Person:John Greswold (3)

From "The Griswolds of Olentangy", by The Reverend Edwin Viets Griswold, 1939: By the beginning of the 14th century the Griswolds, who probably came with the Teutonic invaders, were well established in Warwickshire, heart ofAnglo-Saxon England, as an ancient and aristocratic family, with a crest and coat-of-arms. The arms are described as "Argent, a fess Gules, in chief two greyhounds courant proper," said to be preserved in a window in the east end of the nave of the church at Solihull. Various members of the family are described as "of Solihull," "of Longdon Hall", "of Malvern Hall." Distinguished clergy and lords of the manor appear at intervals. In 1437 King Henry VI granted custody of Solihull to a Thomas Greswold. Tradition, which usually has some fact for a basis, associates three Griswolds with Edward I, whose favor they had won by distinguished bravery in the Crusades, Later the King recorded that of all his dogs he was fondest of his greyhounds from the Griswolds of Solihull. So it appears plausible that the family name may very well have been originally Greysweald, derived from the Icelandic grey, signifying "dog" or "greyhound," plus the common Anglo-Saxon weald, or wold, signifying "woods." Hence the arms and crest of the family who lived in a woods and raised the favorite kind of dogs for royalty."

1. ↑ Lewis, Brian.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 #1, in French, Robert L.; Esther G. French; and Coralee (editor) Griswold. The Greswold Family: 12 generations in England. (Wethersfield, CT: Griswold Family Association of America, 1999)
   page 5.

   'John1 GRESWOLD was born in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England and is the earliest Greswold who can be related to the family in Kenilworth. He married a daughter of William HUGGEFORD of Hulverle Hall, Solihull, Warwickshire, England. John died in Solihull, Warwickshire, England. ... [footnote: ... It is interesting to note that 300 years later, the Greswolds returned to Kenilworth.]'

3. ↑ Birth year estimated based on estimated birth years of his children.