Keene's Namesake Diplomat In 1700's

Sir Benjamin Keene was once described by Horace Walpole as "one of the best kind of agreeable men, quite fat and lazy, with universal knowledge." This is the man from whom our city got it's name. He was born in 1697 at King's Lynn, Norfolk, England. He was the son of Charles Keene, a merchant and first mayor of King's Lynn in 1714, and his wife, Susan Rolfe.

I've been asked for information on his family history and I've not been able to locate a Keene genealogy; possibly there isn't one.

Sir Benjamin Keene was sent in 1746 as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Portugal. On Oct. 5, 1750, he concluded a treaty of commerce with Spain and England. He was living in Madrid when he died on Dec. 15, 1757. He is buried at St. Nicholas, Lynn, England, next to his parents. His brother, Edmund D.D.Bishop of Chester and later of Ely, inherited most of his estate.

Sir Benjamin Keene's portrait hangs in the King's Lynn town hall as well as in the Historical Society of Cheshire County in Keene. It has never been established that he came to our city. At the historical society is the book, Private Correspondence of Sir. Benjamin Keene K. B. ,by Sir Richard Lodge (1993). It names his brothers and sisters and has a copy of his will.

Benning Wentworth, before becoming governor of the province of New Hampshire, was a merchant in Portsmouth. He had a contract to deliver oak timber to Spain. When he arrived at Cadiz, Spain, the agent he had done business with was not there and the new agent would not honor the contract. On the return trip to Portsmouth, his ship was lost, but Wentworth and his men were rescued. This loss caused him to go bankrupt. He later returned to Spain to try and collect payment for the timber.

This is where Sir Benjamin Keene and Benning Wentworth became acquainted. Keene was the English minister to Spain. He tried unsuccessfully to help Wentworth with his claim against Spain for the loss of his timber. They evidently became friends, and when Gov. Wentworth had the opportunity to change the name of Upper Ashuelot, he chose to honor his friend, Sir Benjamin Keene.