It is probably the case that the parentage of Christopher Holman of Virginia can never be ascertained, as the relevant parish register entries are not extant. However, a very reasonable assumption can be made as to his near kin.

1. Walter Grey (Dr.), of Bridport, d. 1612, m. Ann, dau. of Robert Williams, of Harrington.
1.1. Edmund Grey, m. (August 26, 1613) Avis Mynson.
1.2. Walter Grey, m. Mary, dau. of John Bonville, of Clopton, Somerset.
1.2.1. Walter Grey, b. 1622.
1.2.2. Thomas Grey, bapt. Jan. I, 1625, at Whitchurch Canonicorum, juxta Bridport, Dorset.
1.2.3. Mary Grey, m. Christopher Holman, of Virginia, d. 1691. Mary Bonville, as Mary Grey, made her will on Dec. 9, 1663, on IOW, which was proved on the 28th of that month. She appointed Anthony Mathews as admin. of her estate for the use of her son, “Walter Grey, of the county of Dorset”). Security Christopher Holman. Anthony Mathews held land adj. Thomas Tooke and George Moore.

As a first principle, people marry who they first see, and, in the 17th century, the ‘field of vision’ was 10 miles; with the vast majority of marriages taking place between people within walking distance of each other.

It is certain that the Greys, esquires, of Bridport, were well known to a Holman family of that place, who would have aspired to intermarry with them. As the Greys, these Holmans were parishioners of the church of Whitchurch Canonicorum, where the following records can be extracted.

1. Robert Holman, m. Alice Stevens, Jan. 24, 1568.
1.1. Edmond Holman, m. Joan Chapman, Jan. 24, 1595.
1.1.1. Thomas Holman, bapt. Feb. 14, 1599.
1.1.1.1. Christopher Holman (it may reasonably be speculated); he being born ca. 1625.
1.2. Joan Holman, m. Nicholas Mynson, Sept. 10, 1605, br. of Avis Mynson, aunt of Mary Grey, wife of Christopher Holman.
1.3. Robert Holman, m. Elizabeth Miller, Sept. 7, 1607.

If this be Christopher Holman of Virginia, he sat within a few yards of his future wife (and kinswoman) in church.

A further point is this – these Holmans were probably of the same stock as they of Barwick, Dorset, of which John Holman, “the emigrant”, m. Anne Bishop, bapt. at Bridport, on Oct. 22, 1616, dau. of Thomas and Avis (Abbot).

Of Mary (Grey) Holman’s br., Thomas Grey, b. 1625; it may be worth considering that he has wrongly been placed as a son of Thomas Grey, “ancient planter”.

BONVILLE DESCENT

1. Nicholas Bonville (d 1294), m. Hawisia, relict of Sir Thomas Pyne, of Coombe Pyne.
1.1. Sir Nicholas Bonville, m. Johanna, dau. of Henry Champernowne and Joanna, dau. of Henry Bodrigan. Henry Champernowne was the son of William Champernowne and Joan, dau. of William de Ferrers, of Bere Regis.
1.1.1. Sir William Bonville, Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset (d. 1408), m. Margaret, coheir of Sir William Damerell (d’Aumerle), grandson of Ela de Beauchamp, dau. of Sir John Beauchamp, 1st Lord Beauchamp (of Somerset), and Joan Chenduit; the son of John Beauchamp and Cicely de Vivonne.
1.1.1.1. John Bonville (dvp 1396), m. Elizabeth, dau. of John FitzRoger, of Chewton.
1.1.1.1.1. Sir William Bonville, Lord of Chewton, d. 1460, m. Margaret Grey, dau. of Reginald de Grey, Lord of Ruthyn.
1.1.1.1.1.1. William Bonville (killed 1460, Battle of Wakefield), m. Elizabeth, dau of William, 5th Lord Harrington.
1.1.1.1.1.1.1. William Bonville, ‘Lord Harrington’ (killed 1460, Battle of Wakefield ), m. Catherine, dau of Richard Nevill, Earl of Salisbury.
1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1. Cecily Bonville, d. ca. 1530, m. 1., Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset (d. 1501), 2. Henry Stafford, Earl of Wiltshire, Thomas Grey’s cousin.

1.1.1.2. … Bonville. (See Hannes Kleineke, Linda Clark, ed.; Essays Presented to Michael Hicks, p. 122, 2015), for an identification of the Bonvilles of Dillington.
1.1.1.2.1. John Bonville, of Dillington, Somerset, d. 1484; first-cousin of Sir William Bonville, Lord of Chewton, d. 1460. He m. Alice, dau. and heir of Richard Clopton (Visit. 1591). (The) “Cloptons an ancient family of knights, who flourished heere untill King Henry the sixth, when it ended in Sir William Clopton, for he had only one daughter Agnes married unto Roger Harwell descended from a brother of John Harwell Bishopp of Bathe and Wells in Edward the thirds time; whose posterity remained untill Henry the eights time, when Thomas Harwell dying issuless his four sisters entred his inheritance, who were married to Ashton, Clifford, Leighton, and Rawley. But in the meane time Clopton, by what conveyance I knowe not, fell to the Bonvilles of Dillington who still remaine at it, being the only branche now left, as farr as I can find, of the right auncient and honorable family of Bonvills of soe greate eminencie in former ages in theis partes. Clopton: arg. a cheveron betw. 3 egletts asure”. (Somerset Record Society, p. 71, 1900).

Clopton was a manor of Crewkerne, described in the 16th century as ‘a thorough fare betwixt London and Exeter’, its road linked such places as Lyme Regis, Bridport, and Dorchester, and crossed the river Axe at Clopton (or Clapton).

From A.P Baggs and R.J.E Bush, A History of the County of Somerset, vol 4, 1978: “The manor passed to John Bonville of Clapton, who was mentioned in 1454 and described in a non-contemporary source as husband of Alice, daughter of Richard Clapton. (Cal. Close, 1447–54, 516; Visits. Som. 1531, 1573, ed. F. W. Weaver, 96). A John Bonville died in 1484 and was succeeded in turn by his son and grandson:
1.1.1.2.1.1. John Bonville (d. 1493)
1.1.1.2.1.1.1. John Bonville (d. 1551). (C 141/2/17; Cal. Fine R. 1471–85, 284; Cal. Inq. p.m. Hen. VII, iii, pp. 350–1; C 142/94/85). From the second the manor passed successively to his sons:
1.1.1.2.1.1.1.1.Thomas Bonville (d. 1565).
1.1.1.2.1.1.1.2. Richard Bonville (C 142/94/85; C 142/143/19.) Richard mortgaged the manor in 1607 and had been succeeded before 1637 by his son or grandson, John Bonville. (S.R.S. li, p. 179; C.P. 25 (2)/715/13 Chas. I East.) A John Bonville held it in 1657”. Thus:
1.1.1.2.1.1.1.2.1. John Bonville.
1.1.1.2.1.1.1.2.1.1. John Bonville, of Clapton, in 1657.
1.1.1.2.1.1.1.2.1.2. Mary Bonville, m. Walter Grey.
1.1.1.2.1.1.1.2.1.2.1. Mary Grey, m. Christopher Holliman, of Virginia.

The name was almost exclusively written as Holman in the registers.

copyright m stanhope 2019
A GREY FAMILY OF VIRGINIA