Plumstead Common.
[We have been favoured with the following article on this subject from
George Offor, Esq., of Hackney:
"_Where are John Bunyan's Descendants?_--It is natural to inquire after
the ancestors and descendants of great men, although experience proves
that intellectual greatness runs not in blood, for earth's _great_ and
most illustrious sons descended from and left descendants who merged
among the masses of her _little_ ones. Of his ancestors Bunyan boasted
not, but pleaded with the readers of the first edition of his _Sighs
from Hell_, 'Be not ashamed to own me because of my low and
contemptible descent in the world.' From the life of the great dreamer,
appended to my second edition of Bunyan's works (Blackie, Glasgow), it
appears that he left three children: Thomas, a valuable member of his
church; Joseph, who settled in Nottingham; and Sarah. Joseph is named
by one of Bunyan's earliest biographers, who told his father that 'a
worthy citizen of London would take him apprentice without money, which
might be a great means to advance him; but he replied to me, _God did
not send him to advance his family, but to preach the Gospel_.'
"The Rev. J. H. A. Rudd of Bedford and Elstow has most kindly searched
the registers of Elstow and Goldington, and has discovered some
interesting entries; and, as his numerous engagements will permit, he
will search the registry of the parish churches in Bedford and its
vicinity. Information would be most acceptable relative to Bunyan's
father and mother, his two wives, and his children, John, Elizabeth,
and Mary, who died in his life-time; and also as to Joseph. If your
correspondent FURVUS would search the registers at Nottingham, he might
discover some valuable records of that branch of the family. Bunyan is
said to have been baptized about 1653; and in the Elstow register it
appears that his daughter Mary was registered as _baptized_ July 20,
1650, while his next daughter, Elizabeth, is on the register as _born_
April 14, 1654, showing the change in his principles, as to infant
baptism, to have taken place between those periods. The family Bible
given by John Bunyan to his son Joseph, now in my possession, confirms
the statement verbally communicated to me by his descendant Mrs.
Senegar, that her great-grandfather Joseph, having conformed to please
his rich wife, was anxious to conceal his affinity to the illustrious
tinker. The registers contained in it begin with Joseph's son Thomas
and Susannah his wife, and it is continued to Robert Bunyan, born 1775,
and who was lately living at Lincoln. I should be most happy to show
the Bible and copies of registers in my possession to any one who will
undertake to form a genealogy."