Person:Henry Nugent (2)

Relationships

Henry's mother was Frances Nugent (neé Byne). This is attested by his baptism record (in his mother's home parish), and confirmed by testimony in the court case cited below.

The identity of Henry's father is given by his sister Elizabeth in the court case cited below. Henry's baptism and apprenticeship records have him as being the son of Edmund Nugent, which is how he described himself in the court case. His sister produced an abundance of seemingly reliable witnesses to show that Edmund could not have been Henry's father as Edmund was not in contact with Frances his wife at the time of Henry's conception.

Edmund Nugent spent about thirteen years in the French army without visiting his wife, Frances. During this time, Frances formed, in the words of Henry's sister, Elizabeth, (or her lawyer) "an unhappy acquaintance and familiarity" with Dr. Alan Henman alias Taylor, which resulted in the birth of Henry. When Edmund Nugent finally visited Frances for a few weeks shortly before his death in 1701, Henry's existence was hidden from him.

Life

During his early years, Henry was apparently raised by his natural father, Dr. Henman alias Taylor. Henry later complained of being raised "in great privacy and obscurity" and not having been sent to school. His sister notes that he was taught to read and write and do accounts.

Henry was apprenticed in the Vintner's Company in 1716.^S4

Henry took his mother to court in the 1720s over property his grandfather Henry Byne had left her.^S3 His mother passed the property on to Henry's sister Elizabeth, and her husband William Hancock. After Henry's mother's death, he continued his court action against his sister and her husband. William Hancock seems to have willed the properties in question to Elizabeth(PCC will made 11 Dec 1728, proved 21 Jun 1739).

Henry is possibly the Dorchester-Beer dealer in Carnaby-Market who went bankrupt in 1734.^S5S6

Bank of England Will Extract:

Mem.m that Henry Nugent of Lincolns Inn Gent, died possess'd of Two hundred pounds Consolidated ₤4 percent annuities and dying Intestate Letters of Administration dated at Doctors Commons 4th January 1774, (in which he is described late of the parish of St John Southwark in the County of Surry) were granted to his daughter Harriot Johnson (wife of Benjamin Johnson) who may dispose of these Annuities with the consent of her husband. Register'd 13th January 1774

N. 2868 E Bangham

E4204

I do hereby Certifie that Henry Nugent by the different descriptions within mentioned was the Same person. London 13 Jan'y. 1774 Sam'l Littlewood No. 9 Lombard Street

Deliver'd for Mr Johnson 13 Jan'y EB

1. ↑ Parish Register.
2. ↑ Parish Register.

   Henry Neugent of Edmund and Frances uxor

3.   Court records for the case Henry Nugent v. William Hancock and Elizabeth his wife.

   Here are the index entries from the National Archives Discovery catalogue (some transcriptions are given if you click on the link):
   
   C 11/1776/25
   Short title: Nugent v Nugent.
   Document type: Bill only.
   Plaintiffs: Henry Nugent, gent of St James Westminster, Middlesex (only son and heir of Edmond Nugent, gent of St Clement Dane, Middlesex and Frances Nugent his wife, only daughter of Henry Byne, gent deceased late of Crowhurst, Surrey).
   Defendants: Frances Nugent, William Hancock and Elizabeth Hancock his wife.
   Date of bill (or first document): 1723
   
   
   C 11/285/49
   Short title: Nugent v Hancock.
   Document type: Bill and answer.
   Plaintiffs: Henry Nugent (son and heir of Edmund Nugent, gent late of St Clement Dane, Middlesex and Frances Nugent his wife deceased, who was daughter and heir of Francis Byne, deceased late of Crowhurst, Surrey).
   Defendants: William Hancock and Elizabeth Hancock his wife.
   Date of bill (or first document): 1727
   
   C 11/285/45
   Short title: Nugent v Hancock.
   Document type: Bill and two answers.
   Plaintiffs: Henry Nugent (son and heir of Edmond Nugent, gent late of St Clement Dane, Middlesex and Frances Nugent his wife deceased, who was daughter and heir of Henry Byne, deceased late of Crowhurst, Surrey).
   Defendants: William Hancock and Elizabeth Hancock his wife.
   Date of bill (or first document): 1728
   
   C 11/1912/5
   Short title: Nugent v Hancock.
   Document type: Depositions.
   Plaintiffs: Henry Nugent (son and heir of Edmund Nugent, gent and Frances Nugent his wife, both deceased).
   Defendants: William Hancock and Elizabeth Hancock his wife.
   Depositions taken at Doway, France.
   Date of bill (or first document): 1729
   
   C 11/1912/8
   Short title: Nugent v Hancock.
   Document type: Deposition and two commissions.
   Plaintiffs: Henry Nugent (son and heir of Edmund Nugent, gent and Frances Nugent his wife, both deceased).
   Defendants: John Hancock and Elizabeth Hancock his wife.
   Depositions taken at Limpsfield, Surrey and at Dublin, Ireland.
   Date of bill (or first document): 1729

4.   Webb, Cliff. London Apprenticeship Abstracts.

   Nugent Henry son of Edmund, St Clement Danes, Middlesex, gentleman, deceased, to Edmund Ebbutt, 7 Mar 1715/6, Vintners' Company

5.   persons declared bankrupt, in The London Magazine
   November 1734.

   Henry Nugent, of Carnaby-Market, in the Parish of St. James, Westminster, Dealer in Dorchester-Beer, Warehouseman and Chapman.

6.   England. The London gazette. (London, England)
   [1], 1734.
7. ↑ ^7.0 7.1 Westminster Rate Books.

   available for a fee on Findmypast.co.uk

8.   NUGENT Henry Gent of Lincolns Inn, in Bank of England Wills Extracts 1717-1845
   Book 27; Reg 2868; Film 58/3; Record Type N, 1773-1776.

   image available for a fee on Findmypast.co.uk