Boucher, Jonathan (1738 -1804)

The Reverend Jonathan Boucher was born at Blencogo near Wigton in Cumberland, educated at the school of Wigton, and afterwards read with Mr Blaine, a clergyman at Graystock, at St Bees. In 1759 he went to Virginia as a private tutor, and having been offered the charge of a church there, returned to London in 1762 to be ordained by the Bishop of London and served as minister in parishes in different parts of America. As he opposed the American Revolution, he had to return to England in 1775, and is thought to have kept a school in Paddington before being offered the Vicarage of Epsom in 1784, a charge which he held until his death 27 April 1804. Elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, in 1790, he engaged in the compilation of a supplement to Johnson's Dictionary, a specimen of which was published after his death. His library was sold by Leigh & S. Sotheby in London in three portions (8586 lots) on 24 February, 26 March, and 14-23 April 1806, with a further sale of 857 lots on 29 May-1 June 1809. The note in Testament of the twelve patriarchs refers to Joseph Bourchier, whose books were sold on the 25 March 1828, all the books however are to be found in Boucher's sale catalogue, and none in that of Joseph Bourchier.