Johann Benjamin Tolkien (1753 - 1819)

Born 27 Mar 1753 in Danzig, West Prussia, Prussia, German Empire [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Warner) Tolkien — married 27 Apr 1777 in St James Church, Clerkenwell, London, England

Husband of Mary (Wall) Tolkien — married 22 Apr 1781 in St Sepulchre-without-Newgate, Holborn. London, England

Descendants

Died 27 Jan 1819 at age 65 in Islington, London, Middlesex, England

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Biography

John was a Friend (Quaker)

John Benjamin Tolkien (1753-1819) ^[1]
John Benjamin Tolkien (earlier Johann Benjamin Tolkien) was born in 1753 most probably in the famous Polish port town Gdańsk (German form Danzig) and died on 27 January 1819 in Islington, London. He is buried on the Methodist cemetery of Bunhill Fields, near his brother, Dan Godleip Tolkien (earlier Daniel Gottlieb Tolkien), b. in 1747 (Gdańsk) and d. in May 1813 in Shoreditch, London.

Daniel Gottlieb and Johann Benjamin emmigrated to the United Kingdom probably after 1772 when Gdańsk was blockaded by the Prussians (during the first partition of Poland). If so, Daniel would be 25 and Johann 19 – a good age to begin the new life in a new country. They must have had money with them. Their start was quite successful in London where John and Dan found wifes soon and began their bussinesses. Daniel Gottlieb Tolkien received (bought) the British citizenship in 1794.

The earliest document which tells us about the Tolkien brothers in London comes from 27 April 1777 from St James church, Clerkenwell, London. This is the marriage between John Benjamin (24) and his first wife, Mary Tolkien, née Warner (who died in 1779). Mary Tolkien gave birth to two daughters of John Benjamin: Anna Maria Tolkien (1778-1815) and Elisabeth Tolkien (1779-). Mary died probably when giving birth to Elisabeth.

On 22 April 1781 John Benjamin Tolkien married for the second time, which took place at St. Sepulchre church in Holborn, London. His bride was Mary Wall (1746-1837) from London.

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #60908895 John-benjamin-tolkien

Bell's Weekly Messenger 31 January 1819 ; Deaths : At Islington, in his 67th year Mr J B TOLKIEN, many years of the firm of Gravell and Tolkien, in St, John Street.

Greater London Burial Index Transcription
First name(s) John Benjamin
Last name Tolkien
Age at death 67
Birth year 1752
Burial year 1819
Burial date 01 Feb 1819
Parish Bunhill Fields
Address Islington
City London
County Middlesex
Source City of London Burials 1754-1855
Record set Greater London Burial Index

Billion Graves Burial Record for John Benjamin Tolkien (1753-1819)

• The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; General Register Office: Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths Surrendered to the Non-Parochial Registers Commissions of 1837 and 1857; Class Number: RG 4; Piece Number: 3994
• London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P76/Js1/174
• London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P69/Sep/A/01/Ms 7222/3
• London Land Tax Records. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives.
• Deceased Online; United Kingdom; Deceased Online Burial Indexes