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Erasmus Darwin was descended from a family of yeomen who lived for several generations on their own land, apparently of considerable extent at Merton Merton in Lincolnshire.

The great great great gran a dau of the first first the second William Darwin, of whom we know anything died seem to have been a very loyal man, for in his will proved date 1542 made on in 1584 he bequeathed 3'.4' "towards the settynge up of the "Quene's majesties' armies over the querie door in the parishe Churches of Merton." His son William born about 1575 possessed a small estate at Cleatham in  at no great distance from Merton. He considered himself a gentleman, bore arms & married a lady. He