from Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America before 1700,
seventh edition, by Frederick Lewis Weis, additions & corrections by Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr.
[Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, MD]
Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr.
923 Old Manoa Road
Haverton, PA 19083
[as of publication, 1992]
Line 29A:
(Connection with No. 33 disproved. See The Genealogist, vol. I, pp. 27-39 (1980). Joan was
dau. of another Sir Robert de Harley.
33. JOAN DE HARLEY, living 1341; m. by 1334, John de Besford, living 1341. (Misc. Gen.
Her. 5 Ser. VI 295; Throckmorton, op.cit.; Corbett, op.cit.)
34. ALEXANDER DE BESFORD, dead 1403; m. Beatrice (? Lech, or ? de Thorndon), d.
1404. (Misc. Gen. Her., op.cit. and pp. 226-227; Throckmorton, op.cit.)
35. AGNES DE BESFORD, dau. & h., liv. 1428; m. ca. 1380 Thomas Throckmorton, of
Fladbury, co. Warwick, b. ca. 1355, d. ca. 1412. (Misc. Gen. Her., cit. and p. 295;
Throckmorton, op. cit.; NEHGR 98 (1944), chart betw. pp. 114-115).
36. JOHN THROCKMORTON, ESQ., b. ca. 1380, d. 13 Apr 1445, of Fladbury, co.
Warwick, M.P., Under Treasurer of England, J.P.; m. 1409, Eleanor, living 1466/7, dau. & h.
Sir Guy Spinney, of Coughton, co. Warwick. Monumental brass for John Throckmorton,
“Esq.”, and Eleanor his wife in parish church of Fladbury, co. Worcester. (Misc. Gen. Her., cit.
225-227; Throckmorton, op. cit.; NEHGR 98 (1944), chart betw. pp. 114-115; Mill Stephenson,
A List of Monumental Brasses in the British Isles (1926), p. 538).
37. AGNES THROCKMORTON, m. Thomas Wynslow of Burton, co. Oxford, d. ca. 1463.
(Misc. Gen. Her., cit. 226-227, 135, 138-139; Throckmorton, op. cit.; NEHGR 98 (1944), chart
betw. pp. 114-115).
38. AGNES WYNSLOW, m. (1) 1460, JOHN GIFFORD (43-34) of Twyford, co.
Buckingham, d. 1506. (Misc. Gen. Her., cit. 226-227, 129, 135; Throckmorton, op. cit.;
NEHGR 75:133-143).
1
39. THOMAS GIFFORD of Twyford, d. 10 Oct. 1511; m. Joan Langston, d. 22 Mar. 1534/5,
dau. of John Langston of Caversfield, co. Buckingham, by Amy, dau. John Danvers of Ipswell,
co. Oxford. (Misc. Gen. Her., cit. 138-139, 129; NEHGR, cit.; Burke’s Landed Gentry, 18th
Edition (1972), p. 371; H.J. Young, The Blackmans of Knight’s Creek, pp. 55-134, 138-158,
provides an ancestor table for Alice (Freeman) Tompson, including the descent of Amy
Danvers from Hugh Capet, King of France, through counts of Hainault, Roucy, Montdidier,
and Clermont, and the Clare, Wake, Duston, Grey of Rotherfield, Breton, Quatremain, Bruley
and Danvers families).
40. AMY GIFFORD, b. ca. 1485-90; m. bef. 1511, Richard Samwell, son of John, of
Edgecote, co. Northampton, d. 3 May 1519. (Misc. Gen. Her., cit. 129; TAG 29:215-218).
41. SUSANNA SAMWELL, m. ca. 1535, Peter Edwards, of Peterborough, co. Northampton,
b. ca. 1490, d. ca. 1552. (TAG, op. cit.).
42. EDWARD EDWARDS, GENT., of Alwalton, co. Huntingdon, b. ca. 1537, d. 1591/2, will
dtd. 25 Dec. 1591, pro. 16 Sep. 1592; m. Ursula Coles, (dau. Richard Coles), bur. 2 Feb. 1606.
(TAG, op.cit. and 13:1-8).
43. MARGARET EDWARDS, m. by 25 Dec. 1591, Henry Freeman of Cranford, co.
Northampton, b. 1560. (TAG 13:1-8)
44. ALICE FREEMAN, d. New London, Conn., 11 Feb. 1664/5; m. (1) ca. 1615, John
Tompson, gent., of Little Preston, parish of Preston Capes, co. Northampton, b. ca. 1580-90, d.
London 6 Nov 1626; will dtd. 6 Nov 1626, pro. 11 Apr 1627. (The bapts. of children of Alice
(Freeman) and John Tompson are recorded at Preston Capes.); m. (2) pres. at Roxbury, Mass.,
aft. 30 May 1644, Robert Parke, as his (2) wife. (The Genealogist, 4:176-179, 184-185 (1983)).
explanation of reference abbreviations:
Mis. Gen. Her. = Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica
Throckmorton = Throckmorton Family in England and the U.S.
NEHGR = New England Historic Genealogical Register
TAG = The American Genealogist
___________________________
from New England Historical & Genealogical Register, Vol. 75 (1921) pp. 129-136
2
Outlines descent from Sir John Giffard le Boef, of Twyford, co. Bucks, Knight, born about
1235, died probably about 1300. Abstract follows:
10. SIR JOHN GIFFARD LE BOEF (Osbert, Elias, Elias, Elias, Osberne, Osbern de
Bolobec), of Twyford, co. Bucks, Knight, born about 1235, died probably about 1300.* He
married ------. [*recently proved by contributor of this article that he was a son of Osbert (9)
and Isabel (de Bokland) Gifford of the Brimsfield family…p. 59 of the present volume of the
Register, line 9, the word “probable” should be deleted.]
His son was:
11. SIR JOHN GIFFARD LE BOEF (Sir John le Boef, rest as above…) of Twyford, co.
Bucks, Knight, born about 1270, living 30 Mar 1328, when his son was called John Giffard the
Younger of Twyford, but appears to have died shortly thereafter. Married, about 1300/01,
Alexandra de Gardinis, daughter of Sir Thomas of Oxfordshire, a descendant of the baronial
house of Arsic. She was dead in 1328, when her son John was the heir of his grandfather, Sir
Thomas de Gardinis. Children:
a. John, (below)
b. Edmund (?), a knight
12. SIR JOHN GIFFARD (Sir John le Boef, Sir John le Boef, rest as above…) of Twyford,
co. Bucks, Knight, born in 1301, died on the Sunday next after the Feast of the Conversion of
St. Paul, 43 Edward III [1368/9]* [*Feast falls on 25 January]. married (1) Lucy de Morteyn,
who was living 8 Mar 1361, dau. of Sir John & sister of Master Edmund de Morteyn, and (2)
Alice, who was alive 30 Jul 1379. On 22 July 1334 he was styled Sir John Giffard. Children by
first wife:
a. John, living 23 Dec 1360; d. s.p. before 11 Mar 1368/9.
b. Thomas (below)
c. Richard (probably a son), m. Joan
13. SIR THOMAS GIFFARD (lineage as above) of Twyford, co. Bucks, Knight, b. ca. 1345,
died 25 Sep 1394, m. (1) Elizabeth De Missenden, who died about 1367; (2) before 4 Jan
1367/8, Margery, who was alive 22 Aug 1374, and (3), before 6 July 1383, Sybil, who married
again, had a daughter Eleanor (born ca. 1406) by her second husband, and died 26 Feb 1428/9.
Child by first wife:
a. Roger (below)
Children by second or third wife:
b. John
c. Thomas d. William all d. s.p.
14 ROGER GIFFARD of Twyford, b. ca 1367, d. 14 Apr 1409. Married (1) before 6 Jul 1383,
Joan de Bereford, who died s.p., dau of Sir Baldwin, Knight; secondly, not later than 1399,
3
Elizabeth, and thirdly, not later than 1407, Isabel Stretele, apparently of the family of Stretley
of Creslow, co. Bucks (Register 74 pp 233-34)
Child by second wife: Katherine, b. c1399,
m. Sir Thomas Billing
Child by third wife:
b. Thomas (below)
15. THOMAS GIFFARD, of Twyford, b. at Fringford, co. Oxford, in 1408, died 29 May
1469. married Eleanor VAUX, dau. of William, Esq., ancestor of the Lord Vaux of
Harrowden, co. Northampton.
Children:
a. John (below)
b. Elizabeth m. ____ MOORE, Esq.
16. JOHN GIFFARD, of Twyford, b. ca. 1431, died before 23 Sep 1506, married Alles ____,
and secondly Agnes Winslowe, dau. of Thomas of Begbroke, co. Oxford. Children by first
wife:
a. Eleanor, m. Roger Samwell
b. Isabel, m. John Arderne of Cottisford, co. Oxford, Gent.
c. Alles, m. Thomas Perwicke, of co. Leicester
d. Margaret, m. William Porter of co. Leicester
Children by second wife:
e. Thomas, living in 12 Edward IV [1472-3] (below)
f. Roger, b. ca. 1463
g. William, m. ____ Vachell
h. John
I. Edmund j. Robert
17. THOMAS GIFFORD of Twyford, d. 10 Oct 1511, married Jane or Joan Langston, who
survived him, dau. and heiress of John of Caversfield, co. Bucks. Children:
a. Thomas, of Twyford, b. ca. 1481, d. 25 Nov 1550, m. Mary Staveley
b. Anna, m. Richard Samwell of Edgecote, co. Northampton
c. Mary, m. William Becke
NEHGR 75 pp. 60-63 extends the line back to the Osbern de Bolobec mentioned above:
1. OSBERN DE BOLOBEC, a noble Norman, Lord of Longueville in Normandy, liv. in the
time of Duke Robert the Magnificent or the Devil (1028-1035) who was the father of the
Conquerer. Osbern married Avelina, third sister of Gunnora, who was the second wife of
Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy from 942 to 996.
4
2. OSBERNE (OSBERT) GIFFARD, died about 1086. Assumed the name of Gyffarde.
Settled at Brimesfield, and subsequently, in the time of King Stephen, a great castle was built
there, which continued to be the residence of the family until it was destroyed by the army of
Edward II, in 1322.
3. ELIAS (HELIAS) GIFFARD, of Brimsfield, dead in 1130. Married Ala____.
4. ELIAS (HELIAS) GIFFARD, of Brimsfield. Married Berta de Clifford. Was called “the
Boy” to distinguish himself from his father, presumably.
5. ELIAS (HELIAS) GIFFARD, died about 1190; mentioned, with mother Berta, in 1167.
9. OSBERT GIFFARD, son of 5. ELIAS, died about 1237. Married Isabel de Bokland,
daughter of Alan & Alice (Murdac).
10. JOHN (see top of page)
________________________________
from New England Historical & Genealogical Register, Vol. 79 (1925) pp. 358-378:
“The Royal Descent of a New England Settler” by G. Andrews Moriarty
This article proves descent of Lucy de Morteyn, wife of Sir John Giffard of Twyford.
________________________________
from The American Genealogist, vol. 13 (1936-1937) pp. 1-8:
“Alice (Freeman) (Tompson) Parke” by Clarence Almon Torrey, Ph.B., of Dorchester, Mass.”
article gives will abstract of John Tompson, and parish register of Preston Capes mentioning
baptisms of six children, as follows:
November 14, 1619
July 2, 1621
September 11, 1622
July 5, 1624
October 16, 1625
December 17, 1626
Mary Thompson, daughter of John and Alice.
Dority Thompson, daughter of John and Alice
Bridgett Thompson, daughter of John and Alice
Dority Thompson, daughter of John and Alice
Nathanial Thompson, son of John and Alice
Martha Thompson, daughter of John and Alice
The Dority bapt. July 2, 1621, was buried October 19, 1621. One of the daughters who
accompanied her mother to New England, was Bridget, who married Capt. George Denison in
March 1640/1. John Tompson of Preston Capes, Northamptonshire, England, mentioned three
brothers-in-law in his will: William Spencer, Henry Freeman, and Thomas Freemon. These
persons are all mentioned in following pedigree which appears on page 91 of The Visitations of
Northamptonshire made in 1564 and 1618-19. [N.B. this is all an abstract]: Henry Freeman of
Irchester, co. North’ton had 1. Henry Freeman of Cranford, co. Northampton; 2. John Freeman
of Cranford; and 3. Blase Freeman. The son Henry Freeman married Margaret, dau. of Edward
Edwards of Allerton, co. Hunts. and had 1. Thomas Freeman of Cranford 1618; Henry Freeman
5
of Wellingborough, co Northampton 1618 m. Elinor, dau of Robert Mulshoe of Thingdon;
Alice, ux. John Tomson of Preston Capes, co. North’ton and Jane, ux. William Spencer of
Scaldwell, co. Northampton.
William Spencer, a graduate of Cambridge, married 13 Jan 1617/18, Jane Freeman, d/o Henry.
William Spencer was buried at Scaldwell, 28 Jan 1674/5.
Edwards pedigree found in The Visitation of Huntingdon, A.D. MDCXIII, abstracted here:
Peter Edwards of Peterborowe in co. Northampt. had Nicholaus Edwards; Edwardus Edwards
marr. una filiarum Ric’i Coles, and a sister of Petrus Coles de Preston, filius et haeres of
Richardus Coles de Preston sup’Montem. Edward Edwards & Ursula Coles had Ric’us,
Rob’tus, Nicholas, Petrus Edwards de Allerton in com. Hunt. jam superstes, ao. 1613 who
married Joane, eldest da. of Edward Knight of Piddington, Francis. Edwards, 2 filius. (Margaret
is not listed on the chart: the visitations do not always mention daughters.) Edward Edwards’
will DOES mention daughter Margaret.
Correct Freeman line is Henry & Joan Rudd / Thomas & ? / Henry & Margaret Edwards / Alice
& John Tomson. Joan Rudd was the daughter of Thomas & Alice (Pemberton) Rudd.
Birth years of four sons of first known Henry Freeman of Irchester: Blase, b. 1536, John, b.
1541, Oswald, b. 1544, Edward, b. 1551.
Will abstract of Henry Freman of Archester, co. Northt. Dated 6 Aug. 1580; proved 29 Apr
1585. Mentions son Thomas & his three children; daughter Elizabeth Bowse & her six
children. Daughter Mary & her seven children. Margarett Freeman, wife of his son Oswolde
Freeman, and to her five children; son George Freeman.
Will abstract of Thomas of Irchester, son of above Henry, dated 24 Mar 1585 and proved 11
May 1586: to be buried in Irchester Church; son Henry all free land in Overdeane and
Netherdene, co. Bedf.; son John Freman, son Blase Freman, dau. Elizabeth, wife of Robert
Margettes;
His brother “Blase ffreman”, written 8 May 1590 proved 2 July 1590. Wife Dorothea, daughter
Elizabeth Sympson, to my son, and my two daughters Elizabeth and Alice.
Edward Edwards will abstract: of Allwalton, dated 25 Dec 1591, proved 16 Sep 1592: eldest
son Peter, second son Francis, Ursula Edwards their mother, sons Richard Edwards, Robert
Edwards, Nicholas Edwards, daughter Elizabeth Edwards, eldest daughter Margaret Freeman,
6
“one hoop-ring of gold worth by estimation thirty pounds.” To my brother Nicholas Edwards.
To my sister Amy Ludlowe. To my cousin Thomas Knappe. To my brother Thomas Ludlowe.
Parish registers of Alwalton, co. Huntingdon, contain an entry of the burial of Urseley
Edwards on 2 Feb. 1606. She was the widow of Edwards Edwards, and the grandmother of
Alice (Freeman) (Tompson) Parke.
________________________________________
from The American Genealogist, vol. 14 (January 1938) p. 145-46:
“John Tomson of Little Preston, Northamptonshire, England” by Clarence Almon Torrey
Writer has secured additional information since TAG 13. Son Thomas Tomson was born 23
Dec 1616. Son John Tomson b. 1 Oct 1611. John (the father)’s first wife, mother of son John,
Jr. is not known. John Tomson died 6 Nov 1626 in London. May have been buried in London.
Widow Alice is living at Preston.
_________________________________________
from The American Genealogist, vol. 29 (1953), p. 215-218:
“Alice (Freeman) (Tompson) Parke” by Robert L. Steenrod, of Chicago, IL
purpose of this writer to pursue the Edwards line.
Pedigree begins with Peter Edward, a mercer, of Peterborough (b. ca. 1465, died ca. 1525),
probably the church warden of 1516-21, whose wife may have been Elizabeth. He was a father
of a second Peter Edward(s), of Peterborough. In 1535 a lease for 30 years was granted to
Peter Edward, William Barrett and his wife Joan, daughter of Peter Edward, and their son
Richard Barrett. Later the name of Edward’s wife Susan was inserted in the lease with the
consent of the abbot. Widow Susan married John Arundell. We may assume that Peter
Edward(s) was born about 1490, about 45 in 1535, old enough to have one married daughter,
Joan, wife of William Barrett. Married Susanna Samwell, daugher of Richard & Amy
(Gifford) Samwell of Edgecote, co. Northampton. Three children of this marriage are known:
Edward, Nicholas, Amy (m. Thomas Ludlowe). Edward Edwards died in 1592; his will did not
mention a sister Joan Barrett; indicates she was a much older half-sister. He married Ursula
Coles, d/o Richard (son of Peter Coles) of Preston Capes, by his wife Jane Bond of
Northampton, married 1527, living 1576.
Richard Samwell of Edgecote, co. Northampton, son of John Samwell, g’son of James
Samwell, both of co. Cornwall. Richard d. 3 May 1519, having married Amy Gifford, d/o
Thomas Gifford of Twyford & Joan Langston, dau. & heiress of John & Amice (Danvers)
Langston of Caversfield, co. Buckingham.
7
Susanna’s brother Francis Samwell b. ca. 1525, bur. 24 Dec 1585 at Northampton. He married
Mary Bill (bur. 25 Jul 1589 at Northampton).
8