My Grandfather--and How He is Related to All Three of my Other Grandparents: PHIPPEN, JORDAN REYNOLDS

After a while, people researching their ancestors might run across some interesting connections within their family tree, perhaps finding one or two common ancestors that link a maternal line with a paternal line.

Then there's my grandfather RANDOLPH BENJAMIN "ROLLA" MARTINE (1888-1976).  I recently discovered that--surprise!-- he is actually related to all three of my other grandparents.

My grandfather had, in his paternal lineage, colonial immigrant ancestors in New England (MA & CT), and New York, including New Amsterdam Dutch immigrants.

In his maternal lineage, virtually all of his ancestors were immigrants to colonial Virginia.

Here's what I discovered. By the way, most of these shared ancestors are back ten generations or more.

1) ROLLA was related to his wife RUBY BOLTON BROWN (1892-1967).  The surnames they share are: HOYT, STOWERS, SCOTT, WHATLOCK, BUSWELL, KENNEY (variantly spelled KINNEY/KEENEY/KINNE)  & possibly DUDLEY.  I say possibly because it appears that no one has ever proved the ancestry of  colonial Massachusetts governor THOMAS DUDLEY, who was an ancestor of RUBY BOLTON BROWN. All of these were New England surnames from the 1600s that originated in England.

2) ROLLA was related to my grandmother MINTTIE MAE BRUTON (1878-1960). This was quite a shock initially, but considering they both had roots in Virginia, maybe not such a shock after all.  The surnames they share are: PHIPPEN/FITZPEN, JORDAN, BURTE and COKER. Most of the ancestors they share lived in England 1500s-1600s and never set foot on American shores--though their children & grandchildren did. I have not been able to prove another  possible JORDAN connection in Virginia (same exact family as the JORDAN family in England) in MINTTIE MAE's pedigree.  She actually may be doubly related to these lines.

3) ROLLA was related to my grandfather ALONZO COX HUBER (1871-1851). This was even more of a shock than finding the connection to my grandmother. ALONZO's family were mostly German/Swiss immigrants who settled in PA, and English, Irish & Scottish Quakers who settled in Pennsylvania & North Carolina-- although he does have a branch of New Amsterdam Dutch, like ROLLA. The surnames they share are: VAN NESS, VANDERBURCHGRAEFF, REYNOLDS, HUNTINGTON and HALL.  Some were immigrant ancestors to PA, NY or VA, but some of these shared ancestors lived in England 1500s-1600s and never set foot on American shores.

Then I discovered that ROLLA's parents, CHARLES ALBERT MARTINE (1854-1926) and ALICE MILLER (1856-1921) were also related to each other,  sharing the same English PHIPPEN/FITZPEN, JORDAN, BURTE & COKER ancestors with each other as well as with grandmother MINTTIE MAE BRUTON.

The REYNOLDS connection is of great interest to me.  I have at least three lines of descent from CHRISTOPHER REYNOLDS (1530-1578) Dorset, England and his wife CHARISSA HUNTINGTON. Two lines of descent involve his granddaughter CECILY REYNOLDS (b abt 1600) who emigrated as a young girl to the Virginia Colonies and married THOMAS BAILEY, SAMUEL SILAS JORDAN (one of CECILY's cousins from the JORDAN family back in England) and WILLIAM FARRAR--and possible others, according to some sources, but these three have been historically documented.

My third line of descent involves RICHARD REYNOLDS (abt 1573 Kent, England; died Sussex Co England), son of CHRISTOPHER REYNOLDS & CHARISSA HUNTINGTON, who married ANN HARRISON.

Their son WILLIAM REYNOLDS (b abt 1606 Kent, England)  married MARGARET EXTON. They became Quakers, settled in Pennsylvania, and were likely some of the original purchasers of "Nottingham Lots" which William Penn established.  However, WILLIAM REYNOLDS died while on a business trip in Chichester, Sussex. England on Feb 19, 1667. His father apparently owned a large shipping company. (NOTE: Since writing this blogpost, I have seen conflicting accounts of WILLIAM REYNOLDS & MARGARET EXTON.    Some sources indicate that they went to Pennsylvania; others indicate that they stayed in England.  And they were likely not Quakers.  Comments appreciated!)

Recently I connected with a new DNA cousin from 23andMe and our shared ancestors are CHRISTOPHER REYNOLDS & CHARISSA HUNTINGTON.  She is a direct descendant of the REYNOLDS family, through yet another line: CHRISTOPHER REYNOLDS' son GEORGE REYNOLDS b 1555 England who married THOMASYN CHURCH, and grandson CHRISTOPHER REYNOLDS (b 1611 Gravesend, England)  who settled in Isle of Wight Co VA, married ELIZABETH RIVERS and died there in 1654.

As always, your comments appreciated. If you have further info on these families, or if you see an error, please let me know.

Have a great day!

Betty


© Betty Tartas  2010