Person:Francis Blount (1)

Information on The Blount and Ballard families is from Dave Greenburg, with Ancestry Tree titled Wheelwright/Blount Database

"In the 21st generation is Francis Blount of Bristol, England, who was an ironmonger. He was the son of John and Jane (Lacy) Blount of St.Peters, Bristol. He married Margaret Hanbury, daughter of WilliamHanbury of St Philips; she was born in 1580 and died in 1630. Francis'will was made Oct. 27, 1628, and in it he asked to be buried in theChancel of St. Peters, 'where my father lies'. He named his sons,Robert, William, John and Hanbury; his daughter Margaret, wife ofThomas Davis, and grandchildren, Grace and Ann Barwicke, daughters ofhis son-in-law, Thomas Barwicke, who was a Vintner in Bristol. Hisdaughter, Anne, wife of Thomas Barwicke, had evidently diedpreviously. Francis named his wife, Margaret, as executrix, with PhilSimonds of Hereford, tanner, and Bart. Fittingale of Pontypool, gent.,as overseers. The will was in probate Apr. 2, 1630. In the meantimeMargaret had died and the son, Robert, was named executor." "This name is derived from 'le Blond' meaning fair hair andcomplexion."

"The Blount-Blunt family is of very ancient pedigree and it is one ofthe few in England and America which can show proved descent in themale line from pre-Conquest days. The name appears to have been 'leBlount' up to about 1300 A.D. when the 'le' was dropped and the namewas given as Blount until about 1640 when the descendants who came toAmerica sometimes dropped the 'o' and spelled the name both Blount andBlunt. Both spellings are being used today although they are allmembers of the same family. The name is not common in America."

"The written history which we have begins with Sigefred, Prince ofDenmark, who was born in 935 A. D. He was the grandson of King HaroldV, but not in line for the throne, so he gathered a band of men andtook peaceable possession of the territory of Guisnes in France wherehe was welcomed as a descendant of their ancient Sovereigns. Heimmediately built and fortified the castle of Guisnes and surroundedit with a double fosse, and thus became the first Count of thatterritory. He is said to have been a man 'noble in mind, illustriousof family, brave in all military affairs, of the highest rank, andhonored in his own country of Denmark where he was cousin to the Kingand second to him only in dignity.' At this time the King of Denmarkwas the 66th in line from Dan, the founder of the country in 1636B.C." "Sigefred married Elstrude, daughter of Arnold the Great, Count ofFlanders, who was the grandson of Alfred the Great, King of England.While the name of the head of the family for each generation is give,we will only mention two or three of them:"

"Rudolph of Rodolph, the 3rd Count of Guisnes had four sons, two ofwhom came to England with William the Conqueror, who was a relative.Robert le Blount was the 'Capt. of Foot' to the Conqueror, and Williamle Blount was 'Dux Navium Militarium' and commander of the fleet ofthe Conqueror, which came from Normandy to Pevensey, Sussex, England.He arrived there on Sept. 28, 1066, with a fleet of 986 ships. Bothmen settled in England after the Conquest, and Sir Robert became the1st Baron of Ixworth and Sir William apparently settled in Saxlingham.Marie, the sole daughter and heir of Sir William le Blount of the 7thgeneration, married her distant relative, Sir Stephen le Blount,descendant of Sir Robert le Blount, thus uniting the two lines."

"The representative of the 13th generation of the family was SirWalter Blount who married Sancha de Ayala, from one of the mostillustrious of Spanish families. He was killed in 1402 in the battleof Shrevesbury, while trying to protect the King. He tried to deceivethe enemy by wearing the King's armor, thus saving the King but losinghis own life. This devotion was recorded by Shakespeare in the firstpart of 'King Henry the IV'."

Source: "HOPKINSON AND ALLIED FAMILIES, Ancestors and Descendants of JuniusGreeley Hopkinson and Perry Hopkinson and their wives Jeanette Evelandand Lois Amanda Moffett", Co-authors Laura Huffman, Aura M. and AlseyE. Hopkinson, 1965, hardcover, publisher not noted

1.   Ancestral File.