_Few Descents through a long Period._--The pedigree of the noble family
of Dartmouth, given by Edmondson in his _Baronagium Genealogicum_, No.
197., contains an extraordinary instance of few descents through a long
period of time.
The stock of descent is Thomas Legge, Sheriff of London in 1343, and
Lord Mayor in 1346. He had a son, Simon, whose son, Thomas, had issue,
William, who had issue an only son, Edward. This Edward had thirteen
children, one of whom, John, is stated to have died in 1702, aged 109.
Supposing Thomas Legge to have been 46 years old at his Mayoralty
(_i.e._ born in 1300) these six lives would extend over more than 400
years. This is so extraordinary that I append a Query. Is Edmondson's
_Genealogy_ correct, or are there any intermediate descents omitted?
The ages at death of four only of Edward's children are given, and they,
too, are remarkable: the before-mentioned John, aged 109 years;
Elizabeth (unmarried), 105 years; Margaret (married ---- Fitzgerald,
Esq.), 105 years; and Anne (married ---- Anthony, Esq.), 112 years. Can
any of your correspondents inform me the years when any of these died,
or where they are buried? to enable me to verify these facts by
certificates.