Nehemiah Wallington facts for kids

Nehemiah Wallington (1598–1658) was an English Puritan who lived a long time ago. He was a skilled wood turner, meaning he made things from wood using a special machine. Nehemiah was also a chronicler. This means he wrote down many events and his thoughts about religion and politics. He wrote over 2,500 pages in 50 different books, and 8 of these books still exist today!

Nehemiah Wallington's Life Story

Nehemiah Wallington was born on May 12, 1598. He was the tenth child in his family. His father, John Wallington, was also a wood turner. His mother was Elizabeth.

Around 1620, Nehemiah started his own wood turning business. He opened his shop in a part of London called Little Eastcheap. He lived there for the rest of his life.

In 1639, Nehemiah and his brother John faced a problem. They were called before a special court called the Star-chamber. They were accused of having books that were not allowed at the time. Nehemiah admitted he had owned some of these books, but he said he no longer had them. The court watched him closely for about two years. However, he did not get into more trouble.

Nehemiah married Grace around 1619 or 1620. They had several children, but only one daughter, Sara, lived longer than him. Sara married a Puritan named John Haughton in 1641. Nehemiah Wallington passed away in 1658.

Nehemiah Wallington's Writings

Nehemiah Wallington created three main collections of writings about the events of his time.

Historical Notes and Meditations

In 1630, Nehemiah started writing his Historical Notes and Meditations. This work covered events from 1583 to 1649. He collected information from newspapers and small books of the time. He also added things he heard from others. Nehemiah included his own religious thoughts in these writings. This collection mostly focused on political events. The last event he wrote about was the execution of King Charles I.

Wallington's Journals

In December 1630, Nehemiah began writing about his own life. He called this collection Wallington's Journals. It was a large book where he wrote down his personal experiences.

Records of Strange Events

In 1632, Nehemiah started another book. In this one, he wrote about many strange things that happened across England. He also wrote about what he believed were "God's judgments" on people who broke rules, like those who did not respect Sundays or drank too much. This book included many parts from his Historical Notes.

Nehemiah Wallington's Historical Notes were later published in 1869. They were given the title Historical Notices of Events occurring chiefly in the Reign of Charles I.