PROFESSOR OWEN 



CHAPTER I 



1804-24 



Parentage — Childhood — Youth 



Richard Owen, younger son of Richard Owen, 

 formerly of Fulmer Place, Bucks, was born at 

 Lancaster on July 20, 1804. His grandfather, 

 William Owen, married Elizabeth, daughter of 

 Richard Eskrigge. This Richard Eskrigge was 

 High Sheriff of Bucks in 1741, and was the owner 

 of Fulmer Place. In an old Family Prayer Book, 

 dated 17 13, with a frontispiece portrait of Queen 

 Anne, and further 4 adorn'd,' as the title-page has 

 it, * with 50 historical cuts,' there are the following 

 entries in Richard Eskrigge's handwriting : — 



' Richard Owen, son of William Owen (who 

 was free of the Fishmongers' Company) and of 

 Elizabeth Owen. The said Richard was born in 

 the parish of St. Matthew, Friday Street, De- 

 cember 5, 1754, and baptized the Sunday follow- 

 ing. The sponsors were Richard and Elizabeth 



vol. 1. B 



