Wordsworth - Marriage and Children

Marriage and Children

In 1802, Lowther's heir, William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale, paid the £4,000 debt owed to Wordsworth's father incurred through Lowther's failure to pay his aide. It was this repayment that afforded Wordsworth the financial means to marry, and on October 4, following his visit with Dorothy to France to arrange matters with Annette, Wordsworth married a childhood friend, Mary Hutchinson. Dorothy continued to live with the couple and grew close to Mary. The following year, Mary gave birth to the first of five children, three of whom predeceased William and Mary:

  • John Wordsworth (18 June 1803 – 1875). Married four times:
  1. Isabella Curwen (d. 1848) had six children: Jane, Henry, William, John, Charles and Edward.
  2. Helen Ross (d. 1854). No children
  3. Mary Ann Dolan (d. after 1858) had one daughter Dora (b.1858).
  4. Mary Gamble. No children
  • Dora Wordsworth (16 August 1804 – 9 July 1847). Married Edward Quillinan in 1843.
  • Thomas Wordsworth (15 June 1806 – 1 December 1812).
  • Catherine Wordsworth (6 September 1808 – 4 June 1812).
  • William "Willy" Wordsworth (12 May 1810 – 1883). Married Fanny Graham and had four children: Mary Louisa, William, Reginald, Gordon.

Read more about this topic:  Wordsworth

Famous quotes containing the words marriage and/or children:

    All married couples should learn the art of battle as they should learn the art of making love. Good battle is objective and honest—never vicious or cruel. Good battle is healthy and constructive, and brings to a marriage the principle of equal partnership.
    Ann Landers (b. 1918)

    We say that a girl with her doll anticipates the mother. It is more true, perhaps, that most mothers are still but children with playthings.
    —F.H. (Francis Herbert)