New MC Line: Clare-Bruce-Stewart-MacDonald- - - - Houstoun - Fleming [long]
John Ravilious
Hello All,
I am submitting the following for the information of the entire list, and particularly for review and consideration by Douglas Richardson and David Faris for their forthcoming publication. While this line has no identifiable Plantagenet ancestry [the closest connection being two lines from the illegitimate Robert, earl of Gloucester, brother of Matilda and half-uncle to Henry II of England], it does represent a hitherto unpublished line between at least the following three GARDs:
1. Sir Patrick Houstoun, Baronet, President of the Royal Council of Georgia (d. 1762)
2. Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the Treasury (d. 1804)
3. Daniel Roberdeau, Brigadier-General (Pennsylvania) and signer of the Articles of Confederation (d. 1795)
Please note that there are actually several lines between Isabel de Clare and the individuals above, and that only those connecting through the subject lineage is referenced here. Other lines (through the Douglas family for Sir Patrick Houstoun, and through Graham of Montrose and the Livingstons of Kilsyth for Hamilton and Roberdeau, are given in MC and RD500 respectively). Generations 1 through 12 below are as given in MC and Scots Peerage [denoted SP] (Bruce, Earl of Carrick; MacDonald, Lord of the Isles; Sinclair, Earl of Orkney; and Sinclair, Earl of Caithness).
All comments and criticisms greatly appreciated.
* * * * * * * * * *
.1. Richard de Clare, Earl of Hertford, Surety of the Magna Carta, d. before 28 Nov 1217; m. Amicia, heiress of Gloucester, daughter of William fitzRobert, Earl of Gloucester (d. 23 Nov 1183) and Amicia de Beaumont
.2. Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Hertford and Gloucester, Surety of the Magna Carta, d. 23 Nov 1230; m. Isabel le Marshal, daughter of William le Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, Regent of England 1216-1219 (d. 14 May 1219) and Isabel de Clare, heiress of earldom of Pembroke
.3. Isabel de Clare, m. Robert de Bruce, lord of Annandale, competitor for the Scottish crown (d. 1294), son of Robert de Bruce and Isabel of Huntingdon
.4. Robert de Bruce, lord of Annandale and Earl of Carrick de jure uxoris (d. before 4 Apr 1304), m. Marjorie of Carrick, countess of Carrick suo jure, daughter of Nigel or Neil, Earl of Carrick
.5. Robert Bruce, better known as Robert the Bruce, Earl of Carrick, lord of Annandale, King of Scots 1306-1329 (d. 7 Jun 1329) m. 1)Isabel of Mar, daughter of Donald, Earl of Mar; m. 2) Elizabeth de Burgh, daughter of Richard de Burgh, Earl of Ulster (d. 1326) and his wife Margaret
.6. Marjory Bruce, m. Walter le Stewart, Lord High Steward of Scotland (d. 1327) as his first wife [ * NOTE: through his mother Egidia or Giles de Burgh, Walter le Stewart descends from Hugh le Bigod, Earl of Norfolk (d. 1224) and his father Roger le Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, both Sureties of the Magna Carta]
.7. Robert II, King of Scots 1371-1390 [originally Robert Stewart, Lord High Steward of Scotland], m. 1)Elizabeth Mure, m. 2) Euphemia of Ross
.8. Margaret Stewart, probably eldest child, m. Eoin mac Donald [known as 'John the Good'], Lord of the Isles, d. 1387
.9. Donald mac Donald, Lord of the Isles, claimant to the Earldom of Ross, d. 1423, m. Margaret Leslie, heiress of Ross, daughter of Sir Walter Leslie and Euphemia of Ross, Countess of Ross
10. Mariota mac Donald, m. before 15 Dec 1438 [date of dispensation, dated at Ferrara] Alexander Sutherland, Master of Sutherland, laird of Dunbeath, second son of Robert Sutherland, Earl of Sutherland (d. 1442) and Margaret Stewart, illegitimate daughter of Alexander Stewart, 'the Wolf of Buchan', Earl of Buchan (d. before 24 Mar 1406), younger son of King Robert II of Scots and Elizabeth Mure [#7 above].
11. Marjory Sutherland, daughter and coheiress, m. before 15 Nov 1456 William Sinclair, 3rd Earl of Orkney [Norwegian Jarl of Orkney], created Earl of Caithness 1455, surrendered rights in Orkney 1470 (d. before 29 Mar 1482/83)
12. Elizabeth Sinclair, d. after 3 Dec 1498; m. before 1471 Sir John Houstoun of that Ilk, laird of Houstoun and Leny, d. before 6 Jun 1491 [SP; SG]
13a. Peter Houstoun, laird of Houstoun, slain at the Battle of Flodden, 9 Sept 1513; ancestor of Sir Patrick Houstoun [ *lineage in followup post]
13b. Marion Houstoun, m. William Fleming, laird of Barrochan, sheriff of Lanark; had charter of the L~20 lands 'of old extent' of Barrochan and other lands in Renfrewshire, 15 Feb 1506/07 [SG]; slain at the Battle of Flodden, 9 Sept 1513 [C]
14. James Fleming, eldest surviving son, laird of Barrochan (d. before 24 Jun 1550) [C; CR]
15. William Fleming, laird of Barrochan, one of the 'Sureties and cautionaries' in the agreement between Lord Sempill and Crichton of Sanquhar, 24 Jun 1550 (d. after 23 Feb 1552/53) [C; CR]
16. Alexander Fleming, laird of Barrochan; designated potential heir under charter to John Fleming, 6th Lord Fleming, of the lordship of Cumbernauld in event of failure of his own heirs-male, 31 Jan 1595/96 [SP]; m. Jean Sempill, daughter of Robert Sempill, 3rd Lord Sempill (d. 1574) [NOTE: SP errors in showing William Fleming as husband of the daughter of Lord Sempill] [CR; D; HA]
17. Margaret Fleming; m. James Cunyngham, laird of Ashenyeards [Ashinyards]; resigned lands of Ashinyards to eldest son Alexander 1594 [HA; R]
18. William Cunyngham, 'youngest lawfull brother' of Alexander Cunyngham of Ashinyards [will dated 17 Jun 1613]; writer to the King's Signet, later Deputy Keeper of the Privy Seal; Usher to Prince Charles, 8 Jan to 20 Feb 1625/26; d. 6 Aug 1626; m. Rebekah Muirhead, called daughter to the laird of Linhouse [HA; R; SW]
19a. Richard Cunyngham, laird of Glengarnock [through purchase after July 1651]; supporter of King Charles I and II - fought at Battle of Preston, 1648 (captured and paroled), Battle of Worcester, 3 Sept 1651 (paroled); d. 27 Oct 1670, buried at Glengarnock, co. Ayr; m. Elizabeth Heriot, daughter of James Heriot, jeweller to King Charles I [half-brother to George Heriot, famed goldsmith, jeweller and lender to James VI and Queen Anne of Scotland], d. ca. 1629 and Elizabeth Joyce [HA; R; SH]
20a. Robert Cunyngham, laird of Baidland [through purchase from eldest brother], b. Glengarnock, co. Ayr 24 Mar 1669/70; emigrated to St. Christophers [St. Kitts] before 1693; planter, of 'Cayon', St. Kitts; author of MS. 1709-1740 providing basis for Cunyngham information in Paterson and Nisbet [Nisbet's Heraldry]; acc. to Dobson, d. 13 Nov 1743 St. Kitts, will proven Glasgow, 1745 [HA; R; SC; SH]
21a. Mary Cunyngham, b. 4 Apr 1699 St. Kitts; m. 1)ca. 1723 Isaac Roberdeau, merchant (he d. before 27 Oct 1743); emigrated to Philadelphia, Penna. before 1749; m. 2) Hugh basil Keighley, of Philadelphia; d. 13 Mar 1771 Philadelphia (will dated 27 Dec 1764, proven 27 Mar 1771) [R]
22a. Daniel Roberdeau, b. 1727 St. Kitts; emigrated to Philadelphia, Penna. before 1749; merchant, of Philadelphia; elected Brigadier General, Pennsylvania Associators (infantry brigade) 4 Jul 1776; member, Second Continental Congress, 5 Feb 1777; Signer of the Articles of Confederation, 9 Jul 1778; relocated to Alexandria, Virginia; subsequently to Winchester, Virginia; d. 5 Jan 1795 Winchester (will dated 29 Apr 1794, proven Winchester, July 1795) [R]
* * * *
19b. Janet Cunyngham, sister of 19a., m. ca. 1644 Alexander Cuninghame, laird of Craigends, supporter of King Charles I (imprisoned in the Tolbooth, Edinburgh); she d. after 1687; he d. 1690. She supplied monies to nephew Robert Cunyngham in his relocating to St. Kitts [R; WC; RD500]
20b. Rebekah Cuninghame, 2nd daughter; m. John Hamilton, laird of Grange [R; RD500]
21b. Alexander Hamilton, laird of Grange; m. Elizabeth Pollock [RD 500]
22b. James Hamilton, 4th son; relocated to West Indies; merchant and planter; m. as 2nd husband [marriage invalid due to bigamy] Rachel Fawcett, wife of ___ Lavine; he d. 1799 [RD 500]
23b. Alexander Hamilton, b. Nevis, West Indies 11 Jan 1757; relocated to New York; secretary and aide-de-camp to General Washington; 1st Secretary of the Treasury; d. [killed by Aaron Burr] 12 Jul 1804 [RD 500]
* * * * * * * * *
Good luck and good hunting.
John
Sources:
C.........History of the Shire of Renfrew (George Crawfurd, 1710)
CR........Archaeological and Historical Collections Relating to the County of Renfrew (A. Gardner: Paisley, 1890, 2 vols.)
D.........The Peerage of Scotland (Douglas; 2 vols.)
HA........History of the County of Ayr, with a Genealogical Account of the Families of Ayrshire (James Paterson; Edinburgh, 1847; 2 vols.)
MC........The Magna Carta Sureties, 1215 (F. L. Weis, 5th ed., 1999)
R.........Genealogy of the Roberdeau Family (Roberdeau Buchanan, Washington, DC, 1876)
SC........The Original Scots Colonists of Early America, 1612-1783 (David Dobson, The Genealogical Pub. Co., 1989)
SG........The Houstouns of Houstoun, Donald Whyte,F.S.A.(Scot.), in The Scottish Genealogist (Vol. XV, No. 4, Dec. 1968)
SH........Selections from Old Records, Regarding the Heriots of Trabroun, Scotland (George W. Ballingall, Haddington 1894)
SP........The Scots Peerage, ed. Sir James Balfour Paul (9 vols.)
SW........The Society of Writers to the Signet
WC........The Diary and General Expenditure Book of William Cunningham of Craigends, 1673 to 1680 (ed. James Dodds, D.D., Edinburgh 1887)
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Kevan L. Barton
Recently, I've been delving into finding information on the ancestors of
William Roberts {1605-1662), of Willesdon, Baronet. His paternal great
grandparents were Edmund Roberts, esq. of Willesdon, in Middlesex, who died
in 1585, and Katharine, daughter of Edward Chester and sister to Sir Robert
Chester of Hertfordshire. It is the Chester line in which I am interested.
The following is a short synopsis of the sources I have available:
Richard Mundy, "Middlesex Pedigrees", p. 165-66, provides the names of
Katherine's father [Edward] and brother [Robert].
John Burke, "Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies...", p. 446, provides only the
name of the brother Robert.
Robert Clutterbuck, "The History and Antiquities of the County of Hertford"
p. 363-364, provides a decent descendancy beginning with the brother Robert,
but
John Burke, "History of the Commoners.....", II:16-17, provides the only
leads. He states, without giving the name of Robert's father, that Robert
obtained from King Henry VIII a grant by charter, of the monastery of
Royston with the lands and manors thereunto belonging, in the counties of
Hertford and Cambridge. This grant was in recompense for Robert's father's
services and sums of money lent the crown but never repaid. Burk further
states "The Chesters enjoyed, at a very remote period, large possessions in
Derbyshire, and represented the town of Derby in parliament temp. Edward II
and Edward III. During the wars of York and Lancaster they were severe
sufferers, and the representative of the family at last alienated his
estates to aid the enterprise of the Earl of Richmond, who, when Henry VII,
repaid that act of devotion by appointing him one of the gentlemen of the
privy chamber."
My questions: Was the father's name Edward Chester? Does a history of the
gentleman exist that illustrates his roll in the War of the Roses? If it
does, can one share it? Does anyone have a pedigree of this family?
Any Derbyshire history buffs, or Roses specialists out there? I'd
appreciate anything anyone has.
This whole issue may be of interest to Douglas Richardson and David Faris as
it is undoubtedly the same family mentioned in "Plantagenet Ancestry" on
page 151 under Fleet.3.III.a. The Robert Chester mentioned should be the
brother of the above Katherine. Clutterbuck, by the way, does mention the
Filmer/Chester marriage mentioned in Faris' PA.
Cheers,
Kevan
Colin Bevan
For what it's worth, I have searched through the index of the Paston
Letters, Coxes Churches of Derbyshire and IPMs for 1400's with no reference
to any Chesters.
In Visitations of Hertfordshire, Harleian Soc Pubn, v 22, 1886, p39-40 there
is a 5 generation pedigree of Chester of Cocken Hatch starting with Sir
Robert Chester of Royston, Gent Usher to Hen VIII, married to Catherine
Throgmorton [sic]. Let me know if you would like it as I have a copy of this
publication.
On the Capell of Little Hadham pedigree, there is a reference to Anne Capell
married to 'son of Captaine Chester'. Anne is daughter to Katherine Manners
(da of Thomas Manners, Earl of Rutland and Henry Capell who married in 1543.
There is also mention of Anne, da of Sir Robert Chester (fl 1634) married to
Edward Radcliffe of Hitchin, son and heir of Sir Edward Radcliffe of
Hitchin. In the Chester pedigree she is named Alice.
There are also pedigrees of Chester families in
Visitation of London 1568, Taken by Robert Cooke. Published with the
Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society, p.2
Berry, William. County genealogies : pedigrees of Buckinghamshire Families,
1837, p.10
Chester of Blaby - Nichols, John. History and Antiquities of the County of
Leicester, 1795-1807 v. 4 p.52
I suppose you have considered the possibility that the Chesters originate
from the merchant family of London, later Chester of Chichley, Gloucs.c
late1500s.
This doesn't answer your questions but I hope the information will produce
further leads.
Cheers
Rosie
Kevan L. Barton
Thank you for your leads. I suppose it is possible that the Chesters may
have had lands in Derbyshire, but were not seated there. I just don't know.
"Commoners" does state that "when the family left Derbyshire, a branch
settled in London, and another at Bristol, but both have long since become
EXTINCT. A family of Chester, deriving from a common ancestor with the
Hertfordshire house, seated itself at Chichley, in the county of Buckingham,
but expired in the male line in 1755, the estates passing by a female heir
to the family of BAGOT." Additionally, it appears that from an uncle of Sir
Robert (one below), a younger brother of his father, descended the
Leicestershire Chesters.
I suspect the Herts. visitations contains the same information I have and
will assume it begins with Robert Chester and comes forward rather than
back. Please let me know if it differs:
1. Sir Robert Chester, one of the gentlemen of the privy chamber to King
Henry VIII. Knighted at Wilton by Edward VI in 1552, Sheriff of Herts and
Essex anno 7 Eliz (1565), espoused Katherine, daughter of Christopher
Throckmorton, esq. of Coorse Court in Gloucestershire, and had a son and
successor,
2. Edward Chester, esq of Royston, b. 1545 (aet 30 anno 17 Elizabeth), died
before 1585, who m. abt 1564 Katherine, daughter and heiress of James
Granado, knt. equerry to Henry VIII, and had a son and successor,
3. Sir Robert Chester, of Royston and Cockenhatch, a justice of the peace,
High Sheriff of Hertfordshire (1599), died 1641. Knighted in 1603 by King
James I. He espoused Anne, daughter of Sir Arthur Capel, knt. of Hadham
Hall, by Mary, his wife, daughter of John, Lord Grey, of Pargo and had
issue.
This puts in place your great reference to the Capel family. And the Anne of
the Chester/Radcliffe union which you mentioned was the daughter of number
3.
If Burke is correct, then my greatest hope will be to look at the London
visitation as they have a common ancestry with the Chesters of Hitchin; find
a copy of the "Hist and Antiq. of the Co. of Leicester" to discover the
Chesters of Blaby as their progenator is a brother to my "Edward" Chester;
and see what the Gloucs. Chesters have to say for themselves. Your help is
much appreciated.
Any other takers?
Cheers,
Kevan