Erasmus Darwin (1731–1802) was a physician, botanist and poet from Lichfield, whose lengthy botanical poems gave insights into medicine and natural history, and described an evolutionist theory that anticipated both Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and his grandson Charles.
He married twice, first during 1757 to Mary Howard (1740–1770), who died from alcohol-induced liver failure aged 31.
She gave birth to:
Charles Darwin (1758–1778) (not Charles Robert Darwin)
Erasmus Darwin the Younger (1759–1799)
Elizabeth Darwin, 1763 (survived 4 months)
Robert Waring Darwin (see below)
William Alvey Darwin, (1767) (survived 19 days)
He then had an extra-marital affair with a Miss Parker, producing two daughters:
Susanna Parker (1772–1856)
Mary Parker (1774–1859)
He then became smitten with Elizabeth Collier Sacheveral-Pole, who was married to Colonel Sacheveral-Pole and was the natural daughter of the Charles Colyear, 2nd Earl of Portmore.
Sacheveral-Pole died soon afterwards, and Erasmus married Elizabeth and they bore an additional seven children:
Edward Darwin, (1782–1829)
Frances Anne Violetta Darwin, (1783–1874); married Samuel Tertius Galton; mother of Francis Galton (see below)
Emma Georgina Elizabeth Darwin (born 1784)
Sir Francis Sacheverel Darwin (1786–1859)
John Darwin (1787–1865)
Henry Darwin (born 1789)
Harriot Darwin (1790–1825); later Harriott Maling.
Erasmus Darwin (1731–1802) was a physician, botanist and poet from Lichfield, whose lengthy botanical poems gave insights into medicine and natural history, and described an evolutionist theory that anticipated both Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and his grandson Charles. He married twice, first during 1757 to Mary Howard (1740–1770), who died from alcohol-induced liver failure aged 31. She gave birth to:
Charles Darwin (1758–1778) (not Charles Robert Darwin)
Erasmus Darwin the Younger (1759–1799)
Elizabeth Darwin, 1763 (survived 4 months)
Robert Waring Darwin (see below)
William Alvey Darwin, (1767) (survived 19 days)
He then had an extra-marital affair with a Miss Parker, producing two daughters:
Susanna Parker (1772–1856)
Mary Parker (1774–1859)
He then became smitten with Elizabeth Collier Sacheveral-Pole, who was married to Colonel Sacheveral-Pole and was the natural daughter of the Charles Colyear, 2nd Earl of Portmore. Sacheveral-Pole died soon afterwards, and Erasmus married Elizabeth and they bore an additional seven children:
Edward Darwin, (1782–1829)
Frances Anne Violetta Darwin, (1783–1874); married Samuel Tertius Galton; mother of Francis Galton (see below)
Emma Georgina Elizabeth Darwin (born 1784)
Sir Francis Sacheverel Darwin (1786–1859)
John Darwin (1787–1865)
Henry Darwin (born 1789)
Harriot Darwin (1790–1825); later Harriott Maling.
Darwin–Wedgwood family