21st -23rd great grandparents

Robert de Ufford, Earl of Suffolk #20's mother was Cicely de Valognes #21.
She was daughter and co-heiress of Sir Robert de Valoignes #22 (d.1281) and Eva (de La Pecche) #22 (or Eva Criketot #22.)

Orford Castle Keep, granted to Sir Ufford, First Earl of Suffolk #20  in perpetuity by Edward III in 1336. (It had been governed by his mother's family the de Valoines since Edward I.)

Robert Earl of Suffolk #20's father was Sir Robert de Ufford #21 (11 June 1279-1316).
He was summoned to parliament as a baron between 1308 and 1311. Sir Robert #21 had had 6 sons. His first son, William died without issue before his father, so Robert #20 became his heir.

Ufford Coat of Arms

And Sir Robert #21's father (only parent that we know of) was the first Robert de Ufford #22 (birth about 1250 - 1298) "who was a younger son of a Suffolk landowner John de Peyton #23, and this Robert #22 "was the founder of the greatness of the family."

Robert #22 assumed his surname from his lordship of Ufford in Suffolk, and attended Edward I on his crusade. Between 1276 and 1281 he acted as justice of Ireland. He was instructed by Edward I to introduce English law into Ireland...he also built the castle of Roscommon 'at countless cost.' (He was replaced as justice in 1281)... since Ufford 'by reason of his infirmities could not perform his duties.' He died in 1298.

Source: Dictionary of Biographies Vol 20, p.10, Ufford, publication of Ancestry.)

Roscommon Castle, Ireland

I'm including photo copies of the Robert Ufford details in the publication I just cited.  It's extensive!

Page 9, Dict. of Bios Robert Ufford at bottom of r. column

Page 10, Dict. of Bios  - Robert Ufford 

Page 11, Dict. of Bios  - Robert Ufford 

Page 12, Dict. of Bios  - Robert Ufford 

Page 13, Dict. of Bios  - Robert Ufford 

Ruins of Roscommon Castle

Roscommon Castle is located on a hillside just outside the town. Now in ruins, the castle is quadrangular in shape, it had four corner D-shaped towers, three storeys high, and twin towers at its entrance gateway, one of which still retains its immensely sturdy vaulted roof. The entire castle was enclosed by a lofty curtain wall. It was built in 1269 by Robert de Ufford, Justiciar of Ireland, on lands he had seized from the Augustinian Priory.^[3] The castle had a most chequered history. It was besieged by Connacht King Aodh Ó Conchobhair in 1272.  Eight years later it was again in the hands of an English garrison, and fully repaired. By 1340 the O'Connor's regained possession of it... (Source: Wikepedia)

A few more details about the de Uffords of Suffolk

Repitions but more information on the Ufford tree...
Robert, Lord of Ufford, First Earl of Suffolk #20 (10 Aug 1298- 4 Nov 1369).

Coat of Arms, First Earl of Suffolk

He was the second but eldest surviving son of Sir Robert de Ufford #21.  (Source Dictionary of Biographies Vol. 20)
Robert, Lord of Ufford, First Earl of Suffolk #20's wife was 

Margaret de Norwich. #20
- the daughter of Sir Walter de Norwich #21 and Catherine de Hedersete #21. She married, firstly, Thomas de Cailly, 1st and last Lord Cailly, son of Adam de Cailly and Emma de Tateshal. She married, secondly, Robert d'Ufford, 1st Earl of Suffolk, son of Sir Robert d'Ufford, Lord Ufford and Cecily de Valoignes, circa 1320. She died in 1368. She was buried at Campsey Priory, Suffolk, 
England. (Find a Grave)

Birth: 1300 in Mettingham, Waveney District, Suffolk, England
DEATH	2 Apr 1368 (aged 67–68) Suffolk, England
BURIAL	Campsey Priory Campsey Ash, Suffolk Coastal District, Suffolk, England

(Find a Grave UK information)

Campsey Priory

Going back to the parents of Sir Robert de Ufford #20...
His mother was Cicely de Valognes #21.

His father was Sir Robert de Ufford #21 (11 June 1279-1316)  I'll be talking about the 21st great grandparents next.

Some guesswork in early 14th century

Sir Henry Ferrers #18 has a birth and death date given on Ancestry, 1355-1388. He was my 18th great grandfather. (I've added the number of greats that he represents, so I can keep straight which Sir Henry Ferrers he was.)

We have names for his parents, but no dates.  So it's guesswork time.  I've figured his parents must have been born around 1335, and died after his birth (obviously, so sometime after 1355.)

His father was William de Ferrers #19 (about 1335-after 1355) and his mother was Margaret de Ufford #19 (about 1335-after 1355.)  I found real dates with several Find A Grave UK And Ireland listings. Most are substantiated by an excellent Dictionary of Biography covering the de Ufford family.

And there's a Find a Grave listing for Sir William de Ferrers  #19 (follows)

William became 3rd Baron of Groby at the age of 9, but quickly gained seizin of his holdings, with an annuity of £50 at age 12 and licence of the moiety of his manors by age 17. Two years later he was knighted, paid his knights fee and his homage to the King, and received livery of all his parents former lands in England and Ireland. Military prowess was the measure of such advancement, and he joined Prince Edward's command (the future Edward III) in time for the 1355 campaign in Gascony. The following year he was in the Earl of Suffolk's command at the Battle of Poitiers.


His father had been a stalwart of Edward II, and William showed conspicuous ambition, undertaking to join the King for several years of campaigning in France, and was exepmted from Royal levies on his holdings in compensation-- a sure sign of high favor in times where Edward II was so beset by rivalries and outright threats to his rule, that he had episodes of paranoia.  


Unlike many of his descendants, who had to cover all contingencies during the chaos after Edward III's reign, William had no appetite for conspiracy, and busied himself in further military service-- but he chafed for action during the brief intervals of peace, showing at least one element of the complex and fractious temperment that was to thrive in coming generations when nuance was the norm, and loyalties were sworn with undisclosed contingencies in mind.


He rose in station, marrying the daughter of his patron the Earl of Essex, Margaret de Ufford, and his son Henry grew up in the "family business" of that Lord, which was the practiced study and vigorous prosecution of war-- and did justice to the advantages of his breeding and training, during the long and expansionist reign of Edward III.

His wife, Margaret de Ufford #19, has parents notated (again without dates.) But I'm in luck because there are 14 hints given through Ancestry for her father, Robert de Ufford #20, and some for her mother as well, Margaret de Norwich #20 (1300-3 Sept 1375).  So I'm going to go winnow out the ones for the wrong century and see if any actually help me out.

Robert, Lord of Ufford Earl van Suffolk #20 (10 Aug 1298- 4 Nov 1369)

From Find a Grave UK and Ireland:

Campsey Priory

Campsey Ash, Suffolk Coastal District, Suffolk, England

Robert d'afford #20, 1st Earl of Suffolk, KG (10 August 1298 – 4 November 1369) was born in Thurston, Suffolk, England to Robert d'Ufford #21 and Cecily de Valises #21. 

On 13 November 1334 he married Margaret de Norwich #20, daughter of Sir Walter Norwich  #21 and Catherine de Hedersete #21. 

They had four children. He was made Earl of Suffolk in 1337.
1.Lady Catharine d'Ufford (born c. 1317, date of death unknown) married Sir Robert de Scales, 3rd Baron Scales
2.Lady Cecily d'Ufford (born c. 1327 – died before 29 March 1372 she married John Willoughby
3.Lady Margaret d'afford # 19 (born c. 1330 – died before 25 May 1368) she married Sir William Ferrers #19, 3rd Baron Ferrers of Groby
4.William d'Ufford, 2nd Earl of Suffolk (1339–1382) married Lady Joan de Montacute,

(from Find a Grave UK, also in Dictionary of Biographies, Vol. 20)

William Ferrers story

Today I'm checking for more in the male lineage along the Ferrers.

William Ferrers (#17 great grandfather) moved from a birthplace in Bedfordshire to a place of death in Essex...(1372-1445).

His burial is in St. Mary's Priory in Ulvfrscroft, Charnwood Borough, Leicestershire, England.

Another Find a Grave entry gives a good biography of him:

5th Baron Ferrers of Groby.

5th Lord Ferrers of Groby, Knight of Groby, Leicestershire, vidame of Chartres.

Son of Sir Henry Ferres #18 and Joan de Poynings #18, grandson of Sir William de Ferrers #20 and Margaret de Ufford #20 , Sir Luke Poynings #20 and Isabel Saint John #20. Born at the manor house of Hoo and baptized at Luton, Bedfordshire 25 April 1372.

William #17 married Philippe Clifford #17, daughter of Sir Roger de Clifford, Lord Clifford #18 and Maud de Beauchamp #18. They married after 10 Oct 1388 and had four sons and three daughters:

* Sir Henry, married Isabel de Mowbray

* Thomas #16, married Elizabeth Greville #16

* John

* Edmund

* Margaret, wife of Sir Richard Grey & Sir Thomas Grey

* Elizabeth, wife of Sir William Culpepper

* Anne

Secondly, he married Margaret de Montagu, daughter of John, Earl of Salisbury and Maud Fraunceys, daughter of Sir Adam.

Thirdly, he married Elizabeth Standish, daughter of Sir William Standish and his wife, Iseult, widow of John de Wrottesley and Sir William Botiller.

Bio by: Anne Shurtleff Stevens

---------------

William Ferrers #17's father was:

Sir Henry Ferrers #18(1355-1388)

Henry #18 was born in Tiltey Abbey, and died at Groby Old Hall, whose church served as the parish church of Groby. It was remodeled not long after Henry died, and its tower replaced with a structure of Groby granite, more or less identical in appearance, in the 19th century.

He was the 4th Baron Ferrers of Groby and a supporter of Richard II against the Lancastrians whose dynastic claim was soon to break out into the War of the Roses. He fought for the King in a lost cause to maintain his holdings in Brittany from 1377-1381, and was called to fight in Scotland in 1385.

Son of William de Ferrers #19 and his first wife, Margaret de Ufford #19, daughter of Robert de Ufford #20 and Margaret de Norwich #20. (Find a Grave information, but I've added the #...system for the number of greats of my grandparents.)

I've got a lot more grandparents to add to my tree, thanks to these "find a grave" bio's...of course they may not be correct, in which case, I'll be changing whatever I post as I learn differently.

Ipswich Massachusetts ancestor

Happy birthday to ancestor...a 5th great grandfather

Ebenezer Pulsifer

Birth 4 NOV 1744 • Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts
Son of David and Hannah Brown Pulsipher (Pulsifer)

At age 28 he married Mrs. Sarah Perkins. When records say Mrs. Sarah, it is assumed she had already been married. But the maiden name of Perkins has also been carried through the records, so perhaps she hadn't been married to a man named Perkins, but was the daughter of Nathaniel and Anna Harris Perkins, as most of the Ancestor records say.

They had 4 sons, and Captain Ebenezer is the one that I found the most information about.

I also searched through some Ancestry documents to figure out which of the cousins/uncles/sons was David Pulsifer who died in the Battle of Bunker Hill. (See this post for my search and a probable answer.)

What is most interesting about this grandfather is his possible death during the Revolutionary War. I have no idea where this information originated, but some 4 other ancestry trees have said he died at age 36, about in 1780. And there's a note that says "Died on Prison Ship in New York Harbor." There is one record saying he died in 1795 at age 51...also in New York.

Since he and his family lived in Ipswich, MA, I don't know why he died in New York. And since I don't have the death date or place of his wife, nor of 2 of his 4 sons, I don't know if the family relocated there.

But I'm glad to give honor and respect to a man and thanks for his passing on his blood in my veins.

How far back can I even imagine?

Well, I saw someone had posted a list going back to Charlemagne.  I think that's a bit far, and not really necessary.  So I didn't copy it.

I'm going to use the earliest dates that mother's might have been born, which still pushes the believability of when their first children were supposedly born (at least 13 years old.)  What a dither, and I won't let it sidetrack me.

So our last male in the line was

Thomas De Ferrers (Baron of Groby) Sir

1395–1458

BIRTH 1395 • Groby, Leicestershire, ENGLAND

DEATH 6 JAN 1458/59 • Groby, Leichestershire, ENGLAND

His father was

William Ferrers

1372–1445

BIRTH 25 APRIL 1372 • Luton, Luton Borough, Bedfordshire, England

DEATH 18 MAY 1445 • Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford Borough, Essex, England

His wife was:

Philippa Clifford Ferrers

1374–1405

BIRTH 1374 • Appleby-in-Westmorland, Eden District, Cumbria, England

DEATH 4 JULY 1405 • Appleby-in-Westmorland, Eden District, Cumbria, England

And from UK Find a Grave, we can add this information about her:

Parents

• Roger de Clifford
  

  1333–1389
• Maud de Beauchamp Clifford
  

  1335–1403

Spouse

• William Ferrers
  

  1372–1445

Siblings

• William Clifford
  

  1375–1417

Children

• Elizabeth de Ferrers Culpeper
  

  1392–1460
• Sir Henry De Ferrers
  

  1394–1463
• Thomas Ferrers
  

  1395–1459

If these parents are correct, I've got 18th great grandparents...and one sounds definitely French!

Cemetery

St Lawrence Churchyard

Burial or Cremation Place

Appleby-in-Westmorland, Eden District, Cumbria, England

Father

Roger de Clifford

Mother

Maud Clifford

Spouse

William Ferrers

Children

Elizabeth Culpepper

Going back as far as I can believe, at least

Let's see if I've got all the ancestors listed, after all it's Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead...when we celebrate our ancestors.

Our last post talked about my 14th great grandmother:

Lady Anne Ferrers, Lady of Tamworth Castle, Baroness Gresley of Chartley 

1438–1499

BIRTH NOV 1445 • Tamworth Castle, Tamworth, Staffordshire, England

DEATH 09 JAN 1499 • Colton Hall, Tamworth, Staffordshire, England

Her father was: (****)

Sir Lord Thomas II Ferrers, Knight of Tamworth, 2nd Lord of Tamworth, 7th Baron Ferrers of Groby

1427–1499

BIRTH ABT 1420 • Tamworth Castle, Tamworth, Staffordshire, England

DEATH 22 AUG 1499 • Tamworth Castle, Tamworth, Staffordshire, England

and her mother was: (***)

Lady Anne Hastings, Lady of Kirby Castle, 2nd Baroness of Tamworth, Baroness Ferrers of Groby

1423–1479

BIRTH 1423/27/32 • Kirby Castle, Kirby, Leicestershire, England

DEATH 1479 • Tamworth Castle, Tamworth, Staffordshire, England

Her parents are not listed on any Ancestry trees at this time, so we've reached an ancestress that is the oldest we know of...my 15th great grandmother.

And next in the male line is his father:

Thomas De Ferrers (Baron of Groby) Sir

1395–1458

BIRTH 1395 • Groby, Leicestershire, ENGLAND

DEATH 6 JAN 1458/59 • Groby, Leichestershire, ENGLAND

Some information about him is...

1st Lord of Tamworth by marriage. He made Tamworth the seat of an important branch of the Ferrers of Groby. It had a covert role as a "safe house" of sorts for the preeminent Catholic families of England during the Tudor era-- and yet the heirs of Lord Tamworth developed a strongarm organization to enforce the laws of the Crown in Staffordshire, and clean up problems that had only naturally existed in the environs of such a formidable castle.

Better roads were to make enforcement by the central government easier by the 16th century, and of course cannon made obsolete the notion of an impregnable fortress-- caretakers under the Ferrers stewardship understood this, and since they led double lives (as Catholics) they understood and preserved the arts of playing both sides, a way of life during the Dynastic Wars, but lost to memory as new generations of royalty grew more and more comfortable in their power.

St. Edithia Church,

(***) There are some records which acknowledge the birth dates have a span of about 10 years...so that may make some of them believable.