1704 - William

CHILDHOOD

Harnden is not a Bredgar name, so with the help of the IGI I traced William's probable parentage 17 miles to the south in Smarden. William Harnden, s/o

John Harnden & Elizabeth Perrin was christened there on 17 December 1704.

Like his father, William Harnden was a weaver. He probably learned this trade in his youth.

MARRIAGE & CHILDREN

The first record we have of William in Bredgar is his marriage to Sarah Hinds on June 29, 1732. They had eight children, of which the parish register states:

• Mary Harnden (c 4 Feb, 1732 - bur. 15 Aug 1791) - Deena McEwen, who transcribed this entry from the Bishop's Transcripts, notes that though the date for this christening is months before the marriage, the entry does not follow the usual practise of writing something like “Mary, daughter of Sarah Hind, base born.” So Deena believes the discrepancy is more likely to have been a clerical error.
• Elizabeth Harnden (c 1 March, 1734) married James Smith on 25 July, 1773.
• William Harden (c 1 May, 1737)
• John Harnden (c 31 Oct, 1737)
• Sarah Harnden (c 27 July, 1741 - bur. 11 Jun 1773)
• Francis Harnden (c 25 Sept, 1743) - gave birth to a natural daughter, Esther Harndon, on 30 Jan 1763. Esther married William Read on 21 Jan, 1782.
• Susannah Harnden (c 10 Nov 1745/46)
• Thomas Harndon (c 3 Jan, 1747)

Sarah was buried on 30 March, 1766.

William lived for another three decades, before he was buried on 1 July 1797.

His obituary appears in the Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Review, Volume 67, Part 1: "At Bredgar, in Kent, in his 89th year, Mr. William Harndon, linen weaver, leaving children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to the number of 166."