Not at all -- the whole concept is relative.  A 'gateway' is a narrow
bottleneck transmitting something to somebody -- in American usage,
ordinarily an immigrant who transmits medieval European ancestry to
modern new-world descendants. The 17th c. gets a lot of attention in
North America because it is the first big century of colonization,
and identifiable gateways from the early generations are likely to
have lots of (potentially curious) descendants. Similarly endowed
aftercomers are by no means ineligible for attention. So, Gary
Roberts' book of gateways includes people all the way to the 20th c.,
while the compendia initiated by Weis and developed by Shepard, Faris
and now Douglas Richardson focus just on 17th-century immigrants.

Nat Taylor

Dear Newsgroup ~

Sir Lionel Welles' first wife, Joan Waterton, daughter of Robert
Waterton, Esq., is specifically named in several places in the various
inquisitions post mortem taken in 1421 following the death of Sir
Lionel Welles' grandfather, Sir John Welles, 5th Lord Welles.
Abstracts of these contemporary records are published in Calendar of
Inquisitons Post Mortem (1418-1422) 21 (2002): 304-307, which may be
viewed in part at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=1lrecAD4SncC&pg=PA305

One of these references reads as follows:

"By his indenture dated at Belleauy 26 July 1417 John, Lord Welles,
granted to Richard de Hagh [and two others].... the 2 several inclosed
pastures called 'Thakfen' and 'Wypholme' in Bonthorpe on the
conditions recited therein, and so seised, by their indenture shown to
the jurors dated at Belleau 29 July 1417 they demised them to John for
life, reversion to Lionel son of Eudes de Welles and Joan daughter of
Robert de Waterton for life, remainder to the right heirs of John,
Lord Welles, Lionel and Joan survive."  END OF QUOTE

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah

Dear Newsgroup ~

I might add that the Essex inquisition post mortem of John Welles, 5th
Lord Welles, pg. 307, specifically states the following:

“Lionel [Welles] married Joan [Waterton] in the parish church of St.
Oswald, Methley, on 15 Aug. 1417.”  END OF QUOTE

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah