The First Known Darwin. \ 5 7 



The first known ancestor of the present Darwin 

 family was, in 1500, a resident of the village of Mar- 

 ton, near Gainsborough. His name was William, and 

 the records show that his great-grandson Richard 

 became heir to property in Marton. A clause in the 

 latter's will shows that he " bequeathed the sum of 

 3-f. 4<^. towards the settynge up of the Queen's 

 Majestie's armes over the quearie (choir) doore in the 

 parishe churche of Marton." Richard's son, named 

 William, was a successful man, and a " gentleman." 

 He retained the ancestral land at Marton, and in- 

 creased his possessions through marriage, adding an 

 estate at Cleatham, where he settled, the property 

 remaining in the family until the year 1760. To-day 

 all that remains of the place is a thick-walled cottage, 

 an old fish-pond, some large trees, and a field still 

 called " Darwin Charity," from the fact that it was 

 subject to a charge in favour of the poor of Marton 

 parish. In 1613 William Darwin was appointed to 

 the post of Yeoman of the Royal Armoury at Green- 

 wich by King James the First. The office was one 

 of honour rather than profit, and he appears to have 

 held it until his death. 



The son of this William, called also William, when 

 very young entered the King's service, receiving a 

 commission as " Captain-Lieutenant " in Sir William 

 Pelham's mounted troop. During the troubles of 

 the times, when the royal armies were almost dis- 

 persed and driven to Scotland, his estates were 

 seized, but finally returned upon his signing the 

 Solemn League and Covenant and paying a heavy 

 fine, which almost ruined him. Later he became a 



