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1. William ap David married his kinswoman, Gwenhwyvar, dau. of David Lloyd of Leighton, and sister of David Lloyd (Vaughan) of Marrington, and Humphrey Lloyd of Leighton.
1.1. Reginald Williams, of Willaston, m. Margaret Lee, dau. of Fulc Lee of Langley.
1.1.1. Thomas Williams, the eldest son of Reginald, was Sheriff of Montgomeryshire, and in 1582 Sheriff of Shropshire. He m. Blanche Powell dau. of Robert Powell of Whittington. His deputy was John Harris: “Johes Harries, gent” was of Stockton, in the parish of Chirbury, Salop. He m. Petronella, dau. of John Wynn of Broughton, near Bishop’s Castle, ap Reynold ap Sir Griffith Vaughan, Knt. Ban’t. (Lewys Dwnn, vol. i, p. 329.) He was deputy Sheriff to his br.-n-law, Randall Hamner in 1561; who m. Lucy, dau. of the said John Wynn. Gruffudd Vaughn/Vychan was the 2nd son of Gruffudd ap Ieuan ap Madoc ap Wenwys, a family which traced their ancestry (as the Williams) from Brochwel Ysgithrog. He was the brother of David Lloyd of Leighton, aforementioned
1.1.1.1. Reginald Williams, of Willaston, d. 1612, m. Margaret Gore, dau. of Gerard Gore, of London. They had 7 sons.
1.1.1.1.1. Thomas Williams, of Willaston, m. Elizabeth Price, dau. of John Price, of Gogerddan.
1.1.1.1.1.1. Reginald Williams, m. Anna Townshend, dau of John Townshend, of Ludlow. Her kinswoman, Elizabeth Townshend, m. Edward Cresset, of Upton Cressett, whose grandfather was the br. of the great grandf. of Richard Cressett of Upton Cressett; Sheriff of Shropshire in 1584. (Richard Townshend, of Virginia, may have been of this family: John Williams, in 1650, was a headright of Frances (Baldwin) Townshend, relict of Richard Townshend, Richard Jones, as second wife (by his first wife, the father of Peter Jones, who m. Margaret Cocke, d. o. Thomas Cocke, s.o. Richard Cocke of Pickthorne, Shropshire), and Robert Williams. Robert Williams was a headright of Samuel Matthewes; of obvious Welsh extract, he calling his plantation “Denbigh”. The commonly given parentages of Richard Jones and Samuel Matthewes are contentious.
1.1.1.1.1.1.1. Thomas Williams.
1.1.1.1.1.2. Bridget Williams, m. Thomas Williams, of Winnington. i assume him to be a son of John Williams of Winnington, and Jane, da. of Oliver Lloyd of Leighton, as follows.
1.1.1.1.1.3. Thomas Williams.
1.1.1.1.1.4. John Williams.

(“The Williams family, like the Eytons, were connected by marriage with the Purslowes oi Sidbury, near Bridgnorth, and John Purslowe, gentleman, of Uppington, buried at Alberbury in 1622 may have been either a Purslowe of the Sidbury or of the Hogstow branch. They were also connected with the Corbets of Halston, near Pontesbury, and thus perhaps with the Corbetts of Wilmington, who frequently occur in the Alberbury registers during the 17th century, and are styled Mr. or ” generosus”. John Williams, gentleman, was of Winnington from 1665 to 1672, and in 1674 he was of Wollaston Hall” (Shrop. Arch. Soc., vol. 3, p. 69, 1908).

1.1.2. Robert Williams of Winington, m. Margaret Jennyns, dau of Thomas Jennyns of Wallibourne, thus being close kin of the Harris of Cruckton/Ludlow.
1.1.2.1. John Williams, of Winnington, m. Jane, da. of Oliver Lloyd, of Leighton, as follows.
1.1.2.1.1. Maria Williams, m. David Lloyd, son of George churchwarden of the parish of Chirbury in 1611; son of Richard Lloyd; son of Richard Loyd , of Leighton (son of Humphrey Lloyd, and br. of (1) David Lloyd, of Moel y Garth, in Guilsfield, grandfather of Sir Charles Lloyd Bart, of Moel-y-garth, sheriff in 1670, whose son, Edward Lloyd, m. Ales, d.o. William Penrhyn of Rhysnant; her sister, Alice, m. Walter Clopton, sheriff in 1683, the possible father of William Clopton of Virginia, father of a Walter Clopton. At a meeting of the York Co Court in Feb of 1688 there was a suit pending between John Williams, plaintiff, and William Clopton, defendant. (2) Oliver Lloyd of Leighton. (3) Catherine Lloyd, who m. Edward Langford, son of Richard Langford, of Alington, and constable of Ruthyn Castle, living in 1586.
1.1.2.1.1.1. Georgius filius Davidis Lloyd de Marton. Bapt. 24° 9 bris, 1631. George Lloyd of Marton, was rated for property in Stockton, the adjoining township to Marton, and for Stockton and Marton in 1680, where his mother had resided up to the time of her death, in 1675. He was churchwarden in 1665.
1.1.2.1.1.2. Thomas filius Davidis Lloyd de Marton. Bapt. 17° die 9 bris, 1637.
1.1.2.1.1.3. Johannis filius Davidis et Mariae Lloyd. Bapt. 23° Junii 1642.
1.1.2.1.2. Thomas Williams, m. Bridget Williams, as given, kin of the Townshend family.
1.1.2.1.3. John Williams, d. bef. Jul. 2, 1620.
1.1.2.1.3.1. John Williams, bapt. July 2, 1620, Alderbury. (A parish of the Leightons). Probably he designated “gent”.

1.1.2.2. Thomas Williams.
1.1.2.2.1. Thomas Williams, “of Winnington”.
1.1.2.2.1.1. William Williams, bapt. Sept. 3, 1609, Alderbury, m. Alice …
1.1.2.2.1.1.1. Hugh Williams, bapt. ca. 1646, m. Jane.
1.1.2.2.1.1.1.1. John Williams, bapt. Nov. 6, 1670. Perhaps he of Virginia, who m. Mary …
1.1.2.2.1.2. John Williams, bapt. April 1, 1617, Alderbury.

1.1.2.2.2. Humphrey Williams.
1.1.2.2.2.1. John Williams, bapt. June 11, 1615.
1.1.2.2.3. Gilbert Williams, m. Catherine.
1.1.2.2.3.1. John Williams, bapt. Aug. 17, 1619. Either he, or his cousin and namesake, perhaps associated with William Clopton in Virginia.
1.1.2.2.3.2. Richard Williams, bapt. ca. 1630, m. Margaret Davis, July 2, 1673.
1.1.2.2.3.2.1. John Williams, bapt. July 9, 1674. Perhaps he of Virginia, who m. Mary. 
1.1.2.2.3.3. James Williams, bapt. Feb. 28, 1634. Perhaps the headright of Joseph Croshawe in Virginia.
1.1.2.2.4. Reginald Williams, m. Ann.
1.1.2.2.4.1. Mary Wiliams, bapt. June 22, 1634. Perhaps the headright of Joseph Croshawe in Virginia.

“28 Aprilis, 1632. The agreement betwixt the parishioners of Chirbury, the burgesses of Shrewsbury, and others comittees met in Salop … with the consent of Richard Hunt, Thomas Knight, and Thomas Jones, Esqrs. … and for the sayd parishioners of Chirbury, David Lloyd, Richard Harries, gentlemen, and others, parishioners” (Chirbury Records). Members of this Harris family removed to Salem, Mass., at the time of the Commonwealth.

The Hunt family of Shrewsbury were of some influence. Hunt v Studley. Plaintiffs: George Hunt. Defendants: Peter Studley and Richard Studley. Subject: marriage agreement, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 1641. Studley v Greaves. Plaintiffs: John Studley. Defendants: Samuel Greaves. Subject: property in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 1663-1678. (N.A. C 6/79/9). Mary Prowd (kin of the Harris/Langford family of Cruckton and Ludlow), chr. 1595, md. John Studley, draper, Bailiff of Salop 1624, Mayor 1642, as his 3rd wife, & their son John Studley was chr. 1623. Samuel Greaves (rector 1619–53) also held Pontesbury (ejected 1645). SA-IMG41: Monumental inscription, at Culmington (5 miles from Ludlow), of Ralph Greaves (d. 1631), rector of Culmington, and his wife Margaret Greaves (d. 1638), daughter of John Watts; their children were Samuel Greaves, Hierome Greaves, Tobias Greaves, John Greaves, Elias Greaves, Susanne Greaves, Sarah Greaves, Judith Greaves, Arbella Greaves, Priscilla Greaves, Barbara Greaves, Anne Greaves, Marie Greaves, and Rebecca Greaves. SA-IMG181 Monumental inscription of Catharine Greaves (d. 1620), wife of Samuel Greaves, rector of Berrington. SA-IMG180 Monumental inscription of Adah Greaves (d. 1638) wife of Samuel Greaves, rector of Berrington. Monumental inscription of Samuell Greaves (d. 1654) and his wife Jane Greaves (d. 1694). Both at Berrington. MI6133/20/3 The Rev. Ralph Greaves, who died in 1630 aged 78, was the rector of Culmimgton 53 years.

Studley v Bowers. Plaintiffs: John Studley. Defendants: John Bowers, Humphrey Tomkins, Samuel Greaves, Edward Browne and John Warter. Subject: messuage in Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 1675. ( N.A. C 6/293/44). Court of Chancery: Studley v Greaves. Plaintiffs: John Studley. Defendants: Samuel Greaves. Subject: property in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. 1663-1678. (N.A. C 6/79/9). A familial connection is suggested. Samuel, son of Samuel, son of Rector Ralph Greaves, m. Adah Churchman, on Oct. 2, 1621, in Wroxeter, Shrop. It is quite likely that Samuel Greaves was the father of Ralph Greaves of Virginia, who witnessed a deed in 1650 in York Co., and died in 1667. Ralph Greaves m. Rachel Croshawe, dau. of Major Joseph Croshawe, whose headrights in York were the cousins Mary Williams (1649), and James Williams (1651), close kin of John Williams, bapt. July 9, 1674; most likely he also of Virginia, who named his estate Studley.

Ralph Greaves was not a descendant of a “Graves” ancient planter; the Holy Grail of American pedigree-making.

What is witnessed here is a ‘Gordian Knot’ of kinship associations, which no Herculean effort can fully untie.

copyright m stanhope 2018