chattells and other the premisses unto the said Hannah Kiffin her Executors Administrators and Assignes To her and their owne proper use as aforesaid Against all people shall and will warrant and for ever defend by these presents In Witnesse whereof I haue hereunto sett my hand and seale the Eighth day of November in the one and Thirtieth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c Annoq’ D’ni 1679. / Beathia Pitts her marke./ Sealed and delivered in the presence of John Sharet David Trombell Thomas Awton 1679./
[Proved 25 October 1681. Administration was given to Hannah Kiffin, as Beathia had neglected to appoint an executor and Hannah was the only person named in the will. Hannah was described in the probate clause as Beathia’s natural sister and next of kin, and Beathia was described as “nuper de Evisham al[ia]s Epsham in Com’ Surria”.]
Commentary
Hannah’s sister Beathia Pitts, in her 1679 will, described herself as “Beathia Pitts, gentlewoman”, and named no other relatives. She did not mention that she was a widow, and the probate clause attached to the register copy of the will did not describe her as a widow either. I think that means that it is fairly safe to assume that Beathia was unmarried, since widowhood would probably have been legally relevant for the will.
Some online sources given parents for Hannah, but, as far as I can see, with inadequate evidence.
The probate clause in Beathia’s will states that she had lived in Epsom, Surrey, but I have not tracked down any Pitts family there. There is a “Pitt Place” in Epsom, which consists of a 17th century house incorporated into an 18th century mansion, but online histories of it state that it was named after a nearby chalk pit.
References
Will of Beathia Pitts. Proved 1681 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Digital images on Ancestry.com accessed 4 August 2025.