The Kennedys

I had originally thought that John Kennedy's (senior's) wife, Alice, was the daughter of Peter Rae. But I also had on record that Peter Rae was born in 1687. See the following diagram drawn up by Professor HC Wyld sometime in the 1930's. Alice, I was informed by a cousin, was born 1694! There were other unresolved issues, e.g. the names of Peter Rae's sisters - information drawn from reading his will, and the fact that he cites Alice Kennedy as being his daughter-in-law.

A transcript of Peter Rae's Will:

IN THE NAME OF GOD Amen.

"I Peter Rae citizen and shipwright of London having the use of my reason and understanding after recommending my soul to God trusting in his mercies through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ for Eternal life make this my last will and testament. Viz: I bequeath after my just debts are paid to my sisters Janet Marian and Jane Rae each of them twenty pounds and to my sister Mary Pagan twenty pounds and to my sister Ann ?Lowess [I think this is Lovell - editor] ten pounds and to my son-in-law John Kennedy twenty pounds and to my daughter-in-law Alice Kennedy twenty pounds and to James Lowden of Newport in the Isle of Wight my wearing apparel both woolen and linen and the residue and remainder of all my worldly substance I leave to my dear wife Alice Rae and my son Peter Rae to be equally divided between them and appoint my dear wife Alice Rae Executrix and James Gibson of Cheapside London Draper Executor as witness my hand this twenty eighth day of September in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty-six. Signed Peter Rae Witness John Aikin Witness John ???, Witness Thomas Aikin."

"THIS WILL was proved at London before the worshipful Edward Kinaston Doctor of Laws and surrogate to the Right Worshipful John ?Gottesworth Doctors of Laws Master Keeper or commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted the third day of September in the year of Our Lord one thousand, seven hundred and thirty six by oaths of Alice Rae widow the relict of the deceased and James Gibson the executors named in the said Will to whom administration of all and singular the Goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased was granted being first sworn duly to an administror. "

My cousin writes:

"The only odd thing about it is that he refers to "his daughter-in-law Alice Kennedy" I assume by this he was referring to his daughter Alice who had married his son-in-law John Kennedy, but ... it is an odd mistake. One of Peter Rae's executors was James Gibson. The Gibsons went to the same Carter Lane Church as did the Raes and one of them subsequently married into the family so I am pretty sure that this Peter Rae is the father of our Alice Kennedy b 1696 (sic) and her brother Peter Rae."

However, I was recently informed by a lady who was researching the Gibsons that the solution to the problem is that Alice Rae was not John Kennedy's wife. Rather it was an Alice Horsman. However, Alice remarried after John Kennedy's death to Peter Rae:

"Alice Horsman [probably born about 1703] married first on 17 Feb 1724/5 [Allhallows, London Wall] John Kennedy. You say he died in 1730 in London. By him Alice had a daughter Alice Kennedy, baptised 12 Nov 1727 [Founders Hall, Lothbury Scots Church, London] and a son John Kennedy, baptised 6 Jul 1729 [Founders Hall, Lothbury Scots Church, London]. After John Kennedy's death his widow Alice married for a second time, to ... Peter Rae, on 15 June 1732 [Allhallows, London Wall]. This means that ... Alice and John Kennedy ... [were] Peter Rae's stepchildren. The daughter Alice Kennedy married Thomas Malleson on 10 Dec 1751 [Saint Stephen Walbrook and Saint Benet Sherehog, London]. This is confirmed by the will of her mother, which has an extract on your Web page. Alice Rae was not lucky with her husbands, was she? The first lived only 5 years after their marriage and the second, ... Peter Rae, who died in 1736, only 4 years. It is very unusual for such a long period to elapse between the making of the will and the proving of it, as happened with that of Alice Rae."

"I had had a quick look at the IGI but none of the handful of Alice Horsmans baptised circa 1700 looked relevant. The most likely one was baptised in Essex ..."

Therefore Peter Rae was not a direct ancestor of mine, but a step-ancestor, so to speak. The mother of John Kennedy (junior) and Alice Kennedy was really Alice Horsman, not Alice Rae as mistakenly shown on the second chart below. I had assumed the mother of John Kennedy (junior) was Alice Rae because that was the name she derived by virtue of her second marriage to Peter Rae.

Andrew Malleson also wrote the following based partly on a transcript of his daughter Alice Rae's will:

"Alice Rae: Left £200 to her daughter Alice the wife of Thomas Malleson and divided her possessions between Alice and her Son John Kennedy. Her address was Red Lyon Street, Clerkenwell. The Will was dated 3rd Day August 1757. The Will was proved 21st May 1766. Thomas and Alice Malleson of the Parish of (?) Cornhill, London and, I think, John Kennedy all appeared personally"

Alice Rae (formerly Alice Kennedy, Alice Horsman) probably died in 1766 when Thomas and Alice Malleson appeared to prove the will. Here is Alice Rae's will:

"This is the last will and testament of Alice Rae of Red Lyon Street Clerkenwell in the Parish of St. Francis Clerkenwell. xxxxx sxxxx xxxx first of all I will order and appoint that all my just and lawful debts be paid after all my just and lawful debts are paid I will and dispose of my personal estate as follows (that it to say) I will and bequeath to my daughter Alice Malleson wife of Thomas Malleson the sum of two hundred pounds to be paid to her by the executor whom I shall hereafter mention within six months after my desease all thre rest and residue of my personal estate whethter in money trusts of bonds stocks government or other security I will and bequeath to my son john Kennedy of Ledenhall Street in the Parish of St Peter's Cornhill. I will and bequeath wearing apparal to my daughter Alice Malleson I will and appoint that my household furniture utensils plate china linen watch rings and books be equally divided between the said son John Kennedy and said daughter Alice Malleson I will and appoint my said son John Kennedy to be the sole executor of this my last will made by xxxxxxx set my hand and soal this 3rd day of August 1757 Alice Rae."


	John Kennedy of Ayrshire b 1694 Ayrshire d 1730 London


	m 17 Feb 1724 or 1725, Allhallows, London Wall children >


m	Alice Horsman b circa 1703 d 1766 ? m2 Peter Rae, 15 Jun 1732, Allhallows, London Wall

Below is the original chart which I am now led to believe is mistaken in respect of the discussion above.

	John Kennedy of Ayrshire b 1694 Ayrshire d 1730 London

	m 17 Feb 1724, Allhallows, London Wall children >

Janet Rae d later than Peter
Marian Rae d later than Peter
Jane Rae d later than Peter
Mary Rae m ? Pagan d later than Peter
Ann Rae m ? Lowess or Lovell d later than Peter
Peter Rae (?) b 1687 d 1736 probably London

m	Alice Rae b 1694 d 1766
	Peter Rae

Alice d later than Peter

Content copyright © 2006 Alasdair Broun, webmaster and site author, Skye Website Services. All rights reserved.
You are very welcome to quote short excerpts in appropriate contexts, without permission, if you refer to the source by providing links to the relevant pages on my site.
Web design copyright © 2006 Red Kite Internet All rights reserved.