Histories

Matthew Chitty
(d.1716?) of London

              Matthew CHITTY (died about 1716), of St Peter Cornhill, Bishopsgate Street Within, and Amsterdam, merchant, son of Henry, married twice, but records of his baptism, marriages and burial are as yet all untraced. The dates of signing and proof of his Will show that he died between 1712 Mch 23 and 1716/7 Jan 21, probably at Amsterdam, where the Will was made. The Probate describes him as 'of parts overseas'. Both his wives were Amsterdam ladies, but he and the first had their home in London until at least 1685.

              The first wife was Catherine de MOUSON and the approximate date of their marriage is indicated by a certificate of membership issued to her at Amsterdam for the London Dutch Church at Austin Friars, 1675 May 5. About 1680, Rachel ROMBOUTS, a widow in their service, made attestation at this church; and in 1681, Apr 13, 'Le Sieur Mattieu CHITTY and Madle Catherine de MOUSON his wife', Madle Catherine de la FONTAINE, widow of the late M. Jean de la FONTAINE, Madle Marie de MOUSON, her daughter, and Rachel, her servant, brought further certificates from Amsterdam to the London Church.

              In 1685, Matthew, as executor of his father Henry, was plaintiff in a Chancery action concerning trade accounts - arrears of an earlier action by Henry.

              Matthew is said to have traded at Amsterdam in the name of 'CHITTY and ZOONAN'.

              Did Matthew who died about 1716 use the arms first officially registered in 1759? Rietstap's 'Armorial Général' gives for 'CHISSY [sic] of Amsterdam': 'or, a chevron ermine, in chief three lion's(?) heads gules erased.' If these queried lions were in fact talbots, this is the CHITTY coat with tinctures reversed. It is not easy to guess how Rietstap could have read 'or' and 'gules' in reverse; but that Matthew used this variant seems unlikely when we find 'CHITTY of London' impaled in his married daughter's family, the ST QUINTINs, in Harpham Church. This last mentioned use at least implies, if it does not prove, that the arms were used by the common ancestor, Abraham I (1582-1665).

Matthew and Catherine had four children, two very short-lived:

1. Henry baptised at St Peter Cornhill 1675/6 Jan 28 and buried there Mch 2 following. The Burial record calls him 'son of Henry' - an obvious clerical error.

2. Catherine baptised 1677 Oct 23/24 at both St Peter and the Dutch Church at Austin Friars. She pre-deceased her father, having married Hugh ST QUINTIN (1671-1712/23); their elder son William succeeded as 4th Baronet ST QUINTIN of Harpham, Yorks, and had issue. The name CHITTY was given as a last baptismal name to several of their descendants, and, though the male line and the baronetcy have long been extinct, descendants who had assumed the name of ST QUINTIN continued until at least 1913.

3. Agneta baptised 1681 Aug 25 at Austin Friars, married Theodore HUYGENS who was living in 1712; she died between 1759 Jun 22 and 1760 Feb 6 as 'Lady Agneta CHITTY widow of Theodorus HUYGHENS, Magistrate and Council of Amsterdam', leaving effects, stocks and credits in Great Britain. One of the executors was Worshipful Wilelm HUYGHENS Lord of Honroop, High Sheriff of Amsterdam. The Will was proved in the P.C.C.

4. Elizabeth baptised 1684 Jun 22 at Austin Friars and buried 1685 Sep 1 in the North Aisle of St Peter Cornhill.

Matthew married secondly Elizabeth Ten CROOTENHUYS of Amsterdam, formerly De DIEN, a widow with two children, Lodowick Ten CROOTENHUYS who died 1724 Jun 1, unmarried, during his mother's lifetime, and Jacoba Elisabeth, wife of Theodor BOONDEMAHER. Theodor was living in 1712 and Jacoba in 1724, and they had a son Jacob.

In his Will (proved in the P.C.C), Matthew names his daughter Agneta, his grandsons William and Matthew ST QUINTIN, and also his sons-in-law Hugh ST QUINTIN and Theodore HUYGENS who were to be executors and to allow Matthew's widow to live rent free for one year in his dwelling-house - his country house and residuary estate being for the use of his executors. Joost de SMETH was named executor with them.

Taken from URL:   http://chittyoflondon.awardspace.co.uk/page29.html