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William (13) Woodhurst's origins are currently unknown. He was probably born in the 1730s. He may have been the William "Woodhouse" who was christened at Saint Peter & St. Paul in Milton-by-Gravesend, Kent on December 18th 1733 [IGI: Batch C135022]. The latter source names only one parent - his father, another William Woodhouse - and has no other Woodhouse baptisms under that batch number. This church is where William (1) Woodhurst - his possible grandson - married in 1811. Or, he may have been the William "Woodhouse" christened at St. Margaret, Rochester on October 10th 1736 to parents John and Ann [St. Margaret Parish Register]. The latter John may have been the "John Woodhurst from Chatham" who was buried there on February 5th 1795 [St. Margaret Parish Register].
William (13) married a widow "Elizabeth Merrony" at Boxley near Maidstone in Kent on November 1st 1760 [Boxley Parish Register]. The register describes him as a bachelor "of this parish".
Elizabeth may have been the daughter christened at Boxley to parents John Hales and Mary (2) (nee Foster) on February 24th 1734 [IGI: Film 453981]. She evidently first married at Boxley on February 5th 1750 to David (2) Merrony [IGI: Batch 7531506 - indexed as "Maroney"] by whom she produced a child Elizabeth christened at Boxley on March 1st 1750 [IGI: Batch C022006].
John Hales may have been the son whom various IGI patron submissions allege to have been christened at Yalding, Kent on March 25th 1693 to Jacob Hales and Elizabeth (nee Penny), who had married at East Malling, Kent on November 10th 1692 [IGI: Batch M131581]. The IGI patron submissions also state that Jacob died on November 4th 1741 and that his son John married Mary (2) Foster at Frinsted, Kent on April 7th 1724 and died at Boxley on July 29th (or 2nd) 1756 [IGI: Batch F610838].
William (13) may have been the William "Woodhouse" who was buried at St. Mary, Chatham on November 23rd 1794 [St. Mary Parish Register]. It is not known when his wife died.
He may have had a sister, she possibly being the spinster Elizabeth "Woodhouse" who was buried at Maidstone aged "79" on March 16th 1821 [Maidstone Parish Register]. The supposed grand-daughter Rebecca (2) of William (13) was certainly living in Maidstone at that time. This spinster's Will had been drawn up on April 24th 1816 and, following her death, proved on April 14th 1821 [Nat. Archives Ref: PROB 11/1642, Quire Nos. 201-250]. Besides some small legacies, the Will leaves the residue of her estate to the children of her (unnamed) brother "formerly of Portsmouth".
All four children named above were christened at Detling in Kent [IGI: Batch C042660]. Detling lies only about two-and-a-half miles east of Boxley where William (13) had married in 1760.
William (9) was christened on May 17th 1761, the record naming his parents as William "Woodhouse" and Elizabeth.
John (3) was christened on December 12th 1762, the record naming his parents as William Woodhurst and Elizabeth. He evidently named some of his own children after his siblings William, Mary and Frances.
Mary (4) was christened on June 2nd 1765, the record naming her parents as William "Woodhouse" and Elizabeth.
Frances (4) was christened on March 6th 1768, the record naming her parents as William "Woodhouse" and Elizabeth.
There were certainly Merrony families in Boxley in the early 18th century.
David (1) Merrony and his wife Elizabeth had several children christened there, including Elizabeth (March 2nd 1721), Susanna (March 14th 1730), Rebecca (January 25th 1733) and Catharine (February 18th 1738) [IGI: Batch C022006 - indexed as "Meroney"].